WASHINGTON — U.S. rail traffic showed a 3.8% gain in June over the same month in 2023, the fifth straight month of increased volume, according to data from the Association of American Railroads. Weekly traffic, for the week ending June 29, showed a 3.9% gain compared to the corresponding week a year ago. The monthly […]
News photos: Big Boy heads west
EVANSTON, Wyo. — Union Pacific Big Boy No. 4014 is four days into its “Westward Bound” tour, preparing for a Fourth of July move from Evanston to Salt Lake City after travel from Cheyenne, Wyo., to Evanston in three days of travel, with an off-day Tuesday in Rock Springs, Wyo., for an employee event. The […]
MBTA completes agreements with all 28 of its unions
BOSTON — The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority has completed agreements with all 28 of its labor unions, an accomplishment covering 16 collective bargaining agreements, the agency announced today (Wednesday, July 3). The agency says this is the first time in 15 years it has had agreements in place with all its unions, and — with […]
The ghosts of Hawaiian railroading past: Abandoned railroads never fully disappear
Abandoned railroads I enjoy traveling to the Hawaiian Islands. For me, it is a peaceful respite. But there is a down side. It’s not a great place to watch trains. At one time, all the islands that made up the 50th state had some sort of rail transportation. There was steam, diesel, signaling, commuter service, […]
‘The Empress’ and its train make the trip back to Canada
On Monday, July 1, 2024, Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) moved its Final Spike Steam Tour train north out of Nahant Yard south of Davenport, Iowa. Trains Magazine was on hand to document the move to Dubuque, Iowa. The train is headed to its next appearance in Winnipeg, Manitoba, for an event on July 6. […]
Durango & Silverton again up and running to Silverton
DURANGO, Colo. — The Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad has made quick work of its latest slide disruption. The heritage railroad said on its Facebook page that it has resumed service to Silverton today (Wednesday, July 3) after Tuesday trains to Silverton were halted by a Monday night slide at milepost 486.0, near Needleton. […]
VIA Rail Canada solicits questions for annual public meeting
MONTREAL — VIA Rail Canada will air its annual public meeting — a pre-recorded session featuring the passenger operator’s top officials — on Wednesday, Aug. 7, the company has announced, and is soliciting questions to be answered during that meeting. Questions are being accepted beginning today (Wednesday, July 3), through Friday, July 5, at 11:59 […]
MBTA Orange Line work removes six more speed restrictions
BOSTON — The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority announced it eliminated six speed restrictions during the latest service shutdown on its rapid transit network, suspensions of Orange Line service between North Station and Oak Grove June 22-23 and between North Station and Wellington June 24-30. “We continue to accomplish long deferred maintenance, repairs, and full-depth track […]
Durango & Silverton operations again disrupted by slide
DURANGO, Colo. — For the second time in less than two weeks, the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad has been hit by a rock slide, cutting off service to Silverton. A post on the railroad’s Facebook page says the slide occurred Monday night at milepost 486.0 north of Needleton, and has covered the rail […]
News photos: The Empress returns north
Canadian Pacific Kansas City’s Final Spike Steam tour made its way from Nahant Yard, south of Davenport, Iowa, to Dubuque, Iowa, on Monday, July 1, as “the Empress,” CP Class H1b Hudson 4-6-4 No. 2816, works its way back to its home base in Calgary, via a planned July 6 display date in Winnipeg, […]
An engineer’s life: Free steak and eggs
Steak and eggs I was working a westbound over the Scenic Subdivision as the conductor on a Wenatchee-to-Seattle drag freight. The East pool ran from our home terminal of Seattle (Balmer Yard) east of the Cascade Mountains to Wenatchee, our away-from-home terminal. This was in December of 1983. It was very cold that day. The […]
BNSF has yet to set timeline to replace North Sioux City bridge
NORTH SIOUX CITY, S.D. — BNSF Railway says it has not determined a timeline for replacing the bridge between North Sioux City and Sioux City, Iowa, that collapsed June 23 as a result of flooding, and continues to re-route traffic through Creston, Iowa. KTIV-TV reports that railroad spokeswoman Kendall Sloan said the railroad is coordinating […]
