Metra CEO Jim Derwinski CHICAGO — Metra is promising no fare increases in 2020 while outlining plans to spend $2.6 billion over the next five years to address capital needs. The spending plan includes purchasing and refurbishing locomotives and coaches and upgrading bridges and stations. The announcement by the commuter rail agency Wednesday came as […]
Zone & Region: Midwest
Minnesota museum acquiring Northern Pacific GP9 in locomotive swap NEWSWIRE
Burlington Northern GP9 No. 1868, formerly Northern Pacific No. 245, is at Staples, Minn., on Sept. 4, 1989. Steve Glischinski DULUTH, Minn. – The Lake Superior Railroad Museum is acquiring a high-hood former Northern Pacific GP9 in trade for a former Duluth, Missabe & Iron Range diesel. Independent Locomotive Service GP9 No. 1382, at the […]
Union Pacific derailment near St. Louis results in fire NEWSWIRE
The scene at Dupo on Tuesday afternoon after crews knocked down the flames. Steve Smedley DUPO, Ill. – A Union Pacific freight train has derailed in Dupo on Tuesday, resulting in a fire. The incident happened in the southeast suburb of St. Louis, Mo., south of East St. Louis. According to the railroad, around 12:45 […]
Metra to move traffic to new bridge NEWSWIRE
An inbound Metra Milwaukee West train departs National Street station in Elgin. Metra will run a bus bridge from the National Street and Elgin stations on Saturday as it places a new bridge in service. TRAINS: David Lassen ELGIN, Ill. — Metra will move service on its Milwaukee District West line onto a new bridge […]
No bidders so far in Indiana museum auction NEWSWIRE
PRR sleeper Philadelphia County is up for auction. Ozark Mountain Railcar Painted in Monon colors, this Milwaukee Road F7 is up for auction. Ozark Mountain Railcar NOBLESVILLE, Ind. — The auction for several pieces of rolling stock left behind by the Indiana Transportation Museum at its former home is underway, but no bids have been […]
Indiana Transportation Museum pieces go to auction or scrap NEWSWIRE
NOBLESVILLE, Ind. — More than a dozen pieces of historical railroad equipment formerly owned by the Indiana Railroad Museum will be scrapped if they are not successfully sold during an auction beginning Monday. According to a listing on the website for railroad equipment broker Ozark Mountain Railcar, 17 pieces of equipment, including two locomotives, a […]
Before lot opens, two-thirds of suburb’s premium commuter parking spaces have sold NEWSWIRE
More than two-thirds of the premium parking spaces at Barrington’s Metra station have been sold in advance of the new premium lot’s opening. TRAINS: David Lassen BARRINGTON, Ill. — More than two-thirds of the spaces in a new premium parking lot for the Barrington Metra station have been sold in advance of the lot’s opening […]
Ask Trains: Who really operates locomotive shops in East St. Louis?
Q: I recently visited the Foster Townsend facility by the river in St. Louis and was informed that it is now part of Metro East Industries. Can you confirm? — John Foster, Gloucester, England A: Upon checking with railfans familiar with St. Louis, they confirmed that the shops you visited are leased out to Metro […]
Faster running delayed again on Chicago-St. Louis Amtrak route NEWSWIRE
Lincoln Service train No. 302 speeds through Odell, Ill., in November 2016. Bob Johnston Lincoln Service train No. 304 creeps at 30 mph on KCS-owned trackage through Granite City, Ill., in May 2014. UP track at right is signaled for 79 mph southbound only. Norfolk Southern’s ex-Wabash route is at left. Speeds had not been […]
Metra ups pledge to fund new Clarendon Hills station NEWSWIRE
A Metra train prepares to cross Prospect Avenue after a stop at the station in Clarendon Hills, Ill. Metra has pledged $1.5 million toward a new station at Clarendon Hills and related improvements, including work on the Prospect Avenue grade crossing. TRAINS: David Lassen CLARENDON HILLS, Ill. — Commuter railroad Metra has pledged an additional […]
Streetcar could be catalyst for free transit in Kansas City NEWSWIRE
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — With the popularity of its streetcar as a guide, Kansas City is considering the possibility of making all public transit free. It would be the first major U.S. city to do so. The streetcar is free — paid for by a specialized tax district, alternative weekly The Pitch notes — and […]
OmniTrax acquires Cleveland Commercial Railroad, affiliate NEWSWIRE
Cleveland Commercial at Bedford, Ohio, on Aug. 22, 2016. This daily train originates at Falls Junction and goes into Cleveland. Craig Sanders CLEVELAND, Ohio – OmniTrax Inc. will acquire Cleveland Commercial Railroad and its wholly owned subsidiary, Cleveland Harbor Belt Railroad. The acquisition is expected to close in late August, 2019. The price for the […]