WASHINGTON — A tree branch that penetrated the cab windshield struck and killed the operator of a train on NJ Transit’s light rail River Line on Oct. 14, the National Transportation Safety Board said in its preliminary investigation report released today. The incident occurred at about 6:02 a.m. when the southbound diesel-powered light rail vehicle […]
NEWARK, N.J. — NJ Transit’s Franck Beaumin is rolling out four areas of focus in his roadmap as the agency’s new customer advocate. The statewide rail and bus operator, the third-largest U.S. transit agency, named Beaumin to the role of customer advocate in October, ending more than four years with the position vacant [see “NJ […]
BOSTON — The rapid transit Orange Line is free of speed restrictions for the first time in 15 years as the result of maintenance work completed on Nov. 1, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority reports. Work completed on two segments of the line — Oak Grove-Ruggles Oct. 26-27 and Oak Grove-North Station Oct. 28-Nov. 1 […]
ALTOONA, Pa. – The trackside park at America’s oldest train-watching site – Horseshoe Curve, on Norfolk Southern’s Pittsburgh Line in west-central Pennsylvania – is again accessible to all visitors. Closed since the end of the 2019 season by a seemingly endless cycle of mechanical, operational, electronic, and software issues, the funicular or inclined-plane railway that […]
Michael Spring is living the dream at the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad. Since 2023, the 22-year-old has been a full-time employee at his favorite tourist line. He serves as a conductor and student engineer for the excursion operations out of Cumberland, Md., in addition to being a shop mechanic at the yard facility in Ridgeley, […]
POGUE, Pa. — The Pennsylvania Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program has awarded the EBT Foundation $1.6 million to restore two steel bridges on a portion of the narrow gauge East Broad Top tourist railroad’s dormant main line. A major boost for the EBT, a national historic landmark, the grant will aid the line in its push […]
COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. — Alan A. Held has been promoted to vice president of transportation at the New York, Susquehanna & Western Railway, the company has announced. Held has been with the railway since 2022. He has been responsible for operation of transload facilities, overseeing of personnel managmenet, managing Federal Railroad Administration compliance, and developing rulebooks […]
HARTFORD, Conn. — More than five months of midday bus substitutions on the Hartford-Springfield, Mass., route served by Amtrak and CTrail trains are set to end on Monday, Nov. 4, following the completion of several maintenance projects. An alert on the CTrail website says 10 five round trips — two of Amtrak trains and three […]
ALBANY, N.Y. — Seven Republican members of the New York state delegation to the House of Representatives have asked Amtrak President Roger Harris to delay plans to reduce service in the state as a result of planned East River Tunnel work. The changes, taking effect Nov. 10, will see the Maple Leaf and Adirondack combined […]
CROTON-ON-HUDSON, N.Y. — The Metropolitan Transportation Authority on Friday introduced the first of its newest locomotive for Metro-North Railroad, a dual-power variant of the Siemens Charger. Siemens SC42-DM locomotives Nos. 301 and 302, the first of 33 units, were unveiled in a ceremony at the Harmon Shops in Croton-on-Harmon. The locomotives feature a 4,200-hp diesel […]
WOODSTOWN, N.J. — The Woodstown Central Railroad, the heritage rail operation of SMS Rail Service, has announced that its restored Alco 0-6-0 locomotive No. 9 will make its revenue debut Nov. 30 in Santa Claus Special passenger service. The locomotive, built for the U.S. Army in 1942, also worked for the Virginia Blue Ridge Railway […]
WASHINGTON — Flaws in communication at a Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority maintenance facility played a role in the derailment in which a SEPTA trolley derailed and struck a vehicle and building in July 2023, the NTSB said in its final investigation report. The probable cause of the July 27, 2023, accident was the movement of […]
