Railroad bargaining group announces deal with dispatchers’ union

ARLINGTON, Va. — The National Carriers Conference Committee, the negotiating arm of the organization representing Class I railroads in labor matters, has reached a tentative agreement for a new contract with the American Train Dispatchers Association. It is the fifth such agreement reached by the national group since the latest round of national bargaining, building […]

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2025 UK Celebration of Steam Bicentennial

steam train with plume of smoke and mountains behind it

Special Interest Tours and Trains Magazine bring you a one-time rail excursion tour. Get ready to travel around Great Britain celebrating the bicentennial of steam train travel and experiencing the best steam trains of the region from Sep. 23 to Oct. 2, 2025 with Trains Associate Editor Bob Lettenberger on this 10-days/9 nights adventure. Time […]

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News photo: Factory fresh from Wabtec

Black locomotives in rail yard with dusting of snow

BELLEVUE, Ohio  — Three units in the latest order for AC44C6M locomotive rebuilds make a short layover in Bellevue, Ohio, today (Friday, Dec. 6). The diesels are en route from Wabtec’s Fort Worth, Texas, factory to the company’s main facility in Erie, Pa., for final testing. Norfolk Southern ordered 330 of the locomotives, rebuilt from […]

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They call him ‘Bear’

black & white photo of two GP10 diesel locomotives. They call him Bear.

Illinois Central and the Bear In my years hanging around the North Cairo, Ill., depot — first Illinois Central, then Illinois Central Gulf — I had many cab-ride opportunities. My first was at age 3 on the GM&O, however. The station access was partially due to the family farm sitting 3 miles outside Cairo, but […]

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Indiana Rail Road’s Santa Train begins three-day journey

Logo of Indiana Railroad Santa Train

INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana Rail Road Santa Train begins its annual journey across the railroad today (Friday, Dec. 6), with stops scheduled in 12 communities over a three-day period. The Santa Train, launched in 1989, is an all-volunteer event providing cold-weather gear to families in need. At all stops but today’s initial location, in Bargersville, […]

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CSX rock train derails in South Carolina

Derailed hopper cars at night

GARNETT, S.C. — Cleanup continues after 14 cars of a CSX Transportation train derailed Wednesday night, Dec. 4, in Garnett, the newspaper Bluffton Today reports. The railroad said in a statement that loaded rock hopper cars were involved, and that no injuries reported and there was no threat to the environment or surrounding community. U.S. […]

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Stadler lands contract for new MARTA signal system

Illustration of subway train with wireless signal equipment

ATLANTA — The Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit System has awarded Stadler Rail a $500 million contract to replace its current signal system with a communications-based train control system. MARTA’s board voted Thursday (Dec. 5) to award the contract to Stadler, which is also building new railcars for the transit agency under a $646 million contract […]

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Caltrain to relocate headquarters to Millbrae

Exterior of modern offie building

MILLBRAE, Calif. — Commuter rail operator Caltrain will relocate its headquarters to Millbrae, near a station served by both Caltrain and Bay Area Rapid Transit, the agency announced Thursday, Dec. 5. Caltrain currently shares headquarters space in San Carlos, Calif., with SamTrans, the San Mateo County Transit District, which  announced in March that it would […]

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CEO of Ontario’s Metrolinx resigns

Metrolinx logo

TORONTO — Phil Verster, CEO of Ontario provincial transportation agency Metrolinx since 2017, has resigned, the provincial government announced this week. The CBC reports that a memo to employees said Verster is departing for a rail industry job outside of Canada. He will depart as soon as Dec. 16. Michael Lindsay, currently head of Infrastructure […]

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OmniTRAX parent acquires Atlanta industrial development site

Logo of short line company OmniTrax

ATLANTA — The Broe Group, the parent of short line holding company OmniTRAX, has acquired a former Kellogg’s plant in Atlanta and plans to redevelop the 14-acre property that’s served by the Fulton County Railway. “This build-to-suit project bundles proximity, power, and population centers,” Broe Real Estate Group Senior Vice President Kevin Caille said in […]

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