WASHINGTON – The final version of a defense funding bill in Congress would ban federal funding for transit equipment from Chinese companies — but would also delay that ban for two years in most cases. Roll Call reports that the conference version of the National Defense Authorization Act would prohibit the use of federal dollars […]
Don Orseno receives a gift marking his retirement as Metra CEO during a Chicago Rail Superintendents Association event in November 2017. Behind him is current Metra CEO James Derwinski. Orseno was named to Metra’s board of directors on Wednesday. TRAINS: David Lassen This Metra locomotive was repainted in Rock Island colors and named for Don […]
NEW YORK — How do you make existing subway cars compatible with new signaling at a faster rate for less? Over 300 rail industry attendees, engineering innovators, and academic experts representing 100 firms from four continents attended the Subway Signaling Innovation Summit, held Tuesday at New York University to find out. The event was a […]
NEW YORK — Deliveries of new Bombardier subway equipment is almost three years behind schedule, and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority failed to adequately oversee the manufacturer’s performance, New York City Comptroller Scott M. Stringer reports in an audit released Monday. MTA’s $600 million contract with Bombardier Transit Corp. to produce 300 R-179 subway cars was […]
Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority equipment sits outside the Riverside Shops in Newton, Mass., in 2011. A new report is highly critical of MBTA practices saying safety is not a priority. It said the issues primarily exist with transit operations, rather than commuter rail. Scott A. Hartley BOSTON — A highly critical report commissioned in the […]
In December 2019, Classic Trains is celebrating the history, heritage, and splendor of the Denver & Rio Grande Western. Enjoy this photo gallery, originally published online in July 2015, as the perfect salute to the Rio Grande. Return each week for another salute to the railroad of the month! See what we did last week […]
KALAMAZOO, Mich. — Kalamazoo will become the latest Michigan city to lose a staffed ticket office at its Amtrak station, WWMT-TV reports. The TV station reports the ticket office will close “at the beginning of 2020.” It follows similar moves East Lansing, Niles, Jackson, and Flint, which saw their ticket offices close in 2018 [see […]
Officials in Yorkville will discuss the four possible sites for a Metra station at a Tuesday meeting. Kendall Extension Study OSWEGO, Ill. — Two communities hoping to bring Metra service to Kendall County, Ill., will retain the service of a Chicago lobbying firm to continue the effort to extend the BNSF Line service, as well […]
An Expo Line SkyTrain stops at the Main Street/Science World station in April 2018. The Expo Line is one of two SkyTrain routes that will be shut down by a strike beginning Tuesday. Scott A. Hartley VANCOUVER, British Columbia — Workers on Vancouver’s SkyTrain rail system are scheduled to go on strike Tuesday morning, setting […]
Long-stored Talgo trainsets pass through Dyer, Ind., during Friday’s move from Amtrak’s Beech Grove, Ind., shops to Talgo’s factory in Milwaukee. Amtrak says the equipment may see “interim” use in the Pacific Northwest. James L. Burd MILWAUKEE, Wis. — Talgo Series 8 trainsets built for but never used by the state of Wisconsin have returned […]
PETALUMA, Calif. — Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit will launch service to its Larkspur station and begin stops at a new Novato station on Dec. 14, the day after holding ceremonies to open the Larkspur facility. SMART had previously announced service to Larkspur, where the train will connect with ferry service to San Francisco, would begin this […]
A Metra UP Northwest train arrives in Harvard, Ill., on Nov. 23, 2018. Metra and Union Pacific are in talks that could substantially change the nature of UP’s operating agreement with the commuter railroad. TRAINS: David Lassen CHICAGO — Union Pacific Railroad and Metra are in discussions that could give Metra some control of operations […]
