Rail unions warn DOT rule change could jeopardize train safety

Maintenance-of-way employees working on track in front of station

WASHINGTON — Rail unions are raising concerns about the Trump administration’s plan to roll back protections for federal inspectors and investigators put in place in 2021 that they say could increase safety risks in the rail industry. In a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking issued in May, the U.S. Department of Transportation proposed several changes to […]

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Head of MBTA’s contract commuter operator to depart

Head shot of man in suit with office in background

BOSTON — The CEO of Keolis Commuter Services, contract operator of Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority commuter trains, is departing to return to a position with the operator’s parent company in France. Parent company Keolis Group announced on Monday (June 23) that Abdellah Chajai will depart to become executive director of marketing, innovation, sustainable development, and […]

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House panel debates rail safety technology initiatives

WASHINGTON — The partisan split over the implementation of technology in the railroad industry was on display during a House subcommittee hearing today. Republicans favored unleashing innovation and modernizing outdated Federal Railroad Administration regulations that they say stand in the way of progress. Democrats on the Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous […]

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FRA urges railroads to step up conductor training and testing

Local switches factory while locomotive moves commuter railcars on overpass

WASHINGTON — The Federal Railroad Administration has released a safety bulletin related to a June 9 close-clearance switching accident that killed a Union Pacific conductor in Nacogdoches, Texas. “Based on FRA’s preliminary investigation, the locomotive engineer was shoving two locomotives and five covered hopper cars into a siding. The conductor was riding the consist and […]

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NJ Transit holds groundbreaking for new Raritan River lift bridge

Illustration of rail bridge with center lift span and approaching ship

PERTH AMBOY, N.J. — NJ Transit marked groundbreaking for the next phase of the new Raritan River Bridge — construction of a new center span — with ceremonies today featuring Gov. Phil Murphy and other officials. The new lift bridge to accommodate marine traffic will replace the current 117-year-old swing bridge on the structure connecting […]

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With I-80 roadwork done, NJ Transit to end fare discount

Map of NJ Transit rail lines between Hackettstown, N.J., and New York City

NEWARK, N.J. — With roadwork completed, NJ Transit will end its temporary discount fare program for passengers affected by emergency repairs on Interstate 80 as of Monday, June 30, the agency has announced. Sinkholes that developed along the highway led to extended lane closures for repairs, leading NJ Transit to offer 50% discounts for travelers […]

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Fifteen cars of NS train derail in Virginia (updated)

Norfolk Southern logo

DOOMS, Va. — Fifteen cars of a Norfolk Southern train — including seven carrying hydrochloric acid — derailed today (Monday, June 23) near the community of Dooms in Augusta County, Va., according to Virginia State Police. The incident was reported to authorities about 1:57 p.m. with Augusta County Fire/EMS and the Augusta County Sheriff’s Office […]

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New York MTA to order more than 300 commuter railcars

Rendering of meet between trains with new Alstom railcars

NEW YORK — The Metropolitan Transportation Authority will purchase 316 new electric multiple-unit railcars for use on the Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North Railroad after the MTA’s Finance Committee approved the purchase today. The new M9-A cars will be built by Alstom Transportation. Pilot cars in the order are slated to be delivered in […]

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CPKC says service is on the mend in former KCS territory

red, yellow and other colors on a locomotive

WASHINGTON – Canadian Pacific Kansas City expects service to return to normal by late July in former Kansas City Southern territory that has experienced congestion, delays, and missed customer switches since a May 3 computer cutover. “CPKC’s level of service performance on the legacy-KCS network since May 3, 2025 — as reflected in part in […]

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