South Central Florida Express, U.S. Sugar promote Lawson

Logo of U.S. Sugar

CLEWISTON, Fla. — Short line South Central Florida Express and its parent company, U.S. Sugar, have named Bob Lawson vice president of South Central Florida Express and general manager of U.S. Sugar Railroad Operations. Lawson has served as general manager of harvest and railroad operations since 2011 and general manager of railroad operations since June […]

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Amtrak to livestream portion of upcoming board meeting

Amtrak logo.

WASHINGTON — Amtrak’s board of directors will once again provide live streaming of a portion of its next meeting, set for Wednesday, Sept. 10. The live stream is set for noon to 1 p.m. ET. Members of the public who wish to watch on Zoom must register in advance here. There will be no public […]

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Transport minister says ‘Made in Canada’ summit was productive

Head shot of woman with dark hair in black clothing

HAMILTON, Ontario — Canada’s Minister of Transport and Internal Trade, Chrystia Freeland, says the nation’s rail and shipbuilding interests agree they should use as much Canadian-made steel and aluminum as possible as part of their manufacturing efforts. Freeland convened a “Made in Canada” summit meeting in Hamilton on Tuesday including rail manufacturers, shipbuilders, and steel […]

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NextGen Acelas’ first week a mixed bag

Blue and white streamline passenger train on straight track after curve

WASHINGTON — Delays principally caused by faulty door activation and slower running over what are normally the fastest portions of Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor have tempered the generally warm reception the “Next Generation” Acela trainsets received when they debuted last week. But the trainsets are now offering passengers a welcome — and long overdue — alternative […]

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U.S. weekly rail traffic edges back above 2024 levels

Weekly table showing U.S. carload rail traffic by commodity type, plus overal intermodal traffic

WASHINGTON — U.S. rail traffic improved slightly over 2024 levels for the week ending Aug. 30, 2025, according to the Association of American Railroads. Weekly rail traffic was 521,502 carloads and intermodal units, a 0.9% increase over the same week a year ago. That ended a two-week interlude in which traffic was slightly below previous-year […]

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TSB to investigate CPKC derailment in British Columbia

Logo of the Transportation Safety Board of Canada

ELKO, British Columbia — The Transportation Safety Board of Canada is dispatching investigators to the site of a CPKC derailment on Tuesday night, Sept. 2, 2025, the agency announced. The TSB’s brief announcement said a team of investigators “will gather information and assess the occurrence.” The CBC reports the derailment occurred about 8 p.m. Tuesday […]

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STB grants Metra request for trackage rights on Union Pacific

Freight and commuter trains at commuter station platform

WASHINGTON — The Surface Transportation Board has granted Metra’s request for terminal trackage rights on three Union Pacific lines in the Chicago area, addressing the commuter operator’s concerns that UP could otherwise choose to halt commuter service in the absence of an operating agreement. The ruling today [Sept. 3, 2025] ensures Metra service will continue […]

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FRA to train track inspectors to examine bridges

High speed train crossing bridge

WASHINGTON — The Federal Railroad Administration will train more than 160 current federal and state track inspectors to handle bridge inspections, as well, the FRA has announced, increasing the number of inspectors who monitor bridges from the current figure of less than 10. The federal track inspectors, as well as those employed by states who […]

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September 2025

The September 2025 cover of Trains magazine

In every issue News, p. 4 Newly merged CPKC faces service issues on the former Kansas City Southern Bill Stephens, p. 10 CPKC’s tech troubles cast doubt on new mergers History with Hankey, p. 12 Pullman porters and their long fight for equity Brian Solomon, p. 46 Fathers, sons, and a lifetime love of trains […]

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NJ Transit to take over operation of light rail River Line

Map of NJ Transit light rail line between Camden and Trenton, N.J.

NEWARK, N.J. — NJ Transit will take over operation and maintenance of the light rail River Line from current contract operator Alstom, a process beginning today, the agency and company have announced. The decision came “after several years of working closely together to assess the conditions of the River Line,” NJ Transit and Alstom said […]

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