KCS unveils ‘Salute to Heroes” locomotive NEWSWIRE

Monday afternoon rail news in brief:

— Kansas City Southern has unveiled a locomotive saluting “the heroes throughout our network and beyond — especially railroad employees,” according to a Facebook post. SD70ACe No. 4009 wears a modified version of the railroad’s “Southern Belle” scheme, and is lettered in English on one side and Spanish on the other, reflecting KCS operations in both the U.S. and Mexico.

— Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority service will remain at its current reduced levels under the first part of a four-stage reopening plan for the state of Massachusetts, as well as the MBTA, released Monday by Gov. Charlie Baker. Boston.com reports rail service will begin to increase in the second phase of the program, with the Blue Line subway returning to full service, and other transit and commuter rail line seeing increased frequencies. Rail service will essentially be returned to normal by the third phase, with two caveats: Green Line service will operate on a “full schedule as staffing permits,” and commuter rail will operate under a full schedule “modified, where feasible, to reflect changed travel patterns in COVID-19 new normal and workforce availability.” Phase two will start no earlier than June 8 and phase three no earlier than June 29, but those dates could be pushed back depending on public health data trends.

— A lack of international visitors and the challenges created by anti-COVID-19 measures has led Quebec tourist rail operation le Train de Charlevoix to cancel its summer season. In a French-language article in Le Journal de Montreal, a spokeswoman said the train estimated it would only have been allowed to operate at 40% of capacity because of social-distancing requirements. The operation, which carried 55,000 passengers in 2019, has laid off its 65 employees and may need government help to survive.

— The 10th annual Rail Supply Chain Summit, which had been scheduled for June 10, has been rescheduled to Sept. 17 at the Union League Club in Chicago. Scheduled speakers include Kansas City Southern’s Brian Hancock, Anacostia Rail Holdings’ Eric Jakubowski, and Watcos’s Stefan Loeb. More information is available here.