A look at Thursday morning rail news: — Light rail operators on the Minneapolis-St. Paul Metro Transit system told a state legislative panel that they fear for their safety while at work, and that they often witness criminal activity including drug deals and assaults, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. The two operators testified during a […]
Train derails and catches fire in Saskatchewan NEWSWIRE
SASKATOON, Saskatchewan — Canadian Pacific says one of its trains derailed about 6:15 a.m. in Saskatchewan. Media in Western Canada are reporting that the derailed and caught fire, with multiple outlets posting images of large flames illuminating a pre-dawn darkness. Local police have closed a highway in the area. Today’s derailment happened in Guernsey, Sask., […]
AAR: US rail traffic shows signs of rebounding for the week of Feb. 1, 2020 NEWSWIRE
Association of American Railroads The Association of American Railroads today reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending February 1, 2020, as well as volumes for January 2020. U.S. railroads originated 1,165,733 carloads in January 2020, down 5.9%, or 73,110 carloads, from January 2019. U.S. railroads also originated 1,245,080 containers and trailers in January 2020, […]
Amtrak inspector: Acupuncturist bilked railroad health insurance for millions of dollars NEWSWIRE
LOS ANGELES — An acupuncturist was sentenced to 2 ½ years in federal prison on February 4, and was ordered to pay more than $2.68 million in restitution to Amtrak after defrauding the railroad’s health care plan for approximately $3.8 million in acupuncture treatments and other services that were either medically unnecessary or never provided. […]
News Wire Digest for Wednesday, Feb. 5 NEWSWIRE
A look at Wednesday morning rail news: — The city of Palestine, Texas, is demanding a jury trial in Union Pacific’s lawsuit over an agreement requiring it to base a certain number of jobs in the community [see “UP sues to end employment provision in Texas town,” Trains News Wire, Dec. 2, 2019]. Attorney James […]
Reading & Northern celebrates completion of $14 million bridge project NEWSWIRE
The first Reading & Northern train crosses the new bridge over the Lehigh River on Tuesday. Reading & Northern PORT CLINTON, Pa. — The Reading & Northern Railroad opened a new $14 million bridge over the Lehigh River on Tuesday, completing a project that was a 20-year effort of railroad owner and CEO Andy Muller […]
Tests continue on first Durango & Silverton oil-burner; second conversion to begin (updated)
DURANGO, Colo. — Just days after releasing a newly restored K-37 2-8-2 locomotive that has been converted to burn oil instead of coal, shop crews at the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad are starting to convert another 3-foot gauge steam locomotive. On Jan. 24, the D&SNG fired up No. 493, one of the largest […]
East Broad Top Railroad memories: a railroader’s life
East Broad Top Railroad Mikado No. 15 and its short train head out of Orbisonia, Pennsylvania, June 21, 2009, the 49th year the former coal hauler has been a tourist line. TRAINS: Jim Wrinn EDITOR’S NOTE: A version of this article first appeared in the October 2009 issue of Trains Magazine. Stanley G. Hall has […]
East Broad Top Railroad profile and history
East Broad Top Railroad Mikado-type 2-8-2 locomotives Nos. 12 and 15 appear at the Orbisonia, Pennsylvania, station as part of a nighttime photo shoot in October 2011. Alex Mayes East Broad Top Railroad map The East Broad Top was the last narrow gauge common carrier in the U.S. east of the Mississippi River. It was […]
Top 10 Burlington Northern locomotives
On June 10, 1993, a Burlington Northern SD60M and SD40-2 take an eastbound freight along the Missouri River and into Lombard Canyon just east of Toston, Mont. Tom Danneman Learn about Trains Art Director Tom Danneman’s favorite Burlington Northern Railroad Company diesel locomotives, presented in no particular order. The story of Burlington Northern has been […]
Colorado museum says Rio Grande Southern locomotive will run in 2020 NEWSWIRE
Rio Grande Southern No. 20, its restoration continuing, shares the roundhouse with operational Rio Grande 2-8-2 No. 491 at the Colorado Railroad Museum in June 2019. TRAINS: Jim Wrinn GOLDEN, Colo. — After more than a decade of work, officials with the Colorado Railroad Museum say that the restoration of Rio Grande Southern 4-6-0 No. […]
Mobile city council votes to support Amtrak service
MOBILE, Ala. — The Mobile City Council has pledged its financial support to returning Amtrak service to the Gulf Coast, voting 6-1 to support the Southern Rail Commission’s grant application for the New Orleans-Mobile service, WKRG-TV reports. With the vote, the council pledges up to $3 million toward operating expenses over the first three years […]