Amtrak service to Canadian cities remains on hold

People waiting in line inside passenger station

WASHINGTON, D.C. — While Greyhound announced last week that it will resume cross-border intercity bus service between U.S. and Canadian destinations Nov. 8, no firm date has been finalized for restoring Amtrak trains serving Vancouver, B.C., Toronto, and Montreal. U.S. citizens have been able to visit Canada since Aug. 9, but Canadians won’t be able […]

Read More…

White River Junction

Steam and diesel locomotives with trains in curved yard

White River Junction A steam-powered, heavyweight passenger train passes freight JS4 departing the Boston & Maine’s White River Junction, Vt., yard with an A-B set of F units in 1947. Philip R. Hastings photo […]

Read More…

Ambassador

Diesel powered passenger train on river bridge

Ambassador The northbound day train to Montreal, known as the Ambassador, crosses the Connecticut River near Windsor, Vt. It exemplifies the mixed consist the train carried of Boston & Maine, Central Vermont, and New Haven equipment. […]

Read More…

DC Metrorail issues spur FTA inspection advisory (updated)

DC Metrorail train

WASHINGTON — The Federal Transit Administration has issued a safety advisory recommending that rail transit operators inspect wheelsets for “out of tolerance wheel gauges” and to submit records of any railcars that have experienced loosened or shifted wheels. The Washington Post reports the move comes as a result of the derailment and subsequent discovery of […]

Read More…

SEPTA, union reach deal, avoid strike

Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority logo

PHILADELPHIA — The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority reached agreement with its largest union on Friday, averting a strike that could have begun today. Philly Voice reports Transport Workers Union Local 234, which represents 5,000 workers, agreed to a deal including a 3% raise; pandemic bonus of up to $2,200, based on hours worked between March […]

Read More…

DC Metrorail service reductions to continue through at least Nov. 15

WMATA (DC Metro) logo

WASHINGTON — DC Metrorail service will remain at reduced levels through at least Nov. 15, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority announced at a Thursday board meeting, although the agency will work to increase the number of available cars. WMATA had previously said the reduced service would continue through at least Oct. 31. Under the […]

Read More…

Camelback ‘Comet’

Steam locomotive waits by water tower

Camelback Comet Jersey Central Camelback 592 (now preserved in Baltimore) pinch-hits for a regularly assigned 4-6-2 on the Blue Comet at Hammonton, N.J., in the 1930s. With drivers up to 86 inches, Atlantics ruled on fast trains in the 1890s and 1900s before Pacifics superseded them. Granville Thomas photo […]

Read More…

Baldwin ‘Babyface’ locomotives: Diesels that didn’t

Orange and blue streamlined diesel locomotive with freight train under bridge

Baldwin diesel locomotives history Established in the 1830s, Philadelphia’s Baldwin Locomotive Works was one of America’s oldest and largest locomotive builders. Baldwin steam engines were known for their high quality and good looks. But many of its internal combustion efforts could be classified as “diesels that didn’t.” Along with fellow steam builders Alco and Lima, […]

Read More…

Remembering Reading Company locomotives

Black-and-white three-quarter angle photo of 4-8-4 steam locomotive in action

All through October, Classic Trains editors are celebrating the gritty, coal-hauling, Pennsylvania-based Reading Company railroad. Please enjoy this photo gallery of Reading freight trains selected from the image archives of Kalmbach Media‘s David P. Morgan Library. Reading Company, as a railroad, disappeared into Conrail more than 40 years ago. But it is still possible to […]

Read More…