A Clinchfield Railroad 4-6-6-4 gets under way with a long string of northbound coal hoppers at Ridge, N.C., in 1952. Floyd A. Bruner photo […]
Clinchfield Challenger
Subscription: Subscription - TAA
Category driven permissions for TAA subscribers.
Burlington’s first dome car
The Burlington Route created the first dome cars by modifying two coaches originally built by Budd in 1940. Silver Dome, pictured on display at Wichita Falls, Texas, was first, in 1945, followed by Silver Castle the next year. Wichita Times-Record News photo […]
Former Izaak Walton Inn listed for sale (updated)
ESSEX, Mont. — The former Izaak Walton Inn is up for sale. A listing on a real estate website — restored as of Tuesday morning, March 17, after being removed for part of Monday — says the recently closed LOGE Glacier hotel is being offered for $18 million. It describes the facility on 89.87 acres […]
Ontario Northland acquires 125 miles of CN’s Newmarket Subdivision
NORTH BAY, Ontario — The province of Ontario has purchased 125 miles of track from Canadian National for the Ontario Northland Railway as part of its preparations for the return of Northlander passenger train service, ensuring operational priority for the passenger service. The government announced on Thursday, March 13, that it is purchasing the 205-kilometer […]
Trona tonnage tumbles, slowing rail operations
TRONA, Calif. — The remote, unincorporated town of Trona is used to earthquakes. But not the type that hit on Feb. 3. Searles Valley Minerals President and CEO Dennis Cruise announced in a company-wide letter that the soda ash mining company would reduce its workforce by about half. Included will be many of its railroad […]
No injuries reported as CSX trains collide in Hamlet, N.C.
HAMLET, N.C. — Two CSX trains collided on Saturday, March 14, in Hamlet, leading to the derailment of 18 cars and one locomotive. No injuries were reported. The incident occurred at 10:29 a.m. on Saturday near Louis Breeden Boulevard in Hamlet, the railroad said in a statement. The derailed locomotive lost a small quantity of […]
Mudslide halts ‘Cascades;’ ‘Empire Builder’ returns after three-day pause from avalanche threat (updated)
CENTRALIA, Wash. — A mudslide south of Centralia on Friday, March 13, has triggered a BNSF-imposed ban for occupied passenger trains through the area, resulting in cancellation of all Amtrak Cascades Seattle-Portland service. Trains won’t resume until Monday, March 16, though already-ticketed Cascades and Coast Starlight passengers are being offered substitute bus transportation during the […]
Regulators approve Union Pacific plan for new Arizona branch line
WASHINGTON — The Surface Transportation Board on Friday, March 13, approved Union Pacific’s plans to build 6 miles of new rail line in Maricopa County, Ariz., a project that had been delayed because of concerns over damage to archaeological sites along the right-of-way. The Pecos Industrial Rail Access and Train Extension project, or PIRATE, will […]
STB denies UP and NS requests to probe CPKC service on the Meridian Speedway
WASHINGTON — Federal regulators on Friday denied requests from Norfolk Southern and Union Pacific to open an investigation into Canadian Pacific Kansas City’s handling of UP-NS interline intermodal trains on the Meridian Speedway. The Surface Transportation Board said there was no need to intervene because any service problems have been resolved. The board also said […]
Portal North Bridge pressed into service ahead of schedule
KEARNY, N.J. — The Northeast Corridor’s new Portal North Bridge was pressed into revenue service ahead of schedule today (Friday, March 13), as trains were rerouted onto the new structure because of problems with catenary poles on the 116-year-old Portal Bridge. An Amtrak spokesman told NJ.com that trains were rerouted onto the new bridge beginning […]
MBTA commuter service disrupted by low-speed derailment
HAPPENING NOW: The Friday evening commute is being impacted by a train derailment near Boston’s South Station. https://t.co/68X58RzPOE — NBC10 Boston (@NBC10Boston) March 13, 2026 BOSTON — No injuries were reported after the low-speed derailment of a Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority commuter train today (March 13) near South Station. Commuter operations have been significantly disrupted. […]
STB turns down Metra request to set terms for operation on UP lines
WASHINGTON — The Surface Transportation Board has turned down Metra’s request for the board to set conditions and compensation for Metra use of three Union Pacific routes in the Chicago area, calling the move premature. However, the decision released today (Friday, March 13) also set a 60-day deadline to reach an agreement. If the two […]
