LONDON — Greetings from London, where I am preparing for my third international Trains Magazine/Special Interest Tours, following earlier trips to Germany and Switzerland. This one begins Sept. 23 and was scheduled to mark the bicentennial of modern railroading, which began in September 1825 with the first steam-powered train on the Stockton & Darlington Railway. […]
Parallel Systems has begun the second phase of testing its autonomous, battery-electric railcars on Genesee & Wyoming short line Heart of Georgia Railroad. The first phase of testing was performed on a 2-mile section of track on the Heart of Georgia. The Parallel vehicle was operated for a total of 90 miles and passed all […]
NEW YORK — A strike of unionized Long Island Railroad workers has been averted, for now. Workers voted overwhelmingly Monday authorizing leaders to call a strike if a new contract agreement isn’t reached. The strike could have been called as early as Thursday, Sept. 18, under federal rules. Officials representing locomotive engineers, machinists, signalmen and […]
SEATTLE — At its Sept. 11 meeting, the Sound Transit board enacted principles designed to address the financial issues threatening the system and its projects around the Seattle region. Sound Transit is facing a long-term financial shortfall estimated to be somewhere between $20 and $30 billion, according to local news sources. The anticipated financial gap, […]
NEW YORK — Amtrak, looking to garner more publicity for the Aug. 28 launch of its new premium NextGen Acela fleet, has piggybacked a tracksuit promotion onto New York’s Fashion Week (Sept. 11-16). According to Amtrak: The most comfortable way to travel just got even more comfortable; as it is launching its first-ever line of […]
Second of two parts NEW ORLEANS — Although the Mardi Gras Service’s twice-daily departures are off to a good start, as outlined in Part 1 of this report, it appears more outreach along the route and attention to operating detail will be necessary to get the best results moving forward. Community engagement ‘For day-to-day onsite […]
First of two parts NEW ORLEANS — Confetti cannons that showered Amtrak’s 10-car Mardi Gras Service inaugural special as it headed to Mobile, Ala., on Aug. 16, 2025, have moved on to other celebrations. Meanwhile, the twice-daily, New Orleans-Mobile round trips have proven that the day’s enthusiasm has survived the transition. The next tasks: completion […]
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The California legislature today (Sept. 13, 2025) passed a bill allowing a ballot measure for a sales tax in five Bay Area counties to help fund public transit in the area. SB 63, introduced by state Sens. Scott Wiener and Jesse Arreguin, would place the measure on the November 2026 ballot. It […]
NEW YORK — The Staten Island Railway has completed its conversion to a fleet of R211 subway cars, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority has announced. In an event at St. George on Staten Island, MTA officials celebrated the fact the isolated 14-mile, 21-station segment of the New York City Transit rail system now has a full […]
DALLAS — Dallas Area Rapid Transit will launch its new commuter rail Silver Line on Saturday, Oct. 25, the agency announced today (Sept. 12, 2025). Rides will be free on the first day — and free rides will continue through Nov. 8, DART says, to give everyone the chance to experience the new service firsthand. […]
NEW YORK — The Metropolitan Transportation Authority has urged commuters to work from home or stay with friends and family in or near New York City in case of a strike by Long Island Rail Road workers, while announcing “limited service options” in the event of a work stoppage. Approximately 300,000 riders will be impacted […]
CALGARY, Alberta — Genesee & Wyoming Canada will build and operate a rail terminal that will serve a new Gasia Energy Corp. complex in the Alberta Industrial Heartland northeast of Edmonton. G&W announced today that a new subsidiary, Alberta Heartland Railway, has entered into various agreements with Gasia, including the long-term lease of more than […]
