Poll says 78% of Americans want more passenger rail investment

Rail Passengers Association logo

WASHINGTON — More than three-quarters of Americans want the federal government to invest more in the national rail passenger network, according to results of a poll released by the Rail Passengers Association. The poll conducted by Change Research for the RPA found 78% of respondents said a strong passenger rail system in the U.S. is […]

Read More…

U.S. rail traffic remains below 2021 levels

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

WASHINGTON — U.S. weekly rail traffic remains below 2021 levels in the latest statistics released by the Association of American Railroads. For the week ending March 26, total rail traffic was 504,817 carloads and intermodal units. That is down 3.2% compared to the same week in 2021, and a greater drop than the 2.7% decrease […]

Read More…

Jim Wrinn led Trains Magazine with passion

Man at work at computer in office full of rail memorabilia

WAUKESHA, Wis. — Jim Wrinn, who aspired since his youth to be the editor of Trains magazine and served in the role for more than 17 years, died at home on March 30, 2022, after a valiant 14-month battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 61. Wrinn’s longevity in the editor’s role was second only to […]

Read More…

BNSF worker in Denver accident killed in fall from locomotive

Aerial photo of railroad yard with accident notations

WASHINGTON — A BNSF Railway employee was killed when he fell from the front of a locomotive he was operating using remote control, the National Transportation Safety Board said in a preliminary report on a Feb. 9, 2022, accident at a Denver rail yard. The incident at BNSF’s Globeville Yard in downtown Denver was originally […]

Read More…

MBTA restores Orange Line service following parking-garage collapse

Diagram showing line and station closures on transit lines

BOSTON — Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority Orange Line service has resumed after a suspension from Saturday’s partial collapse of a parking garage, but the Haymarket station remains closed. Also, Green Line service remains suspended between Government Center and North Station. The Orange line had been closed between Back Bay and North Station while tunnels and […]

Read More…

Wabtec introduces new locomotive in Brazil

Side view of blue and silver locomotive

CONTAGEM, Brazil — Wabtec is introducing a new heavy-haul locomotive in Brazil designed to address decarbonization concerns while providing similar performance. The ES44ACi features a 12-cylinder Evolution Series diesel engine, producing the same 4,500 horsepower as the 16-cylinder FDL engine in its predecessor. “This represents greater energy efficiency and lower emissions,” Daniela Ornelas, Wabtec vice […]

Read More…

Maryland tower to be moved this weekend

CSX logo

BRUNSWICK, Md. — A century-old interlocking tower built by the Baltimore & Ohio is slated to be moved from CSX Transportation property to city-owned land this weekend, the Frederick News-Post reports. The West Brunswick Tower, built in 1910 and removed from service by CSX in 2011, will be moved about 100 feet from its current […]

Read More…

Will autonomous trucks put the iron horse out to pasture? – Analysis

There’s no question that autonomous trucks pose a threat to the railroad industry. They’re not here quite yet, but TuSimple is proving the concept with driverless rigs that are making revenue runs on highways in the Southwest. And other companies are working to develop battery-electric trucks. If proven feasible and deployed in sufficient numbers, driverless […]

Read More…

Biden budget includes more funds for passenger rail, transit projects

Head-on view of passenger train with road-switcher-stye locomotive

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden’s fiscal 2023 budget recommendations call for a significant boost over previous levels of rail funding, on top of amounts already appropriated in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. But like all Executive Branch budgets, they are only suggestions meant to guide Congress’ spending priorities. The Federal Railroad Administration’s budget request is $4.66 […]

Read More…