MBTA reaches deal with largest union

Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority logo

BOSTON — The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority has reached a new labor agreement with its largest union, affecting more than 6,000 workers including bus and train operators. Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey and Boston Carmen’s Amalgamated Transit Union Local 589 announced the agreement on Wednesday. WBUR reports it will provide an 18% wage increase over four […]

Read More…

CPKC asks regulators to force Union Pacific to honor trackage rights agreement covering grain shipments to Houston and Galveston

red, yellow and other colors on a locomotive

WASHINGTON — Canadian Pacific Kansas City has asked federal regulators to prevent Union Pacific from blocking the movement of its grain trains to the ports of Houston and Galveston via trackage rights on UP via Beaumont, Texas. The Interstate Commerce Commission granted Kansas City Southern “South End” rights over UP as part of its approval […]

Read More…

CPKC train derails in Louisiana

CPKC logo

CHOUDRANT, La. — Twenty-four cars of a westbound CPKC train derailed Wednesday afternoon east of Choudrant, the Ruston Daily Leader reports. The incident occurred about 2:30 p.m. No injuries were reported and no hazardous materials were involved, according to law enforcement officers on the scene. Cleanup was underway as of Wednesday evening; no information was […]

Read More…

U.S. rail traffic remains down in June, but shows some positive signs

Weekly table showing U.S. carload traffic by commodity type, plus intermodal totals

WASHINGTON — U.S. rail traffic remained below 2022 levels in July, but statistics from the Association of American Railroads provided mixed messages about traffic trends. Meanwhile, traffic for the week ending July 29 continued the recent trend of lesser declines than had been the case for much of the year, with overall traffic down 2.6% […]

Read More…

Tourist railroads in the Northeastern United States

Two small locomotives under steam with trains

Northeast tourist railroads you must visit include premium museums, scenic lines in different gauges, and everything in between. From Trains Magazine’s Tourist Trains Guidebook, here’s our list of tourist railroads, museums, and displays to experience across the region. Northeast Tourist Railroads and Museums Connecticut Essex Steam Train and Riverboat – 1 Railroad Avenue, Essex Where […]

Read More…

Maintenance of Way union sues BNSF over reduction of workforce, outsourcing (updated)

Double-stack container train passing maintenance equipment

LINCOLN, Neb. — The Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Division has sued BNSF Railway in federal court, charging that — in reducing its maintenance-of-way workforce while contracting out more work — the railroad has violated its agreements with the union and is therefore in violation of the Railway Labor Act. The BMWED filed the […]

Read More…

Design of crossing contributed to fatal Southwest Chief accident, NTSB says

Aerial view of accident site with debris of truck hit by train

WASHINGTON — The design of the grade crossing, which made it difficult for a driver to see an approaching train, was a contributing factor in last year’s fatal collision and derailment involving Amtrak’s Southwest Chief in Mendon, Mo., the National Transportation Safety Board said in its final accident report released today (Aug. 2, 2023). The […]

Read More…

8 examples of freight locomotives in passenger service

Blue-and-white freight locomotives in passenger service

Freight locomotives in passenger service were the exception to the rules. They required passenger cars that were self-contained, the use of separate head-end power generator cars, or some understanding passengers. However, they often offered the best value for the railroads using them who may not have wanted to invest scarce capital in dedicated passenger power […]

Read More…

Making a sign for your model railroad from an AI-generated image

An HO scale brick building with a billboard for a furniture store on the side

Here’s how you can make a billboard, poster, or wall sign from an AI-generated image for your model railroad layout. Artificial intelligence generators have been in the news lately as writers, artists, and other creative types debate the possibility of computers taking over their jobs. Although AI-generated art is not good enough yet to replace […]

Read More…