WILMINGTON, Calif. — Pacific Harbor Line and the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineer and Trainmen, Division 214, have ratified a three-year extension to their current labor agreement, extending that contract through Sept. 20, 2027. The extension covers 145 of PHL’s 180 employees. It was ratified July 12 by a record number of eligible BLET members, with […]
WASHINGTON — The Federal Railroad Administration on Friday announced the availability of more than $153 million in grant funding to initiate, restore, or improve intercity passenger service. The funds under the FRA’s Restoration and Enhancement Grant program are to assist with operating costs on projects that establish new routes, restore service on routes that previously […]
Amazon, the Internet shopping giant, is also intermodal’s uncommon carrier. To understand what makes it different, a brief overview of railroad intermodal operations is in order. In the early days of large-scale U.S. railroad intermodal operations, described more accurately at that time as “Piggyback”, or TOFC (Trailer On Flat Car), the identification of these vehicles […]
ABILENE, Texas — Thirty-two cars of a Union Pacific train derailed today (Sunday, July 14) on the west side of Abilene, KTAB/KRBC-TV reports. The derailment was reported to Abilene police shortly after 10 a.m. No injuries were reported, and no hazardous materials were involved. A Union Pacific representative told the station the railcars involved were […]
Trains David Lassen’s pick: Indian Pacific Name of train: Indian Pacific The route: Sydney-Adelaide-Perth, Australia Duration: Four days, three nights. The current once-a-week schedule has the train leaving Sydney at 1:55 p.m. on Wednesdays and arriving in Perth at 3 p.m. on Saturdays. The adventure: This was both adventure and recovery time after covering the […]
MONTREAL — The Canada Industrial Relations Board aims to make a ruling by Aug. 9 on the question of essential services that has put a potential Canadian rail strike or lockout on hold, Canadian National Railway says. In a Friday update, the railroad said it the board will provide another update in the event another […]
WASHINGTON — The National Transportation Safety Board on Friday released the final report on the Feb. 3, 2023, Norfolk Southern derailment and hazardous chemical release in East Palestine, Ohio — a document finalized by the June 25 meeting held by the board in East Palestine. As indicated at that meeting [see “NTSB issues 31 new […]
WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. — Metro-North Railroad’s fifth in a series of specially wrapped locomotives to honor its 40th anniversary has taken a slightly different approach than the first four units, honoring the commuter line’s employees rather than its predecessor railroads. The wrap on PC32AC-DM No. 214 uses a mosaic of photos of past and present […]
WASHINGTON — Federal regulators are summoning executives from the six Class I freight railroads to a rare public hearing to explain how their companies plan to invest in and grow their business amid concern over recent negative volume trends. In a notice published today (Friday, July 12), the Surface Transportation Board said it also welcomes […]
ALBANY, N.Y. — New York state has begun work on a new rail bridge across the Hudson River in Albany to replace a structure with portions dating to 1865, and also awarded funding to tear down a deteriorating, vacant warehouse that led to interruptions of rail service in 2022, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced today. The […]
CHICAGO — Amtrak’s stretched-thin and aging fleet is encountering significant challenges to reliability across the entire system this week as national network trains remain sold out for many segments. Sunset cancelled With Tropical Storm Beryl causing widespread flooding in the Houston area early in the week, Amtrak truncated the eastbound Sunset Limited at San Antonio, […]
ROSEVILLE, Calif. — Union Pacific Big Boy No. 4014 has reached the westernmost point of its current tour, beginning the first of two days of public display today in Roseville. Information on the display is available here. Here are a few images catching up on recent days of the “Westward Bound” tour, with Elrond Lawrence […]
