MILWAUKEE — The long-orphaned Talgo trainsets built but never used for extended Hiawatha service to Madison, Wis., have finally found a home. In Nigeria. The website Urban Milwaukee reports Talgo will sell the equipment to the Nigerian government. According to a press release, it will be for a new 23-mile, 11-station commuter line in the […]
BHP Western Australia Iron Ore has placed orders for battery-electric locomotives from both Wabtec and Progress Rail, becoming the first company to order battery-electric units from both major North American manufacturers. BHP will purchase two of Wabtec’s FLXdrive battery-electric locomotives, becoming the second Australian firm in a week and third overall to purchase those units, […]
PITTSBURGH — Wabtec has secured its largest order to date for its FLXdrive battery-electric locomotives, with Australian mining company Rio Tinto ordering four of the units for use in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. The locomotives will help Rio Tinto’s effort to reach a 50% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 carbon emissions by […]
PERTH, Australia — Fortescue Metals Group announced today it has purchased two new battery-operated locomotives from Progress Rail to haul ore from mine to port in northwest Australia. The new eight-axle locomotives will have an energy capacity of 14.5 megawatt-hours and will be built at Progress Rail’s facility in Sete Lagoas, Brazil. Fortescue Chief Executive […]
MEXICO CITY — Work to supply electric power to the Mérida-Cancún stretch of Mexico’s Maya Train will begin this month at an estimated cost of $73.7 million. Mexico’s Environment Ministry said the electrification project would require the construction of three substations from which all the electricity necessary to feed the line will be supplied. The […]
A joint bid from Hitachi and Alstom has won the contract for a long-awaited, $2.6 billion order for the fleet of trains to operate on Britain’s new HS2 high speed line. The 54 eight-car electric trainsets, designed to routinely operate at 225 mph, are being described as the “fastest trains in Europe.” Recently announced plans […]
The Kansas City, Mexico & Orient was conceived to connect Kansas City with the nearest Pacific Ocean port — Topolobampo, Mexico. Although major portions of the route were built on both sides of the border, the dream was never realized. The Santa Fe bought the KCM&O in 1924, then sold the Mexican portions. In this […]
LANCASHIRE, England — Wildlife bridges are sometimes built over major highways at select locations in North America, trying avoid collisions between vehicles and animals that are often fatal to the wildlife and sometimes to drivers, as well. In Canada’s Banff National Park, such bridges have seen significant use by bears, moose, and elk. In England, […]
Mexican regulators have given their approval to the planned merger of Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern. The railroads announced on Nov. 26 that they had received the required approval from the Mexican Federal Economic Competition Commission and the Mexican Federal Telecommunications Institute. “This important milestone marks the next step on our path to creating […]
LONDON — The British government last week published what it called the “Integrated Rail Plan for the North and Midlands,” which sets out plans totalling £96 billion ($130 billion) to build several new rail lines in northern England. However, the plan also contained less welcome news for some parts of the country, providing notification that the […]
NIIGATA, Japan – East Japan Railway Co. is testing autonomously operated bullet trains in Niigata Prefecture as it studies introducing trains without engineers (called drivers in Japan) in the future, Kyodo News reported. The test, the first of its kind for the Shinkansen bullet train network, began Oct. 29, and was opened to the media […]
CASTEJON DE EBRO, Spain — One of the oldest surviving Alco World Series locomotives has been returned to passenger service. Locomotive No. 1603, one of 17 FPD5/DL500A models built by Alco in the U.S. and delivered to Spanish Railways (RENFE) in 1955, is operating after an overhaul completing a 17-year restoration project. The locomotive has […]
