Amtrak begins process to find partner for Texas high speed project

Birds eye view of a rail line passing over a complex highway interchange.

WASHINGTON — Amtrak has initiated a two-step process to seek a “delivery partner” for the Dallas-Houston high speed rail project, the former Texas Central effort it joined in 2023. A notice on the company’s procurement website says that partner “will be responsible for facilitating Amtrak’s delivery of the project.” The company selected “will provide advice, […]

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Metro-North’s New Haven locomotive to debut Friday

Olive green locomotive with yellow striping

NEW YORK — Metro-North’s latest heritage locomotive, honoring predecessor New York, New Haven & Hartford, will make its operating debut on Friday, Feb. 28, 2025, the commuter railroad has announced. The locomotive will debut on train No. 1841, a 7:51 a.m. departure from Danbury, Conn., arriving at Grand Central Terminal on 9:55 a.m. “The Heritage […]

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News photo: Covered wagons return to the Royal Gorge

Orange locomotives with black and silver striping on passenger train

Colorado’s Royal Gorge Route Railroad has returned its F7A and F7B locomotives to service. With an impressive plume of smoke, F7A No. 403, built for the Chicago & North Western in 1949, and former Alaska Railroad F7B No. 1503 led a train out of Cañon City, Colo., on Monday, Feb. 24, 2025. It was the […]

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New Mexico considers bill to require wayside detectors

Logo of the New Mexico Legislature

SANTA FE, N.M. — A committee of the New Mexico House of Representatives is slated to consider legislation that would require railroads to install wayside hot-bearing and dragging-equipment detectors at least every 10 miles. HB 146, introduced by Rep. Dayan Hochman-Vigil (D-Albuquerque), is one of three bills set for consideration today (Feb. 27, 2025) by […]

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UP train derails in Yuma, Ariz.

Container on ground from derailment of intermodal cars

YUMA, Ariz. — Approximately a dozen cars of a Union Pacific intermodal train derailed Tuesday evening just north of Yuma, closing a grade crossing overnight and significantly delaying the Sunset Limited. No injuries were reported in the incident, which occurred about 6:15 p.m., UP said in a statement to TV stations KYMA and KECY. Rural […]

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FTA says it will delay enforcement of rail transit safety rule

Light rail train on city street

WASHINGTON — The Federal Transit Administration this week announced it would not enforce a safety regulation finalized last October until at least March, citing an executive order signed last month by President Donald Trump calling for a freeze of new regulations. The FTA rule in question allows state agencies with oversight of rail transit operations […]

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Poll finds strong support for Caltrain

Front view of two red-and-white EMU trainsets

SAN CARLOS, Calif. — A new poll shows strong general support for Caltrain, as well as support for funding for the commuter rail operation in the wake of its launch of electrified operation. The poll, presented on Wednesday, Feb. 26, to a meeting of Caltrain’s Advocacy and Major Projects Committee, shows 82% of likely voters […]

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U.S. weekly rail volume falls compared to 2024

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

WASHINGTON — U.S. rail traffic fell below 2024 levels for the week ending Feb. 22, 2025, ending a string of three weeks where traffic was ahead of prior-year levels. According to statistics from the Association of American Railroads, total volume was 458,514 carloads and intermodal units, down 5.1% from the same week a year ago. […]

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