SACRAMENTO, Calif. — After a year’s delay caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and an uprising in the California Legislature, the head of the state’s financially strapped high-speed rail project unveiled a “revised draft business plan” today restating an initial operating segment between Merced and Bakersfield as the project’s priority. The California High-Speed Rail Authority Board voted unanimously […]
SKAGWAY, Alaska — Narrow gauge passenger rail operator White Pass & Yukon Route never ran excursions during 2020, despite maintaining hopes into June that COVID-19 travel restrictions might be relaxed. Now operations are in jeopardy for 2021 as well, in the wake of a Transport Canada decision not to allow ships carrying more than 100 […]
More Tuesday morning rail news: Charlotte seeks to stoke interest in commuter rail Red Line opposed by Norfolk Southern The city of Charlotte is attempting to revive interest in a commuter rail project to Mt. Mourne, N.C., but Norfolk Southern remains opposed to the project, which would use its line north of the city. WSOC-TV reports that […]
The Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District recently agreed to lease surplus gallery cars from Metra’s Electric District to meet the South Shore Line’s expanded service plans once its Double Track and West Lake extension projects are complete. [See “Digest: South Shore to lease gallery cars …,” Trains News Wire, Jan. 26, 2021]. In the wake of that decision, […]
More Monday afternoon rail news: News report says transit to receive $30 billion under House COVID relief plan Transit agencies will receive $30 billion and Amtrak $1.5 billion under the $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief proposal expected to be released Monday by House Democrats, Reuters reports. The news service, citing sources briefed on the matter and documents […]
Monday morning rail news: Start pushed back, cost estimate increased for Valley segment of California high speed route The California High-Speed Rail Authority has again reset the completion date and increased the estimated cost of the project. The Associated Press reports authority CEO Brian Kelly now says the 119-mile segment between Bakersfield and Madera in the Central […]
Monday afternoon rail news: CP sets January record for Canadian grain movement Canadian Pacific set a record for Canadian grain movement in January, transporting 2.22 million metric tons to better the record set a year earlier by 6%. The railroad has now shipped 16 million metric tons so far in the 2020-21 grain season, an […]
WASHINGTON — In response to a question last week from MSNBC interviewer Joy Reid — “How long is it going to take before I get my high speed rail?” — newly confirmed U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg didn’t answer directly. “As you know, the president is a big believer in passenger rail,” Buttigieg says. “Look, […]
Saturday morning rail news: South Shore to replace trains with buses on part of route through at least Monday The South Shore Line will substitute bus service for trains between South Bend, Ind., and the Michigan City Carroll Avenue station beginning this evening, and continuing through at least Sunday and Monday because of forecasts of […]
Still more Friday morning rail news: Federal judge voids UP employment agreement in Palestine, Texas A federal court has ruled in favor of Union Pacific in its lawsuit against the city of Palestine, Texas, voiding the agreement which required the railroad to employ a certain percentage of its workers in the city. Judge Jeremy D. […]
More Friday morning rail news: Fort Wayne, Ind., group completes rebuild of wooden Wabash caboose The Fort Wayne (Ind.) Railroad Historical Society has completed an extensive rebuild of its century-old Wabash Railroad caboose, one of just two wooden Wabash cabooses in existence. Work on caboose No. 2534 began in 2018 under the direction of project […]
Friday morning rail news: Lease agreement means UP 4141 will arrive at Bush museum in spring Union Pacific’s presidential commemorative locomotive, SD70ACe No. 4141, will arrive at the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum in College Station, Texas, this spring following approval of a lease that will allow the museum to expand. KXXV-TV reports the Texas […]
