Digest: News report says official leaves California high speed rail agency after investigation

California High Speed Rail Authority logo

No. 2 official departs from California high speed agency The No. 2 official at the California High-Speed Rail Authority has left the agency as the result of an investigation, the Los Angeles Times reports. Chief Operating Officer Joe Hedges left the agency as of Tuesday following an investigation that began last year with an anonymous […]

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Digest: N&W 611 makes move to Strasburg

Streamlined steam locomotive

N&W 611 heads to Strasburg for lengthy stay Its stoker repaired, Norfolk & Western Class J steam locomotive No. 611 made the move from the Virginia Museum of Transportation on Monday and is slated to begin operation at Pennsylvania’s Strasburg Rail Road this Saturday, May 29. For security reasons, the museum did not announce a […]

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Digest: Work in progress to fix N&W No 611’s stoker

Virginia Musem of Transportation logo

Work under way to repair N&W No. 611 for trip to Strasburg The Virginia Museum of Transportation reported late last week that work was under way to identify and repair the problem with the stoker of N&W No. 611, an issue which has delayed the Class J’s planned trip to the Strasburg Rail Road. To […]

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Iron mule

Coal hopper moves along unloading trestle alongside ship

Iron mule An unseen “iron mule” between the rails propels a coal car, with a brakeman aboard, toward a dumper at Newport News, Va. The C&O, along with rivals Norfolk & Western and Virginian, moved millions of tons of coal to be transloaded to ships in the Hampton Roads region of Virginia. Chesapeake & Ohio […]

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GE diesel donated to Kentucky Steam

Gray diesel with red and yellow trim

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — Kentucky Steam Heritage Corp. has added a C30-7 diesel to its collection, a gif from the Collis P. Huntington Railroad Historical Society. The locomotive is one of 44 of the road-switchers ordered by the Louisville & Nashville from General Electric in 1979-80, and spent most of its operating life with CSX Transportation. Retired […]

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Digest: Customs agency announces $46 million upgrade for rail inspections at border

Customs and Border Protection logo

Customs and Border Protection to introduce new rail cargo scanners at 12 key border crossings  The U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency has announced a $46 million program to install new technology to inspect rail cargo at a dozen sites around the U.S. The new high energy scanners will us linear accelerators to generate X-rays […]

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Analysis: How Kansas City Southern merger bids could affect Amtrak

Passenger train on tracks along river

CHICAGO — Canadian National has announced it intends to beef up what is currently a meandering, unsignaled 40-mph ex-Gulf, Mobile & Ohio branch to connect with Kansas City Southern’s main line to the Gulf Coast. And if Canadian Pacific gets KCS, it expects to direct Mexican supply chain business to and from Western Canada through […]

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Digest: Engineering work advances Lac-Mégantic bypass preparations

Map of Lac-Megantic Bypass

Transport Canada says engineering work is done for Lac-Mégantic bypass, on target for 2023 completion Transport Canada reports additional engineering work has been completed on the Lac-Mégantic, Quebec, bypass project and that the project still should be done by 2023. The engineering work will allow relocation of rail operations to the Lac-Mégantic business park, as […]

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FRA unable to obtain all Gulf Coast capacity data

Two people looking at railroad track on bridge

WASHINGTON — The Federal Railroad Administration “has been unable to obtain access to all the data and analysis necessary” to properly review the issues involved in Amtrak’s effort to restart Gulf Coast passenger service, the agency said in a Monday filing to the Surface Transportation Board. A letter penned by FRA Acting General Counsel John […]

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Digest: East Broad Top receives $100,000 grant for Colgate Grove rehabilitation

Picnic area in trees with covered seating areas

Allegheny Foundation grant will aid East Broad Top rehab of picnic area Pittsburgh’s Allegheny Foundation has awarded a $100,000 grant to the East Broad Top Foundation to support rehabilitation of the Colgate Picnic Grove, the turnaround point for EBT steam excursions since 1961. The wye at Colgate Grove originated as a spur serving a clay […]

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