Monday morning rail news: S.S. Badger, last of Great Lakes rail ferries, has new owner The last survivor of the railroad car ferries that once crossed the Great Lakes, and the last coal-fired passenger steamship in the United States, has changed hands. The Maritime Executive reports the S.S. Badger, built in 1952 for Chesapeake & […]
FORT WORTH, Texas — BNSF Railway has begun testing Wabtec’s battery electric FLXdrive locomotive in revenue service between Barstow and Stockton, Calif. The red and gray FLXdrive locomotive, Wabtec 3000, is spliced between a pair of conventional Wabtec Tier 4 locomotives for pilot runs that will extend through March. The first train out of Barstow […]
CHICAGO — In a period when the COVID-19 pandemic has made travel more of a last-minute decision than it has been in the past, a Trains News Wire review shows Amtrak passengers on the Northeast Corridor continued to purchase tickets throughout the New Year’s holiday weekend. Such late decisions are not an option for passengers on many […]
With much appreciation to our sponsor, Sigma, we are excited to announce the 2021 contest. The challenges of this past year have taught us new things about ourselves and the world. But they’ve also raised questions, including about the future of railroading and how passenger and freight railroads, large and small, respond to difficult times, […]
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By: Jim Wrinn RIDGELEY, W.Va. — The Last Baldwin is running again. Western Maryland Scenic Railroad’s former Chesapeake & Ohio 2-6-6-2 No. 1309 made its first move under its own power in 64 years on Dec. 31. It was the start of test runs for the world’s largest operating Mallet (which uses its steam twice) […]
The approach with which most nations addressed the spread of the coronavirus — one of regional and national lockdowns, and border closures — took a heavy toll on rail systems around the world. The pattern began after the COVID-19 virus was first detected in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. Most rail traffic in China, especially […]
EAGLE COUNTY, COLO. — The former Denver & Rio Grande Western Tennessee Pass line will apparently live again. Rail holding company Rio Grande Pacific has announced it has reached agreement with Union Pacific to lease the Colorado route, and its Colorado Midland & Pacific Railway has filed a request with the Surface Transportation Board for […]
Today is the final day of operation for the Deux-Montagnes line of Montreal commuter railroad Exo. The shutdown marks the end of more than 100 years of service on the electrified route, which, for most of its history, ran through the Mount Royal Tunnel to Montreal’s Central Station. The line will be replaced by a […]
By: Jim Wrinn News in the preservation world wasn’t entirely about COVID-19. There were other significant stories: — Wisconsin Great Northern purchases and begins the restoration of the Mark Twain Zephyr trainset. The long-neglected train will have a new life in northern Wisconsin. — Kentucky Steam expands: The home of leased Chesapeake & Ohio 2-8-4 […]
Thursday midday rail news: Charlotte light rail line, short on staff, extends reduced schedule The Charlotte Area Transit System light rail Blue Line will remain on a Sunday schedule until further notice because of a COVID-19-related staffing shortage. The Charlotte Observer reports the light rail system began operating on the Sunday schedule seven days a […]
Thursday morning rail news: MBTA places first new Red Line trainset in service The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority has put its first train of new equipment for the rapid transit Red Line in service, the first new rolling stock for the line since 1994. The Boston Globe reports the equipment is part of an order […]
