Opponents of a proposed light rail line in South New Jersey scored one win and one loss in local referendums over a proposed 18-mile, 14-station light rail line between Glassboro and Camden. NJ.com reports 54% of voters in Glassboro indicated support for the Glassboro-Camden Line, 4,030 votes to 3,452, while those in Brooklawn were narrowly […]
Magazine: Trains Magazine
U.S. weekly rail traffic again up, thanks to intermodal
WASHINGTON — U.S. rail traffic continued its pattern for most of 2024 in the week ending Nov. 9, with strong intermodal growth leading to an overall gain compared to 2023. According to statistics from the Association of American Railroads, the week saw total volume of 519,115 carloads and intermodal units, a 4.5% increase from the […]
Metra board approves 2025 budget
CHICAGO — Metra’s board of directors on Wednesday approved a $1.135 billion operating budget that maintains current fares, as well as a $366.4 million capital spending plan to continue improvements to bridges, stations, and rolling stock. The budget, about 4.1% higher than that for 2024, includes projections that ridership will increase by about 7%. It […]
NJ Transit chooses new operator for Hudson-Bergen light rail line
NEWARK, N.J. — A new company will become the contract operator of NJ Transit’s Hudson-Bergen light rail line, the NJ Transit board has decided. The board has awarded a $1.5 billion, 15-year contract to the ACI-Herzog joint venture effective Sept. 15, 2025, to take over operation of the 24-station, 20.6-mile light rail line. The contract, […]
VIA goes to court over CN speed restrictions on Venture trainsets
OTTAWA, Ontario — VIA Rail Canada is asking a Canadian court to review speed restrictions imposed on its Venture passenger equipment by Canadian National Railway, saying CN has not provided any evidence or valid reasoning for the move. The Canadian Press reports VIA said in a Federal Court filing that “there is no evidence to […]
Amtrak service resumes between New York, New Haven
NEW YORK — Amtrak has fully restored service between New York Penn Station and New Haven, Conn., the company says in an update on its website. Service had been halted between New York and New Haven since Tuesday afternoon because of fires affecting Amtrak’s catenary power system [see “Fire knocks out power …,” Trains News […]
Trains, January 2025
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Pere Marquette No. 1225 stacking up miles in fall and winter operations
OWOSSO, Mich. — The norm for most operating steam locomotives around this time is to call it a season and begin receiving routine maintenance in preparation for the new year. For Pere Marquette 2-8-4 No. 1225, the Berkshire-type is still in the midst of its 2024 season, having completed fall excursions in late October and […]
What happened to the caboose?
What happened to the caboose? Many factors helped seal their fate, and the demise of the caboose has been mourned in many places, including in the pages of Trains, which bid farewell in a special issue in August 1990. But the caboose hasn’t disappeared. Even today, you can find a few cabooses still at work. […]
Rail industry bargaining group announces tentative agreements with two unions
ARLINGTON, Va. — The National Carriers Conference Committee — the bargaining group for most U.S. Class I railroads — has reached tentative agreements with two unions, the organization has announced. The agreements with the Transportation Communications Union and Brotherhood of Railway Carmen are on behalf of NCCC railroads that had not already reached agreements with […]
Dirt: King of the Shop
“The legacy of Dirt the railroad cat continues,” is just one of many Dirt-related articles that highlights the importance of animals in railroading and how they can make an everlasting impact on those around them. Dirt, also known as Nevada Northern Railway’s Boss Shop Cat, died on Jan.10, 2023. With the anniversary of his […]
CSX aims to boost throughput at its largest and busiest hump yard
WAYCROSS, Ga. — If there’s one dot on the CSX system map that’s more important than any other, it’s Waycross, Ga., the home of Rice Yard. CSX’s largest and busiest hump yard sits at the junction of the railroad’s main corridors to Chicago, New York, Florida, and New Orleans. And with CSX expecting a wave […]