SAN CLEMENTE, Calif. — Use of some 500,000 cubic yards of sand as a buffer has been added to the Orange County Transportation Authority’s plans to protect the Surf Line through San Clemente, the Orange County Register reports. The route used by Metrolink commuter trains, Amtrak’s Pacific Surfliners, and BNSF freight traffic has been plagued […]
Train Topic: Railroad Operations
Metro-North adds trains, capacity while I-95 is closed in Connecticut
NEW YORK — The Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s Metro-North Railroad on Friday announced plans for additional weekend trains and other capacity moves on its New Haven line in light of a collision and fire involving a gasoline tank truck that has closed Interstate 95 in Norwalk, Conn., at least through Monday. Today (May 4) and Sunday, […]
Union Pacific speeds up domestic intermodal service linking Southern California and Chicago
OMAHA, Neb. — Union Pacific has tightened its domestic intermodal schedules between the Los Angeles Basin and Chicago by two days, and now offers three-day transit time that is competitive with team driver truck service. “In an effort to better serve our customers and simultaneously penetrate volume moving over the road, Union Pacific is pleased […]
Grain cars derail on UP train south of Dallas
MEXIA, Texas — About a dozen cars of grain derailed on a Union Pacific train Wednesday evening near Mexia, KCEN-TV reports. KXXV-TV places the incident in Shiloh, Texas, about 5 miles southeast of Mexia, and says it occurred about 6:45 p.m., after heavy rains and flooding in the area led to a washout, according to […]
NTSB issues preliminary report on UP track worker fatality
WASHINGTON — A Union Pacific track maintenance manager was killed when he was struck by an excavator operated by a contract worker, according to the National Transportation Safety Board’s preliminary report on a fatal April 11 incident near McNeil, Ark. The incident occurred about 6:22 p.m. as a work crew was replacing a culvert on […]
Amtrak issues Requests for Information on high-speed wi-fi for Northeast Corridor
WASHINGTON — Amtrak has issued two Requests for Information seeking to provide high-speed wi-fi connectivity along the 450-mile Northeast Corridor, the company announced Thursday, May 2. One of the requests seeks to identify organizations interested in deploying a fiber network along the NEC; the other seeks metrics to understand the market demand along six subsections […]
Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad resumes operations
PENINSULA, Ohio — The Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad will resume operations this Friday, May 3, after a two-month shutdown to address safety and operational procedures. During the hiatus, the heritage railway says it enacted improvements in radio communications and operations management software; installed cameras in locomotives; and implemented new operating rules and procedures scaled to […]
STB chairman takes a parting shot at activist investor’s plans for Norfolk Southern
CHICAGO — Surface Transportation Board Chairman Martin J. Oberman on Wednesday blasted activist investor Ancora Holdings, saying that its plans for Norfolk Southern are a threat to rail service and the U.S. economy. Ancora and NS are trying to woo the railroad’s shareholders in a bitter proxy battle that will end May 9 at the […]
News photos: Special move on South Shore short line
MICHIGAN CITY, Ind. — Anacostia Holdings short line Chicago South Shore & South Bend Railroad ran a rare 1-car passenger special train Wednesday, May 1, between its shops in Michigan City and Olive, a location approximately 10 miles from South Bend. The move with GP38-2 No. 2009, complete with white flags, and private car Montana […]
Union Pacific train derails in West Texas
PYOTE, Texas — About 20 cars of a Union Pacific intermodal train derailed today (May 1) near the West Texas community of Pyote, KMID/KPED-TV reports. The Ward County Sheriff’s Office reported it responded about 3 p.m. to a report of a derailment adjacent to Interstate 20. No injuries were reported and no hazardous materials have […]
Missouri River Runner service to return Thursday
LEE’S SUMMIT, Mo. — Amtrak’s Missouri River Runners will resume operation on Thursday, May 2, after four days of cancellations, the company announced this afternoon. Union Pacific informed the passenger operator that it would be able to accommodate the two daily St. Louis-Kansas City round trips as cleanup continued following the Sunday derailment of a […]
MTA approves new commuter rail discounts to coincide with start of congestion pricing
NEW YORK — The Metropolitan Transportation Authority board on Tuesday approved new discounts on monthly commuter rail passes within New York City, as well as increased frequencies on six express bus routes. The fare discounts and changes to bus service will coincide with the planned June launch of Manhattan’s congestion pricing toll program [see “New […]