East Broad Top schedules September, October events

ORBISONIA, Pa. — The revitalized East Broad Top Railroad has announced several fall events, offering visitors several opportunities to visit the railroad, ride trains and enjoy a barbecue dinner. On Friday, Sept. 18, and Saturday, Sept. 19, 90-minute guided tours of the East Broad Top shops complex will be offered at 11 a.m. and 2 […]

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Class I railroad executives tout rebound of intermodal traffic

CSX Transportation, Norfolk Southern, and Union Pacific executives touted strong domestic intermodal growth during an investor conference today, noting that volumes are now running above pre-pandemic levels. UP’s intermodal traffic is up nearly 8% so far in the third quarter, boosted by double-digit percentage growth in parcel and truckload shipments due to e-commerce and the […]

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Amtrak CEO: $4.9 billion needed to avoid cuts to long-distance trains, workforce

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WASHINGTON — Amtrak President William Flynn has told members of Congress that the company needs a $4.9 billion appropriation for fiscal 2021 to avoid employee furloughs and reduced long-distance train frequencies planned for October. Flynn, Rail Passengers Association President and CEO Jim Mathews, and labor officials representing the Transport Workers Union and Transportation Communications Union […]

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Former Amtrak president Gunn sees perils in service cuts

WASHINGTON — Former Amtrak president David Gunn believes the company’s plans to cut most long-distance trains to triweekly operation beginning in October will lead to a permanent reduction in serviceable rolling stock, and cost the company employees with the expertise necessary to run the system in the future. “If you want to preserve the network, […]

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Union Pacific reduces train dispatcher ranks by more than 10%

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OMAHA, Neb. – Union Pacific has cut more than 60 dispatching positions at its Harriman Dispatching Center in Omaha and its joint dispatching office in Spring, Texas, this week. The affected dispatchers, who are management employees, were notified on Thursday and Friday that their jobs were being eliminated, according to a person familiar with the […]

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Environmental documents complete for Long Bridge project

WASHINGTON — Environmental planning has been completed for the Long Bridge Project to build a new rail bridge across the Potomac River, addressing a major capacity bottleneck for freight and passenger service through the District of Columbia and Virginia. The project will add a second two-track rail bridge adjacent to the current bridge, which currently […]

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Digest: Northwest Railway Museum to reopen Train Shed

Friday morning preservation news: Northwest Railway Museum to reopen Train Shed Exhibit Hall The Northwest Railway Museum in Snoqualmie, Wash., will reopen its Train Shed Exhibit Hall on Sept. 11, which had been closed because of COVID-19 pandemic measures. The museum says the 24,000-square-foot hall includes many of its most significant artifacts. The museum is […]

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Digest: BNSF to take over route operated by California short line

More Friday rail news: Pacific Sun Railroad to discontinue operations; BNSF to take over BNSF Railway will take over operation of San Diego-area lines currently served by short line Pacific Sun Railroad, according to a petition filed with the Surface Transportation Board. Pacific Sun’s lease to operate the 21.3 Escondido Subdivision and 0.3 mile Miramar […]

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Caboose donated to Conrail Historical Society

LITTLE FERRY, N.J. — The Conrail Historical Society has added to its collection with the donation by CSX of caboose No. 22130, which continued to wear its Conrail blue paint until its retirement earlier this year. The extended-vision cupola caboose was built in August 1970 by International Car Co. for the Reading Co., and transferred […]

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