Schools and residents within a 1-mile radius have been evacuated after a Kansas City Southern train derailed this morning near Mauriceville, Texas. The Beaumont Enterprise reports hazardous materials teams along with officers from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office and the Department of Public Safety. No injuries have been reported. The derailment was first reported about 10 a.m. […]
Magazine: Trains Magazine
Major Powder River Basin coal producer contemplates mine shutdowns
ST. LOUIS — One of the largest coal companies operating in the Powder River Basin of Wyoming says it will wind down production in the next few years if it can’t find a buyer for its mines that are served by BNSF Railway and Union Pacific. Arch Resources is moving away from the thermal coal that […]
Digest: NJ Transit light rail service disrupted by collision, derailment
Late morning rail news: NJ Transit light rail train derailed after collision with vehicle Service on NJ Transit’s Hudson-Bergen Light Rail line was suspended for much of Thursday morning after a train derailed when struck by a motor vehicle. WPIX-TV reports the accident occurred about 2 a.m., suspending service between the Garfield and West Side Avenue stations. […]
Digest: MARS Winter Meeting moves online, will feature two Class I CEOs
Thursday afternoon rail news: MARS to hold winter meeting online, will feature CP, BNSF CEOs The annual winter meeting of the Midwest Association of Rail Shippers — which traditionally draws an exceptional lineup of speakers — will move online this January and be condensed to a half-day, but still will feature notable guests. “Our highest […]
Digest: Former MTA conductor charged for alleged disability fraud
More Thursday morning rail news: Former NYC Transit conductor charged in disability case A former New York City Transit subway conductor has been accused of grand larceny and related charges for receiving $114,000 in disability funds while working at other jobs. WCBS Radio reports Giovanni Seminerio was facing firing in December 2015 for disciplinary charges, but claimed […]
Digest: Capitol Corridor trains to require reservations during Thanksgiving period
Thursday morning rail news: Capitol Corridor to require reservations Nov. 23-30 Amtrak’s Capitol Corridor service in Northern California is, like Southern California’s Pacific Surfliner, instituting a temporary reservation requirement for travel during the Thanksgiving holiday period, Nov. 23-30. Reservations will be required to manage capacity and distancing. Those who use monthly, six-ride, or 10-ride tickets […]
Amtrak introduces ‘next travel day’ booking feature
WASHINGTON — With all long-distance trains except Auto Train now running on less-than-daily schedules, Amtrak has finally introduced a booking feature on its website that automatically directs customers to the next available day when they request tickets on a day a train is not running. Downloadable and printable schedules that reflect days of service for each station on a long-distance […]
Sound Transit names Wright as chief safety officer
Sound Transit has named David H. Wright as Chief Safety Officer, filling a position created as a result scrutiny stemming from the fatal December 2017 wreck of an Amtrak Cascades train on a rail line owned by the agency. His career includes 16 years in safety roles at the Chicago Transit Authority, including a key […]
Norfolk Southern to idle its sixth hump, at yard in Macon, Ga.
NORFOLK, Va. — Norfolk Southern will idle the hump at its yard in Macon, Ga., next week and close several local yards around Atlanta as part of a redesign of its carload and intermodal networks in the South. Macon will be the sixth hump NS has idled since 2019 under its shift to a Precision […]
Intermodal still lifting overall U.S. rail traffic
WASHINGTON — Continuing recent trends, U.S. rail traffic for the week ending Oct. 24, 2020, showed an overall increase over the corresponding week in 2019 thanks to increased intermodal volume, while year-to-date traffic remains well below 2019 levels. Total traffic for the week was 522,653 carloads and intermodal units, a 1.9% increase over previous-year levels. […]
Eleven passenger projects receive $291 million in FRA grants
WASHINGTON — Eleven projects in nine states have received grants totaling more than $291 million under the Federal Railroad Administration’s Federal-State Partnership for State of Good Repair Program. Awards were announced this morning. The program is intended to improve intercity passenger rail performance with repair or replacement of publicly owned assets; many of the projects receiving […]
Digest: Minnesota fails to provide funding for second Chicago-Twin Cities train
Wednesday morning rail news: Minnesota Legislator fails to fund second Chicago-Twin Cities train Efforts to launch a second daily Amtrak train between Chicago and the Twin Cities suffered a setback when the Minnesota Legislature adjourned without providing $10 million in matching funds for a federal grant to advance the plan. The Twin Cities Pioneer Press reports that […]