SANTA CRUZ, Calif. — Construction of the long-discussed, much-debated rail line to Santa Cruz using a former Southern Pacific branch line could cost up to $4.3 billion, according to a document released Friday (June 6, 2025). The draft version of the executive summary of an upcoming report on the project, known as the Zero Emission […]
LOS ANGELES — Direct rail service to and from Los Angeles International Airport is a step closer to reality after the opening of the LAX/Metro Transit Center on Friday, June 6. The long-awaited bus and light rail terminal, east of the airport will eventually provide connection to an automated people mover system serving airport terminals. […]
FALL RIVER, Mass. — Residents voiced complaints about unreliable service and noise from idling trains on Thursday at a Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority public meeting about early issues with the South Coast Rail service that debuted in March. The Fall River Herald News reports that about 100 people were on hand for a meeting with […]
WASHINGTON — Metra’s request to the Surface Transportation Board for terminal trackage rights in the Chicago area is an effort to maintain below-market rates for access to the Union Pacific system, UP says in a filing responding to Metra’s initial arguments to support that request. Such a financial dispute “is not the board’s problem,” UP […]
Parallel Systems and Genesee & Wyoming short line Heart of Georgia Railroad this week began the first phase of testing of Parallel’s autonomous, battery-electric flat car. The initial round of testing of Parallel’s container car is being conducted near Glenwood, Ga., in conjunction with the Federal Railroad Administration. The equipment has already been put through […]
SAN JOSE, Calif. — Members of the Amalgamated Transit Union have approved a new contract with the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority, ending a contract dispute that included a 17-day strike in March. Local 265 of the union reports that members voted 689-298 in favor of the new contract in balloting on Tuesday, June 3. […]
ARGYLE, Iowa — Service was restored on BNSF’s main line in the Fort Madison area on Wednesday after the Tuesday evening derailment of a train that blocked both tracks of the railroad’s Southern Transcon. KHQA-TV reports the derailment occurred while the train was stopped because of a tornado warning, according to a BNSF representative. No […]
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — CSX has fully bounced back from a bout of operational challenges that began with hurricanes last fall and worsened after the Feb. 1 closure of the Howard Street Tunnel in Baltimore, CEO Joe Hinrichs tells Trains. The railroad’s on-time performance in May, measured by trip plan compliance for intermodal and carload shipments, […]
WASHINGTON — A Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority light rail vehicle was traveling about 11 mph when it struck an end-of-track bumping post, injuring eight passengers and the operator in a May 11, 2025, incident, according to the National Transportation Safety Board. The NTSB released the preliminary report on its ongoing investigation today (June 4, 2025). […]
MONTREAL — VIA Rail Canada’s on-time performance plummeted in the first quarter of 2025, falling to 30% from 72% in the same period last year, the company said in a quarterly financial report issued on Tuesday, June 3. The company also said ridership also dropped by 2.7% compared to the first quarter of 2024, the […]
AUSTIN, Texas — Texas lawmakers did not include funding for Amtrak’s Heartland Flyer in a budget bill passed last week, placing the future of the train between Fort Worth and Oklahoma City in jeopardy after a year that saw a 11% increase in ridership. The Texas Department of Transportation had sought $3.53 million for the […]
BRUNSWICK, Maine — New short line Cumberland & Knox made its debut last weekend, running its first train over a 56-mile, state-owned former Maine Central branch that hadn’t seen any freight action at all in eight months. The move saw locomotive LTEX 1555, an ex-Canadian Pacific GP9u, pick up 12 covered hoppers from the CSX […]
