Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen to hold strike vote

Logo of Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen union

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio — The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen will hold a strike authorization vote, the organization’s president announced in a Wednesday conference call with other union officials. Even if members authorize a strike, a walkout is not likely to occur soon. Unions and railroads entered a 30-day cooling-off period on June 17, after […]

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Historic ex-PRR high trestle at Safe Harbor opens to public

Parallel high and low bridges as seen from roadway

SAFE HARBOR, Pa. — Where electric-powered freight trains once rumbled high above the Susquehanna River en route between the East Coast and Midwest, hikers, bikers, and runners now catch breathtaking views of soaring bald eagles from the 150-foot-high Safe Harbor trestle. Opened earlier this month to public use as part of the planned 29-mile-long Enola […]

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CSX breaks ground on Chicago container facility

Seven people share shovels in groundbreaking ceremony

CHICAGO — CSX Transportation has begun work on expansion of its Chicago intermodal facilities, breaking ground earlier this week on a container storage facility at 63rd Street in the city’s Englewood neighborhood. When completed, the project, projected to cost more than $25 million, will provide additional storage for the railroad’s 59th Street and Bedford Park […]

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STB names Dinh to oversee Office of Proceedings

Surface Transportation Board logo

WASHINGTON — Mai Dinh has been named director of the Office of Proceedings at the Surface Transportation board, a position in which she oversees development of the public record of STB proceedings and manages the office’s legal and administrative sections. Dinh was appointed by STB Chairman Martin Oberman, with the approval of the rest of […]

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Fort Wayne organization acquires two PRR passenger cars

Two stainless steel passenger cars

NEW HAVEN, Ind. — The Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society has acquired two Pennsylvania Railroad passenger cars from the Washington, D.C., chapter of the National Railway Historical Society. The cars will be used to support the Indiana Rail Experience, a series of excursions with the society’s steam locomotive, Nickel Plate Road No. 765 [see “Indiana […]

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Heat blamed as BART train derails

BART logo

CONCORD, Calif. — One passenger was taken to a hospital for treatment after the last two cars of a Bay Area Rapid Transit train derailed Tuesday afternoon. Extreme heat appears to have been responsible, a BART official said. The San Jose Mercury News reports the derailment occurred about 5:30 p.m., involving a train bound for […]

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MBTA pulls newest cars from service over battery issue

Rapid transit trainset in factory

BOSTON — In the latest setback for its newest rapid-transit equipment, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority has pulled its new Orange and Red Line cars from service after what officials called a “battery failure” on one of the cars. Meanwhile, the agency — hit last week by a series of directives from the Federal Transit […]

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Amtrak adds additional daily service to Roanoke, Va.

Train at station platform at night

WASHINGTON — Amtrak will add a second daily Northeast Regional departure from Roanoke, Va., as of July 11, creating a schedule with morning and afternoon trains in both directions between Roanoke, Washington, and other Northeast Corridor destinations. Trains will now depart Roanoke at 6:32 a.m. (arriving in Washington at 11:34 a.m.) and 4:30 p.m. (arriving […]

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Metra brings back Saturday excursions on Heritage Corridor

Commuter train rounds curve with buildings in background

CHICAGO — Metra is bringing back special Saturday summer service it introduced on its Heritage Corridor route last year, offering residents to explore communities and recreational opportunities along the line which normally only sees weekday service. The “Rails, Trails, and Ales” excursions will operate on 10 consecutive Saturdays beginning July 2, with three round trips […]

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