Digest: BNSF to take over route operated by California short line

More Friday rail news: Pacific Sun Railroad to discontinue operations; BNSF to take over BNSF Railway will take over operation of San Diego-area lines currently served by short line Pacific Sun Railroad, according to a petition filed with the Surface Transportation Board. Pacific Sun’s lease to operate the 21.3 Escondido Subdivision and 0.3 mile Miramar […]

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Caboose donated to Conrail Historical Society

LITTLE FERRY, N.J. — The Conrail Historical Society has added to its collection with the donation by CSX of caboose No. 22130, which continued to wear its Conrail blue paint until its retirement earlier this year. The extended-vision cupola caboose was built in August 1970 by International Car Co. for the Reading Co., and transferred […]

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Digest: Two operators cancel holiday trains

Tourist railroad and preservation news for Thursday: Michigan’s Steam Railroading Institute cancels all 2020 excursions The Steam Railroading Institute in Owosso, Mich., has decided not to operate any excursions this year, meaning its annual Fall Colors Tours and North Pole Express trips are off for 2020. “The operation of excursion trains is identified among the […]

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Digest: Business group forms to push for commuter service on Brightline route

More Thursday morning rail news: Miami-area groups form organization to push for commuter service on Brightline route Miami-area business groups have organized to push for a proposal that would see commuter operations on the southernmost part of Brightline’s route between West Palm Beach, Fla., and Miami. Bisnow.com reports organizations including the Wynwood Business Improvement District, […]

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Five railroads respond to joint STB-FRA letter

Five Class I railroads have now responded to last month’s joint letter from the Surface Transportation Board and Federal Railroad Adminstration, mostly in general terms assuring the two agencies that they are prepared for an upsurge in traffic. The letter to CEOs at the seven Class I roads asked railroads to ensure they have sufficient […]

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CN works to build ‘intermodal of the future’

Container train with red and black locomotive

MONTREAL — Canadian National is working to build what it’s calling “intermodal of the future” by experimenting with terminal improvements and fully integrating the operations and people from its recent trucking-company acquisitions. “We know that in order to compete down the road with the truck, that we have to not only be safer, more efficient […]

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Quick action saves Central Pacific car that was at Promontory

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Quick and coordinated action by the president of the Southern Pacific Historical and Technical Society, the Southern Pacific Railroad History Center, and the California State Railroad Museum has saved a former Central Pacific coach that was at the driving of the Golden Spike in Promontory Summit, Utah, in 1869. The car, Central […]

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Amtrak tells employees it will furlough 1,950 workers

Amtrak will furlough approximately 1,950 of its unionized workers as part of cutbacks for fiscal 2021, according to a message sent to workers today and obtained by Trains News Wire. Additionally, approximately 100 managerial positions will be eliminated. The largest portion of those, 698 employees, will come from on-board staff represented by the Amtrak Service […]

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