NEWARK, N.J. — NJ Transit is beginning the process of building a new rail maintenance-of-way equipment facility in Clifton, N.J., preparing a Request for Qualifications this month, pending approval from the state comptroller’s office. The Request for Qualifications for Special Prequalification will be the initial step in a two-phase procurement process to select a team […]
PHILADELPHIA — An Illinois employee of an Indiana masonry firm has been sentenced to 57 months in prison for his role in a federal bribery case over Amtrak’s renovation of its 30th Street Station in Philadelphia. Donald Seefeldt, 65, of Wilmette, Ill., was also sentenced to a year of probation, 59 hours of community service, and […]
WASHINGTON — A Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority light rail vehicle was traveling about 11 mph when it struck an end-of-track bumping post, injuring eight passengers and the operator in a May 11, 2025, incident, according to the National Transportation Safety Board. The NTSB released the preliminary report on its ongoing investigation today (June 4, 2025). […]
PITTSBURGH — Railroad Development Corp. has appointed Ida Posner to chief operating officer, and appointed Nate Asplund, president of its Pop-Up Metro affiliate, to lead the integration of the recently announced joint venture between RDC and the UK’s Transport Design International. Posner joined RDC in 2017 and has served as vice president, strategic planning, since […]
BRUNSWICK, Maine — New short line Cumberland & Knox made its debut last weekend, running its first train over a 56-mile, state-owned former Maine Central branch that hadn’t seen any freight action at all in eight months. The move saw locomotive LTEX 1555, an ex-Canadian Pacific GP9u, pick up 12 covered hoppers from the CSX […]
WASHINGTON — A fire that had been extinguished earlier reignited, leading to smoke-related injuries to five Port Authority Trans-Hudson employees, the National Transportation Safety Board said in its preliminary report on its investigation into a May 8, 2025, incident in a PATH tunnel in Jersey City, N.J. The report was released today (June 3, 2025). […]
HORNELL, N.Y. — Rail equipment company Alstom has opened a new facility for producing railcar bodies, expanding its existing manufacturing capacity in Hornell. The 135,000-square-foot Plant 4 will produce stainless steel carbody shells, work previously performed in Brazil. Its first project will be 200 new multilevel commuter cars for Chicago-area operator Metra ordered in 2021 […]
While growing up in Cleveland and Buffalo after World War II, a close encounter with a 4-6-4 Hudson-type locomotive was just a train ride away. My first memory was as a four-year-old. My family had taken the New York Central to Chicago, and as we walked forward at La Salle Street Station, I was […]
BOSTON — Four former Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority track inspectors and a current MBTA employee are facing federal charges for allegedly falsifying track inspection reports on the rapid transit Red Line. Brian Pfaffinger, 47, of Marshfield, Mass.; Ronald Gamble, 62, of Dorchester; Jensen Vatel, 42, of Brockton; Nathalie Mendez, 53, of New Bedford; and Andy […]
NEWARK, N.J. — Five Amtrak employees have recently pleaded guilty to charges relating to a health care scheme that resulted in more than $11 million in fraudulent claims to the company’s health care plan. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey announced this week that Kevin Frink, 53, of Willingboro, N.J., pleaded […]
NEW YORK — Lost in the debate between Amtrak, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, and transportation advocates over the plans to close Amtrak’s East River tunnel for repairs — and the resulting service reductions, especially for Empire Service trains to and from Albany-Rensselaer, N. Y. — are the limited track routing options that exist between […]
Boston & Maine train 58, the eastbound Minuteman, approaches North Pownal, Vt., in August 1940. Pacific 3658 has milk cars tucked in behind its tender. John P. Ahrens photo […]
