ATLANTA — The Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit System has awarded Stadler Rail a $500 million contract to replace its current signal system with a communications-based train control system. MARTA’s board voted Thursday (Dec. 5) to award the contract to Stadler, which is also building new railcars for the transit agency under a $646 million contract […]
MILLBRAE, Calif. — Commuter rail operator Caltrain will relocate its headquarters to Millbrae, near a station served by both Caltrain and Bay Area Rapid Transit, the agency announced Thursday, Dec. 5. Caltrain currently shares headquarters space in San Carlos, Calif., with SamTrans, the San Mateo County Transit District, which announced in March that it would […]
An Electro-Motive Division SD40T-2 is making its debut in the ScaleTrains N scale diesel locomotive lineup. The all-new Rivet Counter line model features plastic and die-cast metal construction, a five-pole skew-wound motor with dual flywheels, and all-wheel drive and electrical pickup. Prototype history Southern Pacific approached EMD looking for a locomotive that would address overheating […]
TORONTO — Phil Verster, CEO of Ontario provincial transportation agency Metrolinx since 2017, has resigned, the provincial government announced this week. The CBC reports that a memo to employees said Verster is departing for a rail industry job outside of Canada. He will depart as soon as Dec. 16. Michael Lindsay, currently head of Infrastructure […]
We all have “near misses” in our lives, and one of the biggest for me was the steam program of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad, known best by the numbers of its two star locomotives, 4-8-4 No. 5632 and 2-8-2 No. 4960. Both were among a few saved after the Q dieselized and subsequently […]
ATLANTA — The Broe Group, the parent of short line holding company OmniTRAX, has acquired a former Kellogg’s plant in Atlanta and plans to redevelop the 14-acre property that’s served by the Fulton County Railway. “This build-to-suit project bundles proximity, power, and population centers,” Broe Real Estate Group Senior Vice President Kevin Caille said in […]
ERWIN, Tenn. — CSX Transportation is being ordered to stop using river rock as fill material in the rebuild of its former Clinchfield Railroad line through the Nolichucky River gorge. WJHL-TV reports the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation issued the notice to the railroad following an investigation that determined CSX was using cobble bars […]
PHILADELPHIA — Scott Sauer has been named interim general manager of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority and assumed those duties this week, the agency has announced. Sauer joined SEPTA in 1990 as a train operator, following in the footsteps of his late father, Robert, who worked for SEPTA and the predecessor Philadelphia Transportation Co. for […]
PORTLAND, Ore. — The Oregon Rail Heritage Foundation, caretakers for Portland-owned steam locomotives Southern Pacific No. 4449 and Spokane, Portland & Seattle No. 700, will purchase Portland-area short line Oregon Pacific Railroad, the foundation has announced. Foundation President Rick Franklin said in a press release that the acquisition “honors Dick Samuels’ remarkable legacy while securing […]
Christmas Past gallery For train-watchers, the holidays have an appeal all their own. Many enjoy sending and receiving Christmas cards with a railroad theme. Trains Magazine explored this tradition in its December 2009 issue and looked at one train-watcher and railroad employee who has gone to great lengths (coast to coast and across the Atlantic) […]
VANCOUVER, British Columbia — Canadian Pacific Kansas City has ordered an additional 98 fuel cell engines for its hydrogen locomotive program, supplier Ballard Power Systems announced today (Dec. 5). The 98 engines each are capable of generating approximately 200 kilowatts, giving the total order about 20 megawatts of power. Ballard has previously supplied approximately 10 […]
Classic Toy Trains Senior Editor Roger Carp and Project Roar’s John Schmid open and unbox a brand-new book called Lights, Camera, Lionel Trains! This hardcover book, published by Project Roar and authored by noted toy train historian Roger Carp, showcases the importance and significance of Lionel Trains throughout the years. A Lionel train was more […]
