Museum volunteers return Northern Pacific SD45 to operation

Newly restored diesel in Northern Pacific paint

DULUTH, Minn. — Volunteers at the Lake Superior Railroad Museum have returned Northern Pacific SD45 No. 3617 to operating condition. The locomotive was started up and moved under its own power at the museum on Feb. 27, the first time it has operated in more than 14 years. The locomotive was donated to the museum […]

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Rail volume up 11.4 percent in weekly statistics

Table showing rail carload and intermodal volume

WASHINGTON — With continued strength of intermodal traffic and a rare rise in carload traffic as recovery continued from February’s winter weather issues, U.S. railroads showed an 11.4% increase in total volume for the week ending March 6, 2021, compared to the same week last year. The latest statistics from the Association of American Railroads […]

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Heritage rail digest: Colebrookdale Railroad to offer ‘sensory friendly’ ride

Colebrookdale Railroad Logo

Colebrookdale Railroad to host ride for those with autism, other sensory sensitivities The Colebrookdale Railroad in Boyerstown, Pa., will host a “Sensory Friendly Saturday” train ride, specifically designed for those with autism or other sensory sensitivities, on March 27. The Sanatoga Post reports the event planned by the Colebrookdale Railroad Preservation Trust. Features will include […]

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Digest: CP announces Ballard fuel cells will power hydrogen locomotive

Canadian Pacific Railway beaver logo

Ballard Power Systems to provide fuel cells for CP’s hydrogen locomotive Fuel cells from Ballard Power Systems will be used in Canadian Pacific’s project to develop a hydrogen-powered road locomotive. The Ballard fuel cells will provide 1.2 megawatts of electricity, working with batteries to power the traction motors of the locomotive, being converted from diesel […]

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Digest: Delays add $300 million to cost of Gateway project

Amtrak train coming out of tunnel

Delays in start of Gateway project push cost to $11.6 billion Ongoing delays in beginning the Gateway tunnel project on the Northeast Corridor have pushed the estimated cost of tunnels under the Hudson river to $11.6 billion, a $300 million increase over the previous estimate. NJ.com reports Frank Sacr, interim executive director of the Gateway […]

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Digest: NTSB releases preliminary report on UP track worker fatality

Maintenance of Way tie tamper machine

NTSB issues preliminary report on UP track worker fatality The National Transportation Safety Board indicates it will examine Union Pacific operating rules and the condition of a piece of equipment as part of its ongoing investigation of a fatal accident involving a UP maintenance-of-way worker near Vail, Ariz., in January. In its preliminary report, the […]

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