Union Pacific to open new Kansas City intermodal ramp in July

Yellow locomotives lead container train in snowy landscape

OMAHA, Neb. — Union Pacific announced yesterday that it plans to open its new Kansas City Intermodal Terminal in mid-July as the railroad looks to strengthen its position in the Kansas City market. UP would not disclose the terminal’s annual lift capacity, but said the facility, located in Armourdale Yard, will have twice as much […]

Read More…

Michigan’s Old Road Dinner Train to relocate

Old Road Dinner Train logo

BLISSFIELD, Mich. — Michigan’s Old Road Dinner Train, based in Blissfield, must find a new home and new host railroad to operate on. This comes after exhausting options for continuous operations on the Adrian & Blissfield Railroad  in the wake of increased grain traffic to the short line, reports The Blade of Toledo, Ohio. “When […]

Read More…

The challenges and opportunities of Amtrak’s Floridian: Trip report

Train in station trainshed

ORLANDO — Amtrak’s decision last fall to create the Chicago-Miami Floridian out of the Capitol Limited and Silver Star — ostensibly to reduce equipment moves during East River tunnel reconstruction in New York — is facing additional timekeeping obstacles over its 2,076-mile, 44-intermediate-stop route this summer. A cell phone text message dinged Sunday (May 18) […]

Read More…

Metra assumes operation of trains on UP commuter lines

Commuter train passing freight train

CHICAGO — Metra has taken over operation of the three Union Pacific lines previously operated by the freight railroad under a Purchase of Service Agreement, the commuter operator has announced. The changeover took place on Friday, May 16, according to a recent filing with the Surface Transportation Board. That it occurred without fanfare was intended, […]

Read More…

Fast run on the Kansas City-Florida Special

Steam locomotive smoking at speed with passenger train

A particular run of the Kansas City-Florida Special may have changed the course of steam locomotive assignments on the Frisco.     During the mid-1930s, the St. Louis-San Francisco Railroad started rebuilding low-drivered 2-10-2 freight locomotives into modern, high-horsepower, coal-burning 4-8-2s, also for freight service. The first series of these Mountain types was the big, […]

Read More…

New location set for final assembly of PRR T1 No. 5550 (updated)

3D renderings

DENNISON, Ohio — A location has been chosen to bring the new-build Pennsylvania Railroad T1 No. 5550 to life. The T1 Steam Locomotive Trust announced Friday, May 16, during the Pennsylvania Railroad Technical & Historical Society convention in Harrisburg, Pa., final assembly of the 4-4-4-4 will take place in Dennison. The organization has spent more […]

Read More…

Three historic railcars to headline Pullman Railroad Days

Wood-paneled bedroom with large bed

CHICAGO — For what has become an annual tradition, three privately-owned railcars will be front and center during Pullman Railroad Days this Saturday and Sunday, May 17-18, at Pullman National Historic Park. The historic equipment — two of Pullman heritage and one  from American Car & Foundry Co. — will be on display at the […]

Read More…