WASHINGTON — Reversing the trend for most of 2021, the latest statistics from the Association of American Railroads show U.S. rail traffic declined for the week ending Aug. 21 when compared to the comparable week in 2020. Traffic totaled 501,273 carloads and intermodal units, a 2.6% decrease from the 2020 figure. It also represented a […]
WASHINGTON – A subsidiary of New York short line Finger Lakes Railway next month will become the operator of the 58.68-mile Rockland Branch in Maine, taking over the lease of the state-owned line from Central Maine & Quebec. Midcoast Rail Service will lease the trackage from CMQ, which became part of Canadian Pacific in June […]
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A former Atlantic Coast Line locomotive which has long been displayed in Jacksonville — most recently outside the city’s convention center, a former railroad station — has begun its journey back to operating status. The Florida Times-Union reports work on Monday and Tuesday removed the locomotive from outside the Prime F. Osborn […]
SEATTLE— BNSF Railway is not subject to local zoning laws in its plan to add a second track along part of its main line through Washington’s Columbia Gorge, a U.S. appeals court has ruled. The decision by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed a lower court judgment that federal law — specifically, the Interstate […]
CHICAGO — A murder suspect who had just arrived on the California Zephyr was shot and killed at Chicago Union Station on Tuesday evening after opening fire on Amtrak police on a station platform. The Chicago Sun-Times reports Amtrak police were waiting on the platform when the train arrived, having been informed by California authorities […]
PORTLAND, Maine – Looking to the future, the Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad Co. and Museum plans to restore two more of its 2-foot gauge steam locomotives to operating condition, in addition to two currently in service. The announcement was made at the Wiscasset, Waterville & Farmington Railway Museum’s summer picnic earlier this month, where two […]
SAN JOSE, Calif. — The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority could launch a partial resumption of light rail service by Sunday, allowing service for fans attending a San Francisco 49ers game at the team’s stadium in Santa Clara. KPIX-TV reports test runs on the light rail system began Tuesday. The VTA’s director of rail operations, […]
CUMBERLAND, Md. — Wesley Heinz, who had been in the position on an interim basis, has been appointed as executive director of the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad by the heritage railroad’s board of directors. His background in preservation, fundraising, and marketing includes his previous position as executive director at the Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad Co. […]
LAREDO, Texas — An employee at Union Pacific’s Laredo yard was killed Monday afternoon when struck by a truck, the Laredo Morning Times reports. Juan Pedro Gamez, 20, was struck by a truck being driven by another UP employee at the yard. Laredo Police said the driver, who was not identified, was trying to work […]
CHICAGO — One person was shot and three others have been injured in an incident Tuesday evening at Chicago Union Station that halted Amtrak service in and out of the station for about an hour. The Chicago Tribune reports the man who was shot has been taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, about 1 ½ miles […]
GIRARDVILLE, Pa. — Passengers got a rare look at the normally freight-only Mahanoy & Shamokin Branch of the Reading & Northern Railroad Monday, Aug. 23, as well as a short course in 19th century Reading Railroad/mining labor history. One hundred twenty riders climbed aboard two Budd Co. Rail Diesel Cars at R&N’s Outer Station in […]
MEXICO CITY — Risk management and auditing firm DNV has requested a two-week extension to complete a report on the fatal collapse of a Mexico City metro rail line in May. Reuters reports the Norwegian firm said the follow-up report to an earlier document indicating a structural failure led to the accident is “the most […]
