NEW YORK — The Metropolitan Transportation Authority has sold a little-used route between Danbury, Conn., and Beacon, N.Y., for conversion in to a rail trail. The conversion will come in the next three years, through a state-funded, $33.6-million design-build contract awarded to Arch Associates LLC, in concert with rail trail design firm McLaren. The MTA […]
Section: News Wire
Transportation Safety Board issues advisory after two incidents involving VIA trains, track materials NEWSWIRE
GATINEAU, Quebec — The Transportation Safety Board of Canada has issued a safety advisory letter in response to two incidents in which VIA Rail Canada trains were damaged by materials placed along Canadian National’s right-of-way in preparation for track work. The letter, dated March 25 but announced Thursday, suggests “Canadian National, in conjunction with VIA, […]
Trains News Wire round-up for March 29, 2019 NEWSWIRE
Each week, Trains editors discuss all the rail news that’s fit to publish. For the week of March 29, 2019, Trains Editor Jim Wrinn and Digital Editor Steve Sweeney talk about Midwest flooding, the Potomac Eagle, Norfolk & Western 4-8-4 No. 611 runs in Pennsylvania, and more. […]
Amtrak supervisor shot by employee, who dies of self-inflicted wound NEWSWIRE
NEW YORK — An Amtrak employee shot his supervisor and later killed himself in New York on Thursday morning, police report. NBC News reports that the shooting occurred at Sunnyside Yard in Queens. The 53-year-old supervisor was wounded in the leg, and is expected to recover. Officers chased the 48-year-old suspect to the parking lot […]
Distributed power use increases on CSX, NS NEWSWIRE
CSX train Q-032, with a single unit on the point, crosses Rail Lane with a mix of COFC/TOFC on the Philadelphia Subdivision at Elk Mills, Md, on Feb. 16, 2019 … Michael S. Murray … and another single unit, operating as distributed power, is midtrain. CSX is increasing its use of distributed power as part […]
Grant to help in restoration of Lackawanna Cutoff NEWSWIRE
SCRANTON, Pa. — The Pennsylvania Northeast Regional Railroad Authority has been awarded a $400,000 grant for engineering costs associated with restoration of the Lackawanna Cutoff, already under construction in New Jersey. The Local Share Account grant from the Commonwealth Financing Authority covers engineering costs for construction of track and structures for the passenger rail project. […]
Metra schedules ‘safety blitzes’ at 59 stations NEWSWIRE
A Metra Milwaukee West train arrives at the Roselle station in January 2019. Roselle will be one of the 59 stations hosting a Metra “Safety Blitz” in 2019, with Metra employees offering safety information at the station on the morning of April 16. TRAINS: David Lassen CHICAGO — Metra is planning Operation Lifesaver “Safety Blitzes” […]
New Metra plan would assess station use NEWSWIRE
An inbound Metra Rock Island train passes the Robbins flagstop station in December 2018. Metra is developing a policy that would require an assessment of station use every two years, as well as establishing procedures for communities to request new stations. TRAINS: David Lassen CHICAGO — Metra is developing a plan to assess stations throughout […]
NJ Transit to continue shifting funds from capital budget for operations NEWSWIRE
NEWARK — Harsh realities have overtaken New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy’s second year at the helm of the nation’s most densely populated state, at least as far as the NJ Transit budget is concerned. The website NJspotlight.com reports that the practice of using capital funds to help pay for daily operations — a practice of […]
Pennsylvania Railroad GG-1 returned to Harrisburg station NEWSWIRE
An Amtrak locomotive moves former Pennsylvania Railroad GG-1 No. 4859 during a previous relocation at the Harrisburg, Pa., station. Dan Cupper HARRISBURG, Pa. — The first GG-1 to pull a train to Harrisburg is back under cover after being dislocated for work at the Harrisburg station. Former Pennsylvania Railroad GG-1 No. 4859 and an N6b […]
Strasburg adds more Norfolk & Western No. 611 events NEWSWIRE
Norfolk & Western Class J No. 611, shown at Jamestown, N.C., in September 2018, will star in more public appearances at the Strasburg Rail Road in September 2019. Trains: Jim Wrinn STRASBURG, Pa. — After record-breaking ticket sales, the Virginia Museum of Transportation, Inc., of Roanoke, Va., and the Strasburg Rail Road Co., announce more […]
AAR: Total carload traffic down more than 10 percent in the US NEWSWIRE
Association of American Railroads WASHINGTON — The Association of American Railroads today reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending March 23. For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 503,017 carloads and intermodal units, down 4.5 percent compared with the same week last year. Total carloads for the week ending March 23 were […]
