MARTA commuter railcars heading for Atlantic Ocean

MARTAlogo

ATLANTA – The Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) has begun shipping old rapid transit MU cars to the Georgia coast and eventually the Atlantic Ocean. MARTA is partnering with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources Reef Project to contribute cars from MARTA’s original fleet as they are replaced by new CQ400 railcars in coming […]

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Chicago’s Red Line Extension receives $1.9 billion federal commitment

Logo of Chicago Transit Authority

CHICAGO – The Federal Transit Administration has committed $1.947 billion in federal funding for the Chicago Transit Authority’s Red Line Extension Project. The 5.6-mile extension of the CTA’s Red Line to Chicago’s southern border is the first rail transit extension since the Orange Line, running southwest to Midway International Airport from the Loop opened in […]

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Grand Canyon Railway’s 4960

A black steam locomotive pulls passenger cars down a single-track line under a blue sky

Builder: Baldwin Locomotive Works Wheel arrangement: 2-8-2 Mikado Build date: March 1923 Why it’s important: Grand Canyon Railway’s 4960 was built by Baldwin Locomotive Works for the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy. The O-1A class 2-8-2 Mikado No. 4960 was ideally suited for powering fast freight trains across Burlington’s mostly level Midwest routes. With the arrival […]

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Icy Hot: How to keep your diesel cool

closeup of train radiators

Keep your diesel cool Cooling has always been one of the most important aspects of a locomotive. Simply put, the higher the horsepower, the more cooling a locomotive needs. With the implementation of emission regulations over the last several decades, the amount of cooling has increased to meet requirements at each of the four levels […]

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Airline changes name because of BNSF suit

Logo of Northern Pacific Airways

FORT WORTH, Texas — Last October, BNSF Railway had filed a suit over a start-up airline’s effort to use the name “Northern Pacific.”  As of Sept. 8, 2023, a temporary outcome has surfaced. Northern Pacific Airlines (NPA) has received a preliminary injunction — a “temporary relief” to keep things the way they are until the […]

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Swiss Spectacular, Part 3: Finding freight

Red electric locomotive with short train of refrigerated containers

OLTEN, Switzerland — Just about every railfan knows what it’s like to have one of those days when you’re in the wrong place at the wrong time. So it was for me today in Olten. This is not a city high on the must-see list for most vacationers. It doesn’t even warrant a mention in […]

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