CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — For the first time in 10 years, Florida East Coast Railway has handled a train of NASA rocket boosters bound for Kennedy Space Center. Friday’s move of FEC’s “NASA-12” extra brought the Northrop Grumman solid rocket boosters for the Space Launch System Artemis 1, the first of an estimated nine such […]
Longtime Georgia short line executive Benjamin Tarbutton Jr. dies Benjamin Tarbutton Jr., who spent 65 years at his family’s short line, the Sandersville Railroad Co. in Sandersville, Ga., has died at the age of 90. Tarbutton, a U.S. Navy veteran who served during the Korean War, served at president, vice president, and director during […]
More Monday morning rail news: Uinta Basin project aims to start construction in 2021 The company seeking to build the Uinta Basin Railway in Utah has filed a petition with the Surface Transportation Board seeking an exemption that would allow it to begin construction of the line in 2021. Board approval is typically required for […]
The Port Harbor Railroad in Granite City, Ill., has unveiled units honoring first responders and veterans. Steve Smedley Port Harbor’s Dominic Montero, left, designed the paint schemes for the two locomotives. He was joined at the unveiling by his father, Mario, of the St. Louis Fire Department. Steve Smedley GRANITE CITY, Ill. — The Port Harbor […]
U.S. Sugar used its restored ex-Florida East Coast locomotive on a cane train this week to mark the end of the harvest season. U.S. Sugar More Friday morning rail news in brief: U.S. Sugar uses steam locomotive on cane train, announces plans for ‘Sugar Express’ Restored U.S. Sugar 4-6-2 No. 148, a former Florida East […]
Thursday midday rail news in brief: Metro Transit shuts down all light rail, bus service After initially halting service on its light rail Blue Line, Minneapolis/St. Paul’s Metro Transit will shut down all bus and light rail service as of 4 p.m. for at least the rest of the day, with a decision about tomorrow […]
Wisconsin Great Northern Railroad president Greg Vreeland uses hand signals after attaching track tongs to a 200-foot section of 100-pound rail held by a contractor’s excavator on May 11, 2020. The rail is being moved into place on a new alignment while the excavator sits on what will be the new Wild Rivers Trail alignment […]
Wednesday morning rail news in brief: — Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit is preparing to buy out Northwestern Pacific Railroad, the freight hauler that shares its tracks, giving it full control of its right-of-way and facing a decision whether to operate freight service itself or find a contract operator. The Santa Rosa Press Democrats reports the […]
Still more Wednesday rail news: — U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and U.S. Rep. Brian Higgins (D-Buffalo) are calling on the Federal Railroad Administration to investigate Monday night’s derailment of a Buffalo & Pittsburgh train in East Aurora, N.Y. A locomotive and 15 cars derailed in the incident, which led to the evacuation of a […]
WASHINGTON — Based on data collected from over five years of short line Safety Culture Assessments conducted, the Short Line Safety Institute (SLSI) has developed and released a new resource for short line railroads, entitled Strong Safety Culture Best Practices. This first-of-its-kind guide is easily accessible on the website, and available to all short line […]
John Walsh American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association WASHINGTON — The Short Line Safety Institute is pleased to announce the hiring of John Walsh in a new position, Director of Hazardous Materials Programs. Walsh’s 30-year career includes experience in public safety, security, emergency management, homeland security and compliance, including 15 years in the freight […]
Sunday morning rail news: — Vermont Rail System will acquire “certain assets and operating rights” from New England Southern Railroad of Canterbury, N.H., to expand its operations, the company, which operates four short lines in Vermont and one in New York, announced on its Facebook page. New England Southern, a 39-year-old, 22-mile short line, operates […]
