RICHMOND, British Columbia — An “undesired release of air brakes” led to a 2019 derailment of 15 cars of a Canadian Pacific train in the Upper Spiral Tunnel near Field, B.C., the Transportation Safety Board of Canada said in a report released Wednesday. Train makeup, and the nature of hoses and other hardware on at […]
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Ottawa still awaiting estimate when light rail service will resume
OTTAWA, Ontario — Ottawa’s transit agency will increase the number of buses replacing light rail service along the shuttered Confederation Line as of today (July 20), but it still has no estimate when rail service will resume. OC Transpo General Manager Renée Amilcar said that operator Rideau Transit Group was “developing a plan” for resuming […]
FRA gives environmental go-ahead for California segment of Brightline West
WASHINGTON — The Federal Railroad Administration last week provided environmental clearance for a Southern California section of the proposed Brightline West high speed rail line to Las Vegas, Nev., moving the project closer to construction. The Las Vegas Review-Journal reports the FRA determined there would be no significant environmental impacts for the 49-mile extension from […]
Weekly U.S. rail traffic still down, but by less
WASHINGTON — U.S. rail traffic showed its smallest single-week drop since February in the week ending July 15, with traffic down 2.4% compared to the same week in 2022. Total volume was 478,153 carloads and intermodal units. The 225,609 carloads were an increase of 0.9%, while the 252,544 containers and trailers represented at 5.3% decline. […]
Resumption of British Columbia port strike on hold (updated)
VANCOUVER, British Columbia — The strike at British Columbia ports, which was halted by a tentative settlement, resumed, then halted by a government ruling, now appears to be in limbo. Members of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union today provided a 72-hour notice of intent to strike, which set the stage for their walkout at […]
Gleaming SD9 reminds us of Nickel Plate Road’s big switch
Just when you think recent progress in railroad preservation can’t get any better — I’m thinking here of everything from Big Boy to Reading & Northern 2102 to Silvis Shops to Michigan Central Station — along comes another milestone that, if not quite a blockbuster, is still remarkable. Especially if you’re interested in diesel […]
LEGO City 60197 Passenger Train: Setup and operation
Hosts Bryson and Rene have unboxed and constructed the LEGO City 60197 Passenger Train set. Now they’re ready to assembly the components into a working/running display — Ride along for the fun! Looking for more information on LEGO trains? Watch Bryson and Rene unbox a LEGO City trainset! […]
Big Boy’s Home Run Replay (with video)
CHEYENNE, Wyo. — Union Pacific’s Big Boy No. 4014 made its 2023 debut in June and July with the Home Run Express to the NCAA Men’s College World Series in Omaha, Neb. Though a tradition for the Class I railroad to showcase its various equipment at the 12th Street display site outside Charles Schwab Field, […]
DCC decoder advice for N scalers
DCC decoder advice for N scalers: Any argument about powering a layout with Digital Command Control (DCC) ended for me many years ago. If you have more than one locomotive it’s the way to go, and the easiest way to get going is to purchase engines that come with the decoder already in there. This […]
Tour the Abraham Lincoln railcar
Abraham Lincoln railcar In early 2023, I had the unique opportunity to take a step back in time, experiencing a short ride on a privately owned railcar. I was able to see what it might have been like to be a railroad president inspecting his territory. The car, the Abraham Lincoln, with owners in the […]
NTSB issues preliminary report on CSX conductor trainee death
WASHINGTON — A CSX Transportation conductor trainee was killed when he fell from a railcar during a shoving move and was hit by the train, according National Transportation Safety Board’s preliminary report on a fatal accident June 26 at the Seagirt Marine Terminal in Baltimore. The accident occurred about 8:05 p.m. and involved a yard […]
Arcade & Attica acquires Alco RS3, will relegate center cabs to lesser roles
ARCADE, N.Y. — The Arcade & Attica Railroad is set to replace its distinctive GE center-cab locomotives, a hallmark of the railroad for almost 80 years, with the arrival of Alco RS3U No. 406. The Alco, acquired earlier in the year from the Western New York & Pennsylvania Railroad in Olean, N.Y., arrived on the […]