By: Jim Wrinn RIDGELEY, W.Va. — The Last Baldwin is running again. Western Maryland Scenic Railroad’s former Chesapeake & Ohio 2-6-6-2 No. 1309 made its first move under its own power in 64 years on Dec. 31. It was the start of test runs for the world’s largest operating Mallet (which uses its steam twice) […]
The approach with which most nations addressed the spread of the coronavirus — one of regional and national lockdowns, and border closures — took a heavy toll on rail systems around the world. The pattern began after the COVID-19 virus was first detected in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. Most rail traffic in China, especially […]
EAGLE COUNTY, COLO. — The former Denver & Rio Grande Western Tennessee Pass line will apparently live again. Rail holding company Rio Grande Pacific has announced it has reached agreement with Union Pacific to lease the Colorado route, and its Colorado Midland & Pacific Railway has filed a request with the Surface Transportation Board for […]
Today is the final day of operation for the Deux-Montagnes line of Montreal commuter railroad Exo. The shutdown marks the end of more than 100 years of service on the electrified route, which, for most of its history, ran through the Mount Royal Tunnel to Montreal’s Central Station. The line will be replaced by a […]
By: Jim Wrinn News in the preservation world wasn’t entirely about COVID-19. There were other significant stories: — Wisconsin Great Northern purchases and begins the restoration of the Mark Twain Zephyr trainset. The long-neglected train will have a new life in northern Wisconsin. — Kentucky Steam expands: The home of leased Chesapeake & Ohio 2-8-4 […]
Thursday midday rail news: Charlotte light rail line, short on staff, extends reduced schedule The Charlotte Area Transit System light rail Blue Line will remain on a Sunday schedule until further notice because of a COVID-19-related staffing shortage. The Charlotte Observer reports the light rail system began operating on the Sunday schedule seven days a […]
Thursday morning rail news: MBTA places first new Red Line trainset in service The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority has put its first train of new equipment for the rapid transit Red Line in service, the first new rolling stock for the line since 1994. The Boston Globe reports the equipment is part of an order […]
PITTSBURGH — iCon infrastructure is becoming a 40% partner in Iowa Interstate Railroad, a move majority owner Railroad Development Corp. of says positions the regional railroad as “a platform for growth.” “RDC’s business model is based on partnerships, a model that originates from the business acumen of my father, Henry Posner Jr,” Railroad Development Corp. […]
Notable developments that may not received their due because of the pandemic: Plans were announced or trials began for automated trains, especially in Europe While multiple subway and airport people-mover systems around the world use driverless trains, mainline operation without drivers has until now been restricted to Western Australia, where heavy iron ore trains operate […]
By: Jim Wrinn North American railway preservation hit its most difficult foe — more potent than time, rust, and neglect — in the deadly COVID-19 pandemic that closed tourist railroads and museums across the continent. Nobody could have seen such a major impact coming. No place was prepared. And no venue was spared. For-profit and […]
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and other officials held a ribbon-cutting earlier today marking the completion of the Moynihan Train Hall, providing the first look inside the $1.6 billion facility across 8th Avenue from New York Penn Station that provides new waiting rooms and access to Amtrak and Long Island Rail Road trains. One entrance […]
WASHINGTON — Boosted by an increase of more than 20% in intermodal units, U.S. rail traffic for the week ending Dec. 26 showed an 8.4% increase over the same week in 2019. The latest statistics from the Association of American Railroads show U.S. Class I railroads moved 220,082 intermodal units for the week, up 20.8%. […]
