History of the Illinois Central Railroad Illinois Central Railroad dated from 1851 when it was chartered by its home state to build a line from Cairo, at Illinois’ southern tip — the confluence of the Ohio and Mississippi rivers — to Galena, in the northwestern corner of the state and at the time a mining […]
PADUCAH, Ky. — New Brunswick Southern Railway SD70M-2, the first of six locomotives slated to be refurbished for the Canadian railroad, awaits departure from the Paducah & Louisville yard on June 26, 2021, following the completion of work by Progress Rail at its Mayfield, Ky., facility. New Brunswick Southern is one of three J.D. Irving […]
WASHINGTON — Five rail-related projects are among 24 selected to receive $905.25 million in federal grants under the fiscal 2021 Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) program. The announcement of the proposed awards begins a 60-day period for Congress to review the proposed awards; after that review period, the U.S. Department of Transportation is free to […]
WASHINGTON — Amtrak has questioned Canadian National’s plan to sell Kansas City Southern’s route between New Orleans and Baton Rouge, La., as part of the planned merger of the two railroads, a plan which would see CN retain the right to operate on the route along with a freight tenant. The Amtrak comment came as […]
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Estimates for a transit plan including commuter rail service for Charlotte have risen to $13.6 billion and could easily fluctuate over the almost two decades to complete the projects, the Charlotte city council was told at a Monday meeting. The Charlotte Observer reports preliminary estimates from an advisory group had placed the […]
Mail call Carts of mail sacks crowd the northeast side of the new New Orleans Union Passenger Terminal in 1954. The stub-end terminal features 12 passenger tracks ending at an open-air concourse. James G. La Vake photo […]
‘Seatrain Georgia’ The hull configuration of the Seatrain ships—three decks, each with four tracks (plus four tracks on the top deck)—is evident in this view of Seatrain Georgia being lengthened at Sun Shipbuilding in 1963. The vessel has been cut in two for installation of a new midsection. Hagley Museum & Library collection […]
Lawsuit challenges unique legal status of Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District The Indiana Supreme Court will review the unique legal status of the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District, operator of South Shore Line commuter trains, as a result of a lawsuit filed by a Hobart, Ind., man who was injured while performing track maintenance work. […]
Kansas City Southern asks regulators to reject Canadian Pacific request for information Kansas City Southern has asked the Surface Transportation Board to reject a request from Canadian Pacific for information it seeks for CP’s efforts to merge with KCS, saying that under the termination of the merger agreement between the two railroads, CP no longer […]
Senate confirms Fernandez to head FTA The U.S. Senate has confirmed appointment of Nuria Fernandez as administrator of the Federal Transit Administration, becoming the first confirmed administrator in more than a decade and the first Senate-confirmed woman of color to lead the agency. “I am humbled and extremely grateful for the confidence bestowed upon me […]
WASHINGTON — Four light rail projects are among the 22 which have received a total of $250 million in funding under the Federal Transit Administration’s Capital Investment Grants program. Rail projects receiving grants are: — $20.7 million to Seattle’s Sound Transit for the 2.4-mile Hilltop extension of the Tacoma Link light rail project. — $17.4 […]
MBTA commuter train to offer walk-up COVID vaccinations The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority will operate a commuter train offering COVID-19 vaccinations June 16-20 at stations in Boston, Worchester, Lowell, Lawrence, and Fitchburg, Mass. The Boston Globe reports the “Vax Express” will offer walk-up vaccination; while no appointment is required, residents may book a time slot […]
