TACOMA, Wash. — A federal jury has awarded $8 million in damages to a woman injured in the fatal 2017 derailment of an Amtrak Cascades train in DuPont, Wash., the latest in a series of large jury awards resulting from the accident that killed three people. The Seattle Times reports the jury awarded $2.5 million […]
Section: News Wire
Report cautions Amtrak of challenges with funding windfall
WASHINGTON — The unprecedented funding windfall available to Amtrak under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act will challenge the company’s ability to manage projects related to the new funds while continuing to oversee current operations, the Amtrak Office of Inspector General says in a new report. The challenges will come in four areas, the report […]
Start of Gulf Coast hearing brings questions about STB’s ability to order improvements
WASHINGTON — Monday’s first day of a Surface Transportation Board hearing on Amtrak’s request to initiate service between New Orleans and Mobile, Ala., moved so slowly that some attorneys speculated that the four days this week allotted for the hearing may not be enough. In almost eight hours, the hearing barely progressed past opening statements […]
Court blocks rail union’s bid to seek local bargaining on key issues
ARLINGTON, Va. — A federal court has shot down a union’s effort to negotiate wages, health care, and other key issues at a local, rather than national, level, according to the organization representing railroads in national labor bargaining. The National Railway Labor Conference said in a press release that the U.S. District Court for the […]
Union blames train crew shortage on cutbacks related to Precision Scheduled Railroading (updated)
WASHINGTON — Ongoing service problems related to crew shortages on the U.S. Class I railroads are entirely self-inflicted due to the implementation of Precision Scheduled Railroading, the SMART Transportation Division labor union has told federal regulators. “The freight rail network is at a breaking point,” union President Jeremy Ferguson wrote in an April 1 letter […]
Cargo thefts decline in 2021
While thefts from Union Pacific intermodal trains in Los Angeles made national headlines early this year, overall cargo thefts last year decreased by 15% from 2020 levels, Insurance Journal reports, citing CargoNet’s annual Supply Chain Risk Trends report. The company, which provides cargo theft solutions, reported 1,285 cargo thefts in the United States and Canada, […]
Owner of Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe 2-8-0 seeks restoration funding
When Lori Lindsey bought The Mineshaft Tavern in Madrid, N.M., in 2007, she acquired the restaurant, museum, and Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe No. 769. After consulting with restoration experts, Lindsey is seeking funding to restore the 2-8-0. With encouragement from Santa Fe, N.M., resident Andrew Delgado, Lindsey consulted with steam restoration experts. She has […]
C&O Historical Society begins effort to restore business car Chessie 29
CLIFTON FORGE, Va. — The Chesapeake & Ohio Historical Society has begun fundraising for what it calls one of the most ambitious projects in its 53-year history, the restoration of business car Chessie 29 used by C&O President Walter Tuohy. Initial fundraising efforts will be boosted by a matching gift from an anonymous donor. Built […]
News photos: Brunswick, Md., tower moved
BRUNSWICK, Md. — More than 10 years after its closure by CSX Transportation, the preservation of WB Tower in Brunswick, Md., has been assured by its move from railroad to city property. The tower, built in 1910 by Baltimore & Ohio, made a short move uphill on Saturday, April 2. Wolfe House & Building Movers […]
News photos: Albany & Eastern pays tribute to Wrinn
LEBANON, Ore. — The Albany & Eastern Railroad’s Santiam Excursion Trains had a new feature this weekend: A tribute to late Trains Editor Jim Wrinn. Dave Bertz sent these photos of a message added to the cab of the train’s locomotive, Santa Maria Valley No. 205, a 1924 Baldwin 2-6-2, as seen during an excursion […]
Caltrain resumes regular weekday schedule
SAN CARLOS, Calif. — Caltrain will resume its 104-train weekday schedule today (Monday, April 4), after reducing midday operations as of March 2 to accommodate work on the ongoing electrification of the San Francisco-San Jose main line. However, another service reduction is planned in about a month. The signal work that was the reason for […]
Options exist to ease Amtrak capacity issues: Special Report
Second of two parts. Part 1 is available here. CHICAGO — Amtrak’s ability to meet increasing customer demand has been hampered by a shortage of equipment on both short-haul and long-haul trains. State-supported trains in California and the Midwest are still awaiting the Siemens Venture cars, even though the first cars were delivered in 2020. […]
