Grant to aid in N&W No. 611’s return to operation

Fireman shoveling coal into firebox of steam locomotive

ROANOKE, Va. — The Virginia Museum of Transportation has received a $15,000 grant from the Phillips Charitable Foundation Inc. to support firebox maintenance on its Norfolk & Western Class J 4-8-4, No. 611. The foundation’s benefactor, Howard W. Phillips, displayed a lifelong love for trains as well as an appreciation for historic preservation. This led […]

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Start of Metrolink service to Santa Barbara pushed back

Commuter train entering tunnel

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — A planned extension of Metrolink commuter rail service to provide an option for commuters between Ventura and Santa Barbara counties will be delayed until at least January 2026, the Santa Barbara County Association of Governments was told at its most recent meeting. The SBCAG, Ventura County Transportation Authority, and Metrolink agreed […]

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Temporary injunction blocks further SEPTA cuts, fare increase

Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority logo

PHILADELPHIA — A Philadelphia judge has issued a temporary injunction preventing the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority from raising fares on Sept. 1 and making cuts to its Regional Rail service on Sept. 2. The order today (Aug. 29, 2025) by Judge Sierra Thomas-Street of the Court of Common Pleas also blocks layoffs, furloughs, and “all […]

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Regulators OK Watco acquisition of Great Lakes Central Railroad

WASHINGTON — Federal regulators today gave the green light to Watco’s acquisition of the 420-mile Michigan regional Great Lakes Central Railroad. Watco has been an equity investor in the GLC since 2013 and in March sought to have its acquisition of the railroad exempt from Surface Transportation Board review, which is common in straightforward shortline […]

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Three days that shifted the transcon merger chessboard: Analysis

Train crossing bridge over canal

What a week this was for unexpected twists and turns in the Class I railroad merger landscape. First, on Monday Berkshire Hathaway Chairman Warren Buffett said the company would not bid on CSX or Norfolk Southern, which had been viewed as potential merger partners for the Berkshire-owned BNSF Railway. A BNSF-CSX combination, in particular, had […]

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Western Maryland No. 202 will remain in city park

Front of black steam locomotive in a city park. Western Maryland No. 202 will remain city park,

HAGERSTOWN, Md. — After an engaged community discussion, the city council voted Aug. 26, to retain Western Maryland 4-6-2 No. 202, rejecting a proposal to donate the locomotive to the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad. The debate drew lines in the Western Maryland community over the cost of restoration and responsibility for care versus seeing the […]

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Wabtec unveils more fuel efficient EVO Advantage engine

PITTSBURGH — Wabtec this week introduced its EVO Advantage engine, which features eTurbo technology that improves fuel efficiency by as much as 7%. The EVO Advantage — which is currently undergoing extensive field testing — will be available for Evolution series Tier 3 and Tier 4 locomotive modernizations, the manufacturer said this week. “The heart […]

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Union Pacific adds 15 Focus Sites, including 12 on short line partners

OMAHA, Neb. — Union Pacific has added 15 new Focus Sites in eight states, with a dozen of the large-scale development properties located on connecting short line railroads. UP’s 39 Focus Sites generally include 125 or more acres that are suited for custom-built warehouses or industrial facilities. “Our partnerships with short line railroads are helping […]

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