WASHINGTON — The city of Cheyenne, Wyo., has received a federal grant for more than $600,000 to support renovation of historic rail equipment. The $618,400 grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Agency, is intended to support local tourism. It will be matched by $154,600 in local funds. Cheyenne says the project will […]
CN receives strike notice from Canadian electrical workers’ union
MONTREAL — Canadian National has received a 72-hour strike notice from the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. CN said the union, which represents about 750 signals and communications employees in Canada, notified the railroad of its intent to strike as of 11 a.m. Eastern Time this Saturday, June 18. “CN has negotiated with the union […]
Wabtec acquires ARINC’s dispatching, back-office rail business
PITTSBURGH — Wabtec Corp. has acquired the rail solutions segment of ARINC (Aeronautical Radio Inc.), which provides dispatching and back-office systems, from Collins Aerospace, Wabtec announced today (Thursday, June 16). ARINC provides systems with integrated train control and positive train control; control-center integration, and customer information systems for intercity, commuter, and transit rail operations, as […]
NTSB releases preliminary report on collision that killed Metra passenger
CLARENDON HILLS, Ill. — A truck struck by a Metra commuter train was rotated by the impact, causing substantial damage to the train’s cab car and resulting in the death of a passenger, according to a preliminary report issued Wednesday by the National Transportation Safety Board. The preliminary report sets out basic facts of the […]
U.S. rail traffic remains below 2021 levels
WASHINGTON — Rail traffic’s general downward trend continued in the latest weekly statistics from the Association of American Railroads. For the week ending June 11, U.S. railroads reported 510,295 carloads and intermodal units, a 3.6% decline from the corresponding week in 2021. That included 234,942 carloads, down 2.8%, and 275,353 containers and trailers, down 4.4%. […]
July event to celebrate 125th anniversary of Canadian Northern Railway
BIG VALLEY, Alberta — The Canadian Northern Railway Society, which is commemorating the 125th anniversary of the Canadian National predecessor with a series of events, will hold its marquee commemoration with a celebration on July 9, 2022, in the community of Big Valley. The event from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. will include tours of […]
News photos: Aging lift bridge is Amtrak’s Achilles Heel in Chicago
CHICAGO — Water spray splashing the wheels of Lincoln Service train no. 300 coming off the Chicago River bridge Wednesday morning has nothing to do with Amtrak’s need to wash Windy City trains, and everything to do with making sure hot weather doesn’t sideline them. With temperatures expected to reach 100 degrees as they did […]
Small shipper’s case against Union Pacific tests railroad common-carrier obligation
WASHINGTON — Union Pacific has asked federal regulators to dismiss a shipper’s complaint that claims the railroad violated its common-carrier obligations by providing unreliable service and unilaterally reducing local service from five days per week to three. The shipper, Sanimax, brought the case to the Surface Transportation Board in November 2020. It asked the board […]
Railroad author and publisher Don Heimburger, 75, dies
Longtime model and prototype railroad publisher and author Don Heimburger died June 10, 2022, at his home in the Chicago area. He was 75. An avid model railroader, the Urbana, Ill., native started S Gaugian magazine when he was 15 years old. He worked as a newspaper reporter while earning a journalism degree from the […]
Trains, August 2022
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Federal directives order MBTA to address safety issues
WASHINGTON — The Federal Transit Administration has issued four special directives to the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, giving the transit agency periods ranging from 24 hours to 30 days to address safety concerns. Those concerns address procedural issues revealed by a series of five runaway-train incidents in yards since February 2021; maintenance procedures and programs; […]
Mediation ends in rail contract negotiations; arbitration offered
WASHINGTON — The National Mediation Board will end mediation between railroads and their unions over the long-running negotiations for a new national contract, moving the contract process closer to intervention by President Joe Biden. The organization representing railroads in the negotiations, the National Carriers’ Conference Committee, said in a press release that it was “disappointed […]
