This video was originally published by Trains as part of the Locomotive 2017 DVD. Southwest Ontario’s rolling countryside is home to vast open stretches of fertile farmland. The gently rolling topography of the area forced the original builders of the rail lines in the area to employ a cut and fill approach to right of […]
Kansas City Southern hasn’t purchased new locomotives since 2014 as the company has had ample power for its traffic levels with coal deliveries down across its core north-south mainline south of Kansas City. The railroad continues to upgrade its existing power, converting six (confirm) GP38-2s and GP40-2s to GP32ECOs using kits supplied from EMD. KCS […]
At first glance, aggregates — stone, sand, and gravel — are unlikely darlings among railroad commodities. They’re low-value and they tend to move only short distances. But even though their revenue per car is low, they are nearly perfect freight: indestructible and relatively harmless if spilled. In fact, stones and sand not only make […]
WASHINGTON — Thanks to the ongoing strength of intermodal traffic, U.S. rail traffic for the week ending Jan. 9 was up 4.7% over the comparable week a year earlier. The latest statistics from the Association of American Railroads show 525,253 carload and intermodal units moved for the week. The 235,404 carloads represented a 1.6% decrease […]
WASHINGTON — Media outlets are reporting that President-elect Joe Biden’s planned arrival by train for his inauguration — widely anticipated but never officially announced — will not happen in light of security concerns in the wake of the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol building. The Associated Press reports the move reflects increased concerns about […]
Amtrak CEO Bill Flynn has joined the call by two labor unions for increased security for Amtrak passengers and railroad workers, especially in the Washington, D.C., area, in the wake of last week’s violence at the Capitol building. “There is nothing more important than the safety of our employees,” Flynn said in a statement. “Since […]
Thursday morning rail news: Alghabra becomes Canada’s transport minister, succeeding Garneau (corrected) Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has shuffled his cabinet, appointing Omar Alghabra as transport minister. Alghabra replaces Marc Garneau, transport minister since 2015, who becomes minister of foreign affairs. Macleans magazine reports Alghabra, a member of parliament from Mississauga, Ontario, first served in […]
Still more Thursday morning rail news: DOT awards $40 million for commuter rail grade-crossing projects The Department of Transportation has awarded $40 million in grants to five states to improve grade crossings along commuter rail routes. The funds, awarded by the Federal Highway Administration in coordination with the Federal Railroad Administration and Federal Transit Administration, […]
Still more Thursday morning rail news: Winds up to 100 mph halt Union Pacific trains in Wyoming High winds forced Union Pacific to shut down operations across much of Wyoming on Wednesday, with similar disruptions likely today. In an advisory to customers, the railroad said winds gusts of 80 to 100 mph began in southeast […]
Thursday midday rail news: Brightline West aims for spring start to construction of Las Vegas-California line Brightline West is aiming to start construction of its Las Vegas-Southern California high speed rail project this spring, according to a filing with the Nevada High-Speed Rail Authority. The Las Vegas Review-Journal reports Brightline West President Sarah Watterson said […]
More Thursday morning rail news: New RTD CEO casts doubt on plans for commuter rail line to Boulder and Longmont The new head of Denver’s Regional Transportation District is questioning whether a long-planned, voter-approved commuter rail line to Boulder and Longmont, Colo., is the best option to provide transit service. Colorado Public Radio reports CEO […]
CHICAGO — Metra’s board of directors has approved the purchase of up to 500 new multilevel cars from Alstom, a purchase CEO and Executive Director James Derwinski calls “truly transformational.” The Alstom Coradia cars, while compatible with the current fleet of gallery cars, will feature two entrance doors on each side, as opposed to the […]
