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 […]
Digest: California pushes back date for start of high speed rail operations
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 […]
Digest: CP sets January grain record
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 […]
Analysis: Buttigieg voices support for high speed rail, but delivering will be a challenge
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, […]
Digest: South Shore to replace some service with buses because of expected severe weather
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 […]
Digest: Federal judge voids UP employment requirement in Palestine, Texas
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. […]
Digest: Fort Wayne historical society completes caboose rebuild
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 […]
Digest: Lease agreement paves way for No. 4141 display at Bush museum
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 […]
News Photos: Goderich runaway cleanup continues
GODERICH, Ontario — Cleanup continues after the Feb. 1 incident in which a Goderich-Exeter Railway train ran away on a 3% grade on a line leading to Goderich Harbour, derailing, hitting two vehicles, and demolishing a shed before coming to a halt [see “Digest: Canadian short line train derails …,” Trains News Wire, Feb. 2, 2021] Remarkably, […]
Digest: East Broad Top work uncovers decayed dynamite
Friday afternoon rail news: Work at East Broad Top uncovers, removes decayed dynamite Stabilization work on a building at the East Broad Top Railroad took an unexpected turn this week with the discovery of five cases of material labeled as explosives. After work halted, analysis determined the material was probably decayed dynamite, estimated to be […]
Intermodal surge hits capacity ceiling
The lone railroad traffic bright spot last year was intermodal volume, which went on a tear in the second half of 2020 due to rising e-commerce parcel shipments, a surge in imports, and retailers rushing to restock depleted inventories. But as intermodal traffic surged and remained at fall peak levels into this year, the volume […]
Digest: NTSB issues preliminary report into Illinois short line death
More Thursday morning rail news: NTSB issues preliminary report on fatal Decatur & Eastern Illinois accident The National Transportation Safety Board has released its preliminary report into the death of a Decatur & Eastern Illinois Railroad employee in November [see “Digest: Illinois short line conductor killed in accident,” Trains News Wire, Nov. 12, 2020], setting […]
