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BNSF Railway is taking back Montana Rail Link’s lease on the former Northern Pacific main line across Montana and Idaho for one simple reason: To control its own destiny. In recent years the growth-minded BNSF has made significant capacity investments on its routes to and from the Pacific Northwest. To the east of MRL, BNSF […]
WASHINGTON — A Housatonic Railroad employee was killed in an October 2020 accident because he attempted to walk into a limited-clearance area and was struck by a moving track excavator, the National Transportation Safety Board determined in a newly released accident report. The accident occurred on Oct. 14, 2020, in North Canaan, Conn., killing a […]
FILLMORE, Calif. — Sierra Northern locomotives roll through Fillmore today (Thursday, Jan. 20) on their first day operating on the former Southern Pacific Santa Paula branch in Ventura County. Sierra Northern is the new contract operator on the county-owned line, formerly home of the Fillmore & Western. Sierra Northern want to rehab the line for […]
PETALUMA, Calif. — Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit has made a short-term deal for a contractor operator for freight service while it prepares to launch an in-house freight operation. The Santa Rosa Press-Democrat reports the SMART board of directors on Wednesday approved a $395,000, three-month contract for Summit Signal to provide interim operation to customers currently […]
SCOTTSVILLE, Texas — Add shortline company Watco to the list of those exploring battery-electric locomotive technology. Watco is teaming with Medha, an India-based manufacturer of locomotives and rail-related electronics, to convert two end-cab switchers into battery-electric units. The SW1200 and SW1500, based in Texas, had been out of service for repairs, according to an article […]
WEST MAHONING TOWNSHIP, Pa. — Cleanup continues after a locomotive and 17 cars of a Buffalo & Pittsburgh train derailed at midday Monday, WJAC-TV reports. No injuries were reported. The cars involved were reported to be empty or contained non-hazardous materials such as cardboard or scrap metal. A blocked grade crossing was expected to be […]
Wellsville, Addison & Galeton GE center-cab diesel 1700 has a string of the colorful short line’s wood boxcars in tow at Ansonia, Pa., in March 1970. David H. Hamley photo […]
ST. ALBANS, Vt. — Work is set to begin in April on a new dispatching center for short line company Genesee & Wyoming near downtown St. Albans, the Valley News reports. The 10,000-square-foot building, on a long-vacant site, will replace an older facility in the building. St. Albans City Manager Dominic Cloud said the company […]
WASHINGTON — Amtrak on Friday asked federal regulators to impose seven conditions on CSX Transportation’s proposed acquisition of Pan Am Railways, arguing that they are needed to protect current and future passenger service in New England. Dennis Newman, Amtrak’s executive vice president of strategy and planning, made the request during the second day of a […]
WASHINGTON — CSX Transportation executives touted their proposed acquisition of Pan Am Railways during a daylong Surface Transportation Board hearing Thursday, saying their deal to acquire the New England regional will significantly improve freight and passenger service. But board members questioned several aspects of the merger, including concerns surrounding the Pan Am Southern and CSX’s projections […]
OXNARD, Calif. — Two Sierra Northern genset locomotives near Oxnard, Calif., on Wednesday, Jan. 12, en route to their new home on the former Southern Pacific branch line that is now the Sierra Northern Ventura Division. The former Union Pacific locomotives were delivered dead-in-train by a Union Pacific local and were expected to be turned […]
PORT CLINTON, Pa. — Reading & Northern set records for freight revenue, freight traffic, and excursion passenger ridership in 2021, the railroad reported. Freight revenues increased by 10% over 2020 and pre-pandemic levels, boosted by increased traffic and a traffic mix with more higher-revenue moves. The company also saw significant revenue from its warehouse and […]
