CHICAGO – The first two of Metra’s 21 former Amtrak F59PHI locomotives have entered service this week. The units, which sport modified Pacific Surfliner paint, were spotted on the Metra-owned Milwaukee District North line leading train No. 2119 for Grayslake. Other recently acquired units will featured modified Amtrak Cascades paint, but those have not yet […]
Zone & Region: Midwest
South Bend OKs preliminary work on downtown South Shore station
SOUTH BEND, Ind. — South Bend’s redevelopment commission has approved a request to start preliminary engineering work for a downtown South Shore Line commuter station, ABC 57 News reports. The request identifies the city’s former Union Station as the preferred site for the station. It was one of five possibilities identified in a study completed […]
Suspect charged in case that led to two Chicago policemen being killed by train NEWSWIRE
CHICAGO — A suspect has been charged with two firearm crimes in the case that led to the deaths Monday of two Chicago police officers hit by a South Shore commuter train. Edward Brown was charged with aggravated unlawful use of a weapon and reckless discharge of a firearm, the Chicago Tribune reports. He told […]
Chicago police officers, pursuing suspect, killed when struck by train NEWSWIRE
Two Chicago police officers were killed when struck by a train at the 103rd/Rosemore station on the Metra Electric line. Google Maps CHICAGO — Two Chicago police officers pursuing a suspect on foot were killed when they were struck by a South Shore train on the Metra Electric line Monday night. The Chicago Tribune reports […]
CTA awards contract for $1.2 billion Red Line project NEWSWIRE
An inbound CTA Purple Line train passes through Chicago’s Lincoln Park area in October. The CTA has approved contracts for a major reconstruction of the Red and Purple lines north of this location. TRAINS: David Lassen CHICAGO — The Chicago Transit Authority board of directors on Wednesday approved more than a billion dollars in contracts […]
Students help design new water tower as part of STEM education initiative
MILWAUKEE — High school students are helping design a new water tower for the Milwaukee County (Wis.) Zoo’s 15-inch gauge railroad as part of a unique partnership between schools and a number of organizations to bolster STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education. The program is being spearheaded by Learn Deep, a local initiative that […]
Metra will add new system to track trains, inform riders NEWSWIRE
A Metra SouthWest Service train arrives at the Larraway Road station in New Lenox, Ill. Metra has signed a contract for a new train-tracking system which should help get more reliable information about train status to riders. TRAINS: David Lassen A screenshot from Metra’s website shows the location of two trains on the Milwaukee North […]
Congressman: Metra, BNSF ‘failed all too often’ on commuter service NEWSWIRE
Metra CEO Jim Derwinski, left, and BNSF Railway Vice President DJ Mitchell address a public hearing in Chicago Tuesday. Richard Wronski CHICAGO — A key member of the House Transportation Committee publicly criticized BNSF Railway and Chicago’s Metra commuter rail line Tuesday for having “failed all too often” to provide reliable and acceptable service within the […]
Northstar to offer holiday service to St. Paul Union Depot NEWSWIRE
Northstar at St. Paul Union Depot in 2017. Steve Glischinski ST. PAUL, Minn. – For only the second time since it began service in 2009, a Northstar commuter train will provide revenue service to St. Paul Union Depot. The commuter trains normally operate over 40 miles of BNSF Railway track between Big Lake and Minneapolis. […]
Trains Presents: Little Heisler on the prairie
Heislers are rare geared steam locomotives. One in steam is even more rare. Join us in Freeport, Ill., to see Silver Creek & Stephenson No. 2 in action. […]
Trains Presents: Little Heisler on the prairie
Heislers are rare geared steam locomotives. One in steam is even more rare. Join us in Freeport, Ill., to see Silver Creek & Stephenson No. 2 in action. […]
Road to Oblivion
Financial hardships, highway competition, and inadequate maintenance and investment led to the abandonment of a wide array of railroads. Take a look at our free 45-page PDF download to uncover the history behind the following railroads: The formation of the Wisconsin & Calumet Railroad and the different rail lines it operated, restored, and acquired. How the Vicksburg Route changed […]
