NEW YORK — The federal government’s efforts to stop New York’s congestion tolling program suffered a setback today (Tuesday, May 27) as a U.S. District Court judge issued a temporary restraining order, allowing the program to continue through at least June 9. Judge Lewis Liman ruled that the U.S. Department of Transportation could not withhold […]
WASHINGTON – Nearly 400 railroads earned Jake Safety Awards from the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association – including 357 that had zero reportable injuries in 2024. To achieve a Jake Award, an ASLRRA member railroad must perform better than the average Federal Railroad Administration reportable injury frequency rate per 200,000 person-hours worked at […]
For the dedicated photographer looking for quality over quantity, finding the perfect location to capture railroading against stunning backdrops is a never-ending quest. Whether you’re a seasoned expert or just looking for a change in scenery, these 10 photogenic railfanning spots — from rugged mountains to scenic waterways and cityscapes — provide exceptional opportunities. Of […]
MIAMI — The finances of Brightline’s Florida operation have produced cautionary action by bond-rating agencies on Wall Street, which have downgraded the company’s bonds and notes over concerns about its ability to service its debt. The South Florida Sun Sentinel reports in a paywalled article that Fitch Group and Kroll Bond Rating Agency downgraded more […]
CHEYENNE, Wyo. — Union Pacific Big Boy No. 4014 and the railroad’s diesel honoring Abraham Lincoln will make a round trip between Cheyenne and Denver in July, with a public whistle-stop appearance in Greeley, Colo., in each direction. The railroad will also auction off four cab rides to support the Union Pacific Railroad Museum in […]
Mexico’s Maya Train — built to attract tourists to sites on the Yucatan Peninsula — has little chance of becoming profitable without the development of freight traffic on the route, the operation’s general director said this month. The news site Infobae reports that, at a seminar of the Mexican Railway Association earlier this month, Gen. […]
How much a railroad charges to move freight depends largely upon the weight of the cargo. Large shippers maintain in-plant track scales and weigh each car — knowing the weight simplifies the paperwork involved in billing the shipment Other shippers rely on the railroad’s own track scales, which are usually located along a through yard […]
CHICAGO — Sellouts in coach and high prices in sleeping cars, if space is available at all, are the rule rather than exception in a News Wire survey of Amtrak long-distance trains as summer arrives. Travelers will often face limited inventory for the rest of the summer despite marginal increases in equipment deployment. In a […]
MONTREAL — VIA Rail Canada workers represented by Canadian union Unifor have authorized a strike that could come as soon as June 22, the union announced Monday, May 26. Some 97.5% of workers represented by Unifor Council 4000 and Local 100 voted in favor of strike authorization. “This strike vote is not just a number […]
ROANOKE, Va. — Norfolk Southern’s Norfolk & Western heritage locomotive, ES44AC No. 8103, will take part in the 75th anniversary celebration for Class J 4-8-4 No. 611 at the Virginia Museum of Transportation, the museum has announced. The event is set for May 30-31, 2025, at the museum in Roanoke. “This is a powerful homecoming,” […]
MARHOWRA, India — Wabtec Corp. and Rio Tinto SimFer on Monday (May 26) unveiled the first locomotive in an order for TransGuinéen Railway, part of an order to serve Africa’s Simandou iron ore project. The Evolution Series ES43ACi locomotive is part of a $277 million order placed in 2024 by SimFer, a joint venture of […]
Railroads spend a lot of time worrying about clearances. One low bridge or a narrow tunnel will limit the kinds of cars able to move across that line. To sort out which cars can operate on a given line, the Association of American Railroads categorizes freight cars based on their outside dimensions. The AAR cross-section […]
