DACUS, Texas — Clean-up is in progress following the weekend derailment of 31 cars of a BNSF Railway train of crushed limestone in the small town of Dacus. No injuries were reported. There is some disagreement between the railroad and local officials over the reporting of the incident. BNSF told KTRK-TV on Monday that it […]
Critters in the enginehouse: There’s a pecking order that governs North American diesel locomotives. At the top of the order are the big high-horsepower locomotives produced by General Electric and Electro-Motive Division. These are followed by medium-horsepower units such as GE’s 2,300 hp Super 7 Series and Republic Locomotive‘s 2,000-hp RD20. Next are medium- and […]
What’s in a name? An engineer’s life: Nicknames have long been a part of railroading. This is the story of how I came to be called “Mad Dog.” I hired out at Burlington Northern’s Auburn Yard in August of 1978. Unbeknownst to me, I wasn’t the only Michael Sawyer around those parts. One day, early […]
Well, this isn’t a pretty picture. From 2013 to 2022 U.S. industrial production eked out 3% growth, overall economic output increased 57%, and truck tonnage grew 26%. Yet volume on the big four U.S. railroads increased by an average of just 2% for the decade — a figure that mercifully does not include coal traffic. […]
WASHINGTON — A group evaluating Amtrak food and beverage service says improving service will hinge on first fixing “systems … behind the scenes” that impact that service nationwide. The Food and Beverage Working Group was created by Congress as part of 2021’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to evaluate the onboard food and beverage operation, a key […]
LAC-MÉGANTIC, Quebec —Lac-Mégantic plans four days of events in July to mark the the passage of 10 years since of the train derailment and fire that killed 47 people and destroyed much of the community’s downtown, the Canadian Press reports. Mayor Julie Morin says the city has a “duty to remember” the tragedy, and will […]
EVANSBURG, Alberta — A 10-mile stretch of Canadian National’s transcontinental main line about 65 miles west of Edmonton, Alta., continues to be surrounded by what has become the Yellowhead County wildfire, but trains are getting through the area in part because of CN firefighting equipment known as “Poseidon.” The compact fire train was fashioned out […]
WASHINGTON — A significant reduction in parking spaces — including elimination of above-ground parking and bus facilities — and a larger train hall are key features of a revised plan for redevelopment of Washington Union Station released Friday. The Washington Post reports the revised plan from the Federal Railroad Administration — developed after a two-year […]
HARRISBURG, Pa. — While one wide-ranging bill has advanced out of a Pennsylvania House committee, four other bills aimed at regulating railroads in the state have also been introduced since the East Palestine, Ohio, derailment, which also impacted Pennsylvania residents. The Tribune-Democrat of Johnstown, Pa., reports none have yet been voted on by the state House […]
Wrecking derricks were once the kings of maintenance-of-way equipment, used mainly to move derailed rolling stock but also for such other heavy-lifting duties as bridge replacements. Today, when a derailment needs to be cleaned up, the work is often done by private contractors using bulldozer-like machines delivered to the wreck site by highway. But fifty […]
Rare genset diesel locomotives South of Sacramento and north of Modesto lies Stockton, Calif., home to Central California Traction Company and its rare genset diesel locomotives. Built by Brookville Equipment Corp. of Pennsylvania in early 2015, the units, designated BL12CG, are powered by a pair of Cummins prime movers connected to EMD D78 traction motors […]
MARTINEZ, Calif. — The Amtrak station in Martinez, Calif., remains closed this weekend as a result of a mercury spill discovered on Monday, with the source of the spill still a mystery to authorities. KTVU-TV reports that Contra Costa County health officials said Friday they are making progress in cleaning up the spill, discovered by […]
