Mt. Rainier Scenic Railroad returns to operation

Mt. Rainier Scenic Railroad returns to operation. Steam locomotive with passenger cars

ELBE, Wash. — Mt. Rainier Scenic Railroad has begun offering a limited excursion schedule for September and October as stated on its website. The train trips come at least a year or two ahead of the railroad’s timeline for returning to operation [see “Mt. Rainier Scenic Railroad scheduled to reopen by 2025,” Trains, December 2022]. […]

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Santa Fe No. 3415 resumes operations during Labor Day weekend

Steam locomotive with passenger car and gondola for riders in field with trees in background.

ABILENE, Kan. — Santa Fe No. 3415 returned to service on the Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad during the Labor Day weekend. The 4-6-2 received a month-long break and extensive work in August that included check-valve maintenance and a routine firebox cleanout, according to Ross Boelling, the president and general manager of the A&SV. “No. […]

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House panel raps Department of Transportation response to rail and air safety issues

WASHINGTON – The House of Representatives Oversight Committee is probing the Department of Transportation’s response to a series of rail and aviation safety issues. The committee’s Republicans sent a letter yesterday to Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg regarding train derailments and near-misses involving airlines. The letter asks DOT to provide documents related to “efforts to investigate […]

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Ohio funds grade crossing elimination program

seal of Ohio

COLUMBUS, Ohio — The State of Ohio has established a Grade Crossing Elimination Program for Fiscal Years 2024 and 2025. The program provides $100 million to assist Ohio communities in competing for grade crossing elimination grant funding from the Federal Railroad Administration’s Railroad Crossing Elimination Program. Ohio’s has nearly 5,700 grade crossings. Since the Federal […]

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Seeking answers on ‘loss of shunt:’ Special Report

Closeup of locomotive wheelset with antenna mounted next to rail.

Second of two parts Part one of this report appeared Tuesday, Sept. 5 EFFINGHAM, Ill. —The latest round of tests investigating ways to ensure trains always activate track circuits — the process known as “shunt” — involves shunt-enhancing antennas mounted on both trucks of a state-owned locomotive in Amtrak service in California. Here’s how the […]

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