GARY, Ind. — South Shore Line commuter rail service has entered a new phase of busing as part of the continuing project to double track the main line between Gary and Michigan City, Ind. As of Saturday, Aug. 6, a bus bridge is operating between the Gary Metro station and Carroll Avenue station in Michigan […]
OMAHA, Neb. — BNSF Railway’s revenue and profits rose in the second quarter despite volume being down nearly 6%, Berkshire Hathaway, the railroad’s parent company, reported on Saturday. The railroad’s operating income rose 7%, to $2.37 billion, as revenue grew 15%, to $6.45 billion. Earnings improved, Berkshire said, as revenue per carload and intermodal unit […]
MONTREAL — The second set of new Siemens equipment for VIA Rail Canada corridor service has been delivered. With Union Pacific ES44AC No. 5275 providing power for the entire trip from the Siemens plant in Sacramento, the new trainset was delivered to VIA’s Montreal Maintenance Centre early on Saturday, Aug. 6. VIA is receiving 32 […]
HARTFORD, Wis.— Soo Line No. 1003, the 1913-vintage Alco 2-8-2 operated by the Steam Locomotive Heritage Association, made a rare weekend trip to Chicago for a Metra Family Days event at the commuter operator’s Western Avenue yard. The locomotive and its short train headed south on Friday, April 5, beginning its trip in Metra territory […]
SKAGWAY, Alaska — Two rockslides in a three-day period last week have led to the full closure of the White Pass & Yukon dock at the Port of Skagway, and the dock is expected to remain closed for the remainder of the 2022 sailing season. The website Cruise Hive reports slides on Wednesday, Aug. 3, […]
KEYTESVILLE, Mo. — A judge in Chariton County, Mo., has scheduled a hearing on whether to delay lawsuits over the June 27 derailment of Amtrak’s Southwest Chief while the National Transportation Safety Board continues its investigation into the fatal accident. Meanwhile, an Amtrak employee has filed a suit claiming the passenger operator “intentionally” crowded the […]
MOUNT VERNON, Wash. — Counties in Washington state that rely on BNSF Railway trains to remove garbage have asked for congressional help in dealing with unreliable service from the railroad. The website GoSkagit.com reports that Skagit County Public Works Director Grace Kane says the county’s trash transfer station was last closed on July 11 because […]
CHICAGO — Amtrak has canceled plans to offer Polar Express holiday rides from Chicago Union Station in 2022, citing ongoing staff shortages. A message on the Polar Express Union Station Facebook page cites “a system-wide shortage of railroad personnel” that means there are not enough crews to operate the trains. “We have enjoyed operating the […]
BLUE ISLAND, Ill. — No injuries were reported after a Metra train derailed Saturday morning, Aug. 6, near the Vermont Avenue station in Blue Island. Train No. 205, the first Saturday morning Rock Island District train from Chicago to Joliet, derailed about 9:15 a.m.. WFLD-TV reports the locomotive and one car of the train derailed. […]
Q: Can you provide a simple procedure for pairing locomotives in a consist? One locomotive is pulling or pushing the one in front. – Stephen J. Szypula A: An important part of making your consist work is speed-matching the locomotives so they don’t fight each other. If your locomotives respond to the same throttle speed step […]
Cheap lighting for passenger cars: I had kitbashed an LGB No. 3080 passenger car into an observation car and wanted to add interior lighting. Instead of track-powered lighting, I opted to install battery-powered light emitting diodes (LEDs). For around $20 in supplies, you can have flicker-free lighting in your car too. I cut the roof […]
BOSTON — The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority has announced plans for another significant closure of one of its rail transit lines, just two days after saying it would shut down another line entirely. The Boston Globe reports the MBTA plans to pose a portion of the Green Line for four weeks beginning Aug. 22, and […]
