FOUNTAINTOWN, Ind. — One of the Midwestern leaders of U.S. railway preservation has passed away. William Walter Gray, 49, died Oct. 12 from brain cancer. Known as one of the driving forces behind Indiana’s Whitewater Valley Railroad tourist line, he was a professional railroader, having worked as a Cincinnati-based CSX locomotive engineer for 26 years. […]
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BNSF to activate trackage rights over Union Pacific in Missouri to reach power plant
WASHINGTON – BNSF Railway will gain trackage rights over a short stretch of Union Pacific’s Jefferson City Subdivision in Missouri to begin serving a power plant 45 miles west of St. Louis. The 11.5 miles of trackage rights will allow BNSF to deliver coal trains from the Powder River Basin to Ameren’s power plant in Labadie, […]
STB sets new schedule for Amtrak Gulf Coast case
WASHINGTON — The Surface Transportation Board has granted a new extension for the process of addressing Amtrak’s request to require CSX and Norfolk Southern to allow passenger service between New Orleans and Mobile, Ala. — while cautioning that it will not look favorably on further efforts to delay the process. Amtrak filed the request in […]
Where on a car should a consolidated stencil be placed?
Q: I’m interested in correctly applying consolidated stencils to rail cars existing in 1972 when consolidated stencils were introduced. Please describe the parameters of the area on a rail car within which the consolidated stencil must be located. This is possibly described in AAR Field Guide, Rule 80. – Chris Roehl A: Hi, Chris. You’re right; the […]
Sketching with Steve: Working facing-point and trailing-point turnouts
A turnout is where one track becomes two. The single track, where the movable point rails let a train choose between routes, is called the point end of the turnout. The two-track end, where the closure rails cross at the frog, is the frog end. And which end is which can make or break a […]
DC Metrorail service restored through site of derailment
ARLINGTON, Va. — Full operation was restored Friday morning on the DC Metrorail Blue Line, more than two days after service was halted between the Arlington Cemetery and Foggy Bottom stations as the result of a derailment. An investigation led by the National Transportation Safety Board is continuing after one car of a train derailed […]
Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum celebrates 60 years
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn.—One of the senior organizations in American railway preservation, the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum in Chattanooga, is celebrating its 60th anniversary the weekends of Oct. 16-17 and Oct. 23-24. Plans include rides featuring the museum’s two operational steam engines, as well as steam- and diesel-themed night photo sessions, as the non-profit looks ahead with […]
New Brightline trainset arrives in South Florida (video)
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — The first of Brightline’s new trainsets for expansion of service to Orlando has arrived at the passenger operator’s West Palm Beach maintenance facility. A video provided by Brightline shows the trainset — the first of two five new two-locomotive, four-car trains — completing its trip from Sacramento, Calif. Service to […]
Long Island Rail Road conductors warned for ticket violations
NEW YORK — Eight Long Island Rail Road conductors have received warnings over not properly cancelling and processing tickets gathered on trains, following an investigator triggered by the arrest earlier this year of a conductor who allegedly pocketed tickets to be used by friends or cashed for refunds. The Long Island Press reports the Metropolitan […]
CSX honored for climate initiatives
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — CSX Transportation has been honored by the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions and The Climate Registry for its efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The railroad has received a 2021 Climate Leadership Award for greenhouse gas reduction goal setting, recognizing ““exemplary corporate, organizational, and individual leadership in reducing carbon pollution and […]
‘New England States’
New England States New England States passengers navigate the rough platform at La Salle Street Station in 1952. The New York Central train operated between Chicago and Boston. Wallace W. Abbey photo […]
Nevada Northern receives $10 million grant to extend route
ELY, Nev.—The Nevada Northern Railway Museum has been awarded a $10 million grant to rebuild 16 miles of railroad from Ely to McGill and install a turntable. The legendary preservation railroad is getting ready to expand train service in a big way. For years, the railroad has been eyeing a section of long-unused track to […]
