Thursday’s signal outage at Chicago Union Station was reportedly caused by a worker falling on a circuit board during an equipment upgrade, according to a U.S. Senator. TRAINS: David Lassen CHICAGO — That “human error” that snarled Metra’s Thursday evening commute? It wasn’t just someone flicking the wrong switch or a programming mistake. U.S. Sen […]
ELLENDALE, Minn. – Two Union Pacific trains stuck in deep snow near Ellendale are free this week following the efforts of railroad and contractor crews to free them. Ellendale is located on the so-called “Spine Line” between Minneapolis and Des Moines, Iowa, about 30 miles north of the Minnesota-Iowa state line. The work took place […]
Metra and Amtrak trains move into Chicago Union Station in March 2017. Traffic in and out of Union Station was snarled for much of Thursday by Amtrak signal issues. TRAINS: David Lassen CHICAGO — Amtrak CEO Richard Anderson has offered an explanation and an apology for signal problems at Chicago Union Station that snarled Metra […]
LUCASVILLE, Ohio – The beginning of a Norfolk Southern freight train derailment in southern Ohio was caught on video by drivers on nearby U.S. Route 23. That video has since gone viral on Facebook with more than 140,000 views as of Friday afternoon. WCHS-TV reports that six cars eventually derailed on the north side of […]
A South Shore commuter train approaches the Hegewisch station in south Chicago. A new contract between South Shore and Metra covers South Shore’s service to Hegewisch, in Metra’s service area, as well as South Shore’s use of 14 miles of Metra trackage. TRAINS: David Lassen CHESTERTON, Ind. — The South Shore commuter system has approved […]
A screen image capture of the cover of a report studying reverse commuting on Chicago’s Metra. Metra CHICAGO — A March 4 launch date has been scheduled for the start of new reverse-commute service on Metra’s Milwaukee District North Line, officials have announced. The new service is intended to provide improved outbound transportation from Chicago’s […]
Squash players during a championship match at Chicago Union Station. Professional Squash Association screen image capture CHICAGO — There’s a squash in the Great Hall at Chicago Union Station. No, not a squash of passengers from Amtrak or Metra commuter trains. Squash as in the sport played on a court with rackets and a ball. […]
CHICAGO — Real estate developers have rekindled decade-old plans to build high-rise buildings above 34 acres of railroad tracks near downtown Chicago used by Metra Electric and South Shore Line trains and formerly used by the old Illinois Central. The key developer, Gerald Fogelson, is responsible for building the massive Central Station residential development on […]
Rolling through Marengo, Iowa, in May 1979 was this Rock Island freight with GP38-2 No. 4305 leading. This Davenport–Des Moines section of the Omaha main was one of the road’s busiest, but this portion was still train order territory. The railroad’s precarious financial condition is reflected in the depot’s upkeep. R.B. Olson photo […]
At 9:52 on the morning of June 2, 1953, Grand Trunk Western U-4 No. 6410 accelerates the Toronto-bound Maple Leaf away from Dearborn Station, Chicago. R. R. Malinoski photo […]
Milwaukee Road streamlined 4-6-4 No. 102 leads a Minneapolis-bound Hiawatha out of Chicago at Western Avenue in March 1949. Retirement is just a year away for the sleek greyhound. Harold Stirton photo […]
Several piggyback cars head northbound on the Wabash at Forrest, Ill., en route to Chicago in March 1960. In a few years, the route would host the railroad’s Roadrunner overnight TOFC train. J. Parker Lamb photo […]
