For Trains.com Members: Bob Lettenberger interviews notable folks around the world of railroading […]
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Short lines and regional railroads are consistently upgrading locomotives
Upgrading locomotives Upgrading locomotives: If you haven’t already noticed, a motive power renaissance is occurring at short lines and regionals across the country. Smaller railroads are always getting power that’s newer or better than what they currently have. However, recently this change is more pronounced. It’s driven by a top-down push, starting with the Class […]
Phoenix airport set to open extension to Sky Train
PHOENIX — Sky Harbor Airport is set to open a 2.5-mile extension to its Sky Train people mover on Tuesday, Dec. 20, the first addition to the route since 2014. The Arizona Republic reports the $745 million addition will connect the Sky Train to the airport’s off-site rental car center in 6 to 8 minutes, […]
Wreckage of SP boat used to build Lucin Cutoff reappears as Great Salt Lake shrinks
SALT LAKE CITY — A boat used by Southern Pacific to help build its route across the Great Salt Lake has resurfaced as a result of the lake’s shrinking water level. KTVX-TV reports the W.E. Marsh No. 4, which first set sail on the lake in 1902, has reappeared as the lake’s water level reaches […]
Ogden, Utah, buys Union Station land
OGDEN, Utah — The City of Odgen has answered questions about the future of Ogden Union Station by purchasing the land under the historic structure from Union Pacific. KSTU-TV reports the city agreed earlier this month to purchase the 8.06-acre parcel from UP for $5.56 million. The railroad turned the building over to the city […]
DOT appoints members to FTA safety advisory committee
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Transportation has named 24 people —representing transit agencies, unions, research groups, and other organizations — to the Federal Transit Administration’s Transit Advisory Committee for Safety. The group meets at least once a year and advises the Secretory of Transportation and FTA administrator on transit safety and other issues. “We […]
My first cab ride
The cab ride As the Production Editor for Trains Magazine, I got to participate in my very first cab ride, the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway steam locomotive No. 1309, located at the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad this past fall. If I had to describe the experience in only one word, I’d have to say — […]
All aboard the Sun Tan Special
Sun Tan Special People in Santa Cruz, Calif., still talk about the Sun Tan Special, and not just as an artifact. The Sun Tan Special was Southern Pacific’s beach train in Northern California. It ran on summer weekends and holidays during the 1930s to the 1950s, from San Francisco and San Jose to the coastal […]
What are railroad signs for?
Railroad signs Railroads, like highway systems, use a variety of signs, signals, and identification markers to convey information to railroaders along a route. Railroads have established mileposts – identified by signs, markers, or displays – to give the crew and dispatcher a quick method for identifying their location on a railroad in all weather conditions […]
Swiss gauge-changing Panoramic Express debuts on Golden Pass route
INTERLAKEN, Switzerland — A concept the Swiss rail industry (and its passengers) has dreamed of for years became reality in mid-December with the debut of through trains from Montreux on Lake Geneva to Interlaken in the heart of the Alps. No new rail lines were needed but some modern railway technology was. The route includes […]
BLET president to retire, avoiding rerun of election
INDEPENDENCE, Ohio — Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineer and Trainmen President Dennis Pierce said today he will retire, avoiding a rerun of the union’s presidential election and clearing the way for Eddie Hall to become the union’s new president. In a statement on the BLET website, Pierce said the union’s Elections Protest Committee had determined that […]
MARTA unveils new cars, part of $646 million order
ATLANTA — The Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority unveiled its newest railcars on Friday, representing a $646 million investment to replace its aging fleet of 340 cars. The new CQ400 railcars will replace MARTA’s existing fleet of CQ310, CQ311 and CQ312 cars. In November 2019, MARTA’s board of directors approved the $646 million deal with […]
