Tuesday afternoon rail news: Caltrans, high speed project reach agreement on use of state-owned right-of-way The California Department of Transportation and Xpress West, the Virgin Trains USA/Brightline subsidiary planning to build a high speed rail line between Southern California and Las Vegas, Nev., have reached agreement on a lease allowing the rail line to build […]
Magazine: Trains Magazine
Introductory course ‘signals’ there’s more to learn about PTC
PHILADELPHIA — Two days of an introductory course does not a signal and train control expert make. Then again, it’s not supposed to. When Trains attended a 2016 University of Wisconsin-Madison Engineering Professional Development course in Philadelphia on the topic, this editor-author had delusions of learning about the latest in positive train control tech. Instead, […]
Senators seek more details on Amtrak service, job cuts
WASHINGTON — Sixteen U.S. Senators have pushed back against Amtrak’s plan to reduce 12 daily long-distance trains to triweekly departures and cut its workforce by 20%. In three separate letters to President and CEO William Flynn sent late last week, the lawmakers strongly hinted they were unwilling to grant the company’s request for an additional […]
New England’s Pan Am Railways for sale
BILLERICA, Mass. — New England regional Pan Am Railways is for sale. The privately held company, owned by 78-year-old Tim Mellon and other investors, has enlisted BMO Financial Group to assist with a potential sale transaction, according to multiple railroad industry sources. Pan Am officials did not respond to a request for comment. Industry observers […]
Survey shows essential workers relied on NJ Transit service
Monday morning rail news in brief: NJ Transit survey shows essential workers relied on service A survey of NJ Transit riders who used the service at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic shows that essential workers relied on the system while the majority of commuter remained at home. NJ.com reports that of the 88% of […]
Railroads wait to see impact of rule approving LNG moves
Railroads have gained regulatory approval to haul liquified natural gas in tank cars. Now the questions are how quickly will an LNG market develop and how big will it be? Controversial new federal regulations governing the movement of LNG by rail are scheduled to go into effect next month. Previously LNG shipments required special permits […]
U.S. Steel looks to sell remaining rail operations
United States Steel Corp., which is struggling amid the steep downturn in demand, is poised to sell the remaining railroads held by its Transtar subsidiary, Trains News Wire has learned. Multiple rail industry sources say the steelmaker plans to put the Transtar lines up for sale soon. A U.S. Steel spokeswoman said the company does […]
Tri-Rail increases commuter rail schedule
Thursday morning commuter rail news: Tri-Rail adding two round trips to schedule South Florida’s Tri-Rail will add to its commuter rail schedule as of Monday, June 29, adding two additional round trips to its current schedule of 11 trains in each direction. Weekend service will remain at six round trips. South Florida Regional Transportation Authority […]
SEPTA, NJ Transit, Metro Transit announce service increases
Thursday morning rail news in brief: SEPTA to increase Regional Rail service starting Sunday The Southeast Pennsylvania Transportation Authority will increase Regional Rail service on most lines as of Sunday, June 28, to reflect increasing activity in the Philadelphia area after COVID-19 closures. Weekday hourly service will return on most lines as of Monday, July […]
NS sells Norfolk office building
More Thursday rail news: NS sells Norfolk headquarters building Norfolk Southern has sold its headquarters building in Norfolk,Va., as it prepares to relocate to Atlanta. TowneBank, based in Suffolk, Va., and the Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters have completed purchase of the Norfolk Southern Tower, with each planning to occupy 10 floors of the […]
CN defends request for regulators to settle Chicago interchange dispute with CP
WASHINGTON — Canadian National has defended its request for the Surface Transportation Board to wade into its long-running dispute with Canadian Pacific regarding where the railways interchange in Chicago. Both railroads continue to exchange cars at the Belt Railway of Chicago’s Clearing Yard, as they have under an August 2019 interim agreement that shifted the […]
Builders file plan to dissolve partnership building Maryland’s Purple Line
Wednesday morning rail news: Builders of Maryland light rail project say they’ll dissolve partnership The consortium building Maryland’s line rail Purple Line says it will dissolve the project’s public-private partnership, which was supposed to cover a 36-year period, if it can’t reach agreement with state officials on cost overruns and extensive delays. The Washington Post […]