News photos: Irving short lines add more SD70M-2s

Bright green locomotive with yellow 'Maine Northern' lettering

The J.D. Irving Ltd. short lines in New Brunswick and Maine have added five more locomotives to their fleet of refurbished SD70M-2s. The first six units were delivered starting in June 2021 [see “Locomotive news: First New Brunswick Southern Railway locomotive refurbished,” Trains News Wire, July, 2021]. Four of the second group of locomotives are […]

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Agencies seek to extend Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad into Cleveland, creating national park access

Yellow, maroon, and black FA locomotive with passenger train

CLEVELAND — A new effort is being launched to link downtown Cleveland and Cuyahoga Valley National Park by extending Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad service, Cleveland.com and the Cleveland Plain Dealer report. In a meeting last week, the Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency and other groups reached agreement on roles and responsibilities to advance the project, […]

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SMART extension work to resume after California court ruling

Two DMU trainsets meet

PETALUMA, Calif. — A California Supreme Court ruling will allow Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit to resume construction of a 3-mile extension north to a station in Windsor, Calif., the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat reports. Last week’s 7-0 ruling by the court ended a long-running court fight by the Howard Jarvis Tax Association seeking to overturn a […]

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UP derailment in Louisiana leads to evacuation

Union Pacific logo without slogan. UP Bailey Yard explosion appear to be accidental.

KEACHI, La. — About 130 people are under an evacuation order today (Saturday, Jan. 28) after a Union Pacific train derailed near Shreveport, La., Friday night and began leaking hazardous materials, the Associated Press reports. Approximately 16 cars derailed about 10:30 p.m. in Keachi (also spelled as Keatchie), about 30 miles southwest of Shreveport. Louisiana […]

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February 2023

February Trains cover photo

In every issue News p. 4 Amtrak reaches a deal on the Gulf Coast, and Canadian Pacific’s hydrogen locomotive makes its first run Preservation p. 40 Five days after collision, Strasburg No. 475 returns Train-Watching p. 44 Hot spot: Unusual diamond arrangement adds railfan interest in Muncie, Ind. Ask Trains p. 46 EMD’s shortlived BL2 […]

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CPKC offers plan to address traffic issues in Chicago-area suburbs

Passenger train passing wooden passenger station

WASHINGTON — As part of their merger, Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern will work with a group of Chicago-area communities on voluntary measures to address traffic concerns in those communities, the railroads say in the final Environmental Impact Statement released today (Friday, Jan. 27) by the Surface Transportation Board’s Office of Environmental Analysis. The […]

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How are repairs performed in remote areas?

How are repairs performed in remote areas?: When a derailment occurs in an isolated area where there are no roads or other ways of access, how does the railroad get the equipment in to make repairs, remove damaged cars, etc.?

How are repairs performed in remote areas? Cody discusses how railroad repairs are performed in remote areas following derailments, where road access can be limited. Are you looking to learn more about your model railroad, or do you have questions about full-size trains? Send us an email at: AskTrains@trains.com ………………………………… Ask Trains is a regular […]

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Final environmental review finds few problems with Canadian Pacific-Kansas City Southern merger

Red locomotive leads multicolored locomotives in snow

WASHINGTON — The Canadian Pacific-Kansas City Southern merger would cause few adverse environmental impacts aside from increased train noise in some locations, the Surface Transportation Board said in its final environmental impact statement today. The three-volume environmental impact statement, or EIS, incorporates comments the STB received at public hearings along CP and KCS routes in […]

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Ottawa, builder of light rail line announce settlement

Red and white light rail trainset in station

OTTAWA, Ontario — The City of Ottawa and the builder of its troubled light rail Confederation Line, the Rideau Transit Group, have reached an out-of-court settlement over the contract to build the light rail system. A joint statement issued today (Friday, Jan. 27) says the agreement resolves the dispute and resets the relationship between the […]

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NS touts industrial development projects in 2022

Norfolk Southern logo

ATLANTA — Norfolk Southern and 120 companies worked together to facilitate 159 industrial development projects along the railroad’s network in 2022, NS said in a press release, with those projects representing $3.2 billion in investment and creating more than 3,900 new jobs. “In partnership with public and private sector leaders, Norfolk Southern is a catalytic […]

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