American Z Line has added an Electro-Motive Division SW1500 diesel locomotive to its growing lineup of Z scale products. The first two road names announced for the end-cab switcher are Southern Pacific (scarlet and gray in three road numbers) and Reading Co. (yellow and green in two numbers). Features on the SW1500 include prototype-specific details, […]
Stan Trzoniec’s modeling work has graced the covers and pages of Classic Toy Trains for a couple of decades. His eye for detail and excellent photography skills have made him one of the standouts in the toy train world. See his work in the in the September 2021 issue. We asked him a few questions […]
CALGARY, Alberta — Higher fuel costs and a disappointing Canadian grain crop weighed on Canadian Pacific’s third-quarter profits, the railway reported today. “There’s certainly challenges ahead as we look forward to our base business. We’ve got a smaller Canadian grain crop, we’ve got some supply chain issues, challenges, that the balance of the industry is also […]
CHICAGO — Metra will restore service to pre-pandemic levels while avoiding fare increases as part of its proposed 2022 proposed operating budget. The agency’s board of directors has also approved a $263 million budget for capital projects. The 2022 operating plan also includes a new $6 day pass that would be valued for unlimited rides […]
MIAMI — Ending a hiatus that began in March 2020 during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, Brightline is finally restoring its Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, Fla., service on Nov. 8. Sixteen weekday round trips and 12 on both weekend days will begin on that date, following essentially the same schedule in effect when […]
OTTAWA — The city of Ottawa has a new head of its transit system to deal with the ongoing issues regarding its light rail Confederation Line. The Ottawa Citizen reports Renee Amilcar, who spent almost 20 years with Montreal’s transit agency, began her new duties as general manager of OC Transpo on Monday — the […]
LONDON — British rail infrastructure owner Network Rail has appointed two specialist contractors to deliver an industry-first “pathfinder” project fitting positive train control to heritage steam and diesel locomotives. The consortium of Atkins (part of the SNC-Lavalin Group) and Thales is undertaking the work as part of Network Rail’s “East Coast Digital Programm” which will […]
OMAHA — Union Pacific and its unions are suing each other over the vaccination requirement announced by the railroad last week. The Associated Press reports the Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers-Transportation Division, or SMART-TD, filed suit last week contending UP should have negotiated before announcing the vaccine requirement. The same day, UP sued […]
NEW YORK — Two New York City commissioners are joining the Metropolitan Transportation Authority as part of a reorganization that will reduce the number of people reporting directly to the CEO, at the same time the agency does away with its transformation plan. Politico reports Lisette Camillo, commissioner of the Department of Citywide Administrative Services, […]
MONTREAL — Canadian National CEO JJ Ruest will retire in January, the railroad announced today amid the ongoing proxy contest launched by activist investor TCI Fund Management. No successor was named, and CN’s announcement came a day after TCI released its plan touting former CN Chief Operating Officer Jim Vena as its chief executive candidate […]
MONTREAL — Canadian National announced that Jean-Jacques Ruest will retire as president and CEO and as a member of the board of directors, effective as of the end of January 2022, or such later time as a successor has been appointed. “On behalf of the Board, I would like to thank JJ for his dedicated […]
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Kansas City Southern’s profits slumped in the third quarter due to the impact of merger-related costs, but revenue was up sharply even as volumes declined slightly as a result of auto assembly plant shutdowns and protests that blocked the railroad’s route to a key Mexican port. The railroad today reported that […]
