MICHIGAN CITY, Ind. — South Shore Line commuter train No. 106, the 5:45 a.m. departure from Carroll Avenue station in Michigan City, Ind., makes its way down 11th Street at Franklin Street on Monday morning, Feb. 28, 2022, en route to a scheduled 7:13 a.m. arrival at Chicago’s Millennium Station. The train was the last […]
Train Topic: Railroad Operations
Two Sounder commuter rail round trips to be restored
SEATTLE — Sound Transit will restore two round trips on its Sounder South commuter rail line as part of a series of transit changes set for March. Returning after being suspended because of the COVID-19 pandemic are trains 1501, a 6:05 a.m. departure from Seattle; 1514, a 7:20 a.m. departure from Tacoma; 1509, a 3:15 […]
Canadian National details KCS Springfield Line improvement plans, traffic projections
WASHINGTON — Canadian National says its proposed acquisition of Kansas City Southern’s Springfield Line would enable it to divert 80,000 long-haul truck shipments to rail annually by creating a new route linking Kansas City and St. Louis with Michigan and Eastern Canada. The traffic projection — 33% more truck diversions than Canadian Pacific and KCS […]
Citing ‘false response’ to information request, Metra asks for more time to comment on CP-KCS merger
WASHINGTON — Chicago commuter operator Metra has asked the Surface Transportation Board for more time to file comments on the proposed Canadian Pacific-Kansas City Southern merger, saying CP had originally “filed a false response” to Metra’s request for information, and only recently provided an incomplete set of documents Metra says it needs to assess the […]
NTSB issues final report on Illinois short line fatality
WASHINGTON — A conductor at an Illinois short line was killed when he was pulled off his train by the gate he was attempting to open while entering an industrial track, according to the final report on a November 2020 accident issued Tuesday by the National Transportation Safety Board. The 35-year-old conductor of the Decatur […]
Court ruling calls BNSF-union dispute ‘minor,’ making any strike illegal
FORT WORTH, Texas — A U.S. District Court Judge has again prohibited unions from striking BNSF Railway over new attendance policies, granting an injunction and saying the railroad is likely to prevail in arbitration, and that the strike would cause irreparable harm to the railroad. The heads of the unions involved in the dispute say […]
Double-track construction set to end South Shore street running
MICHIGAN CITY, Ind. — The end is apparently at hand for the majority of street running for South Shore Line commuter trains in Michigan City. Beginning Monday, Feb. 28, buses will replace commuter trains between the Carroll Avenue station in Michigan City and Dune Park in Porter, Ind., as part of the project to double-track […]
An opportunity for the millennial railroader: Analysis
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Class I railroads are hiring train crews to replace the droves of workers who retired or left the railroad during the coronavirus pandemic. Class I railroads currently employ less than 115,000 workers, 12% fewer than before the pandemic, according to Class I railroad data compiled by the Surface Transportation Board. Despite an […]
Ship-to-train transfer
In a 1953 view from Canadian Pacific’s S.S. Princess Helene docked at Digby, Nova Scotia, after a trip over the Bay of Fundy from Saint John, New Brunswick, a CP 4-6-2 backs the head-end cars of train 98 out onto the pier to receive baggage and mail from the ship. Another engine will bring 98’s […]
Norfolk Southern recalls some laid-off workers at Altoona shop
ALTOONA, Pa. — Norfolk Southern has recalled 18 laid-off workers at its Juniata Locomotive Shop, the Altoona Mirror reports. Citing information from Bob Kutz, president of the Blair-Bedford Central Labor Council, the newspaper says the railroad has brought back eight machinists, four boilermakers, three electricians, two pipefitters, and a carman. The recalls mean approximately 318 […]
Pennsylvania, Norfolk Southern announce pending agreement for second Pittsburgh-Harrisburg train
PITTSBURGH — Norfolk Southern and the state of Pennsylvania are finalizing an agreement for up to $170.8 million in infrastructure improvements that will allow a second daily Amtrak train between Pittsburgh and Harrisburg, a route currently served by the Pittsburgh-New York Pennsylvanian. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports the deal was announced at a Friday press conference […]
Norfolk Southern names Duncan as VP of network planning and operations
ATLANTA — Norfolk Southern has named Paul Duncan as vice president, network planning and operations. Duncan will succeed John Friedmann, who previously announced his retirement after 27 years at NS. Duncan is currently vice president of service design and performance at BNSF Railway. He joined BNSF in 2002. In an email announcing the hire, Chief […]