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Steam Across America
Donation will help Steamtown restore SW1 to operation
SCRANTON, Pa. — The Steamtown National Historic Site has received what it terms as “a generous donation” from the estate of rail enthusiast Eric J. Yankovich to help fund the restoration of SW1 locomotive No. 1901, an Atlantic Coast Line diesel switcher build by Electro-Motive Corp. in 1939. Steamtown is one of six railroad museums […]
Santa Fe No. 3415 at halfway point of its final operating season
ABILENE, Kan. — Steam locomotive No. 3415 is halfway through its 2023 operating season on the Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad, the final year before the locomotive is slated to be taken out of service for its federally mandated 1,472-day inspection. Though the start of the season saw multiple sidelines to the 4-6-2 due to […]
Regulators deny BNSF’s request for a partial stay of coal-hauling decision
WASHINGTON – The Surface Transportation Board, in a 3-2 decision today, rejected BNSF Railway’s request for a partial stay of the board’s order requiring the railroad to haul Navajo Transitional Energy Co. coal from Montana to export at tidewater in British Columbia. In a 3-2 decision in June, the STB ordered BNSF to handle 23 […]
New Union Pacific CEO Jim Vena sketches out his vision for the railroad
OMAHA, Neb. — New Union Pacific CEO Jim Vena shared his vision for the railroad in a letter to employees today, his first day back at the railroad. “My vision and focus are clear: Safety, Service and Operational Excellence will equal Growth. Together, we will achieve the best safety record in the industry, be known […]
News photo: Reading & Northern diesel marks 40th anniversary
PORT CLINTON, Pa. — Reading & Northern (formally, the Reading Blue Mountain & Northern Railroad) has painted GP38-2 No. 2023 to commemorate the railroad’s 40th anniversary. R&N began as the Blue Mountain & Reading in 1983, operating a 13-mile former Conrail Branch, and has grown to a 400-mile route with some 300 employees and a […]
Railcar movers are replacing shop locomotives
Railcar movers Railcar movers come in a variety of shapes and sizes, but when it comes down to it, they all do the same thing; move railroad locomotives and cars. While many consider such contraptions sacrilege, equipped with rubber tires as well as steel wheels, an experienced operator can move equipment around many times faster, […]
Broken wheel blamed for derailment in Gotthard tunnel (updated)
A broken wheel is the likely cause of last week’s derailment in the Gotthard Base Tunnel, public broadcaster SRF reported Sunday, citing information from the Swiss Transportation Safety Investigation Board (STSB). A Google translation of the SRF report says automatic equipment showed the train was “sound” as it entered the 35.5-mile tunnel from the south […]
Seattle light rail to see single-track disruption
SEATTLE — Sound Transit’s light rail No. 1 Line will see significant service disruptions through a seven-station stretch between downtown and the SoDo area this week as workers a section of sinking track related to soil conditions. Work began over the weekend, with rail service halted Saturday and Sunday and replaced by shuttle buses between […]
Ottawa light rail set for full return
OTTAWA, Ontario — Twenty-eight days after service was abruptly halted, Ottawa’s light rail Confederation Line light rail was slated to resume operation today at 5 a.m. EDT, using shorter trainsets while work continues to address axle bearing issues. CTV News reports plans call for 11 single-car trains to provide service on 5-minute headways over the […]
MBTA says operations center policies now meet FTA requirements
BOSTON — The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority said this week it has been in “sustained compliance” with policy changes addressing time off and scheduling for workers at the Operations Control Center for its rail transit system, closing out directives issued by the Federal Transit Administration last year. The MBTA moves ensure that dispatching employees have […]
DC Metrorail not ready for return of automatic operation, safety group says
WASHINGTON — The independent organization that oversees DC Metrorail safety issues says the rail transit system is not yet ready to return to the use of its automated operating system. WRC-TV reports that the Washington Metrorail Safety Commission observed significant issues during recent overnight testing of Automatic Train Operation, which has been disabled on the […]
