New Commonwealth Railway line set to open NEWSWIRE

PORTSMOUTH, Va. – Double-stack trains will begin rolling next week on the Commonwealth Railway. The railroad, owned and operated by Genesee & Wyoming, had operated a line through urban neighborhoods in Portsmouth and Chesapeake, Va., which has 14 grade crossings. To replace the crossing-riddled line, a new route has been constructed that will enable double-stack […]

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Army-Navy game train ‘Liberty Limited’ returns to the rails NEWSWIRE

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The Philadelphia-bound Liberty Limited passes Bowie, Md., with 19 cars enroute to the Army-Navy game. Alex Mayes WASHINGTON — Wounded veterans from the Iraq and Afghanistan wars rode a classic passenger train to the Army-Navy football game in Philadelphia Saturday. The “Liberty Limited” operated this year following a year off owing to a death in […]

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Trinity Railway Express receives upgraded F59PHs NEWSWIRE

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IRVING, Texas — The Trinity Railway Express fleet of F59PHs has begun returning to the Dallas-area commuter agency following upgrades at shops in Iowa and Pennsylvania. The units, jointly owned by Dallas Area Rapid Transit and the Fort Worth Transportation Authority, are being overhauled to meet Environmental Protection Agency Tier 2 standards. The entire seven-unit […]

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Museum of Transportation unveils restored Missouri Pacific observation car NEWSWIRE

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Missouri Pacific observation car No. 750. Museum of Transportation ST. LOUIS — The Museum of Transportation has unveiled its cosmetically restored Missouri Pacific observation car No. 750. Built in 1940 by American Car & Foundry, it was mainly used on MP’s Missouri River Eagle.  The car boasted air conditioning, a public address system, private dining […]

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Ohio Governor-elect: “That train is dead” NEWSWIRE

COLUMBUS, Ohio – In his first news conference as governor-elect, John Kasich shot down the proposed passenger train corridor linking Cleveland, Columbus, and Cincinnati. Kasich told reporters: “That train is dead. I said it during the campaign. It is dead. Passenger rail is not in Ohio’s future.” Kasich went on to say that he supports […]

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Amtrak terminates William Crosbie, chief operating officer; abolishes position NEWSWIRE

WASHINGTON — Today Amtrak announced the elimination of the position of chief operating officer, saying in an internal advisory to employees that current COO Bill Crosbie “will be leaving Amtrak” today, Oct. 22. The directive added that operating vice presidents previously reporting to Crosbie would now report to president Joseph Boardman. “Bill has made important […]

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Illinois city celebrates station upgrades NEWSWIRE

MATTOON, Ill. – A four-year, $3 million project to stabilize and then improve the three-story former railroad office building and passenger station in Mattoon was celebrated last week by Amtrak and Illinois DOT. Six daily Amtrak trains use the station, which is sited about 130 miles northeast of St. Louis. The Coles County Historical Society […]

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Santa Fe Southern purchased by Australian high-tech company NEWSWIRE

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Santa Fe Southern GP16 93 pauses at the Santa Fe, N.M., station. The railroad has two EMD road-switchers and several vintage railroad cars for its excursions to Lamy. Freight traffic has been limited to inbound loads of lumber, a beer distributor, and pipe for a natural gas line. David Lustig SANTA FE, N.M. – STI-Global, […]

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South African steam locomotives scrapped following damage by thieves NEWSWIRE

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Guards armed with shotguns keep scrap thieves at bay while locomotives are cut-up at an outdoor railroad museum near Johannesburg, South Africa Paul Ash The remains of once proud South African steam locomotives being recycled for scrap at an outdoor railroad museum near Johannesburg, South Africa. Paul Ash A priceless collection of steam locomotives has […]

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Arizona museum gets electric locomotive delivery by truck NEWSWIRE

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Black Mesa & Lake Powell E60 electric locomotive No. 6001 negotiates a turn in the road at Tuba City, Ariz. Arizona State Railroad Museum WILLIAMS, Ariz. — The Arizona State Railroad Museum has taken delivery of Black Mesa & Lake Powell E60C electric locomotive No. 6001. The locomotive arrived from the isolated, electrified coal-hauler via […]

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Front-line news: Virginia & Truckee Railway derailment caught on camera NEWSWIRE

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Virginia & Truckee 2-8-0 No. 29 approaches State Route 342 at Gold Hill, Nev., on Aug. 8, 2010. Moments later it derails. See the PDF slide show for the non-stop action! Diane McCombs Virginia & Truckee’s afternoon train from Eastgate to Virginia City, Nev., derailed and blocked the highway at Gold Hill, Nev., on Aug. […]

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