COLESVILLE, Md. — A unique predecessor to the renowned hi-rail vehicle has recently hit the road for a renewal in its preservation odyssey. The National Capital Trolley Museum announced in a Sept. 17 post on Facebook and Instagram the acquisition of Evans Auto-Railer No. 109. The 1936-built vehicle was transported on Sept. 9 on a […]
Magazine: Trains Magazine
Missouri’s Columbia Terminal to upgrade track in $4 million project
COLUMBIA, Mo. — Funding is secured for municipally owned Columbia Terminal to upgrade track following the securement of a $3.2 million federal grant, KOMU-TV reports. The city will also contribute $800,000 to bring the project total up to $4 million. “We’re replacing some of the track into a heavier grade track that can carry […]
Canadian National to move operations from Jasper
JASPER, Alberta — Canadian National plans to move operations from Jasper 60 miles east to Hinton, Canada’s Global News reports. A wildfire burned through Jasper in July 2024, burning about one-third of the city and displacing thousands of residents. Caught in the fire was CN’s crew bunkhouse, which the railroad has since rebuilt. On Monday, […]
RTA to assume ownership of Detroit QLine streetcar
DETROIT – The Regional Transit Authority of Southeast Michigan will acquire ownership and control of the Detroit QLine streetcar, Detroit Free Press reports. The deal was approved on Sept. 19 and will be effective Oct. 1. The QLine began as M-1 RAIL, a non-profit organization formed in 2007 to lead the design, construction, and […]
Michigan City Quiet Zone approved on South Shore Line
MICHIGAN CITY, Ind. — The Federal Railroad Administration has approved the pending South Shore Line Michigan City quiet zone. Horns in the city will cease on Oct. 21. “We are pleased to finally have the approval for the Quiet Zone,” Michigan City Mayor Angie Nelson Deuitch says. “This is something I helped champion for our […]
UP explains absence from early contract agreements with organized labor
DALLAS – As BNSF Railway, CSX, and Norfolk Southern continue to sign tentative contract agreements with their labor unions well in advance of the start of national negotiations, one U.S. Class I railroad has been conspicuously absent: Union Pacific. UP executives explained today that – unlike the other railroads – they’re seeking to modernize work […]
Union Pacific outlines volume growth plans and sets three-year earnings target
DALLAS – Union Pacific executives today outlined a three-year growth plan that hinges on regaining market share in intermodal, carload, and bulk traffic in order to offset the continued steep decline of coal. Wall Street analysts have been skeptical of UP’s volume growth forecasts because the railroad has struggled to meet them in recent years. […]
Carload Considerations: Windshield time is a necessary evil
CLEVELAND, Ohio — Railroads have 720 minutes from when an engineer or conductor reports on-duty until his or her hours of service reach 12. This is a finite amount of time to perform safety checks, gather paperwork, and prepare locomotives and the train for departure. Line-of-road presents all kinds of opportunities for more delays. Assuming […]
Railfan Road: Canadian prairie railroads
Exploring the Canadian prairie railroads by Provincial highway 14 between Edmonton, Alberta and Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, one parallels the densest part of the Canadian National main line, hosts VIA Rail’s iconic Canadian streamliner as well as history, photo props, and even a sampling of CPKC’s former Canadian Pacific. The twist? Highway 14 is actually two separate […]
Intermodal continues hot streak in U.S. to post another weekly gain
WASHINGTON – The Association of American Railroads reported that U.S. rail traffic for the week ending Sept. 14 rose 6.8% compared with the same week last year. Carload traffic was flat for the week, but weekly intermodal volume was up 13% compared to 2023. Seven of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared […]
Short Line Safety Institute completes its first decade of operations
This month, the Short Line Safety Institute enters its tenth year of operations, having marked 155 completed safety culture assessments, and numerous introductions of programs and resources to benefit the short line industry in continuously improving safety culture. Founded in response to the tragic 2013 Lac-Megantic rail accident in Quebec, Canada, on regional Montreal, Maine […]
US Senator urges CSX to reconsider operating changes in Cleveland
CLEVELAND – Ohio’s Democratic Senator urges CSX to reconsider its decision to reduce its crew base at Collinwood Yard in Cleveland and reassign workers to terminals at Willard, Ohio, and Buffalo, N.Y., saying the decision is bad for railroaders and operations. U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, in a letter to CSX President and CEO Joseph Hinrichs, […]