Continuing our countdown of the Trains News Wire Top 10 stories of 2022, as determined by a vote of Trains editors, columnists, and masthead correspondents: Rapid progress continued in the restoration of the narrow gauge East Broad Top Railroad in Pennsylvania, a once-endangered short line that is a National Historic Landmark. Owned by the EBT […]
Zone & Region: Northeast
Amtrak cancellations, long departure delays continue
CHICAGO — While sub-zero cold and blizzard conditions had begun to moderate somewhat across much of the Midwest toward the end of the holiday weekend, Amtrak has continued to cancel trains on less than 24 hours’ notice for “mechanical” and “manpower” issues, as well as the weather. A running list of trains not operating continues […]
Top 10 stories of 2022, No. 9: Reading & Northern 4-8-4 No. 2102 returns
The star of the show for 11 mainline passenger excursions on Reading & Northern in 2022 was the railroad’s newly restored former Reading Co. Class T-1 4-8-4 steam engine No. 2102 (Reading Shops, 1945). Most of the trips ran from Reading, Pa., to Jim Thorpe, Pa., about a 135-mile round-trip. All of those trains ran […]
Year in review: Preservation stories from coast to coast
Trains News Wire continues our review of the top stories of 2022. We’ll count down the Top 10 stories of the year, as voted on by Trains editors, columnists, and correspondents, beginning Dec. 26. As a prelude, we’ll be looking at major stories that didn’t make that list. Today: Preservation. While some preservation stories did […]
FRA announces $9 billion in funding for Northeast Corridor infrastructure projects
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Transportation is offering nearly $9 billion in grants to upgrade the Northeast Corridor through a Federal Railroad Administration program, the FRA announced on Thursday. FRA Administrator Amit Bose said in a press release that the funding is “a major step towards reversing a half-century of underinvestment in vital rail […]
Amtrak cancels more trains as winter storm advances
CHICAGO — As predictions of high winds and subzero temperatures move east, Amtrak has cancelled all service on some regional and long-distance routes while maintaining reduced service on others. Amtrak had originally planned to maintain full service on Friday, Dec. 23, after projecting cancellations for Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday [see “Amtrak cancels Empire Builder, thins […]
MTA prepares to award contract for rebuilding Park Avenue Viaduct
NEW YORK — The Metropolitan Transportation Authority has announced plans to award a $382 million design-build contract to begin reconstruction of the Park Avenue Viaduct in East Harlem, a project with huge implications for Metro-North commuter train operations. All Metro-North trains to Grand Central Terminal — which represent 98% of all the commuter railroad’s trains […]
Budd Rail Diesel Car DVD Trailer
Budd Rail Diesel Car DVD | 16124 From the publishers of Classic Trains magazine, this all-new, documentary-style DVD traces the history of the unique railroad passenger vehicles all the way through to today’s current operations. Watch a sneak peek of the footage included in the 75 minute DVD, and then head to the kalmbachhobbystore.com website […]
Year in Review: LIRR completes two major projects
Today, Trains News Wire begins our review of the top stories of 2022. We’ll count down the Top 10 stories of the year, as voted on by Trains editors, columnists, and correspondents, beginning Dec. 26. As a prelude, we’ll be looking at major stories that didn’t quite make that list. Today: Notable transit stories. Several […]
New York subways could see some Monday, Friday service cuts, reflecting hybrid work schedules
NEW YORK — The Metropolitan Transportation Authority would cut Monday and Friday service on some subway lines and increase weekend operations on others as part of service adjustments planned for 2023, reflecting post-COVID changes in public transit use, the agceny said this week. Decreases would come on the 1, 6, 7, L, E, F, and […]
New Jersey Turnpike Authority to help pay state’s share of Gateway Tunnel project
TRENTON, N.J. — The New Jersey Turnpike Authority has agreed to help fund New Jersey’s share of the Gateway Tunnel project, which will build two new bores to connect New Jersey to New York’s Penn Station, then rehabilitate the two existing tunnels under the Hudson River. NJ.com reports the Turnpike Authority will provide the money […]
LIRR to begin Grand Central Madison operations with shuttle service to Jamaica
NEW YORK — The Metropolitan Transportation Authority still hasn’t announced when service will begin to Grand Central Madison, its new station beneath Grand Central Terminal that will complete the long-awaited Long Island Rail Road East Side Access project. On Monday, however, the MTA did say how that service will start. Initially, the LIRR will operate […]