The 122-year-old Fore River RR thrives in Massachusetts

A black diesel locomotive surrounded by industrial buildings

The Fore River Railroad, a 2.5-mile short line in Quincy, Massachusetts, has defied the odds by surviving and thriving for 122 years. Originally established in 1903 to serve a new shipyard, the railroad was formally incorporated in 1919. Despite the shipyard’s closure in 1986, the Fore River Railroad continues to operate, thanks to a combination […]

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Owner of masonry firm charged in Amtrak bribery case

Aerial view of large railroad station next to river

PHILADELPHIA — The owner of an Illinois masonry company has been charged in regards to a bribery case related to restoration of Amtrak’s 30th Street Station in Philadelphia, becoming the fourth person charged in the case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania announced on Friday, March 28, that Mark Snedden, 69, […]

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News photo: A Rocky Mountaineer preview

View from above of blue, copper, and white passenger train emerging from one of two side-by-side tunnels.

KYUNE, Utah — The test train for next year’s expansion of Rocky Mountaineer service to Salt Lake City is well into its six-day round trip from Denver. Rocky Mountaineer’s parent company, now known as Armstrong Collective, announced earlier this month that in 2026, it would add three-day trips between Denver and Salt Lake City to […]

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Stadler plant expansion in Salt Lake City gets state support

Inside of plant building passenger rolling stock

SALT LAKE CITY — Rail equipment manufacturer Stadler will receive a tax break from a Utah agency as part of the expansion of its Salt Lake City plant, the Swiss-based company’s only U.S. facility. The Utah Inland Port Authority said last week that it has awarded a 10% break on property taxes, once the expansion […]

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Amtrak continues effort to cover for loss of Horizon cars

Passenger train with five deadlead cars behind locomotives

CHICAGO – Amtrak continues to reshuffle its equipment to address the loss of its Horizon car fleet, sidelined suddenly earlier this week because of corrosion issues. That effort has decreased the number of train cancellations. The hardest-hit area remains the Pacific Northwest, where six of seven Amtrak Cascades round trips have been replaced by buses […]

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SMART-TD, Keolis reach tentative contract agreement

Commuter train at station platform

BOSTON — The International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers-Transportation Division has reached a tentative five-year agreement with Keolis Commuter Services, the union announced on Friday, March 28. Keolis is the contract operator of Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority commuter rail services. The agreement, retroactive to July 1, 2023, will include 5% raises […]

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Amtrak considering staff cuts, other cost-saving moves

Amtrak logo.

WASHINGTON — In the wake of the departure of its CEO and discussions of the company’s potential privatization, Amtrak is considering cuts to management and other cost-cutting moves, the company has confirmed. “Given the current environment, the Executive Leadership Team and the Board have determined that we must act now,” Amtrak said in a statement […]

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RailSmith Models N Budd dome coach

Color photo of N scale lightweight passenger car in blue, white, and gray paint.

​​A newly tooled Budd dome coach is now available in N scale from RailSmith Models. The injection-molded plastic lightweight car features tinted dome window glazing, metal wheel stubs mounted on plastic axles, and truck-mounted Accumate knuckle couplers. Prototype history The RailSmith car is based on a dome coach built by the Budd Co. in 1955 […]

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Local residents oppose plans for 26.9-mile rock-hauling railroad in Texas

WASHINGTON — An aggregates company’s proposal to build a 26.9-mile rail line to haul rock from four Texas quarries has run into local opposition. Texas Materials Group has asked the Surface Transportation Board to approve its plans to build and operate a new rail line in Burnet and Lampasas counties. The shortline would connect to […]

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Wire theft to delay resumption of Santa Clara VTA light rail service

A Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority training train. The resumption of VTA light rail service will be delayed because of copper-wire theft while the system was shut down. VTA

SAN JOSE, Calif. — Resumption of Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority light rail service will be delayed until Monday, March 31, because of theft of copper wire along the light rail system, KGO-TV reports. VTA light rail and bus service have been halted since March 10 because of a strike by 1,500 workers. Bus operations […]

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CPKC container dwell still an issue at Canada’s largest port

Aerial view of island container terminal

VANCOUVER, British Columbia — Container dwell times at the Port of Vancouver, Canada’s busiest intermodal hub, continue to be a significant issue since the start of the year. Canadian Pacific Kansas City has been particularly affected, with over 89,000 feet of containers sitting at Deltaport for more than seven days, according to port data. This […]

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Montana bill would provide funding for Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority

Logo of Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority

HELENA, Mont. — Montana’s legislature is considering a bill that would use a tax on railroad cars to help provide funding for the organization seeking to revive passenger service on the former route of the North Coast Hiawatha. House Bill 848, introduced by state Rep. Denise Baum (D-Billings) earlier this month, initially sought to direct […]

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