Vermont Rail System moves to restore portion of Maine Central line

Orange locomotives with green stripes lead frieght train past small station

BURLINGTON, Vt. — Trains could return to a long-dormant section of the former Maine Central Mountain Subdivision in New Hampshire and Vermont, according to the president of Vermont Rail System. The company operates 56-mile short line New Hampshire Central in the northwest corner of the Granite State. “There are transload opportunities on the route,” says […]

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CPKC reports higher profits, forecasts continued growth despite trade concerns

Two red locomotives and one blue locomotive on freight train with grain silo in background

CALGARY, Alberta — Canadian Pacific Kansas City on Wednesday reported higher fourth-quarter profits and revenue as the railway’s merger-related synergies accelerated. “Despite a number of challenges, we delivered on the guidance that we set out at the start of the year, to produce double-digit earnings growth. And we did it safely,” CEO Keith Creel told […]

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Union Pacific begins demolition of Sparks, Nev., machine shop

Aerial view of large brick builiding at rail yard

SPARKS, Nev. — Union Pacific has begun demolition on the former Southern Pacific machine shop in Sparks, a building that predates the city, KTVN-TV reports. The railroad and city have also updated plans for when community members can claim bricks from the historic structure as a keepsake. The bricks will now be available while supplies […]

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Joint SunRail-Brightline Sunshine Corridor gets more support

Locomotive with two bilevel passenger cars rounding curve

ORLANDO, Fla. — A rail corridor that would enable Brightline to extend service to Tampa while allowing commuter operator SunRail to link Orlando International Airport and area theme parks has received a funding boost. Commissioners in Seminole County, just north of Orlando, this week voted to contribute $500,000 to a $6 million feasibility study for […]

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New York rail ridership up since start of congestion tolling

EMU train arrives at station

NEW YORK — Rail ridership — both on the subways and the commuter rail network — is up in the first three weeks of congestion-zone tolls, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority board was told in a presentation on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. Overall, the agency said the number of vehicles entering the congestion pricing zone — […]

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Weekly U.S. rail volume shows slip from 2024 levels

Weekly table showing U.S. carload traffic by commodity type plus overall intermodal volume

WASHINGTON — U.S. weekly rail traffic has experienced its first drop of 2025, with traffic for the week ending Jan. 25 down 2.5% compared to the same week in 2024. According to the Association of American Railroads, volume for the week consisted of 454,797 carloads and intermodal units. That included 189,125 carloads, a decline of […]

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News photos: Former Metrolink diesels set to join GO Transit

TORONTO — A group of F59 locomotives from LA-area commuter operator Metrolink will be used for operational support for GO Transit and as spare parts for GO Transit’s existing F59 fleet, provincial transit agency Metrolinx has announced. Ontario Northland will refurbish the locomotives, Metrolinx said in a press release that focused primarily on planned renovations […]

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Michael Eagleson collection donated to Pennsylvania foundation

Tank steam engine moving gondola cars

BETHLEHEM, Pa. — The photo and film collection of the late rail photographer and author Michael A. Eagleston has been donated to the Industrial Archives & Library, a private nonprofit foundation in Bethelem. The Eagleson collection spans more than 60 years and helps document the end of the steam locomotive in the U.S. and worldwide. […]

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Trump administration scraps freeze on grants

Trains Washington Watch logo

WASHINGTON — The Trump administration has rescinded its freeze on federal grants, which created confusion regarding a broad variety of government programs, including some in the rail industry. The Washington Post reports that a memo today (Jan. 29, 2025) from Matthew J. Vaeth, acting director of the Office of Management and Budget, said an order […]

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Friends of Cumbres & Toltec names new executive director

Logo of the Friends of the Cumbres & Toltec

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The Friends of the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad, the organization that serves as the heritage rail line’s museum arm, has hired Rick Marsden as its new executive director. The Friends board announced the move Jan. 24. The hiring is effective Feb. 13. Marsden will replace Tim Tennant, retiring after 20 years […]

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OmniTRAX names Garin as board chairman

Logo of short line company OmniTrax

DENVER — Rail and real estate company OmniTRAX has named David Garin as its board chairman and elected OmniTRAX CEO Dean Piacente to its board, the company announced today. Garin joined the OmniTRAX board in 2019 after 35 years with Class I railroads. That includes 19 years at BNSF Railway, where he oversaw sales and […]

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Norfolk Southern touts its operational, service, and financial improvements

Intermodal train with black locomotives

ATLANTA — Norfolk Southern is back. That was the message CEO Mark George and the railroad’s executive team delivered on the fourth-quarter earnings call today (Jan. 29, 2025), where they emphasized how operational improvements helped NS meet or exceed the financial targets it set amid last year’s nasty proxy battle with activist investor Ancora Holdings. […]

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