Trains Turntable: Commentary from Jared Cassity, national safety and legislative director for the SMART-TD union If there is a foundational principle that defines the only meaningful factor in transportation, it can be asked in this one simple question: Is it safe? Whether referencing our country’s first significant mode of transportation — railroads — or the […]
NEW YORK — Amtrak service between New York and Boston was restored early today after overhead power issues halted operation between the two cities much of Wednesday evening. Amtrak announced that service was being halted in a social media post shortly after 7 p.m. ET and said that service had been restored in another post […]
CHICAGO RIDGE, Ill. — Metra SouthWest Service trains are back in operation today (Thursday, Feb. 12) following a Wednesday freight derailment that shut down the 15-round-trip-a-day operation between Chicago Union Station and Orland Park/Manhattan, Ill. In a social media post shortly after 5 a.m., the commuter operator said it had been informed its tracks would […]
WASHINGTON — U.S. rail traffic was down for a second consecutive week in the period ending Feb. 7, with declines in both carload and intermodal traffic. Statistics from the Association of American Railroads for the week show a total of 486,854 carloads and intermodal units, a drop of 3.2% from the corresponding week in 2025. […]
MENDOCINO, Calif. — A California appeals court has reversed the decision of a lower court and has granted the Skunk Train tourist railroad the right of eminent domain — the authority to condemn and acquire private property, according to reports in the Mendocino Voice. The legal battle began in 2020 when Skunk Train owner Mendocino […]
SUISUN CITY, Calif. — The Western Railway Museum is currently evaluating Kennecott Copper No. 407, a rare GE 125-ton center cab electric locomotive, to ascertain if it can be returned to operation. “Based on our initial inspection and the work completed over the last two weekends, 407 is shaping up to be a very solid […]
PITTSBURGH – Wabtec’s sales surged in the fourth quarter, helping to boost the locomotive and equipment manufacturer’s multiyear backlog to a record $27.4 billion, the company said today. “The Wabtec team delivered a strong fourth quarter and full year results, reflecting the strength of our business and our ability to execute in dynamic markets,” CEO […]
PITTSBURGH — Wabtec has completed the acquisition of Dellner Couplers, a Sweden-based manufacturer of couplers for passenger rail rolling stock. “The addition of Dellner Couplers marks a major step forward in strengthening our Transit business and expanding our portfolio of offerings for this segment,” Wabtec CEO Rafael Santana said in a statement today. “The combination […]
PORT CLINTON, Pa. — The Reading & Northern Railroad has promoted Jim Raffa to chief marketing officer, the company has announced. Raffa entered railroading as a trackman with R&N predecessor Blue Mountain & Reading in 1989, and after the Reading & Northern was formed in 1990, he became coal traffic manager and real estate manager. […]
GRANITE FALLS, Minn. — Locomotive manufacturing newcomer Integral dx has completed its third unit for the U.S. military, a rear-cab switcher for the U.S. Air Force. The SWR18, a 130-ton, four-axle, 1,800-hp switcher, has been delivered to the Air Force at Joint Base Charleston, S.C., joining center-cab switchers delivered to the Navy in March 2025 […]
For anyone interested in seeing what happens in a 1900s-era railroad village, including devices such as this gallows signal, this would be the place to visit. Located on the original site of the Columbia Junction freight yard and roundhouse, the Connecticut Eastern Railroad Museum is one of the few railroad museums to have a roundhouse […]
CHICAGO RIDGE, Ill. — Metra has canceled all operations on its SouthWest Service today (Feb. 11, 2026) following a freight derailment this morning near its Chicago Ridge station. No injuries have been reported, and Chicago Ridge police say there is no danger to the public from the derailment. A Metra spokeswoman told the Chicago Sun-Times […]
