Trains in the UK: A postscript

British freight train

BROOKFIELD, Wis. — It wasn’t the trip I wanted. Or planned. But you don’t always get to choose your experiences. And while I’m still tremendously disappointed to have missed the Trains/Special Interest Tours UK Celebration of Steam event — with its four steam excursions and visits to three notable rail museums — I’m trying to […]

Read More…

BLET ratifies new five-year contract with Union Pacific

Freight train crossing diamond after crossing bridge

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio — Members of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen have ratified a new five-year contract with Union Pacific by a wide margin, the union announced today. The agreement, which includes raises totaling 18.8%, compounded, over the life of the contract, covers almost 6,000 BLET members at UP. It was ratified by a […]

Read More…

NJ Transit sets ‘Meet Our Rail Fleet’ event

Logo for NJ Transit "Meet Our Rail Fleet" ebent

HOBOKEN, N.J. — NJ Transit is partnering with three other organizations for a “Meet Our Rail Fleet” event — featuring displays of historical equipment and an opportunity to learn about careers with the transit agency — set for Sunday, Oct. 12, at Hoboken Terminal. The event — in conjunction with the United Railroad Historical Society […]

Read More…

Amtrak uses make-up equipment to avoid cancelling Empire Builder

Passenger train with two locomotives passing under signal bridge with Chicago skyline in background

CHICAGO — In a change from recent operations, Amtrak was able to put together a makeup trainset to prevent cancellation of the westbound Empire Builder that departed Chicago on Wednesday, Oct. 1. Significant long-distance train delays have often resulted in cascading cancellations for lack of equipment since Amtrak lost nearly complete Superliner sets to devastating […]

Read More…

FRA issues an emergency order for SEPTA Silverliner IV equipment

Meet of electric multiple-unit commuter trains

WASHINGTON — SEPTA on Wednesday said it would not follow a National Transportation Safety Board recommendation that it pull fire-prone Silverliner IV cars from service. But hours later the Federal Railroad Administration issued an emergency order covering the electric multiple-unit equipment. It orders SEPTA to remove groups of the cars for emergency mechanical assessments. General […]

Read More…

News photo: Metroliners live on

Cab car with blue and red front passing Amtrak "Windsor Locks station sign

Amtrak push-pull cab control coach No. 9646, in fresh “Phase VII” paint, stops at Windsor Lock, Conn., leading Springfield, Mass.-New Haven train No. 465 on September 28, 2025. Built as Pennsylvania Railroad Metroliner coach No. 813 in 1967, and converted to its current unpowered cab control car configuration during the 1980s, No. 9646 is among […]

Read More…

Brightline revamps schedules, pricing, and train length

View from bridge of white and yellow locomotive and passenger train

MIAMI — Beginning Oct. 6, Brightline is making sweeping changes that adjust schedules, capacity, and pricing to capture ridership and revenue for both its Miami-West Palm Beach and South Florida-Orlando clientele. Hourly round trips between Miami and Orlando will be reduced from the current 15 to 10, departing about every two hours, while short-distance frequencies […]

Read More…

Maintenance responsibilities shift for San Joaquins and Capitol Corridor (revised and updated)

Passenger train with "Fresno, Calif." station sign in foreground

Editor’s note: San Joaquin Joint Powers Authority Interim Director David Lipari provided additional information on Oct. 6, 2025, that corrects and expands upon information that was not available or mischaracterized in the original report. Updated Oct. 7 at 11.45 a.m. OAKLAND, Calif. — Transit America, a subsidiary of Herzog Transit Services, Inc., has been tapped […]

Read More…

Amtrak, CN ask STB to extend filing deadline in contract case

Passenger train stops at station

WASHINGTON — Amtrak and Canadian National Railway have asked the Surface Transportation Board to extend the deadline for filings in their long-running dispute over an operating agreement, telling the board they are “actively engaged in discussions aimed at settling this complex and long-standing case.” In a joint filing on Friday, Sept. 26, the two sides […]

Read More…

NTSB to investigate SEPTA trolley incident that injured 11

Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority logo

WASHINGTON — The National Transportation Safety Board will investigate an incident on Thursday, Sept. 25, that injured all 11 people aboard a Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority trolley in Springfield, Pa. The NTSB announcement says the incident involving a trolley on the Media-Sharon Hill line “resulted in the pantograph assembly separating from the trolley and penetrating […]

Read More…

Opening of additional Montreal light rail lines faces more delays

Map of Montreal area light rail system

MONTREAL — The firm building Montreal’s Réseau express métropolitain light rail system has announced additional delays in opening more of the system. CDPQ Infra said in a Thursday (Sept. 25) press release that the RM’s Deux-Montagnes branch will open sometime in November, while the Anse-à-l’Orme branch will not open until spring 2026. A year ago, […]

Read More…