FORT WORTH, Texas — BNSF Railway today announced its 2019 capital investment plan of $3.57 billion. The emphasis of this year’s capital plan continues to be on maintaining and expanding its network with an unwavering focus on operating a safe railroad that meets customers’ demands. “Our rail network is in excellent shape and its condition […]
FRESNO, Calif. – California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s has tweeted a clarification following Tuesday’s “State of the State” address. He state, “We’re going to make high-speed rail a reality for California. We have the capacity to complete the rail between Merced and Bakersfield. We will continue our regional projects north and south. Finish phase 1 enviro […]
WASHINGTON — The wheels in Washington are beginning to turn on what could become landmark infrastructure legislation. “We are seeing are a lot of stars aligning,” says Brittney Kohler, program director of transportation and infrastructure at the National League of Cities. “The optimism is that Congress seems to understand, and local governments are prepared to […]
No. 757 passes the Wabtec plant at Wilmerding, Pa., on Wednesday. The locomotive is en route to Bellevue, Ohio, a former Nickel Plate Road hub. Steve Raith PITTSBURGH – Nickel Plate 2-8-4 No. 757 is still making tracks on its journey to Bellevue, Ohio, this week. The locomotive was spotted in east suburban Pittsburgh passing […]
OMAHA, Neb. — Union Pacific announced another round of layoffs on Tuesday that affects 700 employees and includes the closure of the locomotive shop in Pine Bluff, Ark. UP has notified the mechanical department that 450 positions will be eliminated across the system this month. In addition, 250 other jobs were eliminated, most of them […]
A Miami-bound Brightline train crosses the New River at Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on May 11, 2018. Bob Johnston MIAMI – Virgin Trains USA has postponed its previously-announced public stock offering. Company spokesman Ben Porritt issued the following statement to financial reporting outlets: “As we explored a public offering, a number of alternative financing sources became […]
A high speed rail bridge under construction over the Fresno River near Madera in May 2016. Two photos, Bob Johnston SACRAMENTO, Calif. – In his “state of the state” message Tuesday, California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that he intends to withdraw the state’s support of the California High Speed Rail Authority’s plans to build a […]
TOKYO — One Japanese railroad seeks to push the latest high speed train technology to nearly 250 mph with a new passenger trainset in development. The English-language version of Kyodo News reports on a 10-car “next-generation Shinkansen” train with a designed top speed of about 224 mph. The news site reports that the East Japan […]
ATLANTA — Norfolk Southern is taking a two-pronged approach to operational changes as it adopts Precision Scheduled Railroading. First, it’s redesigning local service from scratch using a process that it has dubbed clean-sheeting. Second, NS will begin making systemwide operating changes that affect road trains once the first round of clean-sheeting is completed in June. […]
Norfolk Southern CEO Jim Squires Norfolk Southern ATLANTA — Expect to see big changes on Norfolk Southern as the railroad launches its new Precision Scheduled Railroading operating plan, TOP21, over the summer. The most visible differences will include longer trains with distributed power, the increased use of general purpose trains that combine different types of […]
BOSTON — If all the recommendations laid out in Boston University’s “Carbon Free Boston” report are implemented, transit use in the historic city will grow 43 percent by 2050 while use of private vehicles will shrink 58 percent. The report was produced under the aegis of the Boston Green Ribbon Commission at the request of Mayor […]
Wilmington & Western founder Tom Marshall speaks at an event celebrating the 50th anniversary of Greenbank Station. Michael Murray WILMINGTON, Del. — Thomas C. Marshall Jr., founder of the Wilmington & Western steam excursion railroad in northern Delaware, died Feb. 12, 2019, just eight days short of his 95th birthday, after a lengthy illness. In […]
