Pride of the fleet

Passenger trains meet on curve under signal bridge

Pride of the fleet The Super Chief, which originated the Warbonnet paint scheme, quickly became Santa Fe’s signature passenger offering after its introduction in 1936. Here, it meets the Pekin Express at Chicago’s 15th Street Tower in an undated photo. Photo by Wallace W. Abbey […]

Read More…

Digest: Union files grievance over Honolulu rail agency layoffs

Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation logo

Hawaii union files grievance over layoffs by rail transit agency Hawaii’s largest labor union has filed a grievance over layoffs by the agency building Honolulu’s problem-plagued light rail system. The Associated Press reports the Hawaii Government Employees Association says the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation has laid off dozens of workers without providing 90 days’ […]

Read More…

Shippers group to challenge easier path for CP-KCS merger (second update)

Logos for Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern

WASHINGTON — A major shipper group plans to challenge the waiver that would permit Canadian Pacific’s proposed acquisition of Kansas City Southern to be reviewed under the Surface Transportation Board’s old, less restrictive merger rules. The National Industrial Transportation League said today that the CP-KCS deal would ultimately harm rail competition. “Based on the significant loss […]

Read More…

Some states begin restoring Amtrak corridor frequencies; others continue planning (updated)

Passenger train passing through trees

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Anticipating rail travel demand comes with dual challenges: incur costs running trains with initial low patronage, or risk not providing enough options to build revenue and transportation relevance. Amtrak will begin restoring daily departures for its long-distance trains in late May, after receiving directives and $1.7 billion from Congress [see “As Amtrak […]

Read More…

Digest: No. 1309 fully operational, Western Maryland Scenic says

Steam train

Western Maryland Scenic says No. 1309 is being prepared for FRA inspection Western Maryland Scenic Railroad officials say C&O 2-6-6-2 No. 1309 is “100% operational” and believe the locomotive will be operating this summer, although it awaits a few parts and must address “a few leaks” before receiving its Federal Railroad Administration inspection. The Cumberland […]

Read More…