185-year-old ‘Rocket’ moving to Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania

Early four-wheeled steam locomotive in museum building

PHILADELPHIA — One of the oldest surviving steam locomotives in North America – also distinguished as the oldest former Reading Railroad engine – is getting a new home, the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania in Strasburg, Pa. Imported from England in 1838 for the Philadelphia & Reading Railroad, the 8-1/2-ton, 25-horsepower Rocket recently left its home […]

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NJ Transit receives top 2023 transportation system award from APTA

NJTransit_Elizabeth_Lassen

WASHINGTON — NJ Transit was honored as the Outstanding Public Transportation System with 50 million or more annual passenger trips when the American Public Transportation Association announced its 2023 Public Transportation Awards on Monday. The organization also announced six new members for the APTA Hall of Fame and individual awards in four categories. “The achievements […]

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Philadelphia station work will restore pedestrian connection with transit line

Rendering of large train station in aerial view

PHILADELPHIA — Renovations underway at Philadelphia’s 30th Street Station will restore a direct pedestrian tunnel connection to the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority’s Market-Frankfort Line, eliminated in 1984, the website Billy Penn reports. Currently, the connection requires going above ground and following a route without signage that crosses a street that is an exit route off Interstate […]

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Norfolk Southern derailment reported in southwest Tennessee

Norfolk Southern logo

POCAHONTAS, Tenn. — An estimated 15 cars of a Norfolk Southern train derailed Sunday evening in southwest Tennesseee, WBBJ-TV reports, citing information from Hardeman County Sheriff John Doolen. No injuries were reported. The derailment occurred about 7 p.m. in a remote area near the Hardeman and McNairy county lines in the Pocahontas area. A photo […]

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Closure of Gotthard Base Tunnel to be extended

Swiss freight train with two red boxcab electric locomotives

BIASCA, Switzerland — The closure of the Gotthard Base Tunnel will extend beyond the original estimated reopening date of Aug. 16, SBB, the Swiss Federal Railways has announced. The latest update on the SBB website (in German, as translated by Google) reports investigators have partially released control of the accident scene within the base tunnel, […]

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Donation will help Steamtown restore SW1 to operation

Dark red end-cab switcher in need of repairs

SCRANTON, Pa. — The Steamtown National Historic Site has received  what it terms as “a generous donation” from the estate of rail enthusiast Eric J. Yankovich to help fund the restoration of SW1 locomotive No. 1901, an Atlantic Coast Line diesel switcher build by Electro-Motive Corp. in 1939. Steamtown is one of six railroad museums […]

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News photo: Reading & Northern diesel marks 40th anniversary

Green and yellow diesel with "Our 40th Anniversary" lettering

PORT CLINTON, Pa. — Reading & Northern (formally, the Reading Blue Mountain & Northern Railroad) has painted GP38-2 No. 2023 to commemorate the railroad’s 40th anniversary. R&N began as the Blue Mountain & Reading in 1983, operating a 13-mile former Conrail Branch, and has grown to a 400-mile route with some 300 employees and a […]

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Norfolk Southern to restore its popular heritage locomotive fleet

Yellow and black diesel

Norfolk Southern’s heritage locomotive fleet will get a refresh in the coming years, the railroad announced when it shared a video of a shiny Virginian SD70ACe No. 1069 rolling out of the paint shop at Juniata, Pa. “Drumroll pleaseeee….. the Virginian restoration is complete! It took 10 carmen 550+ hours to restore and repaint NS1069. […]

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Broken wheel blamed for derailment in Gotthard tunnel (updated)

Damaged railcar and doors in tunnel

A broken wheel is the likely cause of last week’s derailment in the Gotthard Base Tunnel, public broadcaster SRF reported Sunday, citing information from the Swiss Transportation Safety Investigation Board (STSB). A Google translation of the SRF report says automatic equipment showed the train was “sound” as it entered the 35.5-mile tunnel from the south […]

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