PADUCAH, Ky. — Two Paducah & Louisville Railways locomotives have been repainted and numbered to reflect the 35th anniversary of the 280-mile short line, formed from former Illinois Central Gulf lines in 1986. The locomotives, seen on July 8, 2022, were repainted by Progress Rail in Mayfield, Ky., to reflect the original P&L paint scheme, […]
Major expansion of Waterbury Branch service part of new Metro-North schedule (updated)
BRIDGEPORT, Conn. — A substantial increase in weekday service on Metro-North’s Waterbury Branch and new express trains between New Haven and New York’s Grand Central Terminal highlight new schedules that took effect Sunday, July 10. Reflecting recent infrastructure upgrades, the number of weekday trains on the Waterbury Branch will go from 15 to 22, a […]
NJ Transit train crew members sue agency over abuse from passengers
NEWARK, N.J. — Fourteen NJ Transit rail employees have filed suit against the transit agency, saying it failed to protect them from assaults and other abuse from passengers. The non-profit news site New Jersey Monitor reports the suit filed in U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey contends the agency was aware of […]
State grant will fund new Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit station
PETALUMA, Calif. — Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit will build a second station in the city of Petaluma thanks to a $13 million state grant. KPIX-TV reports the funds from California’s State Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program will go to construction of the Petaluma North station, 4.4 miles of pathway, and grade-crossing improvements. Petaluma Transit […]
Regulatory filing seeks to create new Houston-area switching railroad
WASHINGTON — A private railroad serving an industrial park in the Houston area has filed paperwork with the Surface Transportation Board to become a common-carrier operation. TGS Cedar Port Railroad will operate 1.28 miles of track in the Cedar Port Industrial Park in Baytown, Texas. The trackage, which connects with Union Pacific, originally was part […]
State funding will help extend Altamont Corridor Express commuter service
STOCKTON, Calif. — The parent agency of Altamont Corridor Express commuter rail service has received $57 million in state funding for planned extension of ACE service from Ceres to Turlock, Calif. The San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission says the funds for the 10-mile southward extension come from the state’s Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program […]
Union issues 72-hour strike notice to VIA Rail Canada
MONTREAL — VIA Rail Canada has received a 72-hour strike notice from the union representing 2,400 of its workers, creating the possibility the passenger operator will suspend all services as of 12:01 a.m. EDT on Monday, July 11. The Unifor union represents VIA on-board, station, maintenance, administrative, and customer-center employees. Unifor said this week that […]
Forest Service upholds decision on Uinta Basin Railway
OGDEN, Utah — A U.S. Forest Service review has upheld a decision granting right-of-way to a portion of the Uinta Basin Railway project, the last major regulatory barrier to the proposed 85-mile line to serve oilfields in Utah. The Salt Lake Tribune reports several environmental groups had challenged the Forest Service’s decision to approve the […]
Canadian Pacific joins UN Global Compact sustainability effort
CALGARY — Canadian Pacific says it has become the first North American freight railroad to take part in the United Nations Global Compact, the world’s largest corporate sustainability initiative. More than 15,000 companies in more than 160 countries are part of the program, launched in 2000, for the development, implementation, and disclosure of socially responsible […]
Officials stress importance of grant for Chicago passenger project
CHICAGO — Key contributors seeking $251.1 million from a federal competitive grant program focused on Chicago Union Station improvements at a Thursday event to announce their involvement. U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, Amtrak CEO Stephen Gardner, and Metra CEO/Executive Director Jim Derwinski were among the speakers at the station’s Burlington Room, explaining […]
CSX outsources IT jobs
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — CSX Transportation will cut 137 information technology jobs, outsourcing them through a deal with a company based in India. The Jacksonville Daily Record reports CSX said Tata Consultancy Services will provide operation, maintenance and support for the company’s IT systems. “Many impacted employees will have an opportunity to join TCS,” the company […]
Bettendorf, Iowa, approves agreement with Canadian Pacific over merger plans
BETTENDORF, Iowa — Canadian Pacific has agreed to pay the city of Bettendorf $3 million to address the community’s concerns over increased traffic resulting from its planned merger with Kansas City Southern. The Quad Cities Times reports that the agreement — which is subject to Surface Transportation Board approval of the merger — was agreed […]