STRASBURG, Pa. — Not even the dreary weather put a damper on the arrival of Chesapeake & Ohio No. 614 at the Strasburg Rail Road on Sunday (June 8, 2025). The Class J3a 4-8-4 arrived in style during the afternoon, as 2-10-0 No. 90 escorted the locomotive along the tourist railroad’s main line from its […]
Spring has sprung some big highlights for big steam in 2025. After a two-week stay at the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad, Nickel Plate Road No. 765 made a historic detour along the Wheeling & Lake Erie Railway — plus three employee appreciation trips out of Brewster, Ohio, on May 10 — before heading to the […]
PHOENIX — The Phoenix light rail system has grown by 5.5 miles, and gone from a single route to a two-line system, after the opening of the South Central Extension and Downtown Hub on Saturday, June 7. The opening of Valley Metro’s seven-station extension southward along Central Avenue from downtown to Baseline Road is projected […]
Among the delights of railroad travel is departing and arriving at great stations. I have more than a few favorite stations, so I’ll limit today’s essay to active stations served by regularly scheduled trains. This excludes favorites that are gone but not forgotten, such as Philadelphia’s magnificent Broad Street Station; station buildings that survive but […]
WASHINGTON — Although the Trump Administration’s budget for fiscal 2026 provided little rationale for boosting Amtrak’s National Network funding by almost 23% while decreasing Northeast Corridor money by 25.5%, the proposal provides insight for Congress and company leadership on what their priorities should be. The recent release of budget details [see “Trump budget calls for […]
CHESTERTON, Ind. — The start of service on South Shore Line’s new West Lake Corridor, the 9-mile spur between Hammond and Dyer, Ind., has slipped back further, and now is not likely until at least the end of this year, General Manager Mike Noland said in a recent message to riders. The message on the […]
SANTA CRUZ, Calif. — Construction of the long-discussed, much-debated rail line to Santa Cruz using a former Southern Pacific branch line could cost up to $4.3 billion, according to a document released Friday (June 6, 2025). The draft version of the executive summary of an upcoming report on the project, known as the Zero Emission […]
The latest edition of News Wire Recommended Reading ranges around the world, looking at everything from a new rail line in India to the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority’s long, strange trip to replacing some of its rapid transit equipment. — The New York Times provides a look at India’s new rail line to Kashmir, which […]
LOS ANGELES — Direct rail service to and from Los Angeles International Airport is a step closer to reality after the opening of the LAX/Metro Transit Center on Friday, June 6. The long-awaited bus and light rail terminal, east of the airport will eventually provide connection to an automated people mover system serving airport terminals. […]
SPENCER, N.C. — Former Southern Railway FP7 diesel No. 6133 is turning 75 in 2025, prompting multiple events throughout the year to mark the occasion. The North Carolina Transportation Museum, owner of the vintage streamlined locomotive, initially offered “At the Throttle” sessions on June 7, 8, 21, and 28. Participants would have the opportunity to […]
VANCOUVER, British Columbia — Ballard Power Systems will supply 12 hydrogen fuel cell engines to Sierra Northern Railway for Sierra Northern’s hydrogen locomotive project, Ballard announced on Thursday (June 5). The engines, capable of generating 1.5 megawatts, will be used to convert three diesel switchers to hydrogen power. Sierra Northern held the initial test for […]
NEW YORK — Four Long Island Rail Road employees at the Hillside Maintenance Complex in Queens have been disciplined for timekeeping abuse discovered by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority Office of Inspector General, Inspector General Daniel G. Cort announced. Three of the employees were suspended for periods ranging from 120 days to nine months, while a […]
