WASHINGTON — The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority train that caught fire on Feb. 6, 2025, had been inspected earlier in the day because of sluggish performance, according to the National Transportation Safety Board’s preliminary report on the incident released today (March 5, 2025), About 325 passengers and four crew members were safely evacuated from the […]
CHICAGO — “This is a special day on the Texas Eagle,” said the attendant over the PA system as the train emerged into daylight on its Monday, March 3, departure from Chicago Union Station. “Because today is the day we got our observation car back! Anyone can go in there and relax — it lets […]
CHICAGO — Michael Naatz has been named as chief operating officer at Anacostia Rail Holdings, the company has announced. Naatz most recently was executive vice president and chief marketing officer at Kansas City Southern, after previously serving as senior vice president, operations support, and chief information officer, leading intermodal operations, mechanical, service design, and information […]
CHICAGO — Longtime rail executive Jerry Peck is the new president and general manager at the Belt Railway of Chicago. Peck, who started railroading in 1973 in train service with the Illinois Central, worked for two decades at Canadian National, ascending to general manager before taking the same position with Canadian Pacific in the U.S. […]
NEW YORK — The Sierra Club and transit advocacy group Riders Alliance are suing the U.S. Department of Transportation over its revocation of approval for Manhattan’s congestion pricing program. The suit filed Tuesday, March 4, in U.S. District Court, calls for the court to vacate the decision by Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy. It notes the […]
PIERRE, S.D. — South Dakota’s Senate has voted down a bill calling for support for introduction of Amtrak service in the state. House Concurrent Resolution 6008 calls for state’s congressional delegation and the Trump administration to work for development of a route through the state connecting Denver and Minneapolis-St. Paul [see “South Dakota resolution …,” […]
CALGARY, Alberta — Minnesota’s Elbow Lake Co-op Grain and Cargill Elva of Manitoba are CPKC’s grain Elevators of the Year for the 2023-24 crop year, the railroad has announced. The award recognizes grain customers for moving high volume from a single loading point while demonstrating efficient railcar loading and a strong commitment to safety. The […]
PORT CLINTON, Pa. — The Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway, the Reading & Northern’s tourist rail operation based in Jim Thorpe, Pa., will once again offer its Bike Trains on selected weekends in May through September. The trains, part of the railroad’s schedule for more than a decade, carry passenger and their bicycles from Jim Thorpe […]
In every issue News, p. 4 VIA Rail Canada’s equipment request includes dome cars; Trains.com forums return Bill Stephens, p. 8 UP-short line deal aims to improve service John Hankey, p. 10 Why 2025? Railroading’s bicentennial is surprisingly complex Great Railfan Roads, p. 44 Follow California 99 for busy Central Valley railroad action Brian Solomon, […]
BOSTON — The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority has released the initial schedule for the South Coast Rail service to New Bedford and Fall River, Mass., set to begin on March 24. The debut of the new operation will feature free weekend travel and free parking through the end of April, the MBTA announced last week. […]
CLEVELAND — The Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority will purchase an additional 18 light rail vehicles from Siemens Mobility for use on its Red, Blue, and Green lines, Siemens has announced. The order for the S200 LRVs exercises a second option from an initial purchase for 24 of the vehicles made in 2023 [see “Siemens […]
WASHINGTON — Cargo theft cost U.S. Class I railroads more than $100 million in 2024, the Association of American Railroads says, calling for more federal efforts to address the thefts and more effective prosecution of those arrested. The AAR says in a recently released fact sheet that organized criminal groups are increasingly targeting freight moves, […]
