NJ Transit study considers alternatives to ‘Princeton Dinky’ rail service NJ Transit is conducting a study that could lead to replacement of the “Princeton Dinky,” the 2.7-mile rail operation using two-car Arrow III trainsets to connect the Northeast Corridor’s Princeton Junction station to the Princeton University campus that is the shortest scheduled commuter rail line […]
Stadtler named as first executive director of Virginia Passenger Rail Authority Donald A. (DJ) Stadtler Jr. has been named as the first executive director of the Virginia Passenger Rail Authority, the agency established by the state legislature in 2020 to promote, sustain, and expand passenger and commuter rail service in the state. Gov. Ralph Northam […]
Three at Reading & Northern take new roles following Gilchrist retirement Three Reading & Northern officials will take new roles following the retirement of Dan Gilchrist, executive vice president marketing and sales, on April 2. Rian Nemeroff, vice president forest products, has been promoted to senior vice president merchandise marketing and sales; Susan Ludwig has […]
No injuries reported as CSX train derails in Nashville Sixteen cars of a CSX Transportation train derailed early this morning in Nashville, Tenn., leading to a brief shelter-in-place order from authorities until it was determined there was no hazardous-material threat. A statement from CSX reports the derailment occurred about 3:07 a.m. CDT near West Due […]
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Anticipating rail travel demand comes with dual challenges: incur costs running trains with initial low patronage, or risk not providing enough options to build revenue and transportation relevance. Amtrak will begin restoring daily departures for its long-distance trains in late May, after receiving directives and $1.7 billion from Congress [see “As Amtrak […]
Judge grants Cascades train 501 engineer partial summary judgment in suit against Amtrak A judge in Washington state has ruled that Amtrak is strictly liable for the fatal 2017 derailment of an Amtrak Cascades train in DuPont, Wash., meaning a trial later this year over a claim by the train’s engineer will only be to […]
Two Amtrak Cascades Talgo Series VI trainsets’ final resting place before scrapping is Coast Rail Services in Anaheim, Calif., as seen on March 6, 2021. The distinctive passive-tilt equipment, owned by Washington, was removed from service at the end of June 2020, along with two trainsets owned by Amtrak. The Amtrak Series VI trainsets were […]
SKAGWAY, Alaska — Narrow gauge passenger rail operator White Pass & Yukon Route never ran excursions during 2020, despite maintaining hopes into June that COVID-19 travel restrictions might be relaxed. Now operations are in jeopardy for 2021 as well, in the wake of a Transport Canada decision not to allow ships carrying more than 100 […]
PORTLAND, Ore. — The Oregon Rail Heritage Center, home of three significant steam locomotives, is seeking funding to complete restoration of the nearly century-old Brooklyn Turntable, rescued from the former Brooklyn yard in southeast Portland. The roundhouse at that yard was the home of the center’s locomotives — Southern Pacific 4-8-4 No. 4449, the former […]
TENINO, Wash. — Over the last year, the residents of the small western Washington town of Tenino have become accustomed to the sounds of saws and hammers coming from 1920s-era Great Northern caboose X549. The caboose restoration is a joint venture between the town of Tenino and the Tenino Historical Depot. The caboose was purchased […]
Still more Tuesday morning rail news: News report says Oregon’s WES commuter rail now costs $108 per passenger to operate Portland, Ore.,-area commuter rail operation Westside Express Service, with already low ridership hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, now costs nearly $108 per passenger to operate — more than 10 times the figures for transit […]
Tuesday midday rail news: S.C. Ports Authority seeks funds to improve rail access to Port of Charleston The South Carolina Ports Authority is seeking $550 million in funding from state legislators to improve rail and barge access to the Port of Charleston, the only major East Coast port without near-dock rail access. The State newspaper reports the […]
