LEXINGTON, Ky. — The Transportation Committee of the Kentucky House heard testimony Tuesday on a bill requiring two-person crews for freight trains in the state, reviving legislation that has previously failed to advance. HB 33 is sponsored by seven legislators including Reps. Kevin Bratcher (R-Louisville), whose biography includes involvement with the Kentucky Railway Museum among […]
LINCOLN, Neb. — Less than two weeks after the Nebraska legislature killed a bill to require two-person train crews, a legislative committee has heard testimony on another rail regulation bill, this one including limits on train length. The unicameral legislature’s Transportation and Telecommunications Committee on Tuesday heard testimony on LB1212, introduced by Sen. Lynne Walz […]
SACRAMENTO — A California state senator is introducing a bill to address projects to prevent interruptions to passenger rail service on the LOSSAN Rail Corridor between San Luis Obispo and San Diego, such as the current slide near San Clemente, Calif., that has disrupted Amtrak’s Pacific Surfliner and Metrolink commuter rail service. The San Diego […]
WASHINGTON — U.S. weekly rail traffic was up for the week ending Feb. 10, according to the latest statistics from the Association of American Railroads. It was the third straight week showing a gain and fourth in six weeks so far this year. Total traffic was 484,840 carloads and intermodal units, an increase of 4.5% […]
When a trek to Big Skies & Iron Rails is a tad too far to reach, railfan/videographer Tom Danneman opts to settle trackside at the very edge of the waterway that denotes the start of American’s western expanse. From his rental property (not a van!) down by the river, Tom and his crew take in the […]
WASHINGTON — Federal regulators yesterday approved Union Pacific’s request to restore common-carrier service over 1.04 miles of rail line in Tooele County, Utah, that would connect to the proposed Savage Tooele Railroad. The Surface Transportation Board decision also turned down BNSF Railway’s petition to begin a proceeding that would ensure that it can use its […]
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The North Carolina Railroad Co. will invest $100,000 in upgrades and improvements to an existing spur to support Siemens Energy’s planned expansion of its manufacturing facility in Charlotte, the railroad has announced. That expansion will involve a total investment of $145 million and is projected to add 475 jobs. The expanded plant […]
When a trek to Big Skies & Iron Rails is a tad too far to reach, railfan/videographer Tom Danneman opts to settle trackside at the very edge of the waterway that denotes the start of American’s western expanse. From his rental property (not a van!) down by the river, Tom and his crew take in the […]
ROANOKE RAPIDS, N.C. — The National Transportation Safety Board will investigate an incident today in which a CSX Transportation employee was struck and killed by moving equipment, according to an NTSB social media post. WRAL-TV reports the incident occured about 1:30 p.m. and involved the member of a crew installing ties, and that the Federal […]
WASHINGTON – The Federal Railroad Administration, reacting to the Feb. 1 accident in Alabama that claimed the life of a Norfolk Southern engineer, today issued a safety bulletin advising railroads to ensure that rolling equipment is properly secured at all times. The bulletin did not specifically mention NS, but the specifics match those of an […]
MAGNOLIA, W.Va. — A Monday afternoon CSX derailment in a remote area of West Virginia has disrupted operations of Amtrak’s Capitol Limited. The Monday derailment in Morgan County, W.Va., near the community of Magnolia, involved nine cars, four of which were carrying sodium hydroxide, a corrosive material that can cause severe skin burns and eye […]
TAFT, Fla. – The James E. Strates Shows carnival train – which has hauled midway attractions to fairs up and down the East Coast since 1934 – may have unceremoniously made its last trip. When the 45-car train was spotted on the two spurs adjacent to the Strates headquarters outside of Orlando, Fla., on Nov. […]
