NEW YORK — Former Metropolitan Transportation Authority CEO Thomas Prendergast has been named as CEO and president of the Gateway Development Commission, the bi-state agency overseeing construction of the new rail tunnel between New Jersey and Manhattan, as well as other Northeast Corridor projects. Prendergast succeeds Kris Kolluri, the original commission CEO who is now […]
ALTOONA, Pa. – With the inspection, cleaning and conditioning of the drivers of former Pennsylvania Railroad Class K4s 4-6-2 steam engine No. 1361 by Strasburg Rail Road’s mechanical department, the locomotive’s $2.4 million restoration has moved symbolically past the halfway point, according to the engine’s owner, the Railroaders Memorial Museum. The six 80-inch drivers made […]
RICHMOND, Va. — The Virginia Passenger Rail Authority on Thursday announced it has selected a construction consortium for the second part of the Long Bridge Project, the new two-track bridge across the Potomac River between Washington, D.C., and Arlington, Va. Long Bridge Rail Partners — a joint venture of Trumbull Corp., Fay, S&B USA Construction, […]
TORONTO — Ontario transit agency Metrolinx has signed an agreement with Alstom to overhaul 181 bilevel railcars for Toronto-area commuter rail operator GO Transit. The agreement, valued at approximately Ca$500 million ($347 million U.S.), calls for overhauls and modernization of the Series VIII cars to be conducted at Alstom’s Thunder Bay, Ont., plant beginning by […]
SCHAUMBURG, Ill. — Notes from the Midwest Association of Rail Shippers’ Winter Meeting, which concluded today (Jan. 16, 2025): The Iowa Northern decision The MARS meeting opened the day after the Surface Transportation Board issued its long-awaited decision approving Canadian National’s purchase of Iowa Northern Railway, a deal effective Feb. 13 [see “STB greenlights Canadian […]
WASHINGTON — U.S. Rep. David Rouzer (R-N.C.) has been named chair of the Subcomittee on Railroads, Pipelines and Hazardous Materials, House Transportation and Infrastructure Chairman Sam Graves (R-Mo.) announced this week. Rouzer, beginning his sixth term in the House, is one of six chairmen of Transportaiton and Infrasturcture subcommittees chosen this week. “Having served on the […]
SCHAUMBURG, Ill. — Approaching the likely end of his tenure as chairman of the Surface Transportation Board, Robert Primus made it clear: the hearing the board held last fall on growth in the rail industry did not ease his concerns about Class I efforts to increase volume. In a rare address today (Jan. 16, 2025) […]
Normally the addition of a 3.5-mile stretch of second main line isn’t a cause for celebration. But when those 3.5 miles happen to be the final section of regular double track added to BNSF Railway’s 2,200-mile Southern Transcon, well, then it’s a major milestone. BNSF cut over the new trackage between Rose Hill and Mulvane, […]
MONTREAL – Canadian National today unveiled its first new medium horsepower hybrid electric locomotive, a Q19-2.4GH developed in collaboration with Knoxville Locomotive Works. The 3,200 horsepower unit, No. 7100, includes a modern control system and is powered by a 2.4MWh-700HP battery-diesel engine that is 100% biofuel ready. Former BNSF Railway Genset 3GS21B No. 1259 was […]
MIAMI — How much money Amtrak was willing to pay and the Florida Department of Transportation was willing to accept for use of the Miami Intermodal Center headhouse was apparently the main sticking point in a years-long impasse that ended when the passenger carrier notified FDOT in November that it would not move its South […]
WASHINGTON — Carload traffic was down considerably but intermodal volume remained strong in the latest report on U.S. weekly rail traffic. According to statistics from the Association of American Railroads, traffic for the week ending Jan. 11, 2025, included 465,390 carloads and intermodal units, up 1.8% from the same week in 2024. That included 199,511 […]
WORCESTER, Mass. — Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey has proposed a 10-year, $8 billion transportation plan including an immediate move to stabilize the finances of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority — using funds from the state’s Fair Share tax on annual incomes over $1 million while requiring no new taxes. Legislation to enact the plan, part […]
