Wabtec unveils first production FLXdrive battery heavy-haul locomotive

ERIE, Pa. —Wabtec and Australian mining firm Roy Hill have unveiled world’s first 100% battery-powered, heavy-haul locomotive for mainline service in ceremonies today (Oct. 31, 2023) at Wabtec’s Erie manufacturing facility. The FLXdrive locomotive contains 72 lithium-ion modular battery packs with a total of 36,288 cells, giving the locomotive an energy capacity of 7 megawatt-hours. […]

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MR Exclusive: DCCconcepts Aegis upgrade for NCE PowerCab

Color photo showing components of DCC system.

The NCE PowerCab Digital Command Control (DCC) system is popular for its ease of use, menu-driven prompts, and reliable programming capabilities. However, it does have a few limitations: It only has about 1.8 amps output; it doesn’t have separate programming and main track power connections; and the PowerCab throttle must remain plugged in at all […]

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House set to vote on spending bill with big Amtrak cuts, prohibition on California high-speed rail funding

Trains Washington Watch logo

WASHINGTON — The House of Representatives is set to vote Wednesday on an appropriations bill that would cut Amtrak funding by more than 60% and block federal support for the California high speed rail program. H.R. 4820, which funds the Department of Transportation and Department of Housing and Urban Development, includes in the budget for […]

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Republicans push bill to limit Amtrak’s right of preference: Analysis

People, many with cellphones taking pictures, crowd station platform as passenger train arrives at night

WASHINGTON — Legislation that aims to reverse Amtrak’s statutory right of preference over host railroad freight trains “within 50 miles of a port or rail yard” has been introduced by a U.S. Congressman representing a rural district without any passenger service. Among its co-sponsors is the head of the U.S. House subcommittee with jurisdiction over […]

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Norfolk Southern to install more than a dozen high-tech train inspection portals by end of 2024

ATLANTA — Norfolk Southern will install more than a dozen digital train inspection portals across its network by the end of 2024 as part of its drive to improve safety. The first portal – developed by NS and the Georgia Tech Research Institution – was activated Sept. 25 on the Fort Wayne Line in Leetonia, […]

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New York MTA schedules town hall meetings on Interborough Express project

Illustration at light rail station next to subway entrance

NEW YORK — The Metropolitan Transportation Authority has scheduled its first in-person town hall meetings on the proposed Interborough Express light rail project, which would build along an existing Long Island Rail Road freight right-of-way to connect LIRR passenger service and 17 subway lines. Meetings are set for Nov. 8 at Brooklyn College; Nov. 15 […]

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Short line train derails in Oklahoma

Logo of the South Kansas & Oklahoma Railroad, a Watco property

RAMONA, Okla. — At least 10 cars were reported to have derailed on Sunday in an incident involving a South Kansas & Oklahoma train near Ramona. KWON Radio reports the derailment occurred shortly after noon, according to the Ramona Volunteer Fire Department, and that officials with Washington County Emergency Management say that County Road 3500 […]

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