Railroading Heritage of Midwest America to host Tractors & Trains

Two steam locomotives in shop building. CB&Q turntable to be installed at Silvis shop.

SILVIS, Ill. — Initially announced on Sept. 1, the Railroading Heritage of Midwest America’s (RRHMA) upcoming Tractors & Trains event, scheduled Oct. 18-19, now has a new layer of excitement brewing. A Sept. 13 announcement headlines plans for the non-profit organization to unveil its latest acquisition that’s touted as a rare piece of railroading history. […]

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New Norfolk Southern CEO Mark George prioritizes operational excellence

A black locomotive under a silver signal bridge

LAGUNA BEACH, Calif. – Norfolk Southern, which has struggled to maintain consistent and reliable service in recent years, will no longer tolerate mediocre operational performance, new CEO Mark George says. “The tolerance for poor performance inside of rails has always bothered me,” George said this morning in his first public remarks since replacing Alan Shaw […]

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Nickel Plate Road No. 765 rolls out for Rolling Victory (updated)

Steam locomotive with World War II reenactors and vehicles

PLEASANT LAKE, Ind. — Labor Day concluded the summer schedule for Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society’s Indiana Rail Experience. The sendoff during the three-day weekend was the Rolling Victory event in Pleasant Lake, billed as a World War II experience with reenactors, displayed equipment, battle reenactments, big band dance, train rides, and Nickel Plate Road […]

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Heartland of America: The Big Boy cometh

people in cab of Big Boy

VILLA GROVE, Ill. — Villa Grove Mayor Cassandra Eversole-Gunter sat behind engineer Ed Dickens, manager of Union Pacific’s Heritage Program on Monday as the Big Boy “Heartland of America” tour made a scheduled service stop at Watseka, Ill. The mayor, in her second term, rode No. 4014 from Watseka back to Villa Grove arriving at […]

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Nominees to Amtrak board support national network at hearing

man in suit

WASHINGTON — As is usually the case with hearings held by U.S. Senate and House committees responsible for Amtrak, the most revealing part of the event usually comes in the witness question-and-answer session well after opening statements. Yesterday’s Senate Commerce Committee cross examination of four prospective Amtrak Board of Directors nominees was no exception. [Near […]

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Norfolk Southern dismisses CEO Alan Shaw, promotes Chief Financial Officer Mark George to president and chief executive

Head shot of man in suit

ATLANTA – Norfolk Southern today terminated the contracts of embattled CEO Alan Shaw and the railroad’s chief legal officer, Nabanita Nag, for having a consensual relationship in violation of company policy. The NS board unanimously named Chief Financial Officer Mark George as president and chief executive officer, effective immediately, the railroad announced Wednesday evening. George […]

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Swiss Saga, 2024, Part 1: In Chur, for sure

Green electric locomotive emerging from tunnel.

CHUR, Switzerland — I’m baack … For the second year in a row and third time since joining Trains Magazine, your senior editor is wandering Switzerland by train, developing some stories for the magazine. While this is my first blog post from this trip, it’s actually day three of my 2024 visit. I’ve been on […]

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Study on impact of long freight trains is due out next week

Yellow locomotives in with double-stack cars ahead and behind

WASHINGTON – The long-awaited National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine report on the impact of long freight trains will be released next week. “Over the last two decades, railroad companies have been operating increasingly longer trains to reduce the number of crews, locomotives, and overall number of trains needed,” the academies said today. “In […]

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