CPKC Holiday Train, Holiday Express raise $2 million

Train decorated with Christmas lights

CALGARY — The CPKC Holiday train raised a record C$1.8 milion and collected more than 160,000 pounds of food for local food banks during four weeks of travel across the United States and Canada, the railroad has announced. The Holiday Train program, which has completed its 25th year, raised more than $24.3 million and collected […]

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Amtrak chooses contractor for Susquehanna River bridge project

Amtrak Acela Express trains in Maryland

HAVRE DE GRACE, Md. — Amtrak has selected the contractor for construction of a replacement for the Susquehanna River Rail Bridge in Maryland, and awarded two supporting contracts for the projects, the company announced Friday. The Flatiron/Herzog Joint Venture will be the Construction Manager at Risk contractor for the two new bridges and related track […]

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Baltimore light rail service to resume Saturday

Yellow and white light rail trainsets in yard

BALTIMORE — Service on the Baltimore Light RailLink line will resume Saturday, just over two weeks after it was suspended to allow for emergency rolling-stock repairs, the Maryland Transit Administration announced today (Friday, Dec. 22). Mechanics have finished work on 18 cars, WBAL-TV reports, with at least 14 available for service on Saturday. The 30-mile, […]

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Behind the age of streamliners

In January 1943, Burlington’s Denver Zephyr and a Pennsy K4 stand on the south tracks (left), while a Milwaukee Hiawatha is ready to go on the north side. Library of Congress collection

Breakdown of Streamliners What are streamliners? Essentially, it’s a sleek design for lightweight passenger rail equipment that once had a faster schedule with fewer stops than other trains on the same route. They often included nicer amenities like stewardess service, reserved coach seating, barber shops, and libraries. Before 1970, three major manufacturers built passenger cars […]

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Customs officials reopen Eagle Pass and El Paso rail gateways

Train on bridge approaching small building covering tracks

WASHINGTON — The Eagle Pass and El Paso, Texas, railroad border crossings will reopen at 1 p.m. Central today, ending a shutdown that had stranded freight on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border since 8 a.m. on Monday. Railroads cheered the announcement that U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials made today. “The Biden Administration made […]

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Trains Magazine, Kalmbach set for holiday closures

Trains Magazine logo

WAUKESHA, Wis. — Trains Magazine, other Kalmbach Media publications, and the Kalmbach offices will have extended closures for the Christmas and New Year’s holidays over the next two weeks, with the offices beginning the first of those closures at the end of regular business hours today (Friday, Dec. 22). Offices will be closed Monday, Dec. […]

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MBTA work eliminates 22 Green Line speed restrictions

Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority logo

BOSTON — The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority removed 22 speed restrictions, reducing travel times by about 9 minutes, during track work on the Green Line’s D branch that was completed in Wednesday, Dec. 20, the agency announced Thursday. The MBTA also completed work during evening shutdowns on the Green Line extension between North Station and […]

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Top 10 stories of 2023: The runners-up

Man holding papers gestures while seated next to American flag

As always, some notable events did not quite crack our list of the Top 10 stories of the year. And as it happens, the four stories that finished just outside the Top 10 are closely related: Chairman Martin J. Oberman’s forthcoming departure from the Surface Transportation Board; UP’s service issues and change of CEOs; the […]

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