A particular run of the Kansas City-Florida Special may have changed the course of steam locomotive assignments on the Frisco. During the mid-1930s, the St. Louis-San Francisco Railroad started rebuilding low-drivered 2-10-2 freight locomotives into modern, high-horsepower, coal-burning 4-8-2s, also for freight service. The first series of these Mountain types was the big, […]
NEWARK, N.J. — Talks between NJ Transit and striking engineers resumed today (Saturday, May 17) — a day earlier than originally indicated — but will continue on Sunday, the transit agency said. “Today’s discussions continued to be constructive,” NJ Transit CEO Kris Kolluri said in a brief statement. “We’ve mutually agreed to adjourn formal discussions […]
WASHINGTON — U.S. Rep. Hank Johnson (D-Ga.) on Friday introduced a bill that would provide $20 billion annually for the next four years to bolster public transit operating budgets. The Stronger Communities Through Better Transit Act would create a grant program for projects that make “substantial improvements to transit service” by increasing routes and frequencies […]
SAINT-OUEN-SUR-SEINE, France — Alstom CEO Henri Poupart-Lafarge will step down at the end of his current term in 2027, the company’s board of directors announced today (May 16, 2025). The announcement came two days after the global rail equipment manufacturer announced what it termed “solid” results for the fiscal year ending in March 2025. The […]
NEWARK, N.J. — Almost two years after voting to do so, NJ Transit locomotive engineers launched a strike today (Friday, May 16) at 12:01 a.m., leaving some 350,000 daily riders without their normal way to and from work. The strike shut down the agency’s 12 commuter rail lines, serving some 166 stations. Buses and light […]
WILMINGTON, Calif. — Pacific Harbor Line, the Anacosta Rail Holdings railroad serving the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, has been named as the recipient of the Bob Kleist Leadership Award for 2025 during the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce’s World Trade Week celebration. The award named for Kleist, a leader in international […]
WASHINGTON — The Federal Railroad Administration is seeking input from tunneling firm Boring Co., founded and controlled by Elon Musk, regarding construction of a new Northeast Corridor rail tunnel in Baltimore for which Amtrak has already begun construction activities. The news comes shortly after Amtrak’s decision to eliminate or not fill 450 managerial positions. Earlier […]
Now it’s time for scenery on David Popp’s Olympia & Sand Creek On30 display layout to take shape! In this episode, the efforts begins by adding a few more details, before David works to cover new ground with static grass and a variety of turf and brush materials. View the complete Olympia series exclusively on […]
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — CSX was able to repair flood damage to former Baltimore & Ohio main lines in the Cumberland, Md., area overnight, allowing freight and Amtrak service to resume. The CSX routes sustained damage during heavy rainstorms on Tuesday [see “Flooding knocks out key CSX routes …,” Trains News Wire, May 15, 2025]. “We’re […]
NEW YORK — Union Pacific, Canadian National, and CPKC executives are expecting a quick rebound in Chinese exports to the U.S. thanks to the temporary tariff reductions announced this week. U.S. importers had largely paused their orders from China after the Trump administration raised tariffs on Chinese goods to 145% last month. This created a […]
MONTREAL — Canadian National Railway plans to spend Ca$3.4 billion ($2.43 billion U.S.) under its capital spending plan for 2025, including Ca$2.9 billion ($2.07 billion) for maintenance and infrastructure improvements. “At CN, we believe investing in our network is investing in the future of North American supply chains,” CEO Tracy Robinson said in a press […]
WASHINGTON — Norfolk Southern and the Justice Department remain in settlement talks over the railroad’s handling of Amtrak’s Crescent. The Justice Department hauled NS to federal court in July, contending that NS regularly fails to give the Crescent preference over freight trains, leading to delays that harm and inconvenience passengers, impede passenger rail transportation, and […]
