In every issue News, p. 4 G&W’s CEO says the rail industry needs to innovate; Amtrak launches Floridian Bill Stephens, p. 8 What will happen if railroads can’t grow? John Hankey, p. 10 When disaster strikes, are railroads obligated to help the communities they serve? Brian Solomon, p. 48 Changing trains is an opportunity for […]
WASHINGTON — If you thought Federal Railroad Administration grant programs for things like passenger service, shortline track maintenance, and grade crossing elimination projects would be the least likely place to become a front in the culture wars, think again. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy on Jan. 29 issued a memo ordering Department of Transportation agencies to […]
NEW YORK — The agency overseeing construction of the new rail tunnel connecting New Jersey and Manhattan on Monday awarded a $1.8 billion contract for the connection on the tunnel’s New York side. NorthJersey.com reports that the Gateway Development Commission awarded the contract to a joint venture of Frontier, Kemper, Tutor, and Perini because of […]
Invisible Giants — inside the Van Sweringen brothers empire Railroading is a multi-faceted industry. Depending on your interest or the discussion at hand, the relationship between different facets will be emphasized. For this discussion, let’s simplify railroading into two dimensions. There is the steel wheel meeting the rail — what can be viewed trackside. The […]
WASHINGTON — Four House members have introduced a new version of the Railway Safety Act to mark the second anniversary of the East Palestine derailment that sparked the original legislation. U.S. Reps. Chris Deluzio (D-Pa.), John Garamendi (D-Calif.), Nick LaLota (R-N.Y.) and Michael Rulli (R-Ohio) are sponsoring the new version of the bill, introduced on […]
BALTIMORE — CSX began the long-awaited Howard Street Tunnel clearance project on Saturday (Feb. 1), when the 8,700-foot tunnel was closed to allow crews to remove track as the first step in construction work. “This is a tremendous opportunity to alleviate a restriction on our network and open up new opportunities for CSX,” Ed Sparks, […]
LAS VEGAS, Nev. — Agencies in California and Nevada have issued private activity bonds for the Brightline West project, a key element in funding the 218-mile high-speed rail venture between Las Vegas and Southern California. It is not clear whether the start of construction is contingent on obtaining money from the combined $2.5 billion in […]
EAST PALESTINE, Ohio — A new lawsuit blames the East Palestine derailment and toxic-chemical release for seven deaths, including that of a week-old infant. The suit was announced Monday — two years after the Feb. 3, 2023, Norfolk Southern derailment — by a trio of law firms on behalf of some 744 plaintiffs. It names […]
NEW YORK — Police have arrested two suspects for stealing a New York subway train last month, while the Metropolitan Transportation Authority has announced measures it is taking to prevent a recurrence of such events. The New York Police Department announced the suspects charged are ages 15 and 17. The 15-year-old was arrested at school […]
WASHINGTON — The potential impacts of tariffs on the North American economy, and its rail industry, have been deferred after the Trump administration and the governments of Canada and Mexico agreed to postpone tariffs that would have taken effect Tuesday, Feb. 4. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau wrote in a post on X.com that his […]
WASHINGTON — The SMART-TD union has urged federal regulators to reject Union Pacific’s plan to lease nearly 28 miles of track in the Eugene, Ore., area to Genesee & Wyoming short line Central Oregon & Pacific Railroad. “This transaction raises significant concerns related to the region’s infrastructure, service quality, economic sustainability, and the broader impact […]
Growing up, the Nevada State Railroad Museum in Boulder City has been Braden Brickman’s avocation. It’s now his vocation as the 23-year-old is employed as the restoration specialist to not only oversee said restorations, but also the maintenance and operation of the museum’s railroad and historic equipment. How did you get involved in rail preservation? […]
