WASHINGTON — Nine projects in Alaska, South Dakota, and Wyoming have received more than $108 million in federal funding under a program for states that do not have Amtrak passenger service or are not connected to the national rail network. Six of the projects are in South Dakota, two are in Alaska and one is […]
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Thomas J. Tisa will join Patriot Rail as chief commercial officer while Robert Turnauckas will move from chief commercial officer to a new position, president, Scenic Rail Excursions, the company has announced. The changes are effective Nov. 1. Tisa, with more than 30 years of industry experience, has held sales and marketing […]
TAMPA, Fla. — Freight railroads from the Gulf Coast to Miami are still assessing damages and making repairs after Hurricane Milton made landfall near St. Petersburg, Fla., late Wednesday as a Category 3 hurricane. According to CSX’s most recent customer advisory, all routes north of Jacksonville, Fla., are open with no anticipated issues, as is […]
TAMPA, Fla. — Locomotives and freight cars are being moved to higher ground and railroad operations are winding down as Hurricane Milton is only a few hours from making landfall between Tampa Bay and Sarasota on Florida’s Gulf Coast. CSX is bracing customers for delays in the Tampa area as Hurricane Milton nears landfall later […]
DECORAH, Iowa — The Iowa Transportation Commission has approved loans and grants totaling $5.1 million for six rail infrastructure and development projects under the state’s Railroad Revolving Loan and Grant program. The agency says the projects will support creation and retention of 55 jobs within the three years of project completion. Receiving funding as Targeted […]
Railroad lingo What is the railroad’s lingo? Utilized mostly by railroaders, it’s a way of speaking among co-workers that involves using railroad terminology, jargon, slang, or argot. Common lingo can vary from one group of individuals to another. Not born of this world, I’ve struggled to understand some of the language the railroad professionals use […]
SUGARCREEK, Ohio — Genesee & Wyoming’s Ohio Central Railroad has donated a diesel locomotive, GE B23-7R No. 4092, to the Age of Steam Roundhouse Museum, the museum has announced. Museum funder Jerry Joe Jacobson had a particular fondness for this locomotive model, which played a key part on his railroad, the Ohio Central System. A […]
Vermont railfan event About 80 “train catchers” boarded coaches behind Rutland No. 405 that Saturday. Some carried cameras, some notebooks, some with a buddy, some came alone. What did all of us have in common? Trains. I call us “train catchers” because like dream catchers, we anticipate a safe journey provided by our engine. We […]
TAMPA, Fla. — Hurricane Milton is still 700 miles from Florida’s coastal railroads, but the storm’s rapid strengthening from a weekend tropical storm into a Category 5 hurricane has freight railroads on high alert, and Amtrak is already canceling most of its Florida service for the week. Amtrak’s southbound Silver Star No. 91 and Silver […]
BLUE ISLAND, Ill. — Iowa Interstate Railroad operated a Family Days passenger train from Blue Island, Ill., its Chicago-area gateway, to Mokena, Ill., on Saturday, Oct. 5 to celebrate the railroad’s 40th anniversary. Railroad President Joe Parsons was on handle to welcome families and employees past and present, and thank them for their dedication. The […]
ROCHESTER, Ind. — It was spring 2023 when Eric Thurlow received an unexpecting phone call asking him if he’d want to become part owner in an Indiana short line. At the time, Thurlow was assistant vice president of sales and marketing at Genesee & Wyoming. On the other end of the phone was Corey Tumpane, […]
Early last spring, it was time to plan a summer vacation and get to some unfinished business. Alison and I agreed on the overall goal: get to Alaska. For her it was the call of Denali National Park and the fjords along the coast south of Seward. For me (no surprise), it was the chance […]
