NTSB East Palestine hearing centers on decision to vent and burn tank cars of vinyl chloride

EAST PALESTINE, Ohio — During a rare on-site public hearing on Thursday, the National Transportation Safety Board delved into the chain of events that led to the venting and burning of tank cars laden with vinyl chloride following the Feb. 3 derailment of a Norfolk Southern freight train. The big question: Was the venting and […]

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MBTA expands commuter-rail fare discounts during Sumner Tunnel project

MBTA commuter train on bridge

BOSTON — The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority and its contract operator, Keolis, will expand planned fare reductions on the Newburyport/Rockport commuter rail line to help address the upcoming Sumner Tunnel reconstruction project, the MBTA announced on Thursday. From July 1 through Aug. 31, the fare for the entire line will be $2.40, the equivalent of […]

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Canada’s TSB highlights investigation activity in annual report

Transportation Safety Board of Canada logo

GATINEAU, Quebec — A notable increase in completed investigations is highlighted in the Transportation Safety Board of Canada’s annual report for fiscal 2022-23, delivered to Parliament this week. Announcement of the annual report comes a day after the TSB released its annual statistics on accidents and other incidents in all modes of transportation [see “Rail […]

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Union for maintenance workers sues Genesee & Wyoming and affiliate

BMWEDlogo

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The union representing maintenance-of-way workers is suing Genesee & Wyoming and a subsidiary, saying the companies violated the Railway Labor Act with a hiring freeze and layoffs after workers voted to join the union. The suit by the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Division of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, or […]

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Union Pacific to serve new Arizona industrial park

Map showing location of industrial park near Phoenix

BUCKEYE, Ariz. — Union Pacific will provide rail service to the new Buckeye Industrial Rail Park, which recently saw its first tenant, Rehrig Pacific Co., break ground on its manufacturing plant. The 260-acre industrial park is located 40 miles west of Phoenix’s Sky Harbor Airport and near Interstate 10. Rehrig Pacific’s plant will manufacture reusuable […]

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Madison Hardware’s gold Lionel EP-5 shells

Madison Hardware’s gold Lionel EP-5 shells are a story akin to getting lemons and making lemonade. The store sold unusual Lionel trains from all periods of production. Lou Shur and Carl Shaw, the brothers who ran the legendary retail outlet in New York City until it closed in 1989, seemed to have endless supplies of […]

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CPKC and CSX team up for hydrogen-powered locomotive project (updated)

Green and gray cowl locomotive with blue trim

CPKC and CSX Transportation will form a joint venture to build and deploy hydrogen locomotive conversion kits for diesel-electric locomotives, the railroads said today. The first step: CSX will convert one of its diesel locomotives using a hydrogen conversion kit developed by CPKC. The conversion work will be done at CSX’s locomotive shop in Huntington, […]

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NTSB hearing on East Palestine derailment begins with look at first-responder concerns

East Palestine Fire Chief Keith Drabick testifies Thursday, June 22, at the NTSB hearing into the Feb. 3 Norfolk Southern derailment. Screenshot from NTSB video

EAST PALESTINE, Ohio — Concerns about firefighter training, communication between responding agencies, and the ability of first responders to receive information on hazardous materials were a focus of the morning session as National Transportation Safety Board began its hearing into the Feb. 3 derailment of Norfolk Southern train 32N, and the subsequent fire and chemical […]

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Amtrak’s Midwest day-trip services

Amtrak passenger train arriving at station

In the Midwest, Chicago stands tall as the railroading capital. In the heart of the city is Union Station, serving as a major passenger terminus for the Amtrak system. While eight long-distance trains stretch out to all parts of the country, the remaining services out of the Windy City operate as short-distance regionals. Most are […]

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Travel: The Black Hills Central

blue, black, and red mallet tourist train with trees back

Black Hills Central Railroad This may surprise you, but the Black Hills Central is one of America’s oldest tourist railroads and today is among the most active steam railroads in the country. Best of all, it is one of the few places where you can see Mallet compound locomotives in action. From May through October, […]

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