Tuesday morning rail transit news: Contract approved for South Shore’s West Lake project The agency which oversees South Shore Line commuter train operation has selected two Chicago-based companies to lead design and construction of the planned West Lake Corridor branch line, which could see construction work begin this fall. The Times of Northwest Indiana reports […]
CHICAGO — Metra has asked the Surface Transportation Board to issue an injunction to prevent Union Pacific from acting on plans that the commuter railroad says would “degrade or halt service” on the three Metra lines operated by UP. In a press release, Metra also says it has asked the STB to rule whether UP […]
MONTREAL — Canadian National plans to spin off 850 miles of low-density routes in Wisconsin, Michigan, and Ontario, the railway said today while announcing its quarterly financial results. Railroad officials did not specify which lines will be marketed for sale to short line operators. But executives say the bulk of the routes on the block […]
Led by 1936 power unit 9905 Zephyrus, the Twin Cities Zephyr rolls down Second Street in La Crosse, Wis., circa 1939. The slow street running was an obstacle when competing with Chicago & North Western and Milwaukee Road for Chicago to Twin Cities traffic. Elden H. Hunter photo […]
In 1968, workers load Missouri Pacific Railway Post Office cars at St. Louis Union Station. As passengers deserted the trains, mail became an increasingly important revenue source — until the Post Office Department pulled most mail off the trains in 1967. Wayne Leeman photo […]
The layout at a glance Name: Toledo, Walhonding Valley & Ohio Layout owner: Associated Model Railroad Engineers of Coshocton Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 40 x 143 feet (layout), 50 x 150 feet (room) Theme: freelanced Locale: southeastern Ohio Era: not specific Style: walk in Mainline run: approximately 967 feet Minimum radius: 42″ (main line) Minimum […]
Thursday morning rail news in brief: UP says it will end some support of Metra in August, would quit running trains in 90 days if it wins suit Union Pacific says it will stop providing some support services for Metra at the end of August and would stop operating trains for the commuter railroad within […]
More Wednesday rail news in brief: Metra tests ridership dashboard Metra has joined the list of commuter railroads providing online ridership information to help passengers make decisions on finding less-crowded trains. The ridership dashboard, a test program, will classify trains according to four levels of occupancy: low (green), with an average of less than 50 […]
CHICAGO — Canadian National has won federal regulatory approval to double track more than four miles of its former Elgin, Joliet & Eastern route near Elgin, Ill., a project the railroad says will eliminate a chokepoint and improve the flow of rail traffic in and around Chicago. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers issued a […]
WASHINGTON — Canadian National has defended its request for the Surface Transportation Board to wade into its long-running dispute with Canadian Pacific regarding where the railways interchange in Chicago. Both railroads continue to exchange cars at the Belt Railway of Chicago’s Clearing Yard, as they have under an August 2019 interim agreement that shifted the […]
Tuesday morning rail news in brief: Metra to add service on three lines Metra will offer express trains on the North Central Service and SouthWest Service lines — the first time express service has been offered on either route — as part of an increase in service on those two lines and the Heritage Corridor […]
Labor intensive Hundred-pound sacks of flour are stacked in a single-sheathed Rock Island boxcar at Minneapolis in 1939. The paper lining helps protect the bags. John Vachon, Library of Congress photo […]
