ORLANDO — A Brightline train has hit speeds of 130 mph in testing on passenger operator’s corridor between Orlando and Cocoa, Fla., the company announced this morning (March 6, 2023), making it the fastest train ever to operate in Florida and the southeastern U.S. The 35-mile route paralleling the Beachline Expressway (State Route 528) is […]
Train Topic: Railroad Operations
Amtrak to take one track on Hell Gate Line out of service, adjust NEC schedules
NEW YORK — Amtrak will take a portion of one track out of service on of its Hell Gate Line between Penn Station and New Rochelle, N.Y., and adjust most Northeast Corridor schedules as of today (Monday, March 6) as part of its effort to cooperate with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s Penn Station Access project, […]
Two unions vote for strike against CN in Canada
MONTREAL — Two Canadian unions whose contracts with Canadian National Railway expired at the end of 2022 have voted in favor of a strike, CityNews reports. Unifor Local 100 and Unifor Council 4000 have voted 98% and 97%, respectively, in favor of a strike. The two unions represent about 3,000 workers in mechanical, intermodal, and […]
Erosion concerns halt Cuyahoga Valley Scenic operations
PENINSULA, Ohio — The Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad, which had planned to resume full operations on Friday, March 3, instead has had to suspend all operations as of that date. A news release on the heritage railroad’s website says “ongoing geotechnical soil monitoring in recent weeks identified increasing erosion along the 26-mile scenic and educational […]
Transport Canada to fund 20 rail projects addressing climate change
OTTAWA — Transport Canada will provide up to C$5.4 million in funding for 20 projects nationwide under the Rail Climate Change Adaption Program, which seeks to better prepare railroads for dealing with conditions such as flooding, fires, and more extreme operating temperatures. The program supports research, development, and deployment of innovative technologies, tools, and approaches […]
Union Pacific grain cars derail in Kansas
WELLINGTON, Kansas — No injuries were reported after 18 cars of grain from a Union Pacific train derailed near Wellington on Saturday evening, CBS News reports. The railroad told CBS, “Crews have cleared the derailed cars, and track repairs are currently underway.” The derailment occurred about 5 p.m. Wellington is about 30 miles south of […]
LIRR adds or lengthens trains to address issues with new schedule (updated)
NEW YORK — Responding to complaints resulting from the first week of its massive schedule revision, the Long Island Rail Road is adding morning rush-hour shuttle trains to Brooklyn’s Atlantic Terminal and lengthening trains on some other routes as of Monday, March 6. In a Twitter thread posted Friday, the LIRR said it would add […]
NS train derails in Springfield, Ohio (updated)
SPRINGFIELD, Ohio — Twenty-eight cars of a Norfolk Southern train derailed near Springfield on Saturday evening, leading to an initial shelter-in-place order from local authorities before it was determined no hazardous-materials situation was involved. The Associated Press reports that there were no hazardous materials aboard the train and no injuries were involved. Clark County reported […]
Second Vancouver, B.C., Cascades round trip set to roll Monday
SEATTLE — Beginning Monday, March 6, Amtrak adds a morning departure from Vancouver, British Columbia, to Portland, Ore., and drops in a mid-afternoon northbound frequency from Portland that departs Seattle at 7 p.m. and arrives into the Canadian city at 11 p.m. Including the Seattle-Los Angeles Coast Starlight, this will increase the number of Seattle-Portland […]
Metrolinx says it has new site for GO Transit layover facility
TORONTO — Metrolinx, the Ontario transit agency which oversees GO Transit commuter trains, has abandoned plans to build a facility for midday servicing of commuter trains in Toronto’s Don Valley, a plan opposed by residents concerned about potential damage to the environment and nearby parkland. The Toronto Globe and Mail reports the Metrolinx proposal would […]
NTSB expresses concerns about protective covers on tank cars
WASHINGTON — The National Transportation Safety Board says it is “looking closely” at aluminum protective covers on tank cars involved in the East Palestine, Ohio, derailment, over concerns those covers melted on three of the cars, which may have hampered the performance of pressure relief devices. The issue occurred on three of the five cars […]
Canadian National sets grain tonnage record for February
Canadian National set a grain volume record for February by moving 2.4 million metric tons out of Western Canada for the month, topping the record set last year by 200,000 metric tons. CN attributes February’s performance to increased collaboration between supply chain partners, which helped the railway bounce back from a period of extreme cold. […]