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INDIANAPOLIS — A bill seeking to create a commission to explore increased passenger rail operations in Indiana will be heard in the state Senate this week, WXIN-TV reports. Senate Bill 13 would create a commission including representatives from the Indiana Department of Transportation, Federal Railroad Adminstration, state General Assembly, and rail advocacy organizations. It would […]
Revised Amtrak long-distance service schedules, announced Jan. 14 WASHINGTON — When Amtrak cut back most of its long-distance trains from daily operation in October 2020, in anticipation of reduced demand and a lack of federal funds to keep its network intact, the only day a traveler from Florida could connect to the Capitol Limited or […]
BHP Western Australia Iron Ore has placed orders for battery-electric locomotives from both Wabtec and Progress Rail, becoming the first company to order battery-electric units from both major North American manufacturers. BHP will purchase two of Wabtec’s FLXdrive battery-electric locomotives, becoming the second Australian firm in a week and third overall to purchase those units, […]
ROANOKE, Va. — A state legislator is seeking to gain status as a state agency for the Virginia Museum of Transportation, which would make the Roanoke attraction eligible for state funding. The website Cardinal News reports the museum is already recognized as the commonwealth’s official transportation museum, but that distinction carries no legal status that […]
LOS ANGELES — Seventeen cars of a Union Pacific train derailed Saturday in LA’s Lincoln Heights neighborhood, an area in which trains have been struck by widespread cargo thefts. KABC-TV reports it was told by Union Pacific that no injuries were reported and the cause of the derailment was under investigation. No information was immediately […]
WESTERLY, R.I. — An Amtrak conductor died Saturday after apparently falling from a train while preparing for a station stop. WJAR-TV reports the 26-year-old woman was found dead along the tracks near the Westerly station after Northeast Regional train No. 163, bound from Boston to Washington, stopped because other crew members realized the conductor was […]
ATLANTA — Jeffrey Parker, CEO of the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority, died Friday night. He was 56. Parker died by suicide, the agency said, when he was struck by a train at MARTA’s East Lake Station. “The MARTA Board of Directors grieves the shocking death of our GM/CEO Jeff Parker who has died by […]
MONTREAL — VIA Rail Canada will reduce service in its Quebec City-Windsor, Ontario, corridor beginning Jan. 19 because of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the passenger carrier announced. “These decisions, while difficult, are consistent with the balanced approach we have maintained throughout the pandemic in order to fulfill our important public service mandate while […]
PETALUMA, Calif. — The Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit board has voted to for an in-house freight rail operation, while also planning to end tank-car storage that brings in some $500,000 annually. The Santa Rosa Press-Democrat reports the board elected to operate the freight service it gained by buying out contract operator Northwestern Pacific [see “Bay […]
RICHMOND, Va. — The Commonwealth of Virginia and Norfolk Southern have finalized an agreement to extend service to the New River Valley, outgoing Gov. Ralph Northam announced last week. The Roanoke Times reports the agreement will allow for a train between Roanoke and the New River Valley while preserving current freight service. As part of […]
WASHINGTON — Amtrak will reduce Northeast Corridor, long-distance, and state-supported train frequencies between Jan. 24 and March 27, the passenger railroad announced Friday evening, citing “staffing challenges resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic and the highly active Omicron variant.” Overall, plans will amount to an 8% reduction in train departures over the 63-day period. That will […]
WASHINGTON — Is BNSF de Mexico a possibility? BNSF Railway, in a Thursday regulatory filing related to the proposed Canadian Pacific-Kansas City Southern merger, said it may seek trackage rights on Kansas City Southern to reach the Mexican border at Laredo, Texas. The bombshell was tucked away in a footnote: BNSF will seek a concession […]
