BELLEVILLE, Mich. — A Norfolk Southern train derailed this morning in Van Buren Township in the Detroit area, the news site MLive reports, but a spokeswoman for the Michigan Department of the Environment says “there is no environmental concern” from the incident. “Nothing is leaking,” said spokeswoman Jill Greenburg. No injuries were reported. A Facebook […]
Intermodal has long been the rail industry’s growth engine. But it hasn’t been firing on all cylinders in recent years. Yes, 2018 was a record-setting year for volume, and 2021 was intermodal’s second-best year ever. That’s all well and good — except that intermodal hasn’t been keeping pace with economic growth and has lost market […]
EAST PALESTINE, Ohio — Large crowds, changes of format, and public frustration marked Wednesday night’s public meeting over the aftermath of the Feb. 3 derailment and chemical spill in East Palestine. The town hall meeting at the East Palestine High had been switched beforehand to an informational session featuring a series of tables with officials […]
MERRIFIELD, Va. — A man died after being dragged by a DC Metro train Wednesday because of a dog leash caught in a door as the train left a station, the Washington Post reports. The incident occurred about 1:30 p.m. at the Dunn Loring station on Metro’s Orange Line in the Fairfax County community of […]
NJ Transit locomotive engineers are prepared to leave the transit agency or strike over the latest wage offer, NJ.com reports, with the general chairman of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen saying the union is “at a de facto” impasse with management after three years of talks. The union says its comparison of pay […]
CHICAGO — The Metra board of directors has approved a new five-year strategic plan that aims to address the commuter rail system’s post-COVID challenges and set goals for its evolution to meet those challenges The 2023-27 plan, “My Metra, Our Future,” approved at Wednesday’s meeting, notes the need to adapt with ridership that currently is […]
PETALUMA, Calif. — Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit, which operates Nippon Sharyo diesel multiple-unit passenger trains similar to those that led to a weekend shutdown of Toronto’s Union Pierson Express, has inspected its equipment and found no problems, a SMART spokesman tells Trains News Wire. The brakes on the two fleets are slightly different, Matt Stephens, […]
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — It may take three years before the Amtrak station in Missouri’s state capital returns to the historic Union Hotel. The Jefferson City News Tribune reports that, while state legislators have appropriated $14.3 million to repair the building, the project faces 10 to 12 months of design work, followed by another 18 […]
WASHINGTON — With a significant drop in intermodal traffic dragging down the overall number, U.S. rail traffic for the week ending Feb. 11 showed the biggest decline for any week so far this year, according to statistics from the Association of American Railroads. The overall traffic of 473,972 carloads and intermodal units represented a 6.2% […]
EAST PALESTINE, Ohio — Norfolk Southern announced earlier today it would not take part in tonight’s scheduled town hall meeting on the East Palestine derailment, citing concerns about “a growing physical threat.” The meeting was slated for 7 p.m. at the East Palestine High Auditorium. WEWS-TV reports the meeting would not feature speakers, but was […]
ORLANDO — Brightline is targeting the second quarter of 2023 for the start of service to Orlando, the Orlando Business Journal reports, citing the company’s monthly revenue and ridership report to bondholders. Brightline spokeswoman Katie Mitzner says 90% of construction is now complete on the 170-mile extension from West Palm Beach to Orlando. The company […]
BUSSNANG, Switzerland — Rail equipment manufacturer Stadler, Utah State University, and the ASPIRE Engineering Center have signed a contract to develop and test a battery-powered passenger train, the first such multiple-unit train in North America. The project will develop a two-car train based on Stadler’s FLIRT Akku train tailored for the American market. Stadler has […]
