Tuesday midday rail news: Sounder North commuter service halted by mudslide Sound Transit has cancelled Sounder North commuter rail service today and tomorrow because of a mudslide between the Edwards and Mukilteo, Wash., stations. A commuter advisory reports special bus service for Sounder customers is available. With no service scheduled Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, […]
Amtrak CEO Bill Flynn and New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority CEO Patrick J. Foye have both reacted positively to the COVID-19 relief funding included in a bill passed by Congress on Monday. Amtrak received $1 billion in relief funds, while transit agencies will receive $14 billion. In a statement issued Tuesday, Flynn thanked Congress for […]
Beginning the Trains News Wire countdown of the Top 10 rail stories of 2020, as selected by staff and key News Wire contributors: No. 10: Amtrak on-time performance rules It seemed simple enough back in 2008: As part of that year’s Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act, Amtrak and the FRA were required to set […]
By: Stephen C. Host ORANGEVILLE, Ontario — The Orangeville Brampton Railway, a 34-mile short line between Mississauga and Orangeville, is slated to be abandoned after the line’s customers gave notice of their intent to terminate their contract with the railway. The Orangeville Banner newspaper reports the Orangeville Brampton Rail Access Group, which represents the customers, […]
Trains Magazine’s offices will be closed much of this week and next, along with those of other Kalmbach Media publications, as staff members get some extra time to enjoy the holidays with their families. The offices will be closed Dec. 23-27, open Dec. 28-29, and closed again Dec. 30-Jan. 3. If you contact us during […]
Tuesday morning rail news: Congress to make Short Line Tax Credit permanent A provision in Congress’ new stimulus/coronavirus relief bill will make permanent the 45G Short Line Tax Credit, which provides a credit of up to $3,500 per mile for short line infrastructure projects. “We applaud Congress for their bipartisan, bicameral action to make the […]
More Tuesday morning rail news: Metra, CP, CREATE complete project in Franklin Park, Ill. Metra, Canadian Pacific, and Chicago’s CREATE program have completed the Canadian Pacific Crossover upgrade project in Franklin Park, Ill. The B1 project eliminates commuter and freight train delays by adding five crossovers and associated signals on Metra tracks used by the Milwaukee District […]
CUSTER, Wash. — A BNSF oil train derailed and caught fire late Tuesday morning in the small community of Custer leading to evacuations within a half-mile radius of the accident site. The Bellingham Herald reports seven cars of the train derailed about 11:40 a.m., with two catching fire. The train is reported to be carrying Bakken […]
VANCOUVER, B.C. — A slimmed-down, once-weekly VIA Rail Canada Canadian has resumed operation on the train’s route west of Winnipeg, Manitoba, operating with few of the features that defined the train prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Canada’s strict travel restrictions between provinces during the pandemic are a significant reason the Canadian and the Montreal-Halifax, Nova […]
Monday midday rail news: Bombardier to build 205 new cars for SkyTrain Bombardier has signed a contract to build 205 cars for SkyTrain, the rail rapid transit system of Vancouver, British Columbia, agency TransLink. The contract is valued at $565 million, and includes an option for up to 400 additional cars. Cars will be built […]
On Tuesday, Trains News Wire will begin counting down its Top 10 stories of 2020, a year marked by a wide range of stories in the realms of freight, passenger, rail transit, and preservation news. How wide? Well, 25 stories received votes in the end-of-the-year balloting among staff members and key contributing writers; excluding the […]
Still more Monday morning rail news: Sound Transit to introduce ‘fare engagement’ program in place of enforcement system Seattle’s Sound Transit will halt its fare enforcement program next year under a pilot program using “fare engagement ambassadors” to educate rather than penalize those who have not paid. The Seattle Times reports the ambassadors will replace […]
