LA Metro board approves new light rail line

Map of light rail line to be built in Los Angeles County

LOS ANGELES — The LA Metro board of directors on Thursday approved construction of a 19.3-mile light rail line, following a former Pacific Electric route, to connect downtown Los Angeles to the southeast LA County city of Artesia. The Los Angeles Daily News reports the new line, called the West Santa Ana Branch, will cost […]

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Legislators want investigation of Minnesota light rail project

Map of light rail project connecting Minneapolis to Eden Prairie, Minn.

ST. PAUL, Minn. — With one senator calling the project “a boondoggle of historic proportions,” a bipartisan group of Minnesota state legislators is calling for an audit of a light rail project that has soared in cost and is now projected to open four years late. The Minneapolis Star Tribune reports the legislators are calling […]

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MBTA to shift money from operating to capital budget

Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority logo

BOSTON — The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority board of directors has approved a staff plan for a one-time transfer of $500 million from its operating budget to its capital budget for projects including a collision-avoidance system on the rapid transit Green Line and Automatic Train Control on the MBTA commuter rail system. CommonWealth Magazine reports […]

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Evans elected as MARS president

Mars logo

LOMBARD, Ill. — Carrie Evans, vice president and chief commercial officer of Iowa Interstate Railroad, was elected president of the Midwest Association of Rail Shippers at the organization’s winter meeting earlier this month. She succeeds Stefan Loeb of Watco, who remains one of the organization’s officers as immediate past president. “I look forward to the […]

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Canadian Pacific opposes Class I requests for KCS merger concessions

Man speaking at podium

CALGARY, Alberta – Other Class I railroads should not be able to use the Canadian Pacific-Kansas City Southern merger process as a way to improve their competitive positions, CP CEO Keith Creel says. BNSF Railway, Canadian National, and Norfolk Southern have sought concessions related to the merger, which is currently under review at the U.S. […]

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BNSF may purchase 3,500 acres for Arizona industrial complex

BNSF Railway logo

PHOENIX — BNSF Railway is seeking to acquire more than 3,500 acres of state-owned land for an intermodal and industrial facility in the Phoenix area, according to a news report. The Phoenix Business Journal reports that state records show BNSF, through WittDev LLC, wants to bid on the land currently held by the Arizona State […]

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Ask MR: Modeling the Amtrak Auto Train

A silver and dark blue General Electric diesel locomotive leads a train of silver bi-level passenger cars

Q: What locomotives are currently used to pull Amtrak’s Auto Train? And does anyone offer them in N scale? – David Feitelson, Ocala, Fla. A: Though people today are most familiar with Auto Train as an Amtrak offering, the unique service began in 1971 under the auspices of a private company, the Auto-Train Corporation. Using […]

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Rebuilt Reading & Northern 4-8-4 to debut on freight trains

Three-quarters view of steam locomotive in shop building

PORT CLINTON, Pa. — Reading & Northern 4-8-4 No. 2102 will mark its return to service following a six-year, $1.45 million rebuild by pulling freight, according to railroad owner and CEO Andrew M. Muller Jr. Muller told Trains News Wire that he expects the engine to break in on R&N freight trains in mid-March. Four […]

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