Budd SPV-2000

People walking alongside streamlined Budd SPV-2000 diesel self-propelled passenger car

  Whether they knew it or not, the Budd Co. was rolling out the final miles in its railcar manufacturing business as it headed into the 1970s. But they didn’t go down without a fight as manufacturing of passenger equipment continued for Amtrak and multiple commuter operations (mainly in the Northeast United States). Part of […]

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Two WMATA workers charged, five plead guilty in health-care fraud case

U.S. Department of Justice seal

WASHINGTON — What is it about rail operations and health-care fraud? Two train operators with the Washington Metropolitan Area Transportation Authority were arrested Friday on charges relating to a scheme to submit fraudulent health insurance and short-term disability claims for non-existent ailments, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia has announced. Michelle Shropshire, […]

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Where can I buy reproduction Lionel postwar decals?

maroon model coach

I’m restoring some Lionel postwar heavyweight passenger cars and need help lettering them. Are there suppliers for reproduction decals? — Ernie Weber The best source of reproduction decals for Lionel postwar locomotives and cars is the Underground Railroad Shoppe in New Castle, Pa. Owned by longtime CTT contributor Lou Palumbo, the store can be reached […]

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Eurostar plans service to Germany, Switzerland

Two high speed trains under station trainshed

LONDON — High speed rail operator Eurostar, facing the prospect of competition from across Europe through the Channel Tunnel, has announced plans for new services of its own. But not soon. The company announced this week that it plans to launch three new routes in “the early 2030s” — London-Frankfurt, London-Geneva, and Amsterdam/Brussels-Geneva — once […]

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Former Amtrak CEO Anderson becomes chair of Norfolk Southern board

RichardAnderson

ATLANTA — Norfolk Southern’s board of directors has unanimously named Richard Anderson, former CEO at Northwest Airlines, Delta Airlines, and Amtrak, as its new independent board chair, effective immediately. The board has also agreed to reduce its size to 12 members. It had been expanded to 14 earlier this year [see “CSX and Norfolk Southern […]

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Florida’s Tri-Rail to end late-night service pilot program

View from bridge of commuter train at station

MIAMI — Commuter operator Tri-Rail will discontinue a pair of trains that had been launched as a pilot program to determine demand for late-night operations. Trains P650 and P651, and their connection trains to downtown’s MiamiCentral station, P650X and P651X, will end on June 30, WTVJ-TV reports. The service was launched in August 2024. P650 […]

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FRA introduces new rail safety data website

Image of website

WASHINGTON — The Federal Railroad Administration has launched a new public safety data website, which it says is a more user-friendly site replacing two older sites, one dating to the 1990s. The updated site is available here. Required under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021, it was designed by a group including representatives […]

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DC Metrorail still seeking cause of automated operation overruns

Rapid transit train in underground station

WASHINGTON — Expanded DC Metrorail operations using Automatic Train Operation have gone smoothly, but the Washington Metrorail Safety Commission says more testing is still needed to determine the cause of station overruns. WUSA-TV reports that commission members were told during a meeting on Tuesday (June 10) that there were 25 overruns in the first 10 […]

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