Lawsuit filed in collision that derailed Silver Star

Amtrak logo.

LAKELAND, Fla. — A national injury law firm has filed suit against three trucking companies and a driver over the collision that derailed an Amtrak train July 14 in Lakeland, sending eight people to the hospital for treatment of injuries. WFLA-TV reports the suit was filed against Lastre Auto Transport, M&L Auto Transport, and Betan […]

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Senate appropriations bill seeks to maintain funding for Amtrak, grant programs

Passenger train with locomotive and three cars passes under signal bridge at grade crossing

WASHINGTON — Amtrak and funding for rail-related grant programs fared far better with Senate appropriators on Thursday than they did last week with those in the House of Representatives. Transportation spending for fiscal 2024 in a bill approved by the Senate Committee on Appropriations includes some $2.45 billion for Amtrak operations and state-of-good repair funding, […]

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Timeline for Canada’s high-frequency rail corridor grows longer

VIA_Map

MONTREAL — High-frequency rail is developing at something other than a high-speed pace in the hands of the Canadian government. The CBC reports that Transport Minister Omar Alghabra said Thursday that he hopes the proposed passenger-only route between Toronto and Quebec City could be operation by the mid-2030s, rather than early in that decade, as […]

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Batory, accomplished rail executive, joins Michigan State University rail program

Batorymug

EAST LANSING, Mich. — Ron Batory, the career railroader whose lengthy resume includes a term as Federal Railroad Administration administrator, is joining Michigan State University’s Center for Railway Research and Education. A press release from MSU’s Broad College of Business says Batory, who has spent 52 years in the rail industry, will provide the CRRE […]

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Nickel Plate Road No. 765 to power Fall Color Trains in Indiana and Michigan

Steam locomotive waiting to depart during a fall day.

STEUBEN COUNTY, Ind. — Tickets have been released for the Fall Color Trains, scheduled to operate in Northeast Indiana and Southeast Michigan this October. Nickel Plate Road steam locomotive No. 765 of the Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society will serve as the main motive power for these all-day, round-trip excursions on the Indiana Northeastern Railroad […]

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Menards Johnson’s Texaco Station

Menards Johnson’s Texaco Station

Menards Johnson’s Texaco Station is the latest structure release from the home-improvement chain. Many of its structures are made of wood and a few out of resin. This one is plastic. It isn’t the first one made of the material; previous low-relief buildings like Dave’s Garage, Ray’s Wreckers, and current-production Sinclair Garage are also plastic. […]

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CSX earnings slump as intermodal volume drops

Train with blue and yellow locomotives rounds curve

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — CSX Transportation’s quarterly profits slumped due to a combination of higher costs and lower traffic volume, the railroad reported today. “The ONE CSX team continued to build momentum this quarter as our merchandise and coal businesses continued to demonstrate significant volume gains,” CEO Joe Hinrichs said on the railroad’s Thursday earnings report. […]

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CSX debuts Conrail heritage unit, the fourth in a series

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – CSX Transportation has released its fourth heritage unit, a salute to Conrail. “Okay rail fans. Here is a sneak peak of the fourth CSX Heritage Locomotive. #1976 celebrates our Conrail heritage. Look for this one out on the road soon. Another great job for our ONE CSX team in Waycross, GA. Enjoy,” […]

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Lionel The Chessie Legacy Greenbrier

Lionel The Chessie Greenbrier front

The Lionel The Chessie Legacy Greenbrier is big. It’s colorful. It’s a steam engine. Should steamers be colorful? Like it or not, fantasy paint schemes on them seem to be an attractive alternative to the prototypical (mostly) black models. This one was featured in 2022’s Volume 2 catalog. A look back at previous offerings indicates […]

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New York MTA approves fare increases for subway, commuter rail, buses

Electric multiple-unit commuter train passes through station

NEW YORK — The Metropolitan Transportation Authority will increase fares on subways, commuter trains, and buses effective Aug. 20, following approval of the new fares by the MTA board on Wednesday. The fare increases are the first since 2019. They are notable because they end a period in which most transit agencies have been reluctant […]

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LIRR Far Rockaway service restored after Wednesday derailment

Detail of Long Island Rail Road system map

FAR ROCKAWAY, N.Y. — Long Island Rail Road service has been restored this morning on the Far Rockaway Branch after a derailment during Wednesday evening’s rush hour. WABC-TV reports the lead car of an eastbound train derailed while entering the Far Rockaway station about 6:30 p.m. Some 50 passengers were on board, but no injuries […]

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‘Undesired release of air brakes’ led to Spiral Tunnel derailment, report says

Diagram of derailed train in tunnel loop

RICHMOND, British Columbia — An “undesired release of air brakes” led to a 2019 derailment of 15 cars of a Canadian Pacific train in the Upper Spiral Tunnel near Field, B.C., the Transportation Safety Board of Canada said in a report released Wednesday. Train makeup, and the nature of hoses and other hardware on at […]

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