Judge delays closure of UP car shop until at least July 8 A district court judge in Texas has blocked Union Pacific’s plans to close its Palestine, Texas, car shop at least until a July 8 hearing that is part of the efforts by the city of Palestine and Anderson County, Texas, to prevent the […]
Amtrak plans to offer dining-car service to coach passengers, return traditional meals to eastern trains
CHICAGO — Amtrak plans to again offer dining car meals to coach passengers, and to again offer meals prepared onboard on its eastern overnight trains, as part of coming enhancements to its long-distance operations. Dates and details for the roll-out of those changes are still to come, says Robert Jordan, vice president operations and customer […]
The story behind three hard-working Western Pacific Railroad F units in the 1960s
You have to be tough to survive the railroad. Just look at any train crew, mechanic, or switchman. Just look at any piece of motive power or rolling stock. Just look at this trio of Western Pacific diesel locomotives awaiting their next call to duty in this Stockton, Calif., roundhouse scene in August 1965. […]
Amtrak shows off first long-distance Siemens Charger diesel locomotive
CHICAGO — While the locomotive is so new that Amtrak doesn’t even have the keys yet, the passenger railroad showed off the first of its new long-distance Siemens Chargers on Tuesday at Chicago Union Station as part of a media event on upcoming improvements to long-distance service. The first of the ALC42 locomotives is still […]
Analysis: The Precision Scheduled Railroading Pivot to Growth is a myth
If you believe the storyline, Precision Scheduled Railroading has two chapters. The first is an obsession with costs and efficiency that ultimately results in a railroad that moves its tonnage with far fewer locomotives, freight cars, shops, yards, and people. The second chapter is the so-called Pivot to Growth, in which the lean-and-mean railroad uses […]
Wabtec, GM sign deal to develop battery, hydrogen technology for locomotives
PITTSBURGH — Wabtec Corp. and General Motors have announced they have signed a memorandum of understanding to collaborate on power systems for Wabtec locomotives, developing GM’s Ultium battery technology and Hydrotec hydrogen fuel cell systems. Wabtec CEO Rafael Santana said in a press release that the company’s FLXdrive batter-electric locomotive, which recently completed testing on […]
Four light rail projects receive federal grants
WASHINGTON — Four light rail projects are among the 22 which have received a total of $250 million in funding under the Federal Transit Administration’s Capital Investment Grants program. Rail projects receiving grants are: — $20.7 million to Seattle’s Sound Transit for the 2.4-mile Hilltop extension of the Tacoma Link light rail project. — $17.4 […]
Digest: Metro-North to add trains on three lines as of June 21
Metro-North to add trains, increasing service to 67% of pre-pandemic levels Metro-North Railroad will add trains on three lines as of Monday, June 21, bringing service to two-thirds of pre-pandemic levels, and will increase that to 83% of prior service levels as of Aug. 29. The Harlem, Hudson, and New Haven lines will each add […]
Union Pacific releases first information on Big Boy’s 2021 tour
CHEYENNE, Wyo. — Union Pacific’s Big Boy No. 4014 will return to action Aug. 5, beginning a 10-state tour to include Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, Illinois, Louisiana, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas, and Wyoming. In a message today, UP said the full itinerary has not yet been set, but offered this information where and when the locomotive […]
Digest: Union asks regulators to block CN-KCS voting trust
SMART-TD union asks STB to reject voting trust for CN-KCS deal A major rail union has asked the Surface Transportation Board to reject Canadian National’s request for a voting trust for its merger with Kansas City Southern. Jeremy Ferguson, president of the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail, and Transportation Workers, Transportation Division, says […]
Wisconsin’s Mid-Continent Railway Museum Reopens
North Freedom, Wis.-based Mid-Continent Railway Museum reopened in May for the first time since 2019. Learn how the museum made it through the pandemic and how it’s handling the new environment in which it’s operating. […]
East Broad Top reopens for regular service, runs specials to Colgate Grove
ROCKHILL FURNACE, Pa. – The East Broad Top Railroad reached a couple of restoration mileposts over the past week. On Friday, June 11, it reopened for scheduled public passenger service for the first time in 10 years. The owner, the nonprofit EBT Foundation Inc., has run trains for several special events. But this was the […]