MBTA set to meet several FTA deadlines, but still needs dispatchers

Rapid-transit train at station. Governor reacts following more close calls on MBTA.

BOSTON — The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority should meet a number of deadlines in November for corrective action ordered by the Federal Transit Administration, MBTA officials told the transit agency’s board on Thursday. But the agency remains short of the number of dispatchers it needs to restore subway cuts that were made in June because […]

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Caltrain names Bouchard as executive director

Caltrain logo

SAN CARLOS, Calif. — Michelle Bouchard, who has been acting executive director of Caltrain since April 2021,  has been named as the commuter operator’s first permanent executive director. The Caltrain board of directors announced Bouchard’s unanimous appointment on Thursday, Nov. 3. “Michelle has been a dynamic and engaged leader for Caltrain,” Caltrain Board Chair Steve […]

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Menards Santa Fe diesel A-A set beta 4.0 test

Menards Santa Fe diesel A-A nose and top view

Menards Santa Fe diesel program launched a little more than a year ago with its first beta test. The company has released several more iterations of its F units, which it markets as “Santa Fe Diesel Locomotive,” soliciting customer feedback. The latest iteration, beta 4.0, is an A-A set in Santa Fe’s “bluebonnet” paint scheme […]

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American Z Line ALCO PA1

Model of dark green and gold streamlined diesel locomotive

American Z Line ALCO PA1 Scale: Z (1:220) Price: Contact manufacturer Era: Late 1940s+ Manufacturer: American Z Line, 6142 Northcliff Blvd., Dublin, OH 43016; 614-764-1703; americanzline.com ALCO PA1 features: prototype specific details 7mm can motor dual flywheels directional controlled light-emitting diode lighting six-axle trucks with blind middle axle blackened metal wheels traction tires optional snowplow, optional […]

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House Republicans ask Amtrak to explain executive bonuses

Amtrak logo.

WASHINGTON — Republican members of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure have asked Amtrak board chairman Tony Coscia for a briefing to explain “six-figure bonuses to top executives paid largely from taxpayer funds, even while the company experienced historic financial and ridership losses.” A letter released by Missouri Rep. Sam Graves, ranking member of […]

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CN, CP set single-month records for Canadian grain movement (updated)

Canadian National and Canadian Pacific logos

Canadian National set a single-month record for movement of Western Canadian grain in October, the company said, moving more than 3.23 million metric tons. Canadian Pacific also set a grain-movement record for the month, moving 3.14 metric tons. This surpassed its previous best month by 100,000 metric tons. CN’s figure exceeded its previous best month, […]

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BNSF near permission to replace Bismarck-Mandan bridge

BNSF train crossing river bridge in winter

BISMARCK, N.D. — BNSF Railway’s long-delayed effort to replace its aging bridge between Bismarck and Mandan, N.D., is on the verge of getting federal and state approval — but the preservation group that wants to save the structure is considering mounting a legal effort to stop demolition of the existing structure. The Bismarck Tribune reports […]

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Canadian government, Lac-Mégantic agree on land acquisition

Map of Lac-Megantic Bypass

LAC-MÉGANTIC, Quebec — The Canadian government has reached an agreement in principle with the town of Lac-Mégantic on the purchase of land needed for construction of a rail bypass around the community, Transport Canada has announced. The agreement will allow both parties to prepare the deed of sale for the land owned by the town. […]

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U.S. rail traffic slips slightly in October

Weekly table showing carload traffic by commodity plus intermodal totals

WASHINGTON — Overall rail traffic was down slightly in October compared to the same month in 2022, while traffic for the week ending Oct. 29 showed a slight increase, according to the Association of American Railroads. Monthly totals had combined U.S. carload and intermodal traffic down 0.5% compared to October 2021,with carload traffic up 0.5% […]

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