Sound Transit launches Bellevue-Redmond light rail service

People taking pictures of light rail trains

BELLEVUE, Wash. — Large crowds turned out Saturday for the opening of the first portion of Sound Transit’s East Link light rail service, an isolated 6.6-mile, eight-station line between Bellevue and Redmond, Wash. The Seattle Times reports hundreds of people were on hand well ahead of the ribbon-cutting that marked the start of service at […]

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MBTA adjusts plans for Red Line maintenance work

Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority logo

BOSTON — The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority’s extended schedule for its current Blue Line track work is having a ripple effect on upcoming plans for the Red Line. The planned shutdown of the Red Line between Park Street and the JFK/UMass stations will now be held May 2-10, beginning one day later than originally planned. […]

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Fire crews aim to extinguish fire at BNSF derailment Saturday night

Burning railroad cars at derailment site

LUPTON, Ariz. — Crews from New Mexico’s McKinley County Fire & Rescue plan to extinguish the burning cars of a BNSF train tonight (Saturday, April 27), the Albuquerque Journal reports. The train derailed and caught fire Friday afternoon, closing Interstate 40 near the Arizona-New Mexico border and leading to evacuation of Navajo Nation residents within […]

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Tickets on sale for return of Amtrak’s Berkshire Flyer

Amtrak logo.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Ticket sales have begun for the Berkshire Flyer, the seasonal Amtrak service between New York and Pittsfield, Mass. The weekend operation sees trains depart New York on Friday nights and return Sunday afternoon from Pittsfield, beginning June 21 and concluding with Labor Day weekend on Monday, Sept. 2. The train leaves New […]

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Missouri congressman seeks to block two-person crew rule

Trains Washington Watch logo

WASHINGTON — A Missouri congressman has introduced a resolution seeking to nullify the Federal Railroad Administration’s two-person crew requirement announced earlier this month. U.S. Rep. Eric Burlison (R-Springfield, Mo.) introduced the Congressional Review Act resolution in the wake of the FRA requirement [see “FRA issues rule requiring two-person train crews,” Trains News Wire, April 2, […]

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News photos: BNSF train derailed by tornado in Nebraska

Aerial view of derailed freight cars

WAVERLY, Neb. — A BNSF train was derailed this afternoon when it was struck by a tornado between Waverly and Lincoln, Neb.. The tornado was one of a series in an outbreak across the Midwest today (Friday, April 26). KSBN-TV reports the incident occurred about 3:25 p.m., according to a BNSF representative. There were no […]

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BNSF derailment, fire close Interstate 40 (updated)

Aerial image of burning railcars

GALLUP, N.M. — A BNSF Railway train derailed and caught fire near the Arizona-New Mexico state line at midday Friday, forcing the closure of Interstate 40, KOB-TV reports. The derailment on BNSF’s Gallup Subdivision about 12:42 p.m. Mountain Time, according to an initial BNSF report to customers. BNSF places the incident near Lupton, Ariz., approximately […]

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CP 2816 begins Final Spike tour

Steam locomotive surrounded by people

CALGARY, Alberta — After its first public display on Wednesday, Canadian Pacific No. 2816 begins the CPKC “Final Spike Steam Tour” today, traveling from Calgary to Medicine Hat, Alta., on the first leg of a two-day trip to Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, where its next display event is scheduled. The first U.S. display date is April […]

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MBTA extends contract of commuter operator Keolis by one year

Commuter train at station platform

BOSTON — The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority has extended the contract of Keolis Commuter Services, which operates the agency’s commuter trains, by one year to mid-2027, the CommonWealth Beacon reports. The agency said the extension allows time to develop a new contract arrangement for its future operator that would help provide private-sector funding to help […]

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MBTA extends current Blue Line maintenance closure

Portion of MBTA rail transit map

BOSTON — The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority will extend the current maintenance closure of the Blue Line by two days, to April 30, to complete work needed to eliminate 16 speed restrictions, the agency announced Thursday at a board of directors meeting. The current Blue Line project began April 17, first involving a closure between […]

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