What was your first byline in Trains? Thomas Danneman: My first byline was in the March 2006 issue. I had photos published before then, including a few covers, but “New Muscle for Montana,” which was about Montana Rail Link’s new SD70ACe locomotives, included my first published words. What’s your favorite locomotive and why? Thomas Danneman: […]
WASHINGTON — Federal Railroad Administrator Amit Bose, in a Wednesday letter to Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw, has cautioned against “backsliding, as a result of a change in leadership or otherwise, on the safety-oriented path” the railroad has established since the February 2023 East Palestine derailment. Bose’s letter comes in response to an effort by […]
OMAHA, Neb. — Union Pacific plans to spend $3.4 billion on capital projects in 2024, the railroad announced Wednesday, with more than half of that going to basic infrastructure upgrades and replacement, such as rail, ties, and ballast. The $1.9 billion for infrastructure represents approximately 56% of the capital plan. Another $600 million is budgeted […]
WASHINGTON — U.S. rail traffic was up from 2023 levels for the fourth straight week, according to statistics from the Association of American Railroads, with overall traffic showing a 3.7% gain for the week ending Feb. 17. Total traffic for the week was 474,226 carloads and intermodal units. That included 220,539 carloads, down 0.6% from […]
FORT WORTH, Texas — BNSF Railway has made a founding donation of $2 million to the National Juneteenth Museum, the planned Fort Worth facility has announced. “BNSF is proud to partner with the National Juneteenth Museum to help honor American history and foster opportunities for economic and cultural growth, right near our headquarters here in […]
BALTIMORE — The Maryland Transit Administration will receive more than $213 million in federal funding to help replace its entire light rail fleet, Democratic members of the state’s congressional delegation announced Tuesday. The $213,696,341 from the Federal Transit Administration’s Rail Vehicle Replacement program will go toward MTA plans to replace the 52-vehicle light rail fleet. […]
TOPEKA, Kan. — Seventeen short line rail expansion and rehabilitation projects in Kansas will receive almost $16.5 million in grants through the state Department of Transportation’s Rail Service Improvement Program, Gov. Laura Kelly announced Tuesday. Railroads and shippers are among the recipients. They will provide a 30% match to the state funding, resulting in total […]
WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Brenton A. MacDonald has been named vice president and chief operating officer at Sierra Northern Railway, the company announced Tuesday. MacDonald, who joined the company in 2013, most recently had served as general manager. He has also been manager of safety and training and well as a conductor and engineer. He […]
CALGARY — The union representing engineers, conductors and yard workers has “chosen to grossly misrepresent the facts” and “distorted the truth,” Canadian Pacific Kansas City said late Monday in a response to statements by the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference regarding contract negotiations, saying the railroad has “offered two options for renewed contracts that provide benefits […]
DETROIT — The landmark Michigan Central Station, purchased by Ford Motor Co. in 2018 after decades of decay for revival as an innovation center, will have its public reopening on June 6, the Detroit Free Press reports. First teased with the projection of the June 6 date on the side of the building, the opening […]
SD70-series locomotives EMD’s SD70-series is the longest-running locomotive series in railroading, spanning over three decades. There have been nine domestic new-build models. There are also many more export and remanufactured models that use the “70-series” designation. First introduced in 1992 as the successor to EMD’s “60-series” locomotives, the “70-series” locomotives were the builder’s first to […]
HEDGESVILLE, Mont. — Twenty-six cars of a BNSF train derailed early Monday near Hedgesville, in Golden Valley County in central Montana. The incident occurred about 3:30 a.m., according to the Golden Valley County Sheriff’s Office. No injuries were reported, and all the cars that derailed were empty. KTVQ-TV reports BNSF was hoping to have the […]
