Locomotive horns are important safety features

Blue air horn on locomotive in service

Locomotive horn introduction Locomotive horns are safety appliances installed on locomotives and used to warn both the public and railroad employees. Outside of special areas, such as quiet zones, trains are required to sound their horn before occupying one of the approximately quarter-million public and private railroad crossings in the U.S. Horns used on new […]

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Sound Transit board votes to delay light rail expansion

Sound Transit logo

SEATTLE — Sound Transit’s board has voted to delay most elements of future expansion of its light rail system by two to 10 years to address a projected $6.5 billion funding shortfall. The Seattle Times reports the so-called “realignment” plan, for projects approved by voters under the Sound Transit 3 ballot initiative, does move up […]

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North American Rail Shippers meeting now will hear from five Class I CEOs

North American Rail Shippers logo

CHICAGO – The North American Rail Shippers association annual meeting, scheduled for Sept. 7-9 at the Sheraton Grand Chicago, now will feature presentations from five Class I railroad chief executives and the president of Genesee & Wyoming’s North American operations. CSX Transportation CEO Jim Foote has been added to the agenda, along with G&W’s Michael Miller. […]

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Cipriano becomes interim head of New York City Transit

Logo of Metropolitan Transportation Authority

NEW YORK — Craig Cipriano, who previously oversaw the New York City Transit bus system, has become NYCT’s interim president, succeeding Sarah Feinberg. An MTA press release announced that Janno Lieber, who became acting Metropolitan Transportation Authority chairman and CEO on July 31, appointed Cipriano to his position. Feinberg stepped down last week after 17 […]

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BNSF Railway details international intermodal congestion issues

Aerial view of intermodal facility

WASHINGTON — On a typical day, BNSF Railway has about 30 international stack trains staged along its main lines, waiting for space to open up at intermodal terminals in Chicago, Memphis, and Alliance, Texas. The terminals are clogged due to an unprecedented combination of record volume and shippers and receivers being slow to pick up […]

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Norfolk Southern worker dies in accident at Enola shop

Brick shop building with safety signs over doorways

ENOLA, Pa. — A 58-year-old Norfolk Southern employee died after falling into a 40-foot-deep pit at NS’s Enola Yard Diesel Shop at 5:15 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 4. Cumberland County Coroner Charley Hall confirmed that the victim, Stuart Riggs of Mechanicsburg, Pa., lost his balance and fell to his death when a safety rail gave […]

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News photo: Big Boy begins 2021 tour

Steam locomotive pulling mix of passenger and frieght cars

CHEYENNE, Wyo. — The Big Boy has begun this year’s Big Trip. Union Pacific Big Boy No. 4014 left its Cheyenne headquarters today, heading east to Sidney, Neb., on the first leg of a month-long, 10-state journey that will take it to New Orleans and back. Union Pacific offers both a detailed schedule and live […]

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Amtrak introduces upgraded meals in Acela First Class

Chicken meal on white plate with bread

WASHINGTON — On the heels of the return of “traditional” meal service on its western long-distance trains, Amtrak is introducing an upgraded menu for Acela First Class passengers on the Northeast Corridor. Breakfast options will include such freshly made items as omelettes, huevos rancheros, and eggs benedict, while lunch and dinner entrees include items such […]

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Three killed in Czech train collision

Czech Railways logo

MILAVCE, Czech Republic — Three people, including the drivers of both trains, were killed Wednesday when a Munich-Prague express train ran a stop signal and collided with a commuter train, Reuters reports. About 50 passengers were injured. Eight who were seriously injured were flown to hospitals by helicopter; 10 German passengers with lesser injuries were […]

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Watco to partner on development of Oklahoma logistics facility

Map of planned Ardmore, Okla., logistics park

ARDMORE, Okla. — Watco will be one of the partners in a $124 million project to turn the Ardmore Industrial Airpark into a multimodal logistics facility with more than 200 acres available for transloading, warehousing, distribution, and manufacturing. The Global Transportation & Industrial Park of Oklahoma, or GTIP, iis n the heart of the Chicksaw […]

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