Former South African Railway NG-16 No. 129 made its first run on the puffing Billy Railway in Australia on Nov. 11, following an extensive overhaul that included re-gauging from 24-inch to 30-inch. Puffing Billy Railway: Russ Hicks BELGRAVE, Australia – Twenty-three years after it arrived at the Puffing Billy Railway, former South African Railways Beyer-Garratt […]
Boston-area mayors call for gas-tax increase to fund transit, roadway improvements NEWSWIRE
BOSTON — Boston-area government leaders are calling for a 15-cent increase in Massachusetts’ gas tax to help fund transit and roadway projects. The State House News Service reports that Boston Mayor Martin Walsh, along with members of the Metropolitan Mayors Coalition, the North Shore Coalition, and the Commuter Rail Communities Coalition, have called on Massachusetts […]
Canadian National executive explains railroad’s pivot to growth under Precision Scheduled Railroading NEWSWIRE
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Canadian National is more focused on growing with its customers than railroads that are currently implementing Precision Scheduled Railroading, a shipper noted at an investor conference this week. How did CN transition from an emphasis on profit margins, he asked, to one of growth? “We are, as you say, the pioneers of […]
Clinchfield office car 100 to return to CSX Santa Train NEWSWIRE
Former Clinchfield Railroad car 100 brings up the rear of southbound CSX manifest Q693 as it passes by the former Clinchfield offices in Erwin, Tenn., while en route to Jacksonville to be prepped for this year’s Santa Train. Mike Tilley JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. – New life has been breathed into a famed former Clinchfield Railroad […]
CSX can grow faster than the economy over the long term, CEO Jim Foote says NEWSWIRE
Jim Foote, CSX Corp. CEO CSX Corp. NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Dramatic improvements in service reliability will enable CSX Transportation to grow faster than the overall economy over the long term, CEO Jim Foote told an investor conference this week. That would be an accomplishment: Since 2011, CSX’s overall traffic volume has been flat while the […]
Jury awards $4.5 million to woman injured in ‘Cascades’ wreck NEWSWIRE
A passenger on Amtrak Cascades train No. 501 has been awarded $4.5 million from a jury after being injured in the 2017 wreck. Steve Carter TACOMA, Wash. — A jury in Washington has awarded a woman $4.5 million nearly two years after she was injured in the derailment of an Amtrak Cascades train as it […]
New Lenox, Ill., approves bid for new Metra station NEWSWIRE
The Village of New Lenox, Ill., has awarded a contract to build a new Metra station, replacing one closed and moved in 2018. TRAINS: David Lassen NEW LENOX, Ill. — The Village of New Lenox has approved an $8.6 million bid to build a new Metra station. John Burns Construction Co., which had the lowest […]
Stadler to build hydrogen-powered train for Southern California service NEWSWIRE
A rendering of the hydrogen-powered train Stadler will build for use in Southern California. It will be the first hydrogen-powered passenger trainset in the U.S. Stadler SALT LAKE CITY — Swiss manufacturer Stadler has signed a contract with the San Bernardino County (Calif.) Transportation Authority to build the first hydrogen-powered trains for use in the […]
State senate panel holds first hearing on NJ Transit NEWSWIRE
Afternoon rush-hour trains await passengers at NJ Transit’s Hoboken Terminal. The station hosted the first of a series of hearings into NJ Transit issues by a group of state legislators on Wednesday. Ralph Spielman HOBOKEN, N.J. — At a jammed two-hour meeting Wednesday, vexed NJ Transit commuters told a committee chaired by State Senate leader […]
TSB report: Cracked wheel caused 2018 Manitoba derailment NEWSWIRE
A broken flange on this wheel caused a 2018 derailment of a Canadian National train in Manitoba. Transportation Safety Board of Canada OTTAWA — A 2018 derailment of a train near the Manitoba-Ontario border was caused by a cracked wheel with a previously detected fault which did not meet U.S. safety guidelines, but did not […]
AAR: Carload and intermodal traffic volumes dive again; Grain ticked up slightly the week of Nov. 9 NEWSWIRE
Association of American Railroads WASHINGTON — The Association of American Railroads today reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending Nov. 9, 2019. For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 515,269 carloads and intermodal units, down 5.9% compared with the same week last year. Total carloads for the week ending Nov. 9 were […]
Amtrak policies challenged at House hearing NEWSWIRE
In a photo taken from a video feed, Rail Passenger Association President Jim Mathews holds up his “survival pack” for long-distance Amtrak travel during Wednesday’s House hearing. Bob Johnston An Amtrak San Joaquin heads south from Madera, Calif., on Oct 21, 2019. The executive director of the San Joaquin Joint Powers Authority expressed her frustrations […]