ALBANY, N.Y. — New York State is offering $121.6 million in funding for rail and port projects within the state under its Passenger and Freight Rail Assistance Program, with applications for funding accepted through Oct. 6. Eligible projects include track and bridge rehabilitation; yard, terminal and siding construction; grade crossing resurfacing; wayside detectors; and other […]
Weekly U.S. rail traffic again shows moderate drop
WASHINGTON — Weekly U.S. freight rail traffic remains down, but for a second straight week, the degree of decline seems to be a bit more moderate. Traffic for the week ending June 24 was 469,453 carloads and intermodal units, a 3.2% drop from the same week in 2022, according to the latest statistics from the […]
Museum of the American Railroad profile
The MARR boasts a comprehensive collection representing the railroad history of almost every part of the U.S. Located about 15 miles north of Dallas in Frisco, Tex., the MARR has long-term plans to construct a replica roundhouse and a shop complex on its grounds. In 2018, the MARR opened TrainTopia, a 3,000-square-foot model railroad display. […]
News photos: CPKC derailment in Iowa
DAVENPORT, Iowa — Clean-up is under way after 21 cars of a CPKC train derailed Tuesday evening at Nahant Yard in Davenport, Iowa. A CPKC representative reports 21 cars derailed in a slow-speed incident; no injuries or spills of hazardous materials occured. Three cars involved were carrying liquid asphalt but did not leak any of […]
More than 20 rail-related projects included in RAISE grant awards
ORANGEBURG, S.C. — More than 20 rail-related applicants — ranging from grade-crossing separation studies to a small piece of the Gateway Tunnel to funding for high-speed rail stations in California — are among the 162 projects to receive Department of Transportation grant funding announced today (Wednesday, June 28) under the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability […]
Amtrak’s California day-trip services
California can lay claim as one of the nation’s top rail passenger capitals. Amtrak is a key player in the Golden State, with three state-supported regional trains connecting multiple metropolitan areas. From the capital city of Sacramento to the beaches in San Diego, here are some great Amtrak day trips you can take in California. […]
Illinois tourist railroads you must visit
Four EMD products are lined up at the Illinois Railway Museum – one of many Illinois tourist railroads you must visit: Chicago & North Western F7A No. 411; Amtrak AEM-7 No. 945; Santa Fe FP45 No. 92; and Canadian Pacific SD40-2F No. 9023. The first three are from the IRM collection; the ex-Central Maine & […]
Northwest Railway Museum profile
The museum is home to the largest collection of Pacific Northwest railroad equipment with over 70 pieces on hand, many on display at the museum’s Railway History Campus and Train Shed Exhibit Hall in Snoqualmie. Seasonal steam and diesel train rides are operated to North Bend and Snoqualmie Falls. Choices Visitors can ride a train […]
Chelatchie Prairie Railroad profile
Diesel-powered trains operate on a bucolic railroad line completed in 1903. Now owned by Clark County and operated by volunteers, the 8-mile route features breathtaking scenery, a high trestle over the Lewis River, and a 330-foot tunnel hand carved from solid rock. Choices Passengers may choose to ride in either a caboose, open-air car, or […]
Sumpter Valley Railroad profile
A 5-mile portion of one of the most charming narrow-gauge lines of the Pacific Northwest has been re-created amid forests and the spoils of a former gold-mining dredge operation. It is a good approximation of a remote steam line in eastern Oregon, where snowcaps rise in the distance even in June. Choices The Sumpter Valley […]
‘Coastliner’ RDCs to debut this weekend in Maine
BATH, Maine — The first stage of what Midcoast Railservice President Mike Smith says is a “sequential laboratory experiment” he expects to culminate in scheduled passenger service between Rockland and Brunswick, Maine, is set to begin this weekend at Bath Heritage Days. On display at Bath, about 9 miles from the Brunswick terminus of Amtrak […]
Twin Cities & Western project continues work to remove rail joints
GLENCOE, Minn. — The Twin Cities & Western Railroad is continuing its rail joint elimination program thanks to a recent federal grant. Crews from contractor ONE Rail Group are currently working near Plato, Minn. The contractors cut off bolted rail ends, then push the pieces of rail together. Using a ONE Rail truck equipped with […]
