FreightCar America to begin tank car conversions

Logo of FreightCar America

CHICAGO — Manufacturer FreightCar America will enter the tank car conversion market, having entered into an agreement to upgrade more than 1,000 DOT-111 cars to DOT-117R cars over the next two years, the company announced today. The cars will receive new exterior valve jackets, thermal protection, full-height head shields, top fittings protection, and upgraded bottom-outlet […]

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Weekly U.S. rail traffic remains up

Weekly table showing U.S. carload traffic by commodity type, plus overall intermodal volume

WASHINGTON — Weekly U.S. rail volume showed a solid increase for the seven days ending July 27, with overall traffic up 5.3% over the same period a year earlier. Statistics from the Association of American Railroads show railroads moved 508,496 carloads and intermodal units for the week. That includes 228,845 carloads, down 0.5% from the […]

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Finding railroad history beyond the right-of-way 

An orange Rio Grande boxcar in a field with snow-covered mountains in the background

Railroad History Railroading exists everywhere we look, and in our travels we often get a glimpse into railroad history in places we least expect — like the half-dozen U-turns I’ve performed in ranch country where rust boxcars have been repurposed for storage. It’s an encounter with railroad history beyond the right-of-way. Drier climates in the […]

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Young Guns in Preservation: David Weston

man in conductor uniform leaning on a wooden fence

As a teacher in Oklahoma, the sharing and showcasing of history is nonstop for 25-year-old David Weston. This includes serving as a seasonal conductor for the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad during the summer break, while also documenting the life and times along the narrow gauge line through Instagram with approximately 45,000 followers digitally going […]

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MBTA continues progress on track improvements with Red Line project

Maintenance crew working in tunnels of transit system

BOSTON — The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority’s latest extended maintenance shutdown led to the elimination of nine speed restrictions — two more than originally planned — on the rapid-transit Red Line, the MBTA said on Tuesday. The work was conducted between Alewife and Kendall/MIT July 12 and 15-26; from Alewife to JFK/UMass July 13-14 and […]

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Southwest Chief again disrupted by freight derailment (updated)

Amtrak logo.

Amtrak’s Southwest Chief is once again facing cancellations on the central portion of its route because of a freight train derailment, according to the Amtrak Alerts feed on X.com. The westbound train that departed Chicago today will be canceled between Kansas City and Albuquerque, with no alternate transportation provided, while the eastbound train that left […]

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Amtrak abruptly cancels Chicago-Quincy round trip for a week

Passenger train with four cars passing through yard area

CHICAGO — Amtrak has cancelled one of two daily round trips between Chicago and Quincy, Ill., as of today (Thursday, July 30) and at least through Wednesday, Aug. 7. So far, the only acknowledgement on Amtrak’s website is that the affected Carl Sandburg trains during the period are shown as “sold out.” Amtrak spokesman Marc […]

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Justice Department sues Norfolk Southern over Amtrak delays

Passenger train approaches curve with freight train on adjacent track

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Justice Department is taking Norfolk Southern to court, alleging the railroad’s delays of Amtrak’s Crescent violate federal law. The civil complaint, filed today (July 30) in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, alleges NS regularly fails to give the Crescent preference over freight trains as required by statute, leading […]

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Union Pacific intermodal train derails in Iowa

Stack of derailed containers and intermodal cars in field

GLIDDEN, Iowa — An estimated 36 cars of a Union Pacific intermodal train derailed Monday evening about a mile east of Glidden, Carroll Broadcasting reports on its website. No injuries were reported, and no hazardous materials were involved, a Union Pacific spokesman told the radio stations. The derailment occurred about 5 p.m., blocking both grade […]

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Federal grant helps fund rebuilding of Texas branch line

Map detail of rail lines in eastern Texas.

HENDERSON, Texas — A $15 million project to rebuild a former Union Pacific branch line has been announced by the line’s owner, the Rusk County Rural Rail District, and the North East Texas Regional Mobility Authority. The Henderson-Overton Branch, an approximately 15-mile line connecting its two namesake communities, has been owned by the district since […]

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