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It’s hard to say when a trend becomes a trend. But yesterday’s announcement that Canadian National will acquire the 253-mile Iowa Northern Railway suggests that short lines and regionals getting gobbled up by Class I railroads is now a thing. Since 2020, Class I railroads have reached a half-dozen deals with short lines and regional […]
Santa Claus rides the Sierra Northern Railway, Ventura Division Have you ever wondered what happens when Santa’s sleigh and reindeer, his traditional form of transportation, needs its regularly scheduled inspection and servicing? Let’s face it; over the millennium the jolly guy in the red suit has circumnavigated the world more times than Magellan. He and […]
WASHINGTON — Infrastructure improvements to accommodate a second daily round trip of Amtrak’s Pennsylvanian between Pittsburgh and Harrisburg, Pa., will receive more than $143 million in federal funding, the state’s two U.S. senators have announced, while the Pittsburgh-Philadelphia corridor is among those selected for the Corridor Identification and Development program for a study of increased […]
BOSTON — The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority has eliminated 12 speed restrictions on the rapid-transit Green Line following nine days of maintenance that began Nov. 27 and concluded on Tuesday, Dec. 5, the agency announced Wednesday. The total of 12 restrictions eliminated is two more than had been planned. Another two restrictions were reduced in […]
NEWINGTON, Conn. — Planned service cuts for Connecticut’s Shore Line East commuter service, which have been delayed during an Amtrak maintenance project, will take effect Dec. 18, the Connecticut Department of Transportation has announced. Previously, Shore Line East service had included 23 trains per day; under the new schedule it will see 16 trains per […]
WASHINGTON — U.S. rail traffic was up 2.6% in November over the same month in 2022, according to statistics from the Association of American Railroads. It was the third straight month of overall gains after increases of 1.5% in September and 1% in October. U.S. traffic for the week ending Dec. 2 was up 4.9%, […]
Five routes in Wisconsin — including both the state’s existing Amtrak lines, which seek increased service — are among those selected for the Federal Railroad Administration’s Corridor Identification and Development Program, according to members of Congress across the country. Selection provides funding for studies that are a prelude to new or expanded Amtrak service. In […]
In every issue Trains.com, p. 4 Guide to the latest railroad content on the web News, p. 6 Brightline launches Orlando, Fla., service Bill Stephens, p. 10 Pin your high-speed hopes on Brightline West Preservation, p. 44 Major donation for Center for Railroad Art & Photography Travel, p. 46 Celebrating the timeless allure of holiday […]
WASHINGTON — Chicago Union Station will receive a $93.6 million grant for modernization, part of the Chicago Hub Improvement Program outlined earlier this year by federal, state, local, and Amtrak officials. U.S. Sens. Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth, and U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley (all D-Ill.), announced the funding today (Wednesday, Dec. 6). Money will come […]
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — The United States and Canada will work together to develop a common vision for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from locomotives, officials announced today at the United Nations COP28 conference. The nations will create a Rail Decarbonization Task Force, U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer M. Granholm, U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, and […]
FRANKLIN PARK, Ill. — Metra continues to test some of its SD70MACH locomotives, even as it works the remanufactured freight units into revenue service [see “Metra SD70MACHs begin revenue service,” Trains News Wire, Nov. 30, 2023]. In a relatively rare move, correspondent Chris Guss caught units 504 and 505 operating back-to-back on a test train […]
WASHINGTON — The California High-Speed Rail Authority will receive about $3.1 billion for projects to continue development and construction in the San Joaquin Valley, U.S. Reps. Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) and Jim Costa (D-Fresno) announced in statements on Tuesday. The funds will come from the Federal Railroad Administration, under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s Federal-State Partnership […]
