Two charged with stealing track from Connecticut heritage railroad

Steam locomotive pulling passenger train out of the forest.

OLD SAYBROOK, Conn. — Two people have been arrested and charged with stealing nearly a half-mile of track used by the Essex Steam Train heritage railroad and selling it for scrap, the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection has announced. Jason Hubbard, 47, and Nicole Hooghkirk, 38, of Clinton, Conn., were arrested on April […]

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New display, event space opens at Railroaders Memorial Museum

ALTOONA, Pa. — Officials of the North American Railway Foundation dedicated an outdoor display and event venue — the Luther G. Smith Memorial Yard — here today (Thursday, April 18) at the Railroaders Memorial Museum. The public space is bracketed by the museum’s Master Mechanics Building and Norfolk Southern’s Pittsburgh Line. Costing $1.9 million, the […]

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Maine enacts new law on rail hazardous-material transportation

View of damaged track and derailed train

AUGUSTA, Maine — Railroads in Maine face new requirements for reporting the transport of hazardous materials in the state after Gov. Janet Mills signed an emergency bill into law on Friday, the Portland Press Herald reports. LD1937 was introduced last year following a Rockwood, Maine, derailment and fire that saw three crew members injured [see […]

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Amtrak, NJ Transit service restored on Northeast Corridor

NEW YORK — Amtrak has restored service between Philadelphia and New York’s Penn Station following the issues that disrupted operations Monday night, the company announced in a service advisory at 7:15 a.m. ET today (Tuesday, April 16). NJ Transit is offering limited service on the Northeast Corridor. Along with what the company is calling “residual […]

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SEPTA cancels contract with CRRC for bilevel commuter cars

Rendering of bilevel commuter railcars with red and blue striping

PHILADELPHIA — The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority has “terminated with cause” its contract with the U.S. affiliate of Chinese railcar manufacturer CRRC for 45 bilevel commuter railcars, the Philadelphia Inquirer reports. The contract was awarded in 2017, and the first cars were to have been completed in 2019 [see “SEPTA awards bid for Chinese bilevel […]

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House subcommittee schedules hearing on commuter rail challenges

Trains Washington Watch logo

WASHINGTON — A subcommittee of the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee s has announced plans for a hearing next week on challenges facing the commuter rail industry. The Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials Subcommittee has scheduled the hearing for Wednesday, April 17, at 10 a.m. ET, chairman Troy Nehls (R-Texas) announced. The hearing will be […]

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Four-mode trains enter service in Europe

Blue, green, and white multiple-unit passenger trainset on display at trade show.

Italian national rail company Trenitalia launched its latest hybrid passenger trains earlier this month on the scenic route from Taranto to Reggio Calabria on the nation’s southern coast. The trains, built by Hitachi in Italy, are claimed to be the world’s first four-mode hybrid trains — and while they are the first to enter service, […]

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Free named Long Island Rail Road president

Man speaking at podium

NEW YORK — Rob Free, who has served as acting president of the Long Island Rail Road since last October, was named to the position permanently by Metropolitan Transportation Authority CEO Janno Lieber on Thursday. Free, who began his career with the LIRR as a station cleaner 31 years ago, climbed the ranks to become […]

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Fan trip photo stop

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A Fonda, Johnstown & Gloversville fan trip pauses in front of the Gloversville, N.Y., headquarters building. The fine October 1950 day made for great roster photos of S2 diesel No. 20 (Alco, 1945). Cabooses 1 and 2 and combine 21 made up the rest of the train. Edward Theisinger photo […]

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East Broad Top 2-8-2 No. 16 out of service through summer

ROCKHILL FURNACE, Pa. – East Broad Top Railroad 2-8-2 engine No. 16 is out of service until the end of August due to a cracked driving-wheel center, the railroad announced today (Thursday, April 11). In its place, the narrow gauge EBT will substitute its General Electric 55-ton center-cab diesel switcher M-7, the same unit that […]

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