COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Ohio Rail Development Commission (ORDC) has approved resolutions to sponsor four Federal Railroad Administration Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvement (CRISI) grant applications, totaling $52 million. Projects Cincinnati Planning Grant — In collaboration with Norfolk Southern, CSX, and Genesee & Wyoming, the project will review and prioritize projects that reduce congestion […]
VIA Rail awards contract to modernize maintenance centers
MONTRÉAL – VIA Rail Canada is awarding two contracts for the modernization of its maintenance centers in Toronto and Montréal. VIA awarded the contract for construction at the Toronto Maintenance Center to Buttcon Limited, based in Concord, Ontario. Pomerleau Inc., based in Montréal has been awarded the contract for work at the Montréal Maintenance Center. […]
FRA ‘Project Inventory’ prioritizes potential $24 billion of Northeast Corridor grants
WASHINGTON — The Federal Railroad Administration has released a priority list of projects eligible for funding under the Northeast Corridor component of the Federal-State Partnership portion of the Infrastructure and Jobs Act. Of the $24 billion available to be matched by Amtrak and 8 states from Massachusetts to Maryland plus the District of Columbia, the […]
Interview with Photographer Wang Wei
Interview with Photographer Wang Wei: Golden sunlight-lit autumn leaves, grazing horses, steam, snow. Majestic mountains. Night shots. Sparks. The Big Dipper. Words fail at this point. Wang Wei’s images convey color, contrast, and depth to equal any images showing off awe-inspiring Chinese landscapes. Underlying these images’ qualities is a single constant: trains. Steam locomotives are […]
How railroads transport different types of steel
Cody discusses the rules and regulations around the transport of steel products by rail. 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 video feature of Trains.com for magazine subscribers and Trains.com members, where editors […]
The four things railroads must do to win the battle with trucks
NEW YORK — Railroads will not regain market share lost to trucks unless they shift to traffic growth mode, transform their operations, and provide service that’s far more reliable than ever. That’s the view of Oliver Wyman partner Adriene Bailey, who this week outlined four big steps railroads must take in order to deliver the […]
Intermodal may not see boost during peak shipping season: Analysis
CHICAGO — Spot market prices in the freight transportation sector are trending downward during a time when freight companies typically ship peak volume for the holiday season. High inflation, fears about the economy’s future, and a slowdown in consumer spending mean less freight is needed to replenish already above-normal retail inventories. These circumstances are a […]
Railroads have a shortsighted attraction to extremely long trains: Analysis
Railroads are attracted to extremely long trains like a moth to a flame. And sometimes they get burned from this unhealthy obsession. A case in point: In October CSX Transportation ran two overlength merchandise trains at each other on its single-track mainline between Savannah and Augusta, Ga. The plan was to do a double saw-by […]
Photographers special to feature Boston & Maine F7s
BOSTON — The Massachusetts Bay Railroad Enthusiasts is sponsoring a winter photo excursion Jan. 7, 2023 on the Conway Scenic Railroad featuring the 470 Railroad Club’s restored Boston & Maine F7A’s Nos. 4268 and 4266. The “Covered Wagons in the Snow” trip will feature multiple photo stops and run-bys. No. 4268 was returned to service […]
Southern California rail agency names director
ORANGE, Calif. — Jason Jewell has been appointed Managing Director of the Los Angeles-San Diego-San Luis Obispo (LOSSAN) Rail Corridor Agency, the second busiest intercity passenger rail corridor in the nation. Jewell has worked for the LOSSAN Agency for seven years, mainly as the agency’s chief financial officer. He has extensive experience in finance and […]
STB chairman sharply criticizes U.S. Class I railroad cutbacks and service failures
NEW YORK – Surface Transportation Board Chairman Martin J. Oberman unleashed a barrage of criticism at the big four U.S. Class I railroads during the RailTrends conference on Wednesday, claiming that their crew shortages are self-inflicted and that the resulting service problems are damaging the economy. The service meltdown was brewing long before the pandemic, […]
Virginia Amtrak ridership increases
RICHMOND, Va. — Ridership on the Commonwealth of Virginia’s Amtrak service grew by 37.6% in September 2022 as compared to pre-pandemic September 2019, the Virginia Passenger Rail Authority (VPRA) reported this month. During the month, 105,689 passengers traveled compared to 76,793 during the same month in 2019, before the Covid-19 pandemic. One reason for the […]
