BNSF seeks to have Southwest Chief cases decided by arbitration (updated)

Aerial view of derailed train

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — BNSF Railway has filed a suit in a federal court seeking an injunction that would force victims of the June derailment of Amtrak’s Southwest Chief to settle matters through arbitration rather than lawsuits, and has also asked that state suits be placed on hold while the arbitration question is decided at […]

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Stadler unveils first hydrogen train for U.S., announces order for up to 29 more

Blue and white two-car passenger trainset on display track

BERLIN — The first hydrogen-powered trainset for use in the U.S. has been presented to its owners at the InnoTrans trade fair by manufacturer Stadler — which also announced an order for more of the equipment for use in Amtrak California intercity service. The two-car trainset was ordered by the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority […]

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Indiana man sentenced to eight years in prison for arson at Amtrak’s Beech Grove shops

Buildings on fire next to Amtrak locomotive

INDIANAPOLIS — A Beech Grove, Ind., man has been sentenced to eight years in federal prison for a pair of arson fires, including one at Amtrak’s Beech Grove heavy maintenance facility that caused more than $1.1 million in damage. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Indiana says in a press release that […]

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Amtrak’s Maple Leaf overtakes a freight train

Passenger train approaches on track next to passing freight

Amtrak’s Maple Leaf catches a CSX intermodal train   With vehicle-train collisions near the top of the issues list following the Southwest Chief derailment at a Missouri roadway earlier in the summer, Trains News Wire scouted an appropriate photo location in western New York during a recent trip to capture an Amtrak train at a […]

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Final design phase begins for work to support second Chicago-Twin Cities passenger train

Map of passenger rail route between Minneapolis-St. Paul and Chicago

MADISON, Wis. — The final design phase of the project to add a second Amtrak passenger train between Chicago and Minneapolis-St. Paul has begun, with public comments now being accepted and public meetings to show plans for the service expected to be held this fall. The design phase for what is known as the Twin […]

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Parts of an Electro-Motive Division F40PH diesel locomotive

Photo of front of HO scale cowl-bodied diesel on white background

Parts of an Electro-Motive Division F40PH diesel locomotive The Electro-Motive Division (EMD) F40PH diesel locomotive was the backbone of Amtrak’s fleet for many years. The four-axle unit earned its keep on several commuter lines, too. GO Transit (Toronto), Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (Boston), Metra (Chicago), and NJ Transit were just some of the places the […]

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Amtrak suspensions bring brief relief from long-distance coach sellouts

Passenger train with locomotive and five cars passes yard full of passenger equipment

CHICAGO — With the threat of a national railroad work stoppage prompting travelers to make alternate plans, many long-distance trains that are normally sold out for at least a portion of their journeys had space available as service resumed. Trains that had been suspended Tuesday through Thursday, Sept. 13-15, all returned as scheduled Friday [see […]

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Pacific Car & Foundry B-100-40 boxcar from Rapido Trains

Models of four boxcars with white background

Scale: N (1:160) Price: Single car, $36.95; three-pack, $110.85; and six-pack, $221.70 Era: 1976 to present (varies depending on paint scheme) Manufacturer: Rapido Trains Inc., 500 Alden Road, Unit 21, Markham, Ontario L3R 5H5 Canada; 905-474-3314; rapidotrains.com Features Separate, factory-applied uncoupling levers, door latch mechanism, and end ladders Detailed Hydra-Cushion underframe Underbody brake rigging Road-number specific […]

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Amtrak long-distance trains set to resume

Passenger train on curve

All Amtrak long-distance trains will apparently resume operations today (Friday, Sept. 16), although the most recent message on the passenger carrier’s website, posted Thursday evening, continues to say only that the company recommends passengers “check their ticket and confirm their train status on Amtrak.com or the Amtrak app.” The passenger operator had cancelled all long-distance […]

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Freight railroad strike averted thanks to tentative contract agreements (continuing updates)

Men holding picket signs

WASHINGTON — The first freight railroad strike in three decades has been averted under a tentative deal reached overnight between Class I railroads and three labor unions, the White House announced early Thursday morning. The Class I railroads reached tentative agreements with unions representing engineers, conductors, and signalmen after 20 hours of negotiations at the […]

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Pacific Surfliner to offer partial service in event of freight rail shutdown (updated)

Blue and silver-painted locomotive at a station platform surrounding by brown steel work and palm trees. Amtrak Pacific Surfliner renewable diesel.

UPDATE: Railroads and unions have reached a tentative agreement as of early Thursday morning, averting a work stoppage. Watch Trains News Wire for more information. ORANGE, Calif. — Amtrak’s Pacific Surfliner service has now announced details of its operating plans for today (Thursday, Sept. 15) and beyond, if there is not a resolution to the […]

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Rail labor roundup: Amtrak suspends all long-distance trains as of Thursday (second update)

Cars lined up on road next to passenger train

Amtrak has announced it will halt operation of its remaining long-distance trains as of Thursday in anticipation of a possible freight rail work stoppage which could begin Friday morning. In other news as of midafternoon Wednesday, members of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen have begun receiving instructions on what to do in case […]

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