Senators reintroduce bill to address rail service

Trains Washington Watch logo

WASHINGTON — Two U.S. senators have reintroduced a bill they say is intended to address service issues and shipping costs for rail customers. Sens. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) and Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) on Wednesday introduced the Reliable Rail Service Act, which seeks to clarify the definition of railroads’ common carrier obligation and establish specific criteria for […]

Read More…

New York offering more than $100 million for rail, port projects

ALBANY, N.Y. — New York State is offering $121.6 million in funding for rail and port projects within the state under its Passenger and Freight Rail Assistance Program, with applications for funding accepted through Oct. 6. Eligible projects include track and bridge rehabilitation; yard, terminal and siding construction; grade crossing resurfacing; wayside detectors; and other […]

Read More…

Weekly U.S. rail traffic again shows moderate drop

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

WASHINGTON — Weekly U.S. freight rail traffic remains down, but for a second straight week, the degree of decline seems to be a bit more moderate. Traffic for the week ending June 24 was 469,453 carloads and intermodal units, a 3.2% drop from the same week in 2022, according to the latest statistics from the […]

Read More…

Museum of the American Railroad profile

Museum of the American Railroad logo

The MARR boasts a comprehensive collection representing the railroad history of almost every part of the U.S. Located about 15 miles north of Dallas in Frisco, Tex., the MARR has long-term plans to construct a replica roundhouse and a shop complex on its grounds. In 2018, the MARR opened TrainTopia, a 3,000-square-foot model railroad display. […]

Read More…

CPKC unveils new locomotive livery

KANSAS CITY — Canadian Pacific Kansas City unveiled its new locomotive livery today after tallying the results of employee voting on five potential designs. The winning choice — selected by 40% of the more than 5,327 employees who participated in the online survey — was option one. In a separate vote of shareholders at the […]

Read More…

News photos: CPKC derailment in Iowa

Aerial view of derailment at yard

DAVENPORT, Iowa — Clean-up is under way after 21 cars of a CPKC train derailed Tuesday evening at Nahant Yard in Davenport, Iowa. A CPKC representative reports 21 cars derailed in a slow-speed incident; no injuries or spills of hazardous materials occured. Three cars involved were carrying liquid asphalt but did not leak any of […]

Read More…

Better as a model: The Lionel turbine locomotive

The Lionel turbine locomotive No. 671

The Lionel turbine locomotive has gone down in history as one of the model maker’s iconic products. From its success, reputation as a great runner, and longevity, you’d think the locomotive it’s based on was one of the greatest of all time. It wasn’t. The Pennsylvania RR S2 Lionel’s 6-8-6 is based on the Class […]

Read More…

More than 20 rail-related projects included in RAISE grant awards

Rendering of mixed-use development next to railroad track

ORANGEBURG, S.C. — More than 20 rail-related applicants — ranging from grade-crossing separation studies to a small piece of the Gateway Tunnel to funding for high-speed rail stations in California — are among the 162 projects to receive Department of Transportation grant funding announced today (Wednesday, June 28) under the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability […]

Read More…

Amtrak’s California day-trip services

Passenger train running along beach

California can lay claim as one of the nation’s top rail passenger capitals. Amtrak is a key player in the Golden State, with three state-supported regional trains connecting multiple metropolitan areas. From the capital city of Sacramento to the beaches in San Diego, here are some great Amtrak day trips you can take in California. […]

Read More…

Meridian & Bigbee Railroad history

Black Meridian & Bigbee Railroad diesel locomotive passing small wooden station

The Meridian & Bigbee Railroad “possessed all the credentials required for admittance to the Typical Southern Short Line Club,” wrote J. Parker Lamb in Trains’ July 1959 issue. Those included secondhand steam locomotives, a leisurely schedule, and insufficient revenue tonnage. Yet, the road was able to overcome those deficiencies to become a sought-after bridge route […]

Read More…