Industry observers had wondered why the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen — which had vehemently opposed an activist investor’s plans to oust Norfolk Southern’s management team — flip-flopped on Friday and decided to support Ancora Holdings’ calls for change at the railroad. The reason became apparent on Sunday, when the SMART-TD union that represents […]
Section: News Wire
Crew members injured as UP train derails in Lee’s Summit, Mo.
LEE’S SUMMIT, Mo. — The engineer and conductor of a Union Pacific train were transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries following a derailment early this morning, the Lee’s Summit Fire Department reports. The fire department responded to a call at approximately 12:45 a.m. of a derailment in the Unity Village area between Rhinehart […]
I-40 fully reopens after BNSF derailment and fire (additional update)
LUPTON, Ariz. — Both directions of Interstate 40 have now fully reopened and all evacuation orders have been lifted around the site of Friday’s BNSF derailment and fire near the Arizona-New Mexico border, according to McKinley County (N.M.) Fire and Rescue. Westbound lanes were reported open about 9:40 a.m. Mountain Time; eastbound lanes reopened this […]
Sound Transit launches Bellevue-Redmond light rail service
BELLEVUE, Wash. — Large crowds turned out Saturday for the opening of the first portion of Sound Transit’s East Link light rail service, an isolated 6.6-mile, eight-station line between Bellevue and Redmond, Wash. The Seattle Times reports hundreds of people were on hand well ahead of the ribbon-cutting that marked the start of service at […]
MBTA adjusts plans for Red Line maintenance work
BOSTON — The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority’s extended schedule for its current Blue Line track work is having a ripple effect on upcoming plans for the Red Line. The planned shutdown of the Red Line between Park Street and the JFK/UMass stations will now be held May 2-10, beginning one day later than originally planned. […]
Fire crews aim to extinguish fire at BNSF derailment Saturday night
LUPTON, Ariz. — Crews from New Mexico’s McKinley County Fire & Rescue plan to extinguish the burning cars of a BNSF train tonight (Saturday, April 27), the Albuquerque Journal reports. The train derailed and caught fire Friday afternoon, closing Interstate 40 near the Arizona-New Mexico border and leading to evacuation of Navajo Nation residents within […]
Tickets on sale for return of Amtrak’s Berkshire Flyer
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Ticket sales have begun for the Berkshire Flyer, the seasonal Amtrak service between New York and Pittsfield, Mass. The weekend operation sees trains depart New York on Friday nights and return Sunday afternoon from Pittsfield, beginning June 21 and concluding with Labor Day weekend on Monday, Sept. 2. The train leaves New […]
Missouri congressman seeks to block two-person crew rule
WASHINGTON — A Missouri congressman has introduced a resolution seeking to nullify the Federal Railroad Administration’s two-person crew requirement announced earlier this month. U.S. Rep. Eric Burlison (R-Springfield, Mo.) introduced the Congressional Review Act resolution in the wake of the FRA requirement [see “FRA issues rule requiring two-person train crews,” Trains News Wire, April 2, […]
News photos: BNSF train derailed by tornado in Nebraska
WAVERLY, Neb. — A BNSF train was derailed this afternoon when it was struck by a tornado between Waverly and Lincoln, Neb.. The tornado was one of a series in an outbreak across the Midwest today (Friday, April 26). KSBN-TV reports the incident occurred about 3:25 p.m., according to a BNSF representative. There were no […]
BNSF derailment, fire close Interstate 40 (updated)
GALLUP, N.M. — A BNSF Railway train derailed and caught fire near the Arizona-New Mexico state line at midday Friday, forcing the closure of Interstate 40, KOB-TV reports. The derailment on BNSF’s Gallup Subdivision about 12:42 p.m. Mountain Time, according to an initial BNSF report to customers. BNSF places the incident near Lupton, Ariz., approximately […]
STB’s Oberman sets May 10 date for retirement
WASHINGTON — Surface Transportation Board Chairman Martin J. Oberman will retire as of May 10, he announced today (Friday, April 26). Oberman, a board member since January 2019 and chairman since January 21, 2021, had announced his plans to step down from the board last November, but had not set a date [see “STB chairman […]
Eleven rail labor groups maintain their support for Norfolk Southern management
WASHINGTON — Well, you can bet there will be interesting discussions going on in Norfolk Southern locomotive cabs today. Just hours after the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen reversed course and said it would back activist investor Ancora Holdings in its bid to oust Norfolk Southern management, the SMART-TD union that represents conductors said […]