TRAINS: David Lassen
Saturday morning rail news:
Operator shortages curtail light rail service in Seattle, Tacoma
With COVID-19 cases increasing, Sound Transit will temporarily reduce peak-hour service on its Link light rail lines as of Monday, Dec. 7, because of a shortage of operators. Trains will run every 12 minutes during peak periods; service during other times will remain unchanged. Tacoma Link light rail, which also is experiencing a shortage of operators, will operate on reduced schedules today (Dec. 5) and next Saturday, Dec. 12. Trains will operate every 24 minutes between 9:48 a.m. and 6 p.m.
BNSF offers reward after derailment in New Mexico
BNSF Railway is offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to an arrest related to the derailment of one of its trains Wednesday in Vado, N.M. KTSM-TV reports that the railroad believes someone intentionally placed crossties on the track, leading to the derailment of two locomotives and 12 freight cars [See “Digest: Two hurt at BNSF train derails in New Mexico,” Trains News Wire, Dec. 2, 2020]. Two crew members suffered minor injuries; they were treated and released at a local hospital. Anyone with information is asked to call the BNSF Crime Tip Hotline at 1-800-832-5452.
NJ Transit resumes normal operations on North Jersey Coast Line
NJ Transit’s North Jersey Coast Line will resume regular operations as of today (Saturday, Dec. 5), with regular weekday service returning Monday, Dec. 7. Service on the route was disrupted after a Nov. 24 derailment [see “Digest: NJ Transit train derails, halting North Jersey Coast Line service,” Trains News Wire, Nov. 24, 2020], then resumed with modified schedules while the equipment was removed and track was repaired at the Perth Amboy derailment site.
