MONTREAL — A Quebec judge has found that Canadian Pacific is not liable in the 2013 runaway-train disaster that killed 47 people in Lac-Mégantic, Quebec. The Canadian Press reports that Justice Martin Bureau ruled Wednesday that the actions of which Canadian Pacific was accused were not the “direct, immediate and logical cause” of the July […]
Train Topic: Railroad Operations
MBTA board approves land purchase for new commuter rail yard
BOSTON — The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority has received the go-ahead to buy 24 acres of land at Boston’s Widett Circle for a commuter rail layover facility, which would ease capacity issues at existing yards and at nearby South Station. The Boston Herald reports the MBTA Board of Directors approved the purchase Thursday, allowing the […]
Metra to replace three Electric Line stations on South Side
CHICAGO — Metra’s board of directors on Wednesday approved a $33.9 million contract to rebuild stations on the Metra Electric Line on Chicago’s South Side, making the stations accessible and compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act. The rebuilds of the 79th, 87th, and 103rd Street stations is part of a larger effort, the Metra […]
Denver’s RTD permanently drops two light rail routes
DENVER — The Regional Transportation District will permanently discontinue two light rail lines that had been dropped during the COVID-19 pandemic as part of schedule changes beginning in January. Dropped will be the C line, from Denver Union Station to the Littleton-Mineral station, and the F line, from 18th and California in downtown Denver to […]
Amtrak rolls out ‘Airo’ branding, images of Siemens push-pull fleet
NEW YORK — Amtrak today (Thursday, Dec. 15) introduced the graphics and a new brand name — Airo — for its coming fleet of Siemens Mobility push-pull trainsets due to enter service in 2026, replacing 40- to 50-year-old locomotive-hauled equipment. At a press conference in Penn Station’s Moynihan Train Hall, Amtrak President Roger Harris and […]
Union Pacific, stung by criticism of embargoes, to evaluate suggestions for improvements
WASHINGTON — Union Pacific has soaked up all the complaints leveled at its soaring use of embargoes and will evaluate customer suggestions before coming back to the Surface Transportation Board with steps it may take to ease the burden on shippers. “First and foremost, I do want to assure the board that we have listened. […]
At FRA hearing, railroads and labor stake out their positions on two-person crew rule
WASHINGTON — Class I railroads, short lines, and rail labor staked out familiar positions during the Federal Railroad Administration’s public hearing on its proposed two-person crew rule on Wednesday. The Association of American Railroads said there’s no safety data to back a rule that would require two people to be in the cab of a […]
Ontario government orders equipment for revival of Northlander
NORTH BAY, Ontario — The Ontario government announced today it will purchase three new sets of passenger train equipment from Siemens as part of its plan to reinstate service in the northeastern part of the province. “This is a significant step forward in bringing back the rail service that northerners deserve,” said Stan Cho, the […]
Amtrak Inspector General report addresses concerns over high-security keys
WASHINGTON — Amtrak should take steps to better address distribution, tracking, and retrival of keys which control access to critical and sensitive infrastructure, the Amtrak Office of Inspector General said in a report issued Wednesday. Citing the sensitive nature of the material, the highly redacted report offers few specifics on the types of locations that […]
NJ Transit approves contract for almost $35 million overhaul of diesels in ALP45 locomotives
NEWARK, N.J. — The NJ Transit board of Directors on Wednesday approved a $34.85 million contract for overhauls of the diesel engines in its fleet of ALP45 dual-power locomotives, which the agency says is needed for the locomotives to maintain their EPA Tier III emission standards. “Keeping our trains in a state of good repair […]
Metrolink brings back Rose Parade service
LOS ANGELES — For the first time since 2020, LA-area commuter rail operator Metrolink will offer early-morning service for those planning to attend the Rose Parade in Pasadena, set for Jan. 2, 2023. Trains will be just $10 with a special Holiday Pass. Trains will operate to LA Union Station on the Ventura County, Antelope […]
No locomotive needed!
An employee uses a car mover to shift a Milwaukee Road boxcar on a side track. Car movers have hinged spurs that bite into the rail. Pushing down on the handle exerts upward pressure on the wheel to start the car in motion. Advance Car Mover Co. photo […]