No railroad was better equipped to shoulder the heavy burden of wartime traffic thanks to the three types of Union Pacific steam locomotives that constituted its front line of defense: the 4-6-6-4 Challenger, arguably the most successful simple articulated ever made; the 4-8-8-4 Big Boy, which easily wore the mantle “world’s largest steam locomotive”; and […]
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The California High Speed Rail Authority is suing the Trump administration over its termination of $4 billion in previously awarded federal funding for the state’s high speed project. A press release from Gov. Gavin Newsom says the lawsuit alleges the Federal Railroad Administration’s termination of the funding is political retribution “motivated by […]
WASHINGTON — The Federal Railroad Administration has terminated some $4 billion in federal funding awarded to but not spent by California’s high speed rail program, following through on a longstanding goal of the Trump administration. California Gov. Gavin Newsom called the move “illegal” and vowed to fight the decision. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said in […]
Every time an acquaintance or travel writer returns from Europe and sets foot on American soil, you’ll hear the same refrain: “Oh, if only we had passenger trains like that.” What they mean, of course, is that Amtrak cannot possibly compare. Not on frequency, not on speed, not on equipment, not on stations, not on […]
MADRID — Renfe, Spain’s national railway company, has shut down its U.S. affiliate, Renfe of America, giving up on its hopes of operating the Texas Central high speed project. Spanish newspaper El Economista reports Renfe has taken a €4.5 million Euro ($5.17 million) loss in the company’s 2024 financial report, saying that it sees “no […]
LOS ANGELES — Engineering firm HDR will provide, engineering, design, and advisory services for the High Desert Corridor high speed rail project, the company has announced. The High Desert Corridor Joint Powers Authority, which seeks to build a 54-mile line between Palmdale and Victorville, Calif., that would eventually connect the Brightline West and California High-Speed […]
Michigan was and still is no stranger to railroads small yet unique enough to attract a following. The former Ann Arbor Railroad, not to be confused with today’s incarnation under Watco, certainly fit the bill with these 5 traits of the Ann Arbor Railroad that range from quirky to charming. More car ferry […]
Whether they knew it or not, the Budd Co. was rolling out the final miles in its railcar manufacturing business as it headed into the 1970s. But they didn’t go down without a fight as manufacturing of passenger equipment continued for Amtrak and multiple commuter operations (mainly in the Northeast United States). Part of […]
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Citing substantial infrastructure work already completed as evidence the California High Speed Rail Authority is on track to complete an initial operating segment by 2033, CEO Ian Choudri challenged the Federal Railroad Administration’s contention that $4 billion of federal grants should be terminated. Earlier this month, the FRA issued a 314-page report […]
I have always had a thing for “class units,” that is, the first in a series, and “my engine” is Illinois Central SD40 6000, delivered in late 1967 in the then-new orange and white color scheme. I have a custom-painted HO scale model of it, weathered in that livery. Best of all, during my […]
WASHINGTON — Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy this morning released a report proclaiming there is “no viable path” to complete the California High Speed Rail project on time or on budget, setting the stage for the cancellation of $4 billion in federal grants. Given that the original plan called for completion in 2020 at a cost […]
While growing up in Cleveland and Buffalo after World War II, a close encounter with a 4-6-4 Hudson-type locomotive was just a train ride away. My first memory was as a four-year-old. My family had taken the New York Central to Chicago, and as we walked forward at La Salle Street Station, I was […]
