News photo: Ghosts of the Nickel Plate

Blue and white streamlined diesel on bridge.

CLEVELAND — Alco PA No. 190 continues its journey east to its new home with Genesee Valley Transportation in Scranton Pa. On Monday, May 15, it was photographed in downtown Cleveland on the former Nickel Plate (now Norfolk Southern) main line, crossing the Cuyahoga, River. The locomotive was restored by preservationist Doyle McCormack and acquired […]

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Gulf & Atlantic completes acquisition of three short lines

Logo of Gulf & Atlantic Railways

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Gulf & Atlantic Railways has completed its acquisition of three railroads in Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois, expanding the company to five railroads. The company announced today (May 16) that it closed on May 12 on the acquisition of the Camp Chase Railroad; Chesapeake & Indiana Railroad; and Vermilion Valley Railroad. It had […]

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How steam locomotives work

A large black steam locomotive, numbered 1309, emerges from a tunnel trailing a cloud of black smoke

Unlike modern machines, the steam locomotive — which underwent few fundamental changes in 125 years of development — openly displays many of its parts. This mechanical honesty has long captivated onlookers and invited study, but many still wonder just how steam locomotives work. In fact, entire books have been devoted to the subject. There are […]

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Registration opens for first courses at transportation organization’s North American Regional Training Center

Logo of the International Association of Public Transportation

NEWARK, N.J. — Registration has now opened for the first courses to be offered by the International Association of Public Transportation’s North American Regional Training Center. The training center is a partnership of the association, UITP; NJ Transit; and Rutgers University’s Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation, or CAIT, with classes to be held at […]

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At least two injured as BART train hits pickup

BART logo

OAKLAND, Calif. — At least two people on board were injured Monday night when a Bay Area Rapid Transit train hit a pickup truck that had crashed onto the rapid transit line’s right-of-way, KGO-TV reports. The collision occurred about 11:30 p.m. after the truck crashed onto the tracks between the Fruitvale and Lake Merritt stations. […]

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EMD’s pioneering SD7 and SD9 locomotives

1952 red and gray locomotive

SD7 and SD9 locomotives The Electro-Motive Division’s original six-axle diesel-electric road switchers were the SD7 and SD9. Producing 1,500 and 1,750 hp, respectively, they set the stage for larger and more powerful six-axle locomotives that would come to dominate the industry. The first SDs sold in relatively small numbers. EMD produced 188 SD7s and 471 […]

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Clean-up under way after 31-car BNSF derailment in Texas

BNSF Railway logo

DACUS, Texas — Clean-up is in progress following the weekend derailment of 31 cars of a BNSF Railway train of crushed limestone in the small town of Dacus. No injuries were reported. There is some disagreement between the railroad and local officials over the reporting of the incident. BNSF told KTRK-TV on Monday that it […]

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Critters in the enginehouse

A small, red, locomotive parked inside an old brick enginehouse with an open inspection pit in the foreground

Critters in the enginehouse: There’s a pecking order that governs North American diesel locomotives. At the top of the order are the big high-horsepower locomotives produced by General Electric and Electro-Motive Division. These are followed by medium-horsepower units such as GE’s 2,300 hp Super 7 Series and Republic Locomotive‘s 2,000-hp RD20. Next are medium- and […]

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