New woe for new Chargers: grade-crossing accident

Four locomotives leading passenger train

SULTAN, Wash. — The star-crossed first revenue round trip for Amtrak’s new ALC42 Charger locomotives has not gotten any better on the return leg from the Pacific Northwest. Charger locomotives Nos. 301 and 302 led the eastbound Empire Builder out of Seattle on Saturday, but reports of continued positive train control issues with No. 301 […]

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Conservationists express concern over Calgary-Banff rail project

Rendering of three-car passenger train at station in mountains

CALGARY — Canadian conservation groups are expressing concerns over a proposed Calgary-Banff rail service, saying they’re concerned the project is ignoring wildlife and environmental issues. Global News reports that the local chapter of the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society is concerned there isn’t enough transparency in the planning process, while the Yellowstone To Yukon Conservation […]

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10 hot spots with Chase Gunnoe

Aerial photo of passenger train in river canyon under sky of broken clouds

10 hot spots with Chase Gunnoe: Identifying my 10 favorite train-watching spots in the U.S. is no easy task. There’s a lot of great spots here in the Mountain State that have earned my favoritism, but to showcase what the American rail landscape has to offer, I’ve selected these areas to witness railroading at its […]

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STB releases list of public-comment speakers for Amtrak hearing

Surface Transportation Board logo

WASHINGTON — The Surface Transportation Board has released the list of those scheduled to testify during the public-comment portion of its hearing on Amtrak’s request to start Gulf Coast service, the first stage of which is set for Tuesday, Feb. 15. Tuesday’s proceeding will be held via Zoom starting at 9:30 a.m. EST, beginning with […]

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Minnesota’s Northshore Mining to be idled

Blue and white locomotives with train of ore cars

CLEVELAND — Mining and steelmaking firm Cleveland-Cliffs will at least temporarily idle its Northshore Mining operation in Minnesota, which includes a 47-mile railroad connecting its mine in Babbitt to a processing plant at Silver Bay on the North Shore of Lake Superior. The Duluth News-Tribune reports the move — announced by company CEO Lourenco Goncalves […]

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NJ Transit to order 25 new railcars

NJ Transit logo

TRENTON, N.J. — NJ Transit will exercise an option to buy 25 more bilevel electric multiple unit railcars following approval of the $74 million purchase by the agency’s board of directors on Wednesday. NJ.com reports the additional Multilevel III cars will be built by Alstom following completion of a 113-car order placed in 2018. The last […]

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NTSB to look at crossing design in investigation of CSX-SEPTA collision

Diagram of railroad and trolley tracks meeting at street intersection

WASHINGTON — The National Transportation Safety Board will examine grade crossing design, operations, and “human performance” as it continues its investigation of a December collision between a CSX Transportation train and a Philadelphia trolley. Those areas of interest are outlined in a preliminary report on the Dec. 9, 2021, collision involving the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation […]

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Teamsters vote on Canadian Pacific strike in Canada

Teamsters_Canada_logo

MONTREAL — The Teamsters Canada Rail Conference is holding a vote among its 3,000 Canadian Pacific employees over a potential strike against the railroad. The union, which represents engineers, conductors, crew members, and yardpersons, says it is in a dispute in which wages, benefits, and pensions are the main issues. Results of the strike vote […]

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