Locomotive 182 of the Waterloo, Cedar Falls & Northern leads a freight train across the Cedar River bridge south of Waterloo, Iowa, in the late 1940s or early ’50s. William D. Middleton photo […]
Iowa interurban freight
Zone & Region: Plains & Texas
Winds blamed for BNSF derailment in Oklahoma
ENID, Okla. — High winds are being cited as the cause of a derailment of a BNSF Railway intermodal train near Enid on Wednesday. KWTV reports the accident occurred about 1 p.m., and reports 21 cars carrying a total of 32 containers derailed. No injuries were reported and the cause is under investigation. The Weather […]
Mikado on an M&E train
In December 1949, a Burlington Route mail-and-express train rolls west near Keenesburg, Colo., with an express boxcar (a rebuilt troop kitchen car), Railway Post Office, two baggage express cars, another RPO, and a single rider coach for the crew. Mikado 5075 provides the motive power. Joe Schick, Jim Seacrest collection […]
Oklahoma troop train
Oklahoma troop train Santa Fe 4-6-2 1311 rolls east with a 13-car troop train near Quinlan, Okla., on Mar. 16, 1946. The train consists of 5 standard sleepers, 6 troop sleepers, and 2 troop kitchen cars, plus a caboose at the rear. R. H. Kindig photo […]
Jaguar Transport to operate Oklahoma Central Rail Park
EL RENO, Okla. — Jaguar Transport Holdings has entered into an agreement with Haskell Lemon Construction to operate the Oklahoma Central Rail Park in El Reno, Okla. The 200-acre facility just west of Oklahoma City will be fully operational on Jan. 1, 2022. Less than 2 miles from I-40, the Rail Park connects with the Union Pacific Railroad and […]
Lawsuit blames BNSF for death because of blocked grade crossing
NOBLE, Okla. — An Oklahoma family has filed suit against BNSF Railway, saying the railway is at fault for the death of a family member, who died of a heart attack when emergency vehicles were unable to respond because a stopped train blocked the only entrance to their street. KFOR-TV reports Larry Gene Byrd died […]
CP and KCS project dramatic rise in daily train counts
WASHINGTON – Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern say their proposed merger will generate significant traffic growth, with daily train counts on the combined system’s north-south spine projected to more than double within three years. The traffic details were among those included in the railways’ 4,342-page, 1-gigabyte merger application filed with U.S. regulators late Friday. […]
Auto woes, Mexico protests crimp Kansas City Southern earnings
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Kansas City Southern’s profits slumped in the third quarter due to the impact of merger-related costs, but revenue was up sharply even as volumes declined slightly as a result of auto assembly plant shutdowns and protests that blocked the railroad’s route to a key Mexican port. The railroad today reported that […]
Four injured when Amtrak train hits auto carrier, derails
MARIETTA, Okla. — At least four people were reported injured Friday night when Amtrak’s Heartland Flyer hit a truck carrying automobiles, derailing the locomotive and apparently causing vehicles from the truck to strike one of the passenger cars. A Facebook post from the Love County, Okla., Fire Department reports the auto carrier had become high-centered […]
Texas Supreme Court reverses itself, will hear Texas Central case
AUSTIN, Texas — Acting on a second request, the Texas Supreme Court has agreed to hear an appeal regarding Texas Central’s eminent domain authority to acquire property for its planned high speed rail line between Dallas and Houston, a case hinging on whether Texas Central meets the legal definition of a “railroad company” or “interurban […]
Texarkana train
Texarkana train After a crew change, Southern Pacific SD40T-2 8386 leads train MFLAT out of Texarkana, Texas, on August 31, 1985. At the right is the interlocking tower that protects the Cotton Belt’s crossing with the KCS main line to Shreveport. Scott D. Lindsey photo […]
The Trains Interview: Nadine Lee, Dallas Area Rapid Transit CEO
Nadine Lee took her seat as president and CEO of Dallas Area Rapid Transit on July 12, 2021. She brings 30 years of experience in transit, most recently as chief of staff at the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LA Metro). Prior to that, she was their deputy chief innovation officer, where she developed […]
