CSX Santa Train will not run this year

Train greeted by large crowd of people

KINGSPORT, Tenn. — The CSX Santa Train, an Appalachian tradition for more than seven decades, will be sidelined this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, at least in its traditional form. CSX and the Kingsport, Tenn., Chamber of Commerce announced Thursday that the Santa Train, held annually the Saturday before Thanksgiving in Eastern Kentucky, Southwest […]

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BNSF unveils 25th anniversary locomotive

BNSF Railway has introduced the first of what it says will be 10 locomotives with special paint schemes marking the railroad’s 25th anniversary. On its Facebook page, the railroad posted four photos of GE ES44AC No. 5828, with a “25th Anniversary” label on the nose and side, as well as logos of predecessor railroads. BNSF […]

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Amtrak sets schedules for triweekly long-distance operation

Amtrak will phase in triweekly operation of its long-distance trains over a three-week period beginning Oct. 5, according to a message to employees obtained by Trains News Wire. Trains moving to triweekly schedules as of Oct. 5 are the California Zephyr, Capitol Limited, City of New Orleans, and Crescent. The Coast Starlight, Lake Shore Limited, […]

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Amtrak releases criteria for restoring long-distance service

Amtrak has released information on the measurements it will use to determine restoration of long-distance service after the service is cut to triweekly, which is currently planned for Oct. 1. The three metrics to be used are: — Public health: COVID-19 hospitalizations must be stable or declining as of Feb. 15, 2021. — Future demand: […]

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Digest: High winds cause BNSF derailment in Oklahoma

bnsflogo

More Tuesday morning rail news: Winds derail BNSF train in Oklahoma High winds derailed a BNSF Railway train near Gage, Okla., on Monday night. The community’s fire chief estimated as many as 25 cars were derailed by winds up to 70 mph, according to KWTV News in Oklahoma City. The train included three cars of […]

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Ben Anthony, a GE ‘Man of Erie,’ dies

ERIE, Pa. – General Electric engineer Benjamin F. Anthony Jr., age 92, died Aug. 4, 2020. He started his railroad career as a crew “call boy” in the summer of 1945 at a Pennsylvania Railroad enginehouse in Cleveland, Ohio. His railroad career included time as a signalman helper and brakeman on the Nickel Pate Road, […]

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