The FP45 diesel was a passenger locomotive first produced in 1967 at the request of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe. Only 14 units were made, nine for AT&SF and five for the Milwaukee Road. By the early 1980s, all but one were out of service or scrapped. Six survive in museums today. The first […]
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The second annual New Mexico Railroad Days, Sept. 28 and 29, marked the first public use of the Rail Yards’ south-end property in Downtown Albuquerque. What hasn’t changed was the drawing card of Santa Fe 4-8-4 No. 2926, as it made its second visit of the year to the facility [See “Santa […]
COVINGTON, Va. — Approximately 25 cars of a CSX coal train derailed this early this morning near Covington, blocking two local highways as well as both tracks of the railroad’s main line along the I-64 Corridor. A CSX spokesman said the derailment occurred about 2:21 a.m. No injuries were reported, and the railroad is working […]
WASHINGTON — It’s more expensive than ever to get into a bedroom or roomette on Amtrak’s overnight long-distance trains — if the accommodations are available at all on the preferred travel date. Coach passengers also endure high prices and sellouts when their destination is served by a once-daily, limited-capacity train that has an especially busy […]
CHICAGO — Only about 2,400 people rode Metra’s shuttle service between O’Hare International Airport and Chicago Union Station during the special service operated in August during the Democratic National Convention, the commuter operator says. That’s only about 120 per day during the Aug. 11-30 operation. Still, Metra would like to make the service permanent. Metra […]
DENVER — Workers for the contract operator of the Denver-area commuter rail system have voted to organize with Teamsters Local 17, the union announced Friday. Denver Transit Operators holds a 29-year contract to operate the Regional Transportation District’s commuter rail system, which operations from Denver Union Station and includes the A Line to Denver International […]
ROCKHILL FURNACE, Pa. — A Friends of East Broad Top special on Saturday, Oct. 5, became the first train to operate on a section of newly restored main line trackage to the south of the railroad’s Rockhill Furnace headquarters. About 200 people were on board the six-car train that ran Saturday evening after the end […]
BLUE ISLAND, Ill. — Iowa Interstate Railroad operated a Family Days passenger train from Blue Island, Ill., its Chicago-area gateway, to Mokena, Ill., on Saturday, Oct. 5 to celebrate the railroad’s 40th anniversary. Railroad President Joe Parsons was on handle to welcome families and employees past and present, and thank them for their dedication. The […]
KEARNY, N.J. — NJ Transit has unveiled the newest member of its heritage locomotive fleet. On Saturday, Oct. 5, the agency posted a photo of GP40PH-2B No. 4208 on social media, freshly painted in Conrail blue. In posts on X.com, NJ Transit explained that Conrail was the immediate corporate predecessor to NJ Transit Rail Operations, […]
ROCHESTER, Ind. — It was spring 2023 when Eric Thurlow received an unexpecting phone call asking him if he’d want to become part owner in an Indiana short line. At the time, Thurlow was assistant vice president of sales and marketing at Genesee & Wyoming. On the other end of the phone was Corey Tumpane, […]
PHILADELPHIA — Amtrak broke ground Friday to mark construction of its new heavy maintenance facility at Philadelphia’s Penn Coach Yard, a $462 million project slated for completion in 2027. Amtrak CEO Stephen Gardner, Federal Railroad Administration Administrator Amit Bose, and Samantha Silverberg, White House deputy assistant to the President for infrastructure, were among those on […]
SILVIS, Ill. — Railroading Heritage of Midwest America has begun restoration work on former Union Pacific café-diner-lounge No. 5016. RRHMA is advertising that tours of the car to see work in progress will be offered with the purchase of tickets to the Trains and Tractors event at Silvis Oct. 18 and 19. Plans are to […]
