BOSTON — The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority will increase top operating speeds on the rapid transit Red Line’s Braintree Branch from 40 mph to 50 mph as a result of last year’s Track Improvement Program, the agency has announced. “Reaching this milestone is a testament to the hard work of our team,” MBTA CEO Phillip […]
SAN CARLOS, Calif. — Caltrain continues to see a ridership boost following the shift to electrified operation, with service up 41% in December compared to the same month a year earlier. The commuter rail operator recorded more than 588,000 riders in December, up from 416,000 in December 2023. The average weekday ridership of just over […]
Recent rail union news: — Amtrak dining car stewards represented by the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers-Transportation Division (SMART-TD) unanimously ratified a new agreement, retroactive to July 1, 2022 and running through Dec. 1, 2028, that will provide a compounded raise of 40.21% over the life of the contract. Other […]
CSX today named former Surface Transportation Board Chair Ann Begeman to its board of directors. Separately, Norfolk Southern said it has appointed former Celanese CEO Lori J. Ryerkerk to its board, a move made after a search process that was a part of an agreement with activist investor Ancora Holdings. “Ann brings a wealth of […]
WASHINGTON — Norfolk Southern today asked a federal court to dismiss the Justice Department’s lawsuit over the railroad’s handling of Amtrak’s Crescent, arguing that the government’s “extreme” interpretation of passenger train right of preference doesn’t hold water. NS says the Justice Department “complaint depends on the idea that freight railroads must totally clear their tracks […]
News & Products for the week of January 27th 2025 Model railroad operators and builders can get the latest information about locomotives, freight cars, passenger cars, tools, track, and more by reading Model Railroader’s frequent product updates. The following are the products Model Railroader editors have news on for the week of January 27th, […]
CALGARY, Alberta – Canadian Pacific Kansas City today said it has reached a tentative four-year collective agreement with Unifor, which represents approximately 1,200 of the railway’s employees in Canada. “We are pleased to have reached a tentative collective agreement at the negotiating table with our mechanical employees in Canada,” CPKC CEO Keith Creel said in […]
BOONTON, N.J. – Construction work in Amtrak’s East River Tunnels will indefinitely sideline the United Railroad Historical Society’s Hudson River Rail Excursions after trips scheduled for February and March with the group’s former New York Central lounge cars. The historical society will operate “Farewell (For Now) Excursions” from New York Penn Station to Albany-Rensselaer, N.Y., […]
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – CSX today unveiled an addition to its Responder Incident Training program: Training locomotive CSXT No. 911343. The SD70M has been converted into a dedicated training locomotive that can simulate scenarios that first responders might encounter at a derailment scene or other emergency, such as engine compartment fires and crew rescues. “The RIT […]
Lionel and Disney have had a relationship since 1934 with the introduction of the No. 1100 Mickey Mouse Handcar. It’s no surprise that former still offers a number of branded products from the latter today. Lionel sent a sample of their Disney D23 Mickey Mouse boxcar (No. 2401561) for review. For anyone [like me] who […]
OMAHA, Neb. – Union Pacific has implemented engineer scheduling at nearly three quarters of its crew hubs. The agreements, reached between the railroad and the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, put engineers on a schedule that includes 11 days on and four days off. They previously were on call up to 24 hours per […]
NEW YORK — The president of New York City’s chapter of the Transport Workers Union has resigned following allegations of sexual misconduct, the union announced. In a statement on its website, TWU Local 100 said that Richard Davis cited health reasons for his resignation, but that TWU International President John Samuelsen had suspended Davis following […]
