SPARTANBURG, S.C. — South Carolina’s legislature has set aside an additional $10 million for development of the Saluda Grade Rail Trail, the Spartanburg Post and Courier reports. Lawmakers had already earmarked $5 million for the project before Norfolk Southern agreed to sell the dormant 31-mile, two-state rail route, once the steepest main line in the […]
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JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The union representing maintenance-of-way workers is suing Genesee & Wyoming and a subsidiary, saying the companies violated the Railway Labor Act with a hiring freeze and layoffs after workers voted to join the union. The suit by the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Division of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, or […]
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ORLANDO, Fla. — With a display of civic support from mayors along its route, Brightline has celebrated completion of construction on its route to Orlando, as well as the contribution its employees have made in forging a unique passenger rail operation. The event today (Wednesday, June 21) at Brightline’s Orlando International Airport station comes as […]
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STUART, Fla. — Brightline high speed testing in Florida’s Martin County, which had been scheduled for later this week, has been postponed, the passenger operator said today (Tuesday, June 20). Testing had been scheduled for Wednesday, June 21, through Friday, June 23, at speeds up to 110 mph through a series of grade crossings, as […]
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ROANOKE, Va. — The Virginia Museum of Transportation will offer special “behind the scenes” presentations this weekend on Norfolk & Western No. 611 while the Class J 4-8-4 is home at the museum. The presentation will be offered twice on Saturday, June 24, at 10:30 a.m. and 2 p.m., and again on Sunday at 1:30 […]
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ORLANDO, Fla. — Brightline will resume testing at speeds up to 110 mph in Martin County, Fla., Wednesday through Friday of this week, June 21-23 — testing that will also impact the St. Lucie River drawbridge in Stuart, Fla. It had initially been scheduled to being today (Monday, June 19). Testing is scheduled for 6 […]
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SAVANNAH, Ga. — Bulk storage firm Colonial Terminals has purchased 16.7 acres from Norfolk Southern in Savannah to develop a breakbulk facility along the Savannah River, the two companies have announced. The land is adjacent to a Norfolk Southern rail terminal and an existing Colonial Terminal riverfront facility. The new rail-served facility should allow in […]
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STUART, Fla. — The U.S. Coast Guard’s recent decision to mandate scheduled openings for a St. Lucie River drawbridge does not reflect protocols successfully implemented to the south in Fort Lauderdale when Brightline trains first began frequent operation in May 2018. The “temporary deviation” from current rules published in the Federal Register calls for openings […]
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MIAMI — Commuter operator Tri-Rail has received clearance to begin running test trains into Brightline’s MiamiCentral station next week. WLRN public broadcasting reporter Danny Rivero has posted on Twitter a letter from Florida East Coast Railway that grants Tri-Rail’s parent, the South Florida Regional Transit Authority, authorization to run test trains into the Brightline station […]
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RIDGEVILLE, S.C. — Palmetto Railways, the short line owned and operated by the state of South Carolina, has begun construction of a new rail line to serve the Camp Hall Commerce Park in Ridgeville and the adjacent Volvo auto plant. The 22.7-mile line will cost $185 million and take about 2½ years to build, Palmetto […]
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STUART, Fla. — The U.S. Coast Guard has issued an order changing rules for opening Florida East Coast Railway’s single-track drawbridge over the Okeechobee Waterway of the St. Lucie River that could seriously disrupt Brightline’s plan to begin hourly service between Miami and Orlando this summer. The change could also result in miles-long FEC freight […]
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CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — The Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum has been fined $12,000 for safety violations that led to the death of long-time staff member George Walker in January, the Chattanooga Times Free Press reports. Walker, the museum’s general manager, had been with the museum for nearly 30 years. He died Jan. 4 in what the […]
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