Wednesday morning rail news: BNSF train in Texas derails, catches fire after hitting semi A BNSF Railway derailed and caught fire after hitting a truck in Texas on Tuesday morning, leading to a spectacular blaze and triggering an evacuation of nearby residents. The train crew and truck driver escaped injury. The accident in Cameron, Texas, […]
Section: News
Amtrak now offers passengers opportunity to bid on upgrades
Overall intermodal traffic in North America is expected to return to growth this year as retail inventories remain low, consumers continue to spend on goods instead of services during the pandemic, and trucking companies can’t field enough drivers to meet demand. That’s the view of a trio of TTX analysts who participated in an Intermodal […]
TTX executives forecast intermodal growth this year
After a topsy-turvy 2020, intermodal volume should bounce back with 7.3% growth in international containers and a 4.7% gain in domestic volume, according to the TTX forecast. Last year intermodal volume was down 2% overall in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico due to the economic impact of the pandemic. Intermodal volume declined sharply in the […]
Digest: Fire extinguished at site of BNSF derailment in Texas
Wednesday midday rail news: Fire out at site of BNSF derailment; line expected to reopen tonight The fire at the site of Tuesday’s BNSF Railway derailment in Cameron, Texas, has now been extinguished, the National Post reports, citing information from the railroad. In a customer advisory, the railroad said it anticipates reopening the section of […]
Digest: New Jersey governor’s budget avoids NJ Transit fare increases, does not address dedicated funding
More Wednesday morning rail news: New Jersey budget avoids NJ Transit fare increases, does not address dedicated funding for agency New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy does not plan NJ Transit fare increases as part of his fiscal 2022 budget — the fourth straight year that has been the case — but his budget plan also […]
Federal appeals court overturns FRA decision on crew size (updated)
SEATTLE — A federal appeals court has overturned a Federal Railroad Administration decision on train crew size, saying the agency’s decision to withdraw a proposed rule requiring two-person crews has a “real and intended effect … to authorize nationwide one-person train crews and to bar any contrary state regulations.” Calling that decision “arbitrary and capricious,” […]
Model railroad locomotive, freight car, passenger car, and vehicle announcements for February 25, 2021
Product news Model railroad operators and builders can get the latest information about locomotives, freight cars, passenger cars, tools, track, and more by reading Model Railroader’s frequent product updates. Here are the products Model Railroader editors have news on for the week of February 25, 2021. HO scale locomotives Electro-Motive Diesel SD70ACe diesel locomotive. Tacoma […]
Digest: Wheel-Rail Interaction conference rescheduled for Oct. 18-21
WRI 2021 in Chicago rescheduled to Oct. 18-21 WRI 2021, the annual Wheel Rail Interaction Conference conducted by Wheel Rail Seminars and presented by Trains Magazine, has been rescheduled to this fall. The event will now be held Oct. 18-21; the location, the Loews Chicago O’Hare Hotel in Rosemont, Ill., remains unchanged. Wheel Rail Seminars […]
Digest: Metra board approves purchase of new switchers
Metra to replace aging switchers with Tier 4, electric locomotives Metra will issue a request for proposals to replace its aging fleet of switchers with six new locomotives meeting Tier IV emission standards — as well as zero-emission, all-electric switcher — following approval by the commuter railroad’s board on Wednesday. Funding will come from state […]
Digest: Biden Administration policy change opens door for Gateway Project funding
Biden Administration change in FTA funding policy could boost Gateway Project The Biden Administration has reversed a Federal Transit Administration policy on funding that originated in the Trump Administration, increasing the prospects of the long-stalled Gateway Project to build new Hudson River tunnels to New York’s Penn Station. NJ.com reports the FTA said it would […]
By narrow margin, U.S. rail traffic remains ahead of 2020 levels
U.S. rail freight traffic remained ahead of previous-year levels, although barely, in the latest weekly statistics from the Association of American Railroads. For the week ending Feb. 13, U.S. railroads moved 269,063 trailers and containers, a 6.9% increase over intermodal units for the corresponding week in 2020. The 211,420 carloads, meanwhile, represented a 7% decrease, […]
New large-scale products for the week of February 25, 2021
Large scale locomotives Electro-Motive Division F7A and F7B diesel locomotives. Amtrak (F7A in two road numbers, F7B in one number). F7A units have ball-bearing Bühler motors; traction tires; built-in mfx/Digital Command Control decoder with various light and sound functions; and separate, factory-applied details. F7B is unpowered and has built-in speaker that can be powered from […]