Weekly U.S. rail figures remain down

Weekly table showing U.S. carload rail traffic by commodity type, plus intermodal totals

WASHINGTON — U.S. rail traffic for the week ending July 8, 2023, was down 5.1% compared to the same week a year earlier, according to statistics from the Association of American Railroads. The total of 407,843 carloads and intermodal units included 197,086 carloads, down 2.3% from the corresponding week in 2022, while the 210,757 containers […]

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VRE to again run abbreviated schedule on Thursday

Virginia Railway Express logo

WASHINGTON — Virginia Railway Express service disruptions will continue into a third day following Tuesday’s Amtrak derailment at Washington Union Station, as commuter operator announced it will run an “S” schedule on Thursday. The S schedule denotes holidays, weather issues, or other service disruptions. It means just four round trips, instead of the usual eight, […]

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House Republicans propose 64% cut to Amtrak budget for fiscal 2024

Passenger train with electric locomotive

WASHINGTON — U.S. House Republicans have released a proposed budget for fiscal 2024 that would effectively force Amtrak “to radically reduce or suspend service on various routes across the nation,” according to Amtrak CEO Stephen Gardner. The legislation marked up Wednesday also calls for substantial reductions in infrastructure programs benefitting passenger rail. Its release begins […]

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Vermont Rail System recovers from flood damage

Railroad bridge partially under water

Vermont Rail System was hit as hard as its namesake state by storms early this week, but the company is beginning to get a handle on the damage. “I am feeling better today than I did yesterday,” president Selden Houghton said in a a telephone interview today (July 12) with Trains News Wire. VRS received […]

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Nashville 4-8-4 project reaches milestone with rewheeling

Locomotive boiler and firebox are lowered onto wheels and trucks

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Restoration of Nashville, Chattanooga & St. Louis No. 576 reached a milestone Tuesday with the reinstallation of the 4-8-4’s wheels and trucks. “This was a very crucial phase in the restoration,” Nashville Steam Preservation Society President Shane Meador said in a press release. “The amount of work we’ve completed on the historic […]

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VRE service still limited after Amtrak derailment in Washington

Two commuter trains side by side

WASHINGTON — Virginia Railway Express service remains limited for the morning commute as a result of Tuesday’s Amtrak derailment at Washington Union Station, VRE reported in a service alert. “Traffic is still suspended going into and out of Union Station,” the alert reads, “and we are still unable to retrieve our equipment from the coachyard […]

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Surfliner, Metrolink to resume service though San Clemente July 17

Passenger train departs station, as seen from bridge

SAN CLEMENTE, Calif. — Metrolink commuter rail service and Amtrak’s Pacific Surfliner will resume operation through San Clemente on Monday, July 17, Metrolink and the LOSSAN Rail Corridor Agency have announced. The announcement comes a day after the board of directors of the Orange County Transportation Authority, which has been overseeing work at a landslide […]

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TTX to move headquarters to Charlotte, N.C.

Logo of TTX

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Railcar pooling company TTX will move its headquarters to Charlotte, the City of Charlotte announced Tuesday. TTX, currently based in Chicago, will invest at least $13.8 million and create 150 jobs in Charlotte’s central business district. “We believe Charlotte presents a unique opportunity for TTX that provides for strategic partnerships to strengthen […]

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VIA breaks ground on new Toronto maintenance facility

Rendering of interior of shop building

TORONTO — VIA Rail Canada has broken ground on a new maintenance facility for its fleet of Quebec City-Windsor corridor trains. Groundbreaking for new facilities at VIA’s Toronto Maintenance Centre was held Monday. The project involves demolition of part of an existing structure; construction of a new state-of-the-art facility; infrastructure improvements throughout the maintenance yard; […]

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STB announces investigation on Sunset Limited timekeeping, sets procedure

Passenger cars at station with baggage being unloaded onto trailer and passengers walking on platform. Image of the Sunset Limited.

WASHINGTON — Responding to an Amtrak request from late last year, the Surface Transportation Board announced today (July 11) it will open an investigation into Sunset Limited timekeeping issues. Today’s board decision also outlines the framework for the process — a detailed procedure that will continue well into 2024. Establishment of that framework is necessary […]

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