Metra brings back fall Saturday trips on Heritage Corridor

Commuter train with two locomotives under gray skies

CHICAGO — Metra’s “Rails, Trails, and Ales” program — a series of Saturday trips on the normally weekday-only Heritage Corridor — will return for a fourth straight year starting Sept. 7, the commuter operator announced Monday. The trains will operate on six consecutive Saturdays from Sept. 7 to Oct. 12, with three round trips each […]

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SEPTA to expand Regional Rail service on Sept. 8

SEPTA train near sunset with Philadelphia skyline in background

PHILADELPHIA — The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority will expand Regional Rail schedules as of Sept. 8, adding 99 weekday trains and 24 on weekends, the agency announced today (Monday, Aug. 26). The additional trains will increase weekday service to 80% of pre-pandemic levels (up from 77%) and weekend operation to 84% (up from 63%). Ridership […]

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CN, CPKC preparing to restart Canadian operations; union declines to return Sunday (updated)

Red locomotives of CN and CP in yard

Canadian National and Canadian Pacific Kansas City are moving toward restarting operations early Monday following a Saturday ruling by the Canada Industrial Relations Board ending the work stoppages at both railroads. The Teamsters Canada Rail Conference, however, continues to take issue with the CIRB decision sending the dispute between the union and railroads to binding […]

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Crew members injured in BNSF derailment in Colorado

BNSF Railway logo

BOULDER, Colo. — Two crew members were treated at a hospital and released after a BNSF train derailed Thursday night, KDVR-TV reports. The incident was originally reported by Boulder police as a collision of two trains, but BNSF subsequently confirmed a single train was involved. At least one report says the train hit a group […]

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Caltrain offers first look at all-electric schedules

SAN FRANCISCO — A month before Stadler electric, bilevel multiple-unit trainsets are set to completely transform Caltrain’s 51-mile corridor from downtown San Francisco to San Jose, Calif., commuters are getting their first look at specifics of the schedules to be implemented beginning Sept. 21. Some electric trainsets began operating earlier this month [see “News photos: […]

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Teamsters Canada issues 72-hour strike notice against CN; lengthy hearing concludes with no action (latest update)

CN intermodal train stopped in mountain setting

The labor situation involving Canadian National Railway, Canadian Pacific Kansas City, and the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference remains both active and muddy. Earlier today (Friday, Aug. 23), the TCRC served Canadian National with a 72-hour strike notice, announcing its intent to launch a strike against the railroad at 10 a.m. ET on Monday, Aug. 26. […]

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Stewartstown Railroad to celebrate 140th anniversary

STEWARTSTOWN, Pa. — A rural, farm-to-market short line that struggled to survive through floods and legal challenges is getting ready to celebrate its 140th anniversary. Chartered in September 1884 and opened a year later, the 7.4-mile-long Stewartstown Railroad tourist carrier in south-central Pennsylvania is marking one of the longest-lived U.S. rail operations under its original […]

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Why a giant coal merger matters to Class I railroads: Analysis

Black and white locomotives with coal hoppers cresting hill

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Business resiliency and opportunities for CSX and Norfolk Southern to recraft how they do business with two top coal customers makes the announced merger between Arch Resources and Consol Energy important to railroads. Arch and Consol have been major customers to the four big Class I railroads before announcing their intentions to […]

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