Failure to set hand brakes likely caused wreck that killed Norfolk Southern engineer, NTSB says

National Transportation Safety Board logo

WASHINGTON — The probable cause of a yard collision that fatally injured a Norfolk Southern engineer in January 2024 was a conductor’s failure to ensure that hand brakes were set on a cut of cars, which allowed them to roll away and strike the engineer’s locomotive, the National Transportation Safety Board says. The incident occurred […]

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Fight over freight delays could hit Amtrak’s wallet: Analysis

Passenger train passes freight

Ride Amtrak outside of the Northeast Corridor and there’s a good chance you’ll arrive late because freight traffic delayed your train — despite the law that gives passenger trains preference. Amtrak is challenging host railroads Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern with a pair of high-profile on-time performance cases that aim to put teeth into the […]

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The Rhätische Bahn for railfans

Photo from onboard of train crossing stone viaduct

Note: General travel information on visiting the Rhätishe Bahn is available here. North American railfans can only dream of their interests receiving the kind of respect from a major railroad that is displayed by the Rhätische Bahn, the meter-gauge, electrified railway in the Swiss canton of Graubünden we are featuring in the June and July […]

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Visiting and operating Ken Rodig’s Gunnison City Old Town Line layout

Low-angle shot of steam locomotive in front of a white building

Ken Rodig’s Gunnison City Old Town Line layout is fascinating for many reasons. The 22 x 36 Gn3 (1:22.5 proportion) model railroad was built on the benchwork of his former HO scale Ironwood System. The indoor large scale layout is set in southwestern Colorado and features industrial narrow gauge railroading in the 1950s. Steam locomotives of […]

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Switzerland’s Rhätische Bahn: If you go

Space precluded inclusion of “If You Go” information with June’s Trains Magazine feature on Switzerland’s Rhätische Bahn (the first of two parts), but for anyone who might like to visit, here are a few notes: Getting there From Zurich’s main train station, direct service on the Swiss Federal Railways, or SBB, to Chur — the […]

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Florida man indicted for possession of ‘small arsenal’ of weapons on Amtrak train

Aerial view of railroad station

TRENTON, N.J. — A Florida man has been indicted in New Jersey after transporting a “small arsenal” of illegal weapons — including an allegedly “booby-trapped” rifle that fired during his arrest — through stations and onto an Amtrak train. Jeffrey O. Kennerk, 34, of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., was arrested at the Trenton Transit Center. He […]

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Congestion nicks CSX’s earnings, volume, and revenue

CSX locomotive with coal train

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – CSX’s first quarter profits fell as congestion hurt volumes and revenue while driving up the railroad’s expenses. The railroad has been struggling operationally this year after a string of harsh storms. Roundabout detours required by the rebuilding of the hurricane-damaged Blue Ridge Subdivision and the closure of the Howard Street Tunnel in […]

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Coastal Commission approves permit for work to protect San Clemente, Calif., rail line

Cab car leads passenger train along track next to ocean

SAN CLEMENTE, Calif. — The California Coastal Commission has approved an emergency permit allowing Orange County’s transit agency to undertake some stabilization measures along the rail line connecting Orange County and San Diego. The Orange County Transportation Authority board, at a Monday, April 14, meeting, authorized the OCTA to address four areas along the Surf […]

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J.B. Hunt sees strong quarterly intermodal growth but faces tariff-driven uncertainty

LOWELL, Ark. – J.B. Hunt executives say their intermodal crystal ball is cloudy amid the uncertainty created by U.S. trade policy. Executives from the largest domestic intermodal operator, speaking on the company’s Tuesday evening earnings call, said customers are focused on the potential impacts of U.S. tariffs and the direction of the overall economy. “We […]

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Texas funding for Heartland Flyer on hold: Analysis

Passenger train arrives at station with brick platform

AUSTIN, Texas — Continuing operation of the Oklahoma City-Fort Worth, Tex., Heartland Flyer past June 30, 2025, could depend on whether the Texas legislature renews financial support it has contributed annually since 2006. But the train is also at risk because a yearly stipend from Oklahoma hasn’t changed since 2003, while Amtrak charges have risen […]

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