BAGHDAD — Iraq seeks to rebuild its railroads. In a recent media report, Iraqi government officials say they want to build a new rail connection to neighboring Turkey. That effort appears to coincide with Iraq’s rebuilding effort in the wake of ISIS destruction in recent years. The Daily Sabah reports that the Iraq’s transport minister […]
Zone & Region: International
Germany commits to major program to improve rail system NEWSWIRE
Arriving and departing Deutsche Bahn trains navigate the tracks at Frankfurt Central Station in 2016. The German government and Deutsche Bahn are committing to a major program to upgrade the Deutsche Bahn system. TRAINS: David Lassen BERLIN — The German government and the country’s national railway company, Deutsche Bahn, have agreed on a plan to […]
Wabtec delivers locomotives to Turkish oil refining company NEWSWIRE
One of several locomotives Wabtec has delivered to a Turkey-based refining company. Körfez Ulaştırma WILMERDING, Pa. — Wabtec Corp. completed delivery of five diesel-electric PowerHaul series locomotives to Körfez Ulaştırma A.Ş., the subsidiary of Turkey’s largest refinery Tüpraş operating in railway transportation. Körfez Ulaştırma is the first private operator in Turkey to make such a […]
Ask Trains: What are the best sources of information on railroads in Africa?
The Rovos Rail luxury passenger train stopped at Plumtree, Zimbabwe, in July 2010 while passengers were undergoing immigration checks. This National Railways of Zimbabwe train was en route from Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, to Capetown, South Africa, a 16-day journey. The power for this train was Sheltam Corp. General Electric U30-EMP No. 3020, a 42-inch […]
Costly new safety rules could sideline British heritage railways NEWSWIRE
LONDON — Britain’s heritage railroads face massive costs, or the possibility of being shut down, in the wake of stringent new safety regulations resulting from the death of a passenger in 2016. The Telegraph reports that heritage railways must place bars over the drop-down windows of their coaches to prevent passengers from leaning out to […]
New railroad proving ground to open in England NEWSWIRE
An artist’s rendering of the campus planned for the Institute for High Speed Rail and System Integration in Leeds, England. University of Leeds LEEDS, England — The United Kingdom government has today confirmed funding to create one of the most advanced conventional and high speed rail research facilities in the world, in Leeds. The University of […]
G&W buyout by foreign firms little surprise to investment community NEWSWIRE
WAUKESHA, Wis. — Shortline holding company Genesee & Wyoming will soon go private in an $8.4-billion-deal. And that’s about all there is to it, one railroad analyst says. “It’s been strongly rumored for months,” says Anthony B. Hatch of ABH Consulting. “I was not surprised.” Hatch says the broad outlines of a buyout, first reported […]
Railcar manufacturer CRRC a target in U.S.-China trade war NEWSWIRE
Officials including U.S. Sen. Richard Durbin (second from left) and then-mayor of Chicago Rahm Emanuel (fifth from left) participate in the 2017 groundbreaking for the CRRC Sifang factory in Chicago. CRRC, which is manufacturing new Chicago Transit Authority cars at the plant, is a target in the U.S.-China trade war. TRAINS: David Lassen Workers continue […]
Electrocuted slug blamed for Japanese rail outage NEWSWIRE
TOKYO — A power outage that disrupted train service on the Japanese island of Kyushu was caused by a slug. The mollusk was electrocuted when it made its way into a trackside device, an investigation has concluded. The rail operator on Japan’s southernmost island, JR Kyushu, announced the findings on Sunday. The company had to […]
UPDATE: Proposed Mexico tariffs would eventually affect cross-border rail traffic NEWSWIRE
With a Canadian National unit in the lead, a northbound BNSF Railway train crosses the international bridge over the Rio Grande at Eagle Pass, Texas, in May 2019. Bill Stephens WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump’s proposal to hit Mexican imports with tariffs beginning next month could eventually hurt cross-border rail traffic that has been a […]
British investment group to acquire US shortline, signalling firms NEWSWIRE
LONDON — A British investment manager, 3i Group, announced plans to take control of U.S. shortline operator Regional Rail LLC and grade-crossing equipment supplier Diamondback Signal LLC. 3i will own 100% of both companies. Headquartered in Kennett Square, Pa., Regional Rail operates the East Penn Railroad and Tyburn Railroad in Pennsylvania, as well as the […]
Kansas City Southern adopts faster intermodal schedules to Mexico NEWSWIRE
As light fades, a lone ES44AC powers a southbound Kansas City Southern intermodal train of solid JB Hunt containers on the Rosenberg Subdivision at Ganado, Texas, in November 2017. Bill Stephens KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kansas City Southern has tightened southbound cross-border intermodal schedules — by as much as one or two days in some […]
