Metra unveils C&NW heritage locomotive

Locomotive news in brief: Metra C&NW heritage unit debuts Chicago commuter railroad Metra has unveiled its latest heritage locomotive. Metra F59PHI No. 90 was released Monday from the company’s paint booth in a Chicago & North Western-inspired scheme. The design incorporates elements of C&NW’s paint scheme worn on early passenger diesel locomotives such as EMD’s […]

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Pride of the Pennsy

Pride of the Pennsy

The westbound Broadway Limited is just a few miles from its destination as it pauses at Englewood Union Station on the South Side of Chicago in 1933. The Pennsylvania Railroad’s premier train traded its heavyweight cars for streamlined equipment in 1938. Photo by Rail Photo Service […]

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Mohawk at Waterloo

Mohawk at Waterloo

New York Central 4-8-2 2952 storms through Waterloo, Indiana, 367 miles west of Buffalo, with a westbound freight in 1948. NYC called its 600 4-8-2s “Mohawks” after the river the road’s main line followed across New York state. Photo by Robert A. Hadley […]

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Milwaukee’s “Viroqua Patrol”

Milwaukee’s “Viroqua Patrol”

Alco RSD5 572 leads the Milwaukee Road’s local freight to Sparta and Viroqua, Wisconsin, out of La Crosse in October 1971. At right is Grand Crossing tower, guardian of a tangle of tracks that includes the Chicago–Twin Cities main lines of MILW and Burlington Northern. Photo by J. W. Schultz […]

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Interstate Alco

Interstate Alco

One of the Interstate Railroad’s ten Alco RS3 diesel locomotives switches hopper cars in the road’s yard at Andover, Virginia, in May 1960. The 88-mile coal-hauler’s diesels wore a colorful gray-orange-silver scheme. The Southern Railway bought the Interstate in June 1961. Photo by Steve Patterson […]

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STB defers decision in Metra-Union Pacific dispute

CHICAGO – The Surface Transportation Board is declining to intervene in an ongoing dispute between Metra and Union Pacific – for now. In a decision published Wednesday, the STB is holding a decision on its jurisdiction in abeyance and has directed both parties to inform the agency of any rulings issued by the federal district […]

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A ‘Zephyr’ in the Wisconsin Northwoods

TREGO, Wis. – With the Wisconsin Great Northern Railroad’s purchase of the Mark Twain Zephyr completed, the first and certainly the most complex part of the restoration process has been moved to Trego from Gateway Rail Service in Madison, Ill. The Injun Joe locomotive arrived Saturday evening after being moved by Over the Top Construction […]

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Digest: Metra to add trains on Rock Island, BNSF lines

Overhead view of commuter train

Monday midday rail news: Metra to add trains on Rock Island, BNSF lines Reflecting increasing ridership as the Chicago area reopens after COVID-19 shutdowns, Metra will add express trains to service on its BNSF and Rock Island lines next week, while schedules will be adjusted on two Electric District train. The new services will include […]

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Digest: STB’s Oberman will recuse himself from Metra-UP dispute

Friday morning rail news: STB’s Oberman won’t participate in Metra-UP proceedings Surface Transportation Board Vice Chairman Martin Oberman, a former Metra board chairman, announced he will recuse himself from the STB’s proceedings regarding Metra’s request for a preliminary injunction and ruling in its ongoing dispute with Union Pacific [See “Metra asks STB for injunction against […]

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STB filings detail Metra, UP disagreement (updated)

CHICAGO — The depth of disagreement between Metra and Union Pacific over commuter rail service on three Chicago-area UP lines is visible in Metra filings with the U.S. Surface Transportation Board seeking to ensure UP continues to provide service on those lines. In two filings on Tuesday, Metra asks that the STB to rule that […]

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