Thursday afternoon rail news in brief: — Fiona Murray of Canadian National has been named as board chairperson for the Railway Association of Canada, becoming the first female to hold that position in the organization’s 103-year history. Murray, vice-president of public and government affairs at CN, joined the railroad in 1992. “As a career railroader, […]
Magazine: Trains Magazine
CP says it plans to expand use of improved air-brake testing method NEWSWIRE
More Thursday rail news in brief: — Canadian Pacific will expand use of Automated Train Brake Effectiveness testing in the wake of call from the Transportation Safety Board of Canada for better brake tests, a call stemming from the fatal 2019 derailment of a CP train near Field, B.C. The Calgary Herald reports that the […]
LA Metro outlines four-phase plan for restoring service NEWSWIRE
An LA Metro light rail train approaches Los Angeles Union Station. Metro has outlined its plans for restoring service after the coronavirus pandemic. TRAINS: David Lassen Thursday afternoon transit and commuter rail news: — LA Metro has released its four-phase plan to restore rail and bus service following the current COVID-19-related service reductions. As outlined […]
Legal challenge continues for Maryland’s Purple Line project NEWSWIRE
Thursday morning rail news: — Maryland’s troubled Purple Line light rail project faces another hurdle after opponents filed to appeal a federal court decision to throw out a lawsuit, the third attempting to block the project. The Washington Post reports that current and former residents of Chevy Chase, Md., and the nonprofit Friends of the […]
Track work underway for restoration of Pikes Peak Cog Railway service NEWSWIRE
Passengers take in the view from the Pikes Peak Cog Railway during a Trains Tour of Colorado in 2015. The cog railway is being completely rebuilt and is slated to reopen in 2021. TRAINS: David Lassen Still more Thursday rail news in brief: — The first rails have been laid in reconstruction of the Pikes […]
Canadian safety agency seeks better air-brake test NEWSWIRE
Still more Wednesday rail news: — Canada’s Transportation Safety Board is seeking a better way to test train air brakes as a result of the 2019 derailment of a Canadian Pacific train near Field, B.C., that killed three crew members. The crewmen were killed when the train ran away on Kicking Horse Pass, derailing two […]
Cumbres & Toltec plans June 13 opening, will run just one train daily NEWSWIRE
A doubleheaded Cumbres & Toltec train heads out of Chama in October 2018. The narrow gauge railroad plans to run just one train daily in 2020. TRAINS: David Lassen Wednesday morning rail news: — The Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad will operate six days per week and only run one train per day during its […]
Pandemic stalls some projects, boosts others NEWSWIRE
A northbound Northeast Regional express speeds past an Amtrak track crew at Odenton, Md., in July 2019. Amtrak has increased maintenance work on the Northeast Corridor during while service is decreased because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Bob Johnston Amtrak’s Track Laying Machine replaces rail and ties on the Northeast Corridor near Princeton Junction, N.J., in […]
Safety agency critical of DC Metro after fire, says some issues must be addressed in 30 days NEWSWIRE
More Wednesday rail news: — Washington D.C.’s Metro “has made little to no substantive progress” in addressing some problems revealed by a 2015 incident that killed one passenger and injured dozens of other at its L’Enfant Plaza station, according to the agency which oversees Metro safety. The Washington Post reports the Washington Metrorail Safety Commission […]
Taking long-term view, CN continues capacity projects NEWSWIRE
A Canadian National presentation shows planned improvements for the Port of Prince Rupert, British Columbia. Canadian National MONTREAL — As the pandemic takes its toll on rail traffic, Canadian National continues to cut costs, partly by reducing train starts and running trains at record lengths and weights. But CN also is keeping an eye on […]
US rail carloads down 28.4%; intermodal down 16% for the week ended May 9, 2020 NEWSWIRE
U.S. rail traffic for commodity groups by carload and intermodal load for the week ended May 9, 2020 Association of American Railroads WASHINGTON — The Association of American Railroads today reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending May 9, 2020. For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 412,549 carloads and intermodal units, […]
Work resumes on Western Maryland Scenic No. 1309 NEWSWIRE
Work has resumed on Western Maryland Scenic No. 1309. Tishia Boggs CUMBERLAND, Md. – Restoration work has resumed on Western Maryland Scenic Railroad’s 2-6-6-2 No. 1309 after Trains magazine readers donated more than $100,000 to the effort to restore the last steam locomotive that Baldwin built for domestic service. Diversified Rail Services crews began work […]