R J Corman Railroad Group profile

R.J. Corman Railroad Co. logo

R J Corman Railroad Group summary R J Corman Railroad Group is a privately owned holding company that operates multiple freight railroads and specialized services throughout the United States. It’s named after founder Richard Jay Corman who owned the company until his death in 2013. With headquarters out of Nicholasville, Kentucky, R. J. Corman Railroad […]

Read More…

Vermont Rail System profile

Vermont Rail System Logo

Vermont Rail System summary The Vermont Rail System is a privately held company that operates multiple short lines. It’s family-owned by the Wulfson family for more than 50 years. With more than 400 miles of standard-gauge track, the company’s six railroads serve the communities in Vermont, New Hampshire, and New York with both freight and […]

Read More…

Western Carolina Railway Service Corporation profile

Western Carolina Railway Service Corporation Logo

Western Carolina Railway Service Corporation summary The Western Carolina Railway Service Corporation is a privately held corporation that operates two short line railroads in South Carolina. It’s owned by President Steven Hawkins, and his wife Cheryl, who serves as chief financial officer. With headquarters out of Greer, the company operates 25 miles of standard-gauge track […]

Read More…

Lake State Railway profile

Freshly painted blue and grey locomotive in a rail yard.

Lake State Railway summary Lake State Railway (LSRC) is a short line railroad that operates in Michigan. It’s an independently owned railroad with the international private equity firm, Antin Infrastructure Partners serving as a strategic investor. An approximate 375 miles of standard-gauge track runs from Plymouth north through the headquarters in Saginaw, diverging into four […]

Read More…

Great Western Railway profile

Great Western Railway logo

Great Western Railway summary The Great Western Railway (GWRS) is a short line railroad that operates in southwest Saskatchewan, Canada. It has been owned by local investors since 2004. With four subdivisions purchased from the Canadian Pacific Railway, along with 70 miles of trackage rights on the Red Coat Road & Rail and the 60-mile […]

Read More…

Passenger rail receives some attention at MARS meeting

Man holding papers gestures while seated next to American flag

LOMBARD, Ill. — The Midwest Association of Rail Shippers Winter Meeting is by no means focused on passenger railroading, but there were some notable comments about Amtrak over the course of the two-day event. Foremost among those, not surprisingly, were the thoughts of Surface Transportation Board Chairman Martin J. Oberman, whose agency’s busy agenda touches […]

Read More…

BNSF announces 2023 capital plan

Woman standing in front of projector screen

FORT WORTH, Texas — BNSF Railway plans to spend $3.96 billion on capital investments in 2023, the railroad announced Thursday — an increase of more than $400 million from its plan in 2022. “Our capital plan reflects our growth mindset and commitment to having the capacity and equipment we need to support our customers,” Katie […]

Read More…

Metra hauls in competitive Federal grants

Commuter train on gentle curve

CHICAGO – The Chicago area’s congressional delegation delivered for commuter rail agency Metra in 2022, helping secure $204.1 million in competitive federal grants for Metra projects – the most by far in Metra’s history. The amount includes the largest discretionary grant Metra ever received – $117 million for the next phase of the Union Pacific North […]

Read More…

Honolulu rail project may finally see trains this year (corrected)

Aerial view of light rail train

HONOLULU — Honolulu’s long-delayed, multi-billion dollar rail rapid transit project is expected to see its first riders this spring. The Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation will hand over a 10.8-mile route from East Kapolei station to the Halawa/Aloha Stadium station to the City and County of Honolulu Department of Transportation Services in March or April, […]

Read More…

Bring on the snow-themed photo gallery

steam train in snow

Snow-themed photo gallery Though the weather outside is frightful, these trains sure make it look delightful. This gallery of snow-covered trains and railroads are from all over the United States. Captured within the last decade or so, from winter storms to light dustings, these photos reveal the beauty of cold, winter days. While scrolling through […]

Read More…

How winter affects locomotives

View of top of two locomotives showing protection for roof fans

Winter affects locomotives Diesel locomotives have many components and systems that can be negatively affected during periods of cold and snow if not maintained properly. From tap water to electrical systems, these features need to be able to handle the often-harsh conditions to which locomotives are assigned. Locomotives have traditionally idled year-round, and in the […]

Read More…