WASHINGTON — The National Transportation Safety Board has hired a record number of employees this year, which it says is leading to a significant decrease in the time needed to complete investigations. The agency said it will have 433 employees on staff at the end of the current fiscal year, up from a previous high […]
WASHINGTON — U.S. weekly rail traffic showed gains over 2022 figures for the week ending Sept. 23, the second consecutive week of improvement after traffic has been below year-earlier figures for most of 2023, according to statistics from the Association of American Railroads. The week saw 493,232 carloads and intermodal units, a 2.8% increase over […]
BALTIMORE — The South Baltimore Gateway Partnership will provide $1 million in funding for the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Museum’s plan to restore its South Car Works Building and create open community space as part of the museum’s new master plan. Restoration of the Car Works building, the oldest continuously operating railroad repair facility in […]
CINCINNATI — Campaigning is underway in Cincinnati on an initiative to get voters to approve the sale of the city-owned Cincinnati Southern Railway to Norfolk Southern, with Mayor Aftab Pureval taking the lead role in a new TV commercial urging passage of the measure, and five former mayors joining Pureval in supporting the sale. The […]
MIAMI — Development of commuter rail between downtown Miami and Aventura on the route owned by Florida East Coast Railway and served by Brightline is set to receive increased priority, and has a new higher price tag. Miami Today reports the Miami-Dade Transportation Planning Organization, which oversees county transportation development, will vote this week to […]
DENVER — The state of Colorado has changed its negotiating team addressing the expiring lease for the Moffat Tunnel, with the state’s Department of Transportation taking over from the Department of Local Affairs to lead negotiations with Union Pacific over use of the state-owned bore through the Rocky Mountains. The website Colorado Newsline reports that […]
The war in Ukraine shows no sign of ending any time soon, and railways remain heavily involved in Ukraine; in Russia, where the ongoing invasion depends on it; and in neighboring European countries. Trackside espionage in Poland In March, Polish police arrested six people allegedly working for Russian Military intelligence who had placed trackside cameras […]
MONTREAL — The builder of Montreal’s light rail system has announced measures it says will address noise complaints that have arisen since the new Réseau express métropolitain system launched service on July 31. The Montreal Gazette reports CDPQ Infra — the construction arm of provincial pension fund Caisse de depot et placement du Québec — […]
TORONTO — Loose or broken bolts that held the electrified power rail in place were the cause of the derailment that led to the permanent closure of the Scarborough Rapid Transit line, according to a Toronto Transit Commission report. The CBC reports the initial investigation into the July derailment found “failed reaction rail anchor bolts” […]
MOBILE, Ala. — Agreements regarding a lease for a station stop in Mobile, as well as an operating agreement that will include costs the city will cover, are significant details that must be addressed before Amtrak can launch Gulf Coast passenger service between New Orleans and the Alabama city, the news site AL.com reports. “We’re […]
NEW YORK — The Connecticut Department of Transportation is ordering six dual-mode locomotives from Siemens Mobility for use on the MTA Metro-North Railroad, adding to an earlier Metro-North order for 27 such units placed in 2020. The newly ordered locomotives will be delivered through 2027. Overall, the contract includes options for up to 171 locomotives […]
UNION, Ill. — A few spaces remain for a night photo session set for Oct. 7 at the Illinois Railway Museum as part of its “Steam Into Fall” event, marking the end of the museum’s 2023 operating season. The session will feature Frisco No. 1630, the museum’s “Russian Decapod” built by Baldwin in 1918, and […]
