SEATTLE — A steam locomotive that worked for years in the Pacific Northwest is headed home after a vacation in Arizona. Former Northern Pacific No. 1762 and Spokane, Portland & Seattle No. 539, a 2-8-2 Mikado built in 1917, has been acquired by the Port of Kalama, located along the Columbia River near Longview Wash. […]
Magazine: Trains Magazine
Trains Presents: Chesapeake & Ohio steam locomotive No. 2716 goes home in Kentucky
In late July 2019, the Kentucky Steam Heritage Corp. moved its leased former Chesapeake & Ohio 2-8-4 steam locomotive No. 2716 from its home at the Kentucky Railway Museum in New Haven to its new home at Kentucky Steam’s headquarters in Ravenna. The goal is to restore the locomotive to operation there. Doing the honors […]
Amtrak unveils two-day, 50%-off, September-only fare sale NEWSWIRE
New York-bound ‘Acela Express’ train No. 2104 hurtles through Princeton Junction, N.J., on April 25, 2019. The discounted $87 Washington-New York September fare is available for Sept. 13 on this train but not on eight of 15 other ‘Acelas’ running that day. Bob Johnston WASHINGTON – Beginning today through Aug. 17, Amtrak is offering a […]
Coal miners still protesting in Kentucky; reject proposed settlement for back pay NEWSWIRE
THE coal train that Kentucky coal miners have prevented from leaving the mine until they are paid back wages. Chris Anderson Coal miners are physically blocking a CSX Transportation branch leading to a Kentucky coal mine. Miners claim they are owed back wages of as much as $4,000 each. Chris Anderson CUMBERLAND, Ky. — The […]
Intermodal volumes expected to remain soft for rest of the year NEWSWIRE
North American intermodal volumes are expected to remain in the doldrums for the rest of the year amid a complicated brew of factors that will keep railroading’s growth engine stuck in low gear. That’s the view of a trio of TTX intermodal experts, who shared their outlooks during an Intermodal Association of North America webcast […]
Trains News Wire round-up for the week of Aug. 16, 2019 NEWSWIRE
Trains editors discuss the rail news that’s fit to publish. This week, editors talk about Alcos, Canadian National’s Alabama short line, and Amtrak food. Only from Trains! […]
Ask Trains: Why and when did rails get their shape?
Rail profiles through time from file: TRN-TC0513 Illustration: Rick Johnson Q: Why and when did rails get their profile? — Rozier Smith A: The basic shape, or profile, of rails that we see today: chucky head, thin web, and wide base, has its roots railroading as early as 1789, according to an illustration Trains printed […]
Burlington Junction C415s safe despite addition of MK1500D locomotives to roster NEWSWIRE
Burlington Junction Railway has added four MK1500D locomotives to its already eclectic roster. The new units operate mostly around Quincy, Ill., where much of the traffic base is located. In this photo, three of the four units work the Quincy yard on July 3, 2019. Steve Smedley QUINCY, Ill. – The future of the unique […]
Conrail predecessor documents bound for shredder saved instead NEWSWIRE
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Northeastern railway preservationists have saved hundreds of drawings — some dating to the 1860s — from Conrail predecessors from the shredder in what has been called a “monumental achievement” for railroad historians. The documents came from the Smithsonian Institution, which collected them between 1981 to 1984. With an Aug. 1 deadline to […]
Illinois legislator ‘doesn’t see brown’ on Metra’s board NEWSWIRE
Luis Arroyo, Illinois state representative Illinois General Assembly website CHICAGO — A key Illinois legislator appeared before Metra’s board Wednesday to take credit for helping the agency receive about $1.6 billion in infrastructure funding, but also chided the agency’s lack of Latino leadership, calling it a “good old boys network” that needed to change. Illinois […]
OmniTRAX gives up on Texas short line, files for abandonment NEWSWIRE
WASHINGTON — Short line operator OmniTRAX is throwing in the towel on its Central Texas & Colorado River Railway. OmniTRAX this week filed to abandon the 67.5-mile line, citing its dim prospects and millions of dollars in operating losses since it acquired the route in 2016. The prime culprits: New crushed rock traffic that never […]
Ask Trains: Does Norfolk Southern own the yards along its CNO&TP route?
Cincinnati Southern Railway website Q: The city of Cincinnati owns the CNO&TP line running from Cincinnati to Chattanooga, Tenn., which Norfolk Southern leases from the city. Does the city of Cincinnati also own and lease yards along the line to NS, or does NS own these yards outright? — Doug Lathrem, Bowling Green, Ky. A: […]
