SAN FRANCISCO — Wells Fargo will sell its rail leasing equipment business to a newly formed joint venture of GATX Corp. and Brookfield Infrastructure, the financial company announced Thursday (May 29, 2025). The joint venture will purchase approximately 105,000 railcars for $4.4 billion; Brookfield will separately acquire the Wells Fargo rail finance portfolio of approximately […]
NEW YORK — Lost in the debate between Amtrak, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, and transportation advocates over the plans to close Amtrak’s East River tunnel for repairs — and the resulting service reductions, especially for Empire Service trains to and from Albany-Rensselaer, N. Y. — are the limited track routing options that exist between […]
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — With the Illinois legislature one day away from a deadline for passing the state’s budget for fiscal 2026, lawmakers have yet to decide on a way to address the looming $770 million deficit for Chicago-area transit agencies. The Chicago Sun-Times reports that state Sen. Ram Villivalam (D-Chicago) has proposed funding the operations […]
MONTREAL — After announcing its overall 2025 capital spending plan earlier this month, Canadian National has now released province-by-province plans for the Canadian portion of that plan. British Columbia, where the railroad is working to improve fluidity to and from Vancouver and add capacity to the Port of Prince Rupert, will receive the largest investment, […]
TEHACHAPI, Calif.— The Friends of the Tehachapi Depot and the City of Tehachapi will commemorate the 15th anniversary of the Tehachapi Depot Museum in early June. The replica structure was built shortly after the destruction of the original station by a fire in 2008. “We are thrilled to honor this milestone for the Tehachapi Depot […]
SAN CLEMENTE, Calif. — Amtrak and Metrolink service through San Clemente will resume on Saturday, June 7, the Orange County Transportation Authority announced today (Thursday, May 29). The Surf Line route through San Clemente — an area where landslides have frequently disrupted train traffic in recent years — has been closed since April 28 to […]
MOBILE, Ala. — The launch of Amtrak’s Mardi Gras Service between Mobile and New Orleans has been pushed back further, likely to the end of July or beginning of August. WALA-TV reports that Southern Rail Commission chairman Knox Ross told the station that “construction issues” are responsible for the latest delays. “We know the train’s […]
WASHINGTON – The Surface Transportation Board’s environmental review of the proposed Uinta Basin Railway was proper, the U.S. Supreme Court said today in an 8-0 decision that overturns a lower court’s order that blocked construction of the 88-mile Utah railroad. The STB in December 2021 approved the project, noting that the transportation merits of the […]
While U.S. logistics providers wait out the post-trade war lull in import shipments, BNSF Railway is setting up its network to handle an expected surge following a pause in tariffs between China and the United States. “I guess probably the most overused words in logistics is this ‘air pocket’ that hit us the last couple […]
AUSTIN, Texas — Texas Gov. Greg Abbot has signed into a law a bill creating funding to improve safety at railroad grade crossings, legislation sparked by the death of a Houston high school student late last year. Senate Bill 1555 passed the house by a 101-16 vote earlier this month, after passing the Senate by […]
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Illinois lawmakers have introduced a bill to restructure Chicago area transit agencies — but the bill does not address the $770 million shortfall that could lead to significant cuts in service. Streetsblog Chicago reports that on Wednesday, an existing bill regarding rules for bicyclists at stop signs, has, through amendment, been replaced […]
WASHINGTON — U.S. weekly rail traffic remained above 2024 levels for the week ending May 24 — but barely. According to statistics from the Association of American Railroads, traffic for the week was 488,709 carloads and intermodal units, a 0.7% gain over the same week in 2024. It marked the 13th consecutive week where traffic […]
