New York subways testing system using smartphones to find track defects

Subway train arrives at above-ground station

NEW YORK — The Metropolitan Transportation Authority has begun a pilot program with a division of Google that uses smartphones to help detect potential subway track defects. The program announced Thursday, Feb. 27, builds on TrackInspect, a prototype developed with the Rapid Innovation Team at Google Public Sector. Tested on the subway A line of […]

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Amtrak begins process to find partner for Texas high speed project

Birds eye view of a rail line passing over a complex highway interchange.

WASHINGTON — Amtrak has initiated a two-step process to seek a “delivery partner” for the Dallas-Houston high speed rail project, the former Texas Central effort it joined in 2023. A notice on the company’s procurement website says that partner “will be responsible for facilitating Amtrak’s delivery of the project.” The company selected “will provide advice, […]

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Metro-North’s New Haven locomotive to debut Friday

Olive green locomotive with yellow striping

NEW YORK — Metro-North’s latest heritage locomotive, honoring predecessor New York, New Haven & Hartford, will make its operating debut on Friday, Feb. 28, 2025, the commuter railroad has announced. The locomotive will debut on train No. 1841, a 7:51 a.m. departure from Danbury, Conn., arriving at Grand Central Terminal on 9:55 a.m. “The Heritage […]

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News photo: Covered wagons return to the Royal Gorge

Orange locomotives with black and silver striping on passenger train

Colorado’s Royal Gorge Route Railroad has returned its F7A and F7B locomotives to service. With an impressive plume of smoke, F7A No. 403, built for the Chicago & North Western in 1949, and former Alaska Railroad F7B No. 1503 led a train out of Cañon City, Colo., on Monday, Feb. 24, 2025. It was the […]

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New Mexico considers bill to require wayside detectors

Logo of the New Mexico Legislature

SANTA FE, N.M. — A committee of the New Mexico House of Representatives is slated to consider legislation that would require railroads to install wayside hot-bearing and dragging-equipment detectors at least every 10 miles. HB 146, introduced by Rep. Dayan Hochman-Vigil (D-Albuquerque), is one of three bills set for consideration today (Feb. 27, 2025) by […]

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UP train derails in Yuma, Ariz.

Container on ground from derailment of intermodal cars

YUMA, Ariz. — Approximately a dozen cars of a Union Pacific intermodal train derailed Tuesday evening just north of Yuma, closing a grade crossing overnight and significantly delaying the Sunset Limited. No injuries were reported in the incident, which occurred about 6:15 p.m., UP said in a statement to TV stations KYMA and KECY. Rural […]

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FTA says it will delay enforcement of rail transit safety rule

Light rail train on city street

WASHINGTON — The Federal Transit Administration this week announced it would not enforce a safety regulation finalized last October until at least March, citing an executive order signed last month by President Donald Trump calling for a freeze of new regulations. The FTA rule in question allows state agencies with oversight of rail transit operations […]

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Poll finds strong support for Caltrain

Front view of two red-and-white EMU trainsets

SAN CARLOS, Calif. — A new poll shows strong general support for Caltrain, as well as support for funding for the commuter rail operation in the wake of its launch of electrified operation. The poll, presented on Wednesday, Feb. 26, to a meeting of Caltrain’s Advocacy and Major Projects Committee, shows 82% of likely voters […]

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U.S. weekly rail volume falls compared to 2024

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

WASHINGTON — U.S. rail traffic fell below 2024 levels for the week ending Feb. 22, 2025, ending a string of three weeks where traffic was ahead of prior-year levels. According to statistics from the Association of American Railroads, total volume was 458,514 carloads and intermodal units, down 5.1% from the same week a year ago. […]

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Quebec court upholds decision CP was not responsible for Lac-Mégantic disaster

Flowers, guitar at stone memorial

MONTREAL — Quebec’s Court of Appeals has upheld a lower-court ruling that found Canadian Pacific Railway was not legally responsible for the 2013 Lac-Mégantic disaster. The Canadian Press reports that in a ruling today (Feb. 26, 2025), a three-judge court panel denied three appeals that sought to require CPR to pay into a compensation fund […]

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Wilmington & Western suspension is for equipment maintenance, railroad says (updated)

WILMINGTON, Del. — The Wilmington & Western Railroad will suspend operations for the 2025 season “to conduct important maintenance and repairs to our beloved equipment,” according to a statement posted on the railroad’s website on Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025. The statement from the board of directors for the railroad’s parent organization, Historic Red Clay Valley […]

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News photos: NJ Transit extends heritage fleet to Arrow cars

Two stainless steel EMU cars at station

A pair of NJ Transit’s Arrow III electric multiple-unit are now wearing the logos of Penn Central and the New Jersey Department of Transportation as part of the agency’s heritage fleet. The new look reflects the design worn by the original Arrow I coaches upon their delivery in the 1960s. The cars are shown in […]

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