ELKINS, W.Va — West Virginia Central Railroad and its operator, Durbin & Greenbrier Valley Railroad, have acquired the five locomotives of the now-closed Elk River Railroad, according to Durbin & Greenbrier Valley President John Smith. The locomotives involved are two GP10 rebuilds and one GP8, along with a pair of GP9s. All are now awaiting […]
Train Topic: Railroad Operations
BNSF coal train derails in Oklahoma
BOISE CITY, Okla. — Thirteen cars of a BNSF unit coal train derailed Friday evening near Boise City, blocking a state highway for several hours, the Cimarron County Sheriff’s Office reports. No injuries were reported. KVII-TV reports the derailment occurred about 6:50 p.m. State Route 325 was reopened about 12:30 a.m. on Saturday. BNSF’s main […]
News Photos: Doubleheaded ‘Iron Horse Ramble’ marks Reading & Northern owner’s 75th birthday
READING, Pa. — A doubleheader of 4-8-4 No. 2102 and 4-6-2 No. 425 made the Saturday, Aug. 13, Reading & Northern Iron Horse Ramble — the third of four scheduled — even more of a special event for railfans in the Northeast, drawing large crowds to see the sold-out excursion. It was the first Reading […]
News Photo: CP executive special running against the grain
PARRY SOUND, Ontario — A Canadian Pacific special using the railroad’s Royal Canadian Pacific trainset makes a rare southbound move across the railroad’s bridge over the Seguin River at about noon on Thursday, Aug. 11, 2022, during a trip from Thunder Bay, Ontario, to Toronto. CP executives including CEO Keith Creel were reportedly on board. […]
Crew members sue NS over derailment caused by rockslide
PITTSBURGH — The engineer and conductor of a Norfolk Southern train derailed by a rockslide last year are suing the railroad, arguing the railroad’s negligence led to the accident. The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports engineer Matthew Marchionda and conductor Edward Mansfield were the crew of the train en route from Chicago to New Jersey when it […]
Texas city seeks rehearing after federal court rules for UP over employment provision
PALESTINE, Texas — The city of Palestine and Anderson County, Texas, are asking a federal court to rehear their case attempting to uphold a 1954 agreement, with roots dating to 1872, which requires Union Pacific to maintain a set number of jobs in Palestine. A July ruling by a three-member panel of the U.S. Appeals […]
Railroads ignore train crew complaints at their own peril: Analysis
If there’s one thing all railroaders have in common, it’s the ability to complain about anything and everything. They’re world-class grumblers. So when train crews and labor unions bash the railroads for this, that, and the other thing, sometimes you have to wonder if they’re crying wolf. Wonder no more. The union-management pot, which is […]
More than 30 rail-related projects among 166 receiving federal transportation grants
TUCSON, Ariz. — The Department of Transportation has released a list of 166 projects across the U.S. to receive more than $2.2 billion in funding under the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) Program. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg is marking the announcement today by visiting projects in Tucson and Phoenix that are among […]
Preliminary NTSB report says maintenance equipment turned in front of Amtrak train in July collision
OAKLAND, Calif. — Video from a locomotive camera shows that the operator of a Union Pacific maintenance-of-way vehicle turned in front of an Amtrak train and fouled the track just prior to a July collision in Oakland, according to the National Transportation Safety Board’s preliminary report on the July 15 accident. The preliminary report was […]
Davenport, Iowa, council approves deal with Canadian Pacific
DAVENPORT, Iowa — Davenport’s aldermen have approved an agreement with Canadian Pacific in which the railroad will provide up to $10 million to mitigate impacts of the planned merger with Kansas City Southern, which could triple freight traffic through the city. In return, the city will not oppose the merger. The vote at Wednesday’s city […]
Norfolk Southern report highlights sustainability efforts
ATLANTA — Efforts to address the company’s carbon footprint and those of its customers are highlighted in Norfolk Southern’s Environmental, Social, and Governance report, releases today (Aug. 10, 2022). The company’s sustainability efforts include creating a carbon calculator for shippers, designed to help them reduce carbon emissions in their supply chains; a sustainability summit at […]
Federal grant to help fund stations for Baton Rouge-New Orleans train service
BATON ROUGE, La. — The cities of Baton Rouge and Gonzales will receive $20 million in federal funding for stations for the proposed Baton Rouge-New Orleans passenger service, members of the Louisiana congressional delegation have announced. The funds, sought jointly by the two cities, will go toward land acquisition, design, and construction of the stations. […]