SEATTLE — The Pierce County Council has passed a resolution calling on Amtrak, the Washington State Department of Transportation, Sound Transit, and other agencies not to reopen the ill-fated Point Defiance Bypass line to passenger service until the full menu of recommendations from the National Transportation Safety Board is put in place. WSDOT and Amtrak […]
Section: News & Reviews
New Illinois short line to begin operations late October NEWSWIRE
CLINTON, Ill. — Central Illinois will gain a new short line if the Surface Transportation Board OKs a filing dated Sept. 11, 2019, to lease a 10.7-mile section of the Illinois Central Railroad Charter Line. Motive Rail Inc., dba Illinois Terminal Belt, will serve two grain elevators, both Tate & Lyle Grain Inc. operations at […]
Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad steams up a Heisler NEWSWIRE
GARIBALDI, Ore. — Oregon Scenic Railroad has steamed up the Craig Mt. Lumber No. 3, a landmark in a restoration project that could see the locomotive added to the tourist line’s excursions next year. The locomotive hasn’t been under steam since 2009, OCSR reports. The Garibaldi peration received it in April 2016. “We have been […]
San Luis & Rio Grande, Mount Hood Railroad placed into receivership NEWSWIRE
Passengers board a San Luis & Rio Grande train at Alamosa, Colo., in June 2015. Brian Schmidt CHICAGO – A U.S. District Court judge has ordered two railroads owned by Iowa Pacific Holdings to be placed into receivership. On Sept. 9, Big Shoulders Capital LLC, filed a motion in U.S. District Court in Northern Illinois […]
Union reacts to computer-run train test: ‘That’s not the real world’ NEWSWIRE
WASHINGTON – Hours after New York Air Brake announced that it had run a heavy freight train with no crew on board, union officials dismissed the test as nothing more than an unrealistic experiment. On Friday morning, the company announced that it had operated a 30-car freight train with its LEADER on-board train control and […]
News Wire Round-Up for the Week of Sept. 13 NEWSWIRE
Trains editors talk about the rail news that is fit to publish. This week, Jim and Steve discuss New York Air Brake’s first fully computer driven train in the US; a fiery derailment; and how a Heisler steams again in Oregon! […]
Africa train derailment may have killed as many as 50 NEWSWIRE
KINSHASA, Democratic Republic of the Congo — A Congolese freight train derailment this morning has killed at least 50 people, according to several media reports. The U.K.’s Independent newspaper reports that the train derailed about 3 a.m. in the southeast of the country. The people who died were reportedly riding the train illegally as stowaways. […]
Amtrak announces service offerings for daily nonstop Acela trains between New York and Washington NEWSWIRE
WASHINGTON — Amtrak today announced the unique amenities exclusive to its Acela Nonstop, which begins its inaugural trip on Monday, Sept. 23, including: complimentary coffee, tea water, and a light snack, “at seat” cashless cart service offering a limited menu of snacks and beverages and onboard phone charging kits for sale. Offering non-stop service between New […]
Canada promises Gaspe line repairs NEWSWIRE
The eastbound ‘Chaleur’ crosses a bridge at Grande Rivere in July 2007. Bob Johnston A Montreal-bound train hugs the shoreline near Perce on July 25, 2011. The $45 million will help pay to strengthen the right-of-way as well as bridges. Bob Johnston OTTAWA, Ontario – With Parliament elections looming on Oct. 21, the Liberal government […]
Durango & Silverton says wildfire lawsuit should be dismissed NEWSWIRE
DURANGO, Colo. – Attorneys representing the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad have filed a motion to dismiss a federal lawsuit that demands the railroad cover the costs of putting out a massive wildfire started by one of its trains last year. In July, federal prosecutors filed a lawsuit demanding the railroad pay $25 million […]
Gold Coast Museum has a good lead on a buyer for FEC Pacific NEWSWIRE
FEC 4-6-2 No. 113 is one of 20 pieces of rolling stock available for sale from Florida’s Gold Coast Railroad Museum. Trains: Jim Wrinn MIAMI — Does anyone want to buy a steam locomotive, cab units, or passenger cars in 2019? At Florida’s venerable Gold Coast Railroad Museum, which announced last spring it was slimming […]
Monson 3 in the middle of a legal dispute between Maine museums NEWSWIRE
Two museums are engaged in a dispute over the restoration and maintenance of Monson No. 3. Stephen Hussar FARMINGTON, Me. — Two of Maine’s narrow-gauge railroad museums are squaring off in a lawsuit with one alleging the other reneged on a 15-year agreement that allowed it to use Monson Railroad No. 3, a 1912 Vulcan […]
