Wright named CEO at Indiana Rail Road

Head shot of man in coat and tie

INDIANAPOLIS — Derrick Wright has been named president and CEO of the Indiana Rail Road, the railroad’s board of directors announced last week. The appointment was effective Jan. 16. Wright joined the railroad as vice president of operations and mechanical, coming from the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District, where he was chief operating officer. He […]

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Kansas DOT awards $11.2 million for rail infrastructure projects

Logo of Kansas Department of Transportation

TOPEKA, Kan. — Ten rail infrastructure projects will receive a total of $11.2 million in funding from the Kansas Department of Transportation’s Rail Service Improvement Program, the state announced last week. The projects awarded were selected from 20 applications seeking a total of more than $33.5 million in funding. The projects also will receive more […]

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Watco to acquire 7-mile short line in Oak Ridge, Tenn.

OAK RIDGE, Tenn. — Watco is looking to grow its portfolio with the acquisition of a 7-mile short line railroad serving Oak Ridge, Tenn. The short line holding company filed its verified notice of exemption to the Surface Transportation Board on Jan. 8, seeking to acquire and operate 7 miles of rail line and 6.6 […]

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Western Maryland Scenic’s No. 1309 makes first 2026 trip

Large black steam locomotive and passenger train in a winter setting.

CUMBERLAND, Md. — The Western Maryland Scenic Railroad launched its first trips for 2026 with four excursions from Cumberland to Frostburg, Md., on Jan. 3 and 4. The trips were powered by the railroad’s former Chesapeake & Ohio 2-6-6-2 No. 1309, which ran flawlessly. Named the Allegheny Winter Express, the 10-car trains were well patronized, […]

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New York state awards more than $101 million for rail, port infrastructure projects

View of rail yard through locomotive window

ALBANY, N.Y. — The Long Island Rail Road has received $10 million grants for two projects as part of New York state’s Passenger and Freight Rail Assistance Program, part of more than $101 million in funding for rail and port infrastructure projects announced on Friday (Jan. 9, 2026). Those awards, and two $10 million awards […]

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Kentucky awards almost $3 million for rail infrastructure projects

Logo of Kentucky Transportation Cabinet

FRANKFORT, Ky. — The Paducah & Louisville Railway, R.J. Corman, and Norfolk Southern are among the recipients of funding from the Commonwealth of Kentucky for grade-crossing safety projects, part of almost $3 million in funding awarded under a pair of grant programs by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet. Projects on the three railroads were among seven […]

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Ohio commission awards $1.9 million for grade crossing projects

Logo of the Public Utiliities Commission of Ohio

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Four short line or regional railroads will receive funds totaling $1.9 million for four grade crossing improvements following approval Wednesday, Jan. 7, by the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio. The Ann Arbor Railroad received the maximum available, up to $500,000, from the state Grade Crossing Projection Fund for a project to upgrade […]

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UP-NS merger likely to be focus of MARS winter meeting

Man at podium

SCHAUMBURG, Ill. — CEOs with strongly opposing views of the Union Pacific-Norfolk Southern merger will be the keynote speakers at the annual winter meeting of the Midwest Association of Rail Shippers, a key annual gathering of railroad officials and customers where discussion of the merger is likely to be the leading topic. The event at […]

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Nolan joins Anacostia as chief legal officer

Head shot of smiling woman

CHICAGO — Anacostia Rail Holdings has appointed Aimee Nolan as chief legal officer, the company announced today (Jan. 7). Nolan will oversee legal, compliance, governance, and risk functions. She most recently was general counsel at Zoro Tools Inc., a subsidiary of W.W. Grainger, and had previously spent 25 years at W.W. Grainger, most recently as […]

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Genesee Valley Transportation rail line sees first traffic in 25 years

Two-tone green locomotive with short train of gondola cars

CARTHAGE, N.Y. — A long-dormant Upstate New York rail line has returned to life after 25 years of inactivity. Genesee Valley Transportation subsidiary Mohawk, Adirondack & Northern restored freight rail service to its Newton Falls Line on Nov. 7, 2025, operating a five-car train to Benson Mines, N.Y. The five gondolas, bracketed by MA&N Alco […]

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Quebec North Shore & Labrador reopens after derailment

TRN_QNSL_map

SEPT-ÎLES, Quebec — The Quebec North Shore & Labrador Railway has reopened after a week-long shutdown because of a derailment near the town of Sept-Îles, parent company Iron Ore Co. of Canada has announced. In a Facebook post, Iron Ore Co. said the line reopened at midnight this morning (Jan. 5) with traffic initially operating […]

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News photo: Genesee & Wyoming adds to semiquincentennial locomotive fleet

Blue locomotive with red and white trim at night

NORWOOD, Ohio — Genesee & Wyoming has marked the arrival of the semiquincentennial year of U.S. independence with the latest addition to its growing fleet of 250th anniversary locomotives. Indiana & Ohio Railway C44-9W No. 4445 joins earlier commemorative locomotives at the Arizona Eastern [see “News photo: Genesee & Wyoming’s latest …,” Trains.com], as well […]

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