CHICAGO — Norfolk Southern will require its workers to be vaccinated for COVID-19, and has filed a lawsuit in an effort to block legal action by unions representing employees. Reuters reports the railroad filed the suit in a federal court in Chicago on Thursday, arguing that union objection to the mandate must be addressed through […]
WASHINGTON — DC Metrorail operations will remain limited at least through the remainder of this week, as the agency continues to deal with an equipment shortage triggered by the sidelining of its 7000-series railcars. The Washington Post reports Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority General Manager Paul J. Wiedefield said Friday the current reduced service levels […]
PUEBLO, Colo. — Transportation Technology Center Inc. will build a new railroad research and testing center in Pueblo, replacing the nearby facility it has used for more than 40 years. The Pueblo Chieftain reports that TTCI, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Association of American Railroads, will build its new test track at PuebloPlex, a […]
DENVER — Officials have pieced together the funding necessary for studies to assess the feasibility of a proposed passenger service along Colorado’s front range, connecting cities from Fort Collins to Pueblo and beyond. The Denver Post reports the Colorado Transportation Commission last week approved $1.6 million in funds for the $3.9 million study, matching funds […]
CHEYENNE, Wyo. — The Cheyenne City Council has voiced support for a rail-oriented tourist attraction that will initially include a series of historic railcars and could expand to include Union Pacific’s roundhouse and the Big Boy locomotive currently on display elsewhere in the city. The Wyoming Tribune Eagle reports the council last month approved a […]
BALTIMORE — Officials from Amtrak, the city of Baltimore, and the state of Maryland held a groundbreaking ceremony Friday to mark the start of a $150 million project to redevelop Baltimore Penn station, which will see the structure turned into a mixed-use development including office, retail, and residential and hotel space. WYPR-FM reports Amtrak President […]
Railfanning Chicago at Lisle, Illinois, is good for those hard winter days. You know, the ones that sometimes feel like it requires all the preparation, gear, and endurance of the Amundsen South Pole expedition. This is what makes Lisle, on BNSF Railway’s triple-track main line between Chicago and Aurora, Ill., is a good place to […]
NEWTON, Iowa — Fifteen years have flown by for Chinese-built QJ 2-10-2 No. 6988, and it is making its last runs today and Saturday before going into storage. The locomotive is at the point where it is required to have a 15-year inspection per Federal Railroad Administration. It and sister No. 7081 were brought to […]
BOSTON — A Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority conductor is suing the operator of MBTA commuter trains, saying a defective door caused the partial amputation of one finger. The Quincy (Mass.) Patriot Ledger reports the suit by Quincy resident Allen Chin is one of eight against contract commuter operator Keolis over the last six years over […]
Our intrepid rail adventurer and son put his Toyota 4×4 truck to the test. Getting trackside isn’t always easy, but Tom and Charlie show how the effort pays off with good times and great shots on land and water! […]
HAMBURG, Germany — Rail equipment firm Siemens has launched two types of driverless train operations in Germany, introducing a commuter train in the northern port city of Hamburg and a fully autonomous streetcar in Potsdam, just west of Berlin. The company is working toward making both technologies commercially available within a few years, as is […]
LAS VEGAS, Nev. — With environmental planning completed for construction of a 200-mph electrified railroad from Las Vegas, Nev., only as far as Victorville, Calif., Brightline West has entered into a memorandum of understanding with California transportation authorities to explore extending tracks to an existing Metrolink commuter rail station in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., where passengers […]
