Amtrak highlights advances in accessibility efforts

Amtrak wheelchair lift

WASHINGTON — Amtrak has now brought 117 of its stations into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and made another 67 stations accessible under its ADA Act Stations Program, the passenger operator said Wednesday in an update on its accessibility efforts. Another 39 stations are scheduled for completion this year at a forecast cost […]

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S.S. Badger likely to remain sidelined for weeks

Large ship.S.S. Badger awarded USDOT grant.

LUDINGTON, Mich. — It will likely take a “few weeks” to return Great Lakes car ferry S.S. Badger to service after a loading-ramp failure last week, the owner of the former Chesapeake & Ohio steamship said in a statement earlier this week. Lake Michigan Carferry, owner of the ship built in 1952, said that on […]

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Rodriguez sworn in as Canada’s transport minister

Smiling man with gray hair and full beard

OTTAWA, Ontario — Pablo Rodriguez has been named Canada’s Transport Minister as part of a large-scale reshuffling of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s cabinet announced Wednesday. Rodriguez replaces Omar Alghabra, who departed after announcing he would not seek reelection to Parliament [see “Canadian Transport Minister Alghabra to step down,” Trains News Wire, July 25, 2023]. Rodriguez […]

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Trains LIVE — East Broad Top

Trains LIVE — East Broad Top. Two men in black shirts.

Trains LIVE — East Broad Top — 7-26-2023 — Next to the restoration of Union Pacific No. 4014 — Big Boy — the re-birth of the East Broad Top Railroad has been one of the most talked about rail preservation events in recent years. The EBT, located around Rockhill Furnace, Pa., was built beginning in […]

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CN orders 60 more modernized diesels from Wabtec

Red, white, and black locomotive outside factory

MONTREAL and PITTSBURGH — Canadian National has placed an order with Wabtec to modernize 60 Dash-9 locomotives in CN’s existing fleet, the two companies have announced. The new order builds on a previous 50-unit order and will bring the total modernized fleet to 110 locomotives. The locomotives involved will be converted from DC to AC-powered […]

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Union Pacific names Vena as new CEO (updated)

Man in coat and tie

OMAHA, Neb. — Union Pacific today named Jim Vena, its former chief operating officer, as the railroad’s next chief executive. The announcement comes five months after one of UP’s largest investors publicly demanded that the board oust CEO Lance Fritz and hire Vena as his replacement [see “Union Pacific to seek new CEO …,” Trains […]

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White Pass & Yukon, SMART-TD announce tentative agreement

Yellow and green diesel with vintage-style passenger cars on narrow-gauge track

SKAGWAY, Alaska — The White Pass & Yukon Route Railroad and the union representing its train and engine workers have reached a tentative agreement on a new contract, the two sides announced Tuesday. The agreement, which would run through 2027, is subject to ratification by the more than two dozen employees represented by the International […]

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Brightline testing set for Melbourne, Brevard County area

Train approaches after passing through small S curve

MELBOURNE, Fla. — Brightline testing at speeds up to 110 mph will move into the Melbourne area as soon as this Friday, July 28, as the passenger operator continues preparations to launch service between Orlando and South Florida later this summer. Testing will take place on approximately 41 miles of track and include a total […]

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