CHICAGO — Canadian National has announced it intends to beef up what is currently a meandering, unsignaled 40-mph ex-Gulf, Mobile & Ohio branch to connect with Kansas City Southern’s main line to the Gulf Coast. And if Canadian Pacific gets KCS, it expects to direct Mexican supply chain business to and from Western Canada through […]
Niagara Junction Although it was built by the Niagara Falls Power Co. in the 1890’s, 11-mile switching road Niagara Junction used steam locomotives at first. Electrification, with 660-volt D.C. catenary and steeplecabs, came in 1913. New General Electric motors arrived in 1952 (that’s one at right, in October ’67), by which time the road was […]
Tom Nelligan, who extensively rode, photographed, and wrote about Northeastern and Canadian railroads in the 1960s, ’70s, and ’80s, died April 9, 2021, at the age of 70. The author of seven books about railroading, he was also a frequent contributor to both Trains and Passenger Train Journal. A native of Connecticut, Nelligan covered the […]
NJ Transit awaits funding for plans to test battery-electric commuter equipment NJ Transit wants to test battery-electric rail equipment on its North Jersey Coast Line — if it can find the funding, NJ.com reports. The program would be similar to that announced last month by the Long Island Rail Road [see “Long Island Rail Road […]
Virginia Railway Express to restore full schedule on June 1 Virginia Railway Express will restore service to pre-pandemic levels as of Tuesday, June 1, the commuter rail operator has announced. The agreement allowing VRE passengers to use some Amtrak trains remains suspended. Schedule information is available here. VRE reduced service to its “S” schedule, with […]
Union Pacific bridge sustains moderate damage, but remains in service after fire A Union Pacific Railroad bridge in Springfield, Ore., suffered moderate damage in a fire early Monday morning, although the railroad is able to continue operations over the bridge at reduced speed. The Eugene Register-Guard reports firefighters from the Eugene Springfield Fire Department responded […]
British intercity rail disruptions could last for weeks after high speed trains are sidelined Disruptions to British intercity rail service are continuing for a third day and could last for week after Hitachi high speed trainsets were removed from service over cracks were found in the suspension of some trains. The Guardian reports Great Western […]
WASHINGTON — When President Joseph Biden touted the possibility of 1½ -hour trips between Washington, D.C., and New York in his April 30th address in Philadelphia for Amtrak’s 50th anniversary, he said elimination of three curves could potentially make that possible. That prompted Trains News Wire to follow up with Amtrak on the current engineering […]
Reading & Northern plans to upgrade new line for 40-mph operation, will look to begin passenger excursions Reading & Northern owner Andy Muller plans to spend $4 million to $5 million to upgrade the 19.5-mile line he is purchasing from Carbon County, Pa., with the goal of raising track speed from the current 25-mph limit […]
Hippo Pennsylvania 2-10-0 4414 races north along Route 14 north of Williamsport, Pa., at 40 mph. The locomotives’ lumbering appearance gave rise to the nickname “Hippo.” Jim Shaughnessy photo […]
Santa Cruz commission declines to revisit vote on rail proposal The Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission has elected to delay further action on the California coastal county’s proposed 32-mile rail-and-trail project, a reflection of the strong divisions that have developed over the possibility of building a rail transit system on the former Southern Pacific […]
ROANOKE, Va. — Norfolk & Western Class J 4-8-4 No. 611 will again return to Pennsylvania’s Strasburg Rail Road for excursions and other special events, the Virginia Museum of Transportation and Strasburg have announced. The Strasburg visit will begin later this month and continue through October 2021. Events will include opportunities to ride behind the […]
