WASHINGTON — Private varnish will become a rare sight at Washington Union Station for the foreseeable future as concourse modernization work limits the switching and layover of private railcars in the Nation’s Capital. Amtrak has already denied several private car trips originating in Washington Union Station as soon as early May, citing recent changes in […]
Section: News & Reviews
Soo Line No. 2719 to stay in Duluth – for now NEWSWIRE
No. 2719 leads a photo special at Palmers, Minn., on the North Shore Scenic Railroad on Sept. 8, 2011. Steve Glischinski DULUTH, Minn. – The City of Eau Claire has given up its effort to move Soo Line 4-6-2 No. 2719 from the Lake Superior Railroad Museum in Duluth back to the Wisconsin city. The […]
Toledo’s Hallett Tower, last in the state, closes NEWSWIRE
The Ann Arbor’s tracks, foreground, are on the west side of the tower. Sol Tucker TOLEDO, Ohio – Operator Larry Bohland, the most senior employee on the railroad, had 40 years and one week on the job when Hallett Tower in Toledo closed earlier this week. He survived the dark days of the bankrupt Ann […]
Union Pacific voices concern about site of proposed Oakland ballpark
OAKLAND, Calif. — Union Pacific has joined with the maritime industry in expressing concerns over the proposed location of a new ballpark for the Oakland Athletics, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. The ballpark would be built at the current site of the Charles P. Howard Terminal, a container facility on Oakland’s Inner Harbor. One side […]
Wabtec plant manager urges unionized workers to accept two-tier wage contracts NEWSWIRE
ERIE, Pa. — Wabtec Freight’s plant manager in Lawrence Park, Pa., says unionized workers hold the key to stabilizing work by agreeing to tiered wage structure. The locomotive plant manager, Wabtec’s Rich Krolczyk, sent out a letter to all the unionized workers on April 16, and seen by Trains. This letter indicted that wages are […]
Meet Colorado Railroad Museum’s new executive director NEWSWIRE
Paul Hammond Colorado Railroad Museum GOLDEN, Colo. — Former California State Railroad Museum Director Paul Hammond will replace the retiring Donald Tallman as executive director of the Colorado Railroad Museum. Tallman, who has led the museum since 2006, will retire at the end of August. During his tenure, the museum has nearly doubled its attendance […]
Metra launches app to allow passengers to report safety, security issues NEWSWIRE
A screenshot of the new Metra COPS app. Metra CHICAGO — Metra has introduced a smartphone app to allow customers to quickly report crimes, suspicious activity, and other safety or security concerns. Metra says the Metra COPS app “is meant for the reporting of safety and security issues on Metra trains and facilities, such as […]
New York’s L Train construction project to begin April 26 NEWSWIRE
A brochure outlines information on the New York City Subway’s L Train construction project. Courtesy of MTA/Ralph Spielman NEW YORK — After much debate and hand wringing, the major construction project for the New York City subway L Train is at hand. While the construction figures to bring disruptions for riders between Brooklyn and Manhattan, […]
Ontario to delay funding for high speed rail NEWSWIRE
TORONTO — The current Conservative government of the province of Ontario says it will pause funding for a planned high speed rail line between Toronto and Windsor, Ont., a project announced by the previous Liberal government that would have cut the travel time between the two cities from four hours to two. Transportation minister Jeff […]
Sound Transit begins test of shuttle service from light rail stations NEWSWIRE
SEATTLE — Sound Transit, in conjunction with King County Metro and the city of Seattle, launched a new on-demand shuttle serving five Link light rail stations in southeast Seattle and Tukwila. Service is provided by Via, which also operates in New York, Chicago, Washington, and Los Angeles. The shared rides cost the same as a […]
State senator to offer amendment to restore ‘Hoosier State’ funding NEWSWIRE
INDIANAPOLIS — State Sen. Ron Alting says he will offer an amendment to the proposed state budget that would restore funding for Amtrak’s Hoosier State service, WLFI-TV reports. Alting, a Republican, represents a district including Lafayette, Ind., one of the communities served on the train’s Chicago-Indianapolis route. He told the TV station, “Many people in […]
New model trains for the week of April 18, 2019
HO scale locomotives Electro-Motive Division GP39-2 diesel locomotive. Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe (“Kodachrome” and blue-and-yellow warbonnet); Burlington Northern (Cascade Green with nose stripes, four road numbers); CSX (D&H Guilford scheme patchout); Delaware & Hudson (Guilford scheme, four numbers); Missouri-Kansas-Texas (green and yellow, four numbers); and Soo Line (Candy Apple Red). Two numbers per scheme […]
