DeLAND, Fla. — Government officials in Volusia County, Fla., are asking to be included in discussions about a plan for Brightline and commuter operator SunRail to share a corridor to the Disney World area, expressing concerns about possible increases in SunRail operating costs that could result. Volusia County is one of five partners in SunRail’s […]
Magazine: Trains Magazine
Cathcart Rail to acquire railcar repair business of The Andersons, Inc.
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Freight rail firm Cathcart Rail has signed an agreement to purchase the railcar repair business of The Andersons, Inc. The purchase is expected to close this summer. “The Andersons railcar repair network aligns perfectly with Cathcart Rail’s strategic goal of offering a broad array of rail services across a national footprint, we […]
U.S. rail traffic falls in April
WASHINGTON — U.S. rail traffic in April fell 5.8% from levels in 2021, marking the third time in four months volume was down over previous-year levels. Statistics from the Association of American Railroads showed carload traffic was down by 31.929 carloads, or 3.4%, compared to April 2021, while intermodal traffic decreased by 90,869 units, or […]
Former CSX employee sues railroad, union, arbitration board over dismissal
TOLEDO, Ohio — A former CSX Transportation crew member dismissed over a social media post is suing the railroad, the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, and an arbitration board, seeking to overturn his dismissal. Kirk E. Knopp, of Fostoria, Ohio, filed suit in April in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, […]
London Crossrail’s Elizabeth Line set for May 24 opening
LONDON — The underground portion of London’s long-delayed Crossrail project is scheduled to open May 24, agency Transport for London has announced. Initial plans for the route to offer 12 trains per hour between Paddington and Abbey Woods Mondays through Saturdays from 6:30 a.m. to 11 p.m., with continuing work in the off-hours and on […]
News photos: New special Metra paint scheme honors Chicago
CHICAGO — Metra on Wednesday unveiled a special paint scheme to honor the city of Chicago on F40PH-3 No. 104, with the commuter agency saying the locomotive will make its debut May 14-15 to move cars to be displayed at Pullman Railroad Days [see “More features added to Pullman Railroad Days,” Trains News Wire, May […]
Union Pacific and TuSimple delay launch of autonomous truck service
SAN DIEGO – Union Pacific and autonomous trucking company TuSimple have delayed plans to begin driverless truck moves between the railroad’s Tucson intermodal terminal and the Phoenix area. The companies in February said they’d launch the service this spring. But the service has been pushed to the third quarter because TuSimple and UP have shifted […]
Russia steps up attacks on Ukraine’s rail network, disrupting food exports
As the Russian military adjusts its strategy and goals following the failure of its original invasion of Ukraine that began Feb. 24, it has increased strategic attacks on the network of national rail operator Ukrzaliznytsia (UZ) in the west of the country, largely through missile strikes. The Ukraine war is the first since World War […]
More features added to Pullman Railroad Days
CHICAGO — The “Last Pullman Car,” Amtrak Superliner George M. Pullman, and a locomotive simulator from Norfolk Southern have been added to the upcoming Pullman Railroad Days, to be held May 14-15 at the Pullman National Monument and hosted by the Historic Pullman Foundation, the monument’s non-profit partner. The Superliner, the last car built by […]
Austin suburb votes on severing ties with transit agency
LEANDER, Texas — Voters in Leander will decide Saturday whether to end a 37-year relationship with Austin-area transit agency Capital Metro in a Saturday election, which could halt commuter rail service to the community. Leander is the northernmost stop on the CapMetro Red Line, a 32-mile, nine-station system served by Stadler Rail diesel multiple-unit trainsets. […]
Charlotte Western Railroad begins operation
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Charlotte Western Railroad, the newest short line of Jaguar Transport Holdings, began operations Monday, May 2, as contract operator on 13 miles of track owned by the North Carolina Department of Transportation. “We are excited for the opportunity to establish our first operation in North Carolina and the southeastern US,” Jaguar CEO […]
Biden’s Amtrak Board nominations lack qualifications demanded by Congress: Analysis
WASHINGTON — In theory, any organization’s board of directors must possess enough expertise in the business it oversees to analyze and pass judgement on whether management’s policies fulfill the organization’s goals. In Amtrak’s reauthorizing Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act enacted last November, Congress was clear it now requires board members exercising such oversight to possess […]