PHOENIX — The first three trainsets from an order for Siemens S700 light rail vehicles are entering service this week on the Valley Metro system, Siemens and the Phoenix-area transit system said on Monday. Seven of the 11 new trainsets have been delivered for the 28.2-mile, 38-station system serving Phoenix, Mesa, and Tempe, Ariz. Manufacturing […]
MIAMI — Brightline trains will begin running north of West Palm Beach, Fla., for the first time next week, with the first of what are expected to be daily qualifying runs to allow locomotive engineers and conductors to learn the 130 miles between West Palm beach and Cocoa, Fla. It is the first segment of […]
PORT CLINTON, Pa. — Reading & Northern set records for freight revenue, freight traffic, and excursion passenger ridership in 2021, the railroad reported. Freight revenues increased by 10% over 2020 and pre-pandemic levels, boosted by increased traffic and a traffic mix with more higher-revenue moves. The company also saw significant revenue from its warehouse and […]
NEW YORK — New York City Transit concluded its farewell to the Budd-built “Brightliner” R-32 subway cars Sunday, operating the equipment for the final time on the same line (today’s Q Line, the former BMT Brighton Line) where the cars made their debut 58 years ago [see “New York MTA sets farewell …,” Trains News […]
DEL MAR, Calif. — After lengthy negotiations failed to reach a resolution, the San Diego-area North County Transit District is preparing to move ahead with plans for safety fencing along its railroad right-of-way at the Del Mar Bluffs. The San Diego Union-Tribune reports the district informed Del Mar officials the fencing would be on the […]
EMERYVILLE, Calif. — The eastbound California Zephyr is shown above as it pulls into its originating station at Emeryville at 12:13 p.m. Sunday after being serviced at Amtrak’s Oakland Maintenance facility. It departed at 12:31 p.m., more than 3 hours late, after the equipment arrived on its westbound counterpart at 1:57 a.m., 9 hours, 47 […]
VENTURA, Calif. — Martin Erickson has been named as executive director of the Ventura County Transportation Commission, succeeding Darren Kettle, who was named CEO of commuter rail operator Metrolink in July 2021. Erickson, who had been the commission’s public transit director since 2016, was selected after a four-month search, the Ventura County Star reports. The organization, […]
NEW YORK — Janno Lieber, the acting board chairman and CEO of Metropolitan Transportation Authority, has been nominated for the position on a permanent basis by Gov. Kathy Hochul. Hochul also nominated Elizabeth Velez for a position on the MTA board. Lieber has been the acting chairman and CEO since July 2021. He was originally […]
All through January 2022, Classic Trains editors are celebrating the history and heritage of the Norfolk & Western. Please enjoy this photo gallery of Norfolk & Western passenger trains selected from the image files in Kalmbach Media’s David P. Morgan Library. This gallery was first published in October 2019. […]
PHOENIX — There is A LOT going on in terms of capital projects for CSX Transportation — enough that Ed Sparks, the railroad’s chief engineer, bridges, design & construction — had no problem running well past his scheduled 25-minute slot Saturday at the National Railroad Construction & Maintenance Association Conference. Rest assured the audience did […]
PORTLAND, Ore. – Heavy rains in the Pacific Northwest caused a mudslide near Kelso, Wash., on Thursday morning that temporarily shut down BNSF Railway’s main line between Portland and Seattle. BNSF spokeswoman Lena Kent tells Trains News Wire, “The mud slides north of Kelso have impacted both freight and passenger service. Our crews have been […]
NEW HAVEN, Vt. – The former Rutland Railroad depot in New Haven will begin the first leg of its journey to a new home in the city Jan. 12, the Addison County Independent reported. “Everything is looking good to go,” selectboard member Steve Dupoise told the Independent, noting that the town had obtained all the […]
