Monday morning rail news: Brightline expansion work about 45% complete, company says Brightline’s northward expansion from West Palm Beach to Orlando, Fla., is about 45% complete and on target to complete construction in 2022, according to a presentation by Michael Cegelis, executive vice president of infrastructure development, during a meeting last week of the Central […]
John Bush, Cumbres & Toltec president and GM, retires
CHAMA, N.M. — John Bush, president and general manager of the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad, is retiring after eight years overseeing the narrow gauge railroad. “John has been an incredible asset to the Cumbres & Toltec and has poured his heart and soul into the organization,” Dan Love, chairman of the Cumbres & Toltec […]
FRA publishes final rule setting Amtrak performance standards for host railroads (updated)
WASHINGTON — The Federal Railroad Administration has issued its final rule establishing metrics and a minimum standard to measure on-time performance and service quality for Amtrak trains, a rule hailed by the passenger railroad as “a victory for Amtrak customers.” The rule requires Amtrak and host railroads to certify Amtrak schedules, sets an on-time minimum […]
News Photo: CN heritage diesel makes debut run
The first Canadian National heritage unit to lead a train departs Toronto’s Macmillan Yard on Sunday on Train X376. ET44AC No. 3115 is painted in the red, white, and blue BC Rail “hockey stick” paint scheme. CN is commemorating the 25th anniversary of its initial public offering marking the company’s privatization, ending its status as […]
CN 6167 moved to new display site
GUELPH, Ontario — Canadian National Railways 4-8-4 locomotive No. 6167 has been moved to its new display location in Guelph’s John Galt Park. The Northern was donated to the city in 1967, Canada’s centennial year, and sat beside the main line and bus terminal until 2010, when it was moved to the south side of […]
Canadian Pacific No. 2816 to steam again for Holiday Train video (corrected)
CALGARY, Alberta — Canadian Pacific 4-6-4 No. 2816 is making a one-time-only return to steam to pull a “virtual” edition of Canadian Pacific’s Holiday Train, returning to operation after nearly a decade of dormancy. The locomotive will pull the train later this month in the yard at Calgary and will not operate on the main line. […]
Monticello Railway Museum acquires Illinois & Midland RS1325, Illinois Terminal SW1200
MONTICELLO, Ill. — One of the only two RS1325s built by Electro-Motive Division, Illinois & Midland No. 31, has been acquired by the Monticello Railway Museum. The museum purchased the diesel from Larry’s Truck and Electric, the Ohio firm that rebuilds, resells, leases, and scraps locomotives. The museum announced the addition of two locomotives to […]
Metra board approves 2021 budgets, agrees to plan that will reduce fares on two lines
CHICAGO — Metra’s board of directors on Friday approved a $700 operating budget for 2021, as well as a $386.8 million capital budget, and also approved a plan to improve transit service to Chicago’s South Side that will see reduced fares on two Metra Lines. The operating budget does not call for fare increases or […]
News Photo: Battery-electric locomotive set to leave Erie
Wabtec’s FLXDrive battery-electric locomotive is reportedly set to leave the company’s Erie, Pa., locomotive plant to begin its trip to California, where the unit is scheduled to begin testing on the BNSF Railway. The locomotive was spotted outside the plant today, accompanied by two new BNSF diesels. Since its announcement in September 2019, plans have […]
Digest: Report sets goal of extended Amtrak, commuter service, more freight trains through San Diego
Friday midday rail news: Transit district’s report sets goals for expanded commuter, passenger, freight service in San Diego Coaster commuter train and Amtrak Pacific Surfliner service would be extended southward from their current endpoint at San Diego’s Santa Fe Depot, and more slots would be created for freight trains, under the San Diego Pathing Study […]
Digest: NJ Transit says it is 80% of the way to PTC implementation with seven weeks to go
Friday morning rail news: As deadline nears, NJ Transit says it has 80% of PTC work done NJ Transit has about 80% of its positive train control implementation process complete with seven weeks to go to meet the Dec. 31 deadline, and officials from the transit agency and its primary contractor said again at a […]
Digest: Montreal’s REM to hold virtual unveiling of new light rail cars
More Friday morning rail news: Montreal REM plans online unveiling of new equipment Montreal’s Réseau express métropolitain light rail project will hold a virtual unveiling of its first trainsets on Monday, Nov. 16. The event beginning at 9:15 a.m. EST will be held on the REM Facebook page. The first of the 212 Alstom trainsets […]