Burlington Northern locomotive one-offs. Burlington Northern (BN) had more than 2,000 diesel locomotives on its roster. With a fleet of that size, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that there were more than a few Burlington Northern locomotive one-offs. Paint scheme variations, wreck rebuilds, and test subjects were among the examples I found when searching […]
Amtrak will suspend seven more long-distance trains as of today (Wednesday, Sept. 14) as it prepares for a possible interruption of national freight rail service. Also, the three regional operations in California — the San Joaquins, Capitol Corridor, and Pacific Surfliner — are preparing for service disruptions to begin Thursday and take full effect on […]
SAN DIEGO — The regional planning agency for San Diego County has accepted a $300 million state grant, allowing it to move ahead on plans to build an inland tunnel to replace the current Surf Line rail route along the Del Mar Bluffs. The San Diego Union-Tribune reports the project would also include double tracking […]
Bay Area Rapid Transit Legacy Fleet Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: A-B-B-A with dual-mode sound decoder, $712.45; A-B-B-A with direct-current, $522.45; C end car with dual-mode sound decoder, $322.95; direct-current C end car, $218.45; A end car with display case; $142.45; B intermediate car, $85.45. Era: 1972–present Manufacturer: Rapido Trains Inc., 500 Alden Road, Unit 21, Markham, Ontario L3R 5H5 […]
MECCA, Calif. — The two Union Pacific crew members killed in a Thursday collision with railcars parked on a siding were ejected from their train by the impact, the Los Angeles Times reports. The accident occurred about 3 a.m. Thursday east of the community of Mecca [see “Two UP crew members killed …,” Trains News […]
MECCA, Calif. — Two Union Pacific crew members were killed early Thursday morning when a train collided with equipment on a siding near the unincorporated Coachella Valley community of Mecca, KESQ-TV reports. The accident occurred about 3 a.m. near Bombay Beach on the north shore of the Salton Sea, UP spokesman Mike Jaixen told the […]
WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Sierra Northern Railway has unveiled the design for the hydrogen-powered switcher it is developing through California funding awarded in 2021. The $4 million project will replace an older Tier 0 diesel with a zero-emission locomotive integrating a hydrogen fuel cell, hydrogen storage, and advanced battery and system-control technologies. Sierra Northern President […]
FULLERTON, Calif. — Santa Fe steam locomotive No. 3751 will return to operation for the first time since 2017 when it travels from its home base in Los Angeles to appear at Amtrak’s Track Safety Community Event, scheduled for Sept. 24 and 25 at the Fullerton Transportation Center. The 4-8-4 is owned by the San […]
SAN JOSE, Calif. — One of the two major power substations for the Caltrain electrification project has been energized for the first time, a milestone that will allow testing of equipment at Caltrain’s San Jose facility and on a portion of the San Jose-San Francisco corridor. The Caltrain Traction Power Substation in San Jose was […]
LOS ANGELES — Transit agency LA Metro has approved a new five-year agreement with the union representing Metro rail and bus operators and scheduling analysts. The agreement with more than 4,600 members of International Assoication of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail, and Transportation Workers-Transportation Division (SMART-TD) local GO-875 includes an average annual raise of 3.4% compounded […]
SONOMA, Calif. — The Golden Gate Railroad Museum has cancelled scheduled Labor Day weekend excursions with Southern Pacific 4-6-2 No. 2472 — the last scheduled operation before the locomotive’s required 15-year boiler inspection — citing “unsafe bridge conditions” on trackage owned by commuter operator Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit. In a news release on its website, […]
LOS ANGELES — Mechanical issues that have taken 19 of its 55 locomotives out of service have led commuter rail operator Metrolink to reduce service on three of its routes this week. The cancellations began Tuesday, Aug. 23, and cover one round trip on each line. After initially being announced as extending until further notice, […]
