Morning Amtrak Cascades No. 500 heads north near Salem, Ore., in June 2015. Amtrak has pledged funds in support of an Oregon effort to secure a federal grant to add a passing siding on the Cascades route south of Portland, Ore. Bob Johnston OREGON CITY, Ore. — Amtrak has pledged to contribute $750,000 to a […]
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Berkshire Flyer, a two-year pilot program to provide “one seat” passenger service from New York City to Berkshire County in Massachusetts, will move ahead, as funding for the program was included in the state’s budget signed into law Wednesday. The program will receive “not less than $270,000” for its inaugural year, […]
Huge crowds greeted UP’s Big Boy when it arrived in West Chicago on July 26, and continued turning out for its three days of display in the city. TRAINS: David Lassen WEST CHICAGO, Ill. — An estimated 45,000 people visited Union Pacific’s Big Boy during its three days on display in West Chicago, a Union […]
Brady, Texas, faces the loss of rail service with the embargo and possible abandonment of the Texas Central & Colorado River Railway. Jeffrey A. Harwell BRADY, Texas — Rail customers in Brady, a town of 5,300 some 128 miles northwest of Austin, Texas, are in limbo after the Texas Central & Colorado River Railway embargoed […]
BALTIMORE — Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan is preparing to negotiate with CSX Transportation and other, unnamed stakeholders to fill the funding shortfall for work on Baltimore’s Howard Street Tunnel. The Baltimore Sun reports that Hogan declined to say whether the state might contribution more to the project, citing “sensitive negotiations,” but that he promised to […]
One of two new technologies to be tested by the New York subway system will measure station crowding, allowing the MTA to deploy more workers where needed. Ralph Spielman NEW YORK — New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority will begin year-long pilot programs with two technology companies to improve subway service. Axon Vibe will offer a […]
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe 4-8-4 No. 2926 was steamed up on July 29 to gain experience with how a 2900 boiler does its job. On hand for the event was Matt Casford who works for BNSF Railway in Texas and is an engineer on AT&SF 4-8-4 No. 3751, which is owned […]
WASHINGTON — The Federal government has a new top safety executive. Karl Alexy is now serving as the Federal Railroad Administration’s Associate Administrator for Safety and is the agency’s chief safety officer. Alexy assumes the post from Robert C. Lauby, who retired from the agency earlier this year. According to the FRA’s website Alexy joined […]
LOS ANGELES — The LA Metro board has approved plans to upgrade service on Metrolink’s Antelope Valley Line, which carries about 7,000 passengers daily. The Santa Clarita Signal reports that the board approved a study which recoomended three changes to the 76.6-mile line, which currently offers 15 round trips on weekdays. Recommendations included adding one […]
MBTA General Manager Steve Poftak Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority MBTA MPI HSP-46 No. 2028 pushes Worcester, Mass.-Boston South Station train No. 520, as it departs Yawkey station in the Kenmore Square section of Boston. Scott A. Hartley Steve Poftak, a Boston native, became general manager of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority on Jan. 1, 2019, […]
CHICAGO — Metra plans to renovate its Electric District station at 95th Street, serving Chicago State University, with the goal of boosting ridership and creating a transit hub. The Chicago Sun-Times reports that the commuter railroad has agreed to a “memorandum of understanding” with the university to build a new platform, stair enclosure, elevator, and […]
Coal miners form a human blockade to keep a loaded CSX train from leaving the bankrupt coal mine which still owes the miners thousands of dollars in unpaid wages. Photo courtesy WYMT-TV CUMBERLAND, Ky. — Out-of-work and unpaid Eastern Kentucky coal miners, reeling from the bankruptcy of their employer and the closure of their mine, […]
