SEATTLE — Portland & Western Railroad, owned by Genesee & Wyoming, has filed with the Surface Transportation Board for permission to discontinue service on a 22.6-mile line between Astoria and Wauna in Clatsop County, Ore. “The subject line is an out of service segment of line the underlying property of which is owned by the […]
Magazine: Trains Magazine
Update: BNSF closures, Amtrak bus connections continue in Pacific Northwest NEWSWIRE

BNSF Railway train Q-CHCSSE (Chicago to South Seattle) emerges from a snow squall at Merritt, Wash., on the east side of Stevens Pass on the BNSF Scenic Subdivision on Jan. 5, 2020. Robert W. Scott Updated Jan. 16, 2020, 9:45 a.m. SEATTLE – Less than favorable weather conditions yesterday afternoon and overnight prevented the opening […]
UP’s Fritz touts new services, performance improvements under ‘Unified Plan’ NEWSWIRE

TRAINS: David Lassen LOMBARD, Ill. — Fewer unit trains are helping bring better performance for Union Pacific. That was one of several points emphasized by UP President and CEO Lance Fritz on Wednesday morning as he addressed the Midwest Association of Rail Shippers on the railroad’s efforts to improve its customers’ experience. The move away […]
Crude-by-rail safety legislation introduced in House NEWSWIRE

WASHINGTON — Legislation to force oil companies to decrease the volatility of crude oil shipped by rail has been introduced in Congress. On Jan. 13, Reps. John Garamendi (D-Calif.), Barbara Lee (D-Calif.), Bill Foster (D-Ill.), Nita M. Lowey (D-N.Y.), and Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) introduced the Crude by Rail Volatility Standard Act. The law would require […]
Four new members of NJ Transit board confirmed NEWSWIRE

TRENTON — The New Jersey Senate voted unanimously on Monday to confirm four new board members of the NJ Transit board. Even with the confirmations, the board still has five seats to fill. NorthJersey.com reports that the new board members, nominated by Gov. Phil Murphy in March, are: — Retired Democratic state senator Bob Gordon, […]
Kentucky miners block coal train from leaving mine NEWSWIRE
PIKEVILLE, Ky. — Less than six months after a group of coal miners blocked a coal train in Kentucky in protest of unpaid wages, another group of allegedly unpaid miners have blocked yet another coal train. On Monday, Quest Energy coal miners, claiming they have not been paid by the company in three weeks, blocked […]
LA Metro clears development teams for possible involvement in Sepulveda project NEWSWIRE

LA Metro has cleared five teams for potential involvement in its Sepulveda Corridor project. Shown are possible routes for the project, which could be a monorail or heavy rail system. LA Metro LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority announced it has cleared five corporate teams to help develop its Sepulveda Transit […]
Union Pacific to idle another yard hump, this time in Texas NEWSWIRE

Union Pacific will close the hump at Davidson Yard in Fort Worth, shown in November 2008, according to a company memo. Steve Schmollinger OMAHA, Neb. – Union Pacific plans to idle the hump at Davidson Yard in Fort Worth, Texas, this month, the fifth such move since the railroad adopted a Precision Scheduled Railroading operating […]
Winter weather hits BNSF hard in the Northwest NEWSWIRE

BNSF Railway train Q-CHCSSE (quality intermodal, Chicago, Ill., to South Seattle, Wash.) pulls up the 2.2% grade at Berne on BNSF’s Scenic Subdivision in Washington Jan. 5, 2020. The train is about to enter the Cascade Tunnel under Stevens Pass. The snow on this day was the beginning of a multiple-day weather event in the […]
AAR backs White House plan to streamline environmental process for infrastructure projects NEWSWIRE

WASHINGTON — The Association of American Railroads has expressed support for a plan by the White House to dramatically change the National Environmental Policy Act and streamline the environmental review process for infrastructure projects. NEPA requires the federal government to review how major infrastructure projects would impact the environment, but federal officials say it is […]
Austin commuter rail line resumes Saturday service NEWSWIRE

Austin Capital Metro has resumed Saturday commuter rail service. The Saturday service had been stopped to allow for construction and positive train control installation. TRAINS: David Lassen AUSTIN, Texas — Austin’s Capital Metro has resumed Saturday service on its 31-mile commuter rail line between downtown and Leander, Texas, six months after suspending the service. KVUE-TV […]
California budget earmarks $4.2 billion for high speed rail NEWSWIRE

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s proposed 2020-2021 budget would provide $4.2 billion for the state’s High Speed Rail Authority over five years. “The High Speed Rail Authority is continuing to construct the Central Valley segment completing electrified High Speed Rail from Merced to Bakersfield with Proposition 1A bonds, federal funds, and 25 percent of […]