Reading & Northern again sees significant freight, passenger growth

Green and yellow locomotives lead freight train

PORT CLINTON, Pa. — Reading & Northern saw double-digit growth in both freight and passenger traffic in 2023, the second consecutive year with such increases, the railroad said in a year-end business review. The Pennsylvania regional railroad handled more than 37,000 cars of freight, up from 33,000 in 2022. Growth was boosted in particular by […]

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Metra to close remaining ticket windows

Commuter train passes end of intermodal train

CHICAGO —Metra will close its remaining ticket windows in conjunction with the upcoming revision of its fare structure, the commuter operator has announced. Ticket windows at outlying stations on the BNSF line will close next Monday, Jan. 8; all other ticket windows, including at downtown stations, will close effective Feb. 1, when the new, simplified […]

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The invisible railroad problem: Analysis

A side view of a train passing a rural grade crossing with railroad crossing sign, a lowered gate, and flashing red warning lights

Why is it that no one notices railroads until there’s a derailment, blocked grade crossing, or a massive supply chain problem like we saw in 2022? If it weren’t for bad press railroads wouldn’t get any at all. It’s as if the railroad industry – all 140,000 miles of it – is invisible until things […]

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Human error considered likely cause of BART derailment

Two derailed cars of rapid-transit train in center divider of highway

ORINDA, Calif. — Bay Area Rapid Transit officials are looking at human error as the most likely cause of Monday’s derailment of a train that injured nine people, a member of the agency’s board of directors said Tuesday. Debora Allen said interviews of operating staff are continuing, but that the agency has largely ruled out […]

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Survey launched for Chicago Union Station customers

People in concourse of railroad station

CHICAGO — Two architectural design companies and Amtrak are soliciting input from people who frequent Chicago Union Station before embarking on a renovation project at the busy facility. The outreach is part of a process to determine the latest round of improvements being funded in part by a recent Federal-State Partnership grant [see “Chicago Union […]

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News & Products for the week of January 3rd 2024

A model factory structure

News & Products for the week of January 3rd 2024   Model railroad operators and builders can get the latest information about locomotives, freight cars, passenger cars, tools, track, and more by reading Model Railroader’s frequent product updates. The following are the products Model Railroader editors have news on for the week of January 3rd […]

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Second section of Maya Train route opens; new fare structure announced

Pasenger train in shadows at station

CANCÚN, Mexico — The second section of Mexico’s Maya Train was launched on the last day of 2023, with public, albeit it “soft-launch” service, beginning on Monday, Jan. 1. Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador inaugurated the Cancun-Palenque segment on Dec. 31, accompanied by officials including Cancún’s mayor and the governor of the state of […]

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Nine injured as BART train derails

Two derailed cars of rapid-transit train in center divider of highway

ORINDA, Calif. — Nine people were injured when a Bay Area Rapid Transit train derailed and caught fire today, the transit agency reports. None of the injuries were major, BART said in a press release, although all of those involved were transported to area hospitals for evaluation. The derailment occurred about 9 a.m. and involved […]

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News Wire’s top stories of the year, 2018-2023

Welcome to 2024, News Wire readers. There’s no predicting what the new year has in store for us, but in case you’ve been otherwise occupied over the holiday season, here’s a chance to review our recent history of top News Wire stories of the year, as well as this year’s Top 10 (actually 11) topics, […]

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Two injured in fire on Toronto subway car

Logo of the Toronto Transit Commission

TORONTO — Two people were hospitalized with serious but non-life threatening injuries after a fire broke out on a Toronto subway train Sunday afternoon. CityNews reports that the fire caused by an e-bike broke out on the first car of a Toronto Transit Commission train at the Sheppard-Yonge station about 3 p.m. The bike was […]

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