WICKENBURG, Ariz. — A June wildfire that destroyed 15 structures near the town of Wickenburg and cost nearly $1 million to fight was caused by BNSF Railway work, according to fire officials. The 266-acre Rose Fire, which began on June 12 and was contained five days later, was started by sparks from a welder, grinder, […]
LAMY, N.M. — The last segment of U.S. mainline railroad still using semaphore signals has gotten smaller. Railroad officials in New Mexico replaced five semaphores with modern day CTC signals on Saturday, Aug.17, on a stretch between Lamy and Cerrillos on a section of original Santa Fe now owned by the state of New Mexico. […]
WASHINGTON – The Surface Transportation Board has sailed past its deadline for issuing a decision on Canadian National’s proposed $230 million acquisition of Iowa Northern Railway. The board was set to issue a decision by July 26, according to the procedural schedule that regulators spelled out on Feb. 29. A board spokesman says the proposed […]
FAIDO, Switzerland — The first freight train operated through the repaired western tube of the Gotthard Base Tunnel today (Monday, Aug. 19) as part of test operations preparing for full reopening of the tunnel, Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) reports. The 5:30 a.m. train from Chiasso bound for Basel was the first train to use the […]
NEW YORK — Amtrak service between New York and Philadelphia has resumed late this evening (Aug. 18) after being halted by flooding, while NJ Transit and Metro-North Railroad have also reported flood-related service suspensions. Amtrak, in a notice posted to its website at 10:25 p.m. ET, said it had “released the hold on all tracks” […]
The Teamsters Canada Rail Conference today (Aug. 18) served a 72-hour strike notice to Canadian Pacific Kansas City, saying the union will walk out at 12:01 a.m. on Thursday, Aug. 22, barring a last-minute labor agreement. Canadian National Railway, meanwhile, announced it had delivered a formal 72-hour lockout notice, following up on plans it had […]
NESQUEHONING, Pa. — Port Clinton, Pa., based-Reading & Northern officially opened the newest station for its busy passenger excursion business on Saturday, Aug. 17, holding a ceremony for the new facility on its Nesquehoning campus that also includes training and mechanical facilities. The ribbon-cutting preceded an excursion featuring former Reading Co. T-1 4-8-4 No. 2102, […]
BRIENZ, Switzerland — The Brienz Rothorn Railway, a celebrated steam-powered tourist cog railway in central Switzerland, will be closed for the remainder of the 2024 season as a result of severe damage sustained in a storm on Monday, Aug. 12, the railway has announced. The railway normally operates from May to October. “Following a comprehensive […]
HONOLULU — The Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation has awarded Los Angeles-based contractor Tutor Perini Corp. a $1.66 billion contract for a 3-mile extension to the city’s Skyline light-rail system. The contract, which calls for six new stations and 3 miles of elevated rail line, is expected to be completed in mid-September, Hawaii News Now […]
WASHINGTON — Nearly four years after new federal on-time performance standards went into effect, Amtrak is nearing agreements with BNSF Railway and Union Pacific for certification of disputed train schedules. Some 95% of Amtrak train schedules have been certified under the federal Metrics and Minimum Standards for Intercity Passenger Service rule, according to the latest […]
WASHINGTON — The first meeting of the Surface Transportation Board’s Passenger Rail Advisory Committee has been set for Oct. 16 at 10 a.m. at STB headquarters in Washington, the agency has announced. The 21 members of the board — selected from more than 90 applicants — include representatives of Amtrak, commuter rail agencies, state agencies, […]
NEW YORK — The Federal Transit Administration this week issued a special directive ordering the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to address “an escalating pattern of safety incidents” regarding workers in the New York subway system, citing 38 near-miss incidents in 2023 in addition to a worker fatality in November 2023 and an incident involving a serious […]
