WASHINGTON, D.C. — In written testimony at last week’s congressional hearing on positive train control, Amtrak backed away from earlier statements indicating it would not operate on lines without PTC. The written testimony by Scot Naparstek, Amtrak’s chief operating officer, was offered at the Sept. 13 hearing of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure’s […]
ROCKY MOUNT, N.C. – As remnants of Hurricane Florence drench parts of central Appalachia Monday, railroads in the Carolinas are in the process of restoring rail service, evaluating flood damages, and cleaning up a derailment. In a weekend customer service advisory issued by CSX Transportation, the railroad confirmed rail service had been restored in the […]
SCRANTON, Pa. — While work continues on Boston & Maine 4-6-2 No. 3713, Steamtown National Historic Site is already considering what locomotive it will restore next and the shortlist includes a surprising candidate. Steamtown Superintendent Deborah Conway tells Trains News Wire that Canadian National 2-8-2 No. 3377 is a “likely candidate” for restoration once the […]
UP Monday announced plans to reorganize its system following precision scheduled railroading principles. This southbound auto rack train was at Nunn, Colo., in June 2018. Trains: Jim Wrinn OMAHA, Neb. – Union Pacific today announced its Unified Plan 2020, a new operating plan that implements Precision Scheduled Railroading principles. Unified Plan 2020 will launch Oct. […]
BOX WITHIN A BOX: The Alco-GE-Ingersoll Rand boxcab returns to the MTH lineup. The O gauge diesel model has a die-cast metal shell, a can-style motor, and coil couplers and comes in seven road names: Baltimore & Ohio, Chicago & North Western, Harlem Transfer Co., Ingersoll-Rand, Lehigh Valley, Long Island RR, and Union Carbide. MTH […]
DORVAL, Quebec – In its investigation report (R17Q0061) released today, the Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) determined that bottling of the air in the brake pipe during switching operations led to the July 2017 uncontrolled movement of rail cars in Mai, located 128 miles north of Sept-Îles, Quebec. On 25 July 2017, a southbound […]
An artist’s conception of the Avelia Liberty trainset. Amtrak/Alstom Merrill Technologies and Alstom personnel pose with the first completed Avelia Liberty power car shell. Pete Hudeck, Merrill Technologies NEW YORK — The Avelia Liberty, the next-generation high speed trainset for Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor service, reached a construction milestone this week, as the first body shell […]
A Mission Mountain Railroad locomotive shows off its new paint scheme honoring a local high school. Justin Franz COLUMBIA FALLS, Mont. — Watco’s Mission Mountain Railroad has painted two GP39-2 locomotives in the colors of two area high schools, a major departure from the regular Watco black and yellow livery. WAMX No. 3942 has been […]
Ohio’s Age of Steam Roundhouse has a new executive director for the Sugarcreek landmark. Trains: Jim Wrinn SUGARCREEK, Ohio — A Pennsylvania museum director has been named executive director of the Age of Steam Roundhouse and the Jerry and Laura Jacobson Foundation. Noel B. Poirier began his new duties on July 16. Poirier had been […]
The lone breakfast offering on the Lake Shore Limited on Sept. 13, 2018. Amtrak is seeking information for possible outsourcing of its food service. WASHINGTON — Claiming to look for “transformational service models and industry best practices for Managed Food and Beverage Service,” Amtrak issued a request for information on Aug. 31 that could lead […]
Canadian National’s coal traffic. Canadian National DANA POINT, Calif. — Canadian National coal traffic, already up sharply this year, will continue to grow this fall and winter as export coal production ramps up at mines in Western Canada. “Coal is a huge opportunity for us,” Paul Butcher, CN’s vice president of investor relations, told an […]
Skookum, a rare 2-4-4-2 in Oregon, is days away from being fired up for the first time in 63 years. Tim Thompson GARIBALDI, Ore. — The Trains Magazine / Oregon Coast Scenic photo charter with rare 2-4-4-2 steam locomotive Skookum, featured in our October 2018 issue, is sold out, organizers said Thursday, but a waiting […]
