TUCSON, Ariz. — The shooter in the incident aboard the Sunset Limited that killed a Drug Enforcement Administration agent and injured two other law officers has been identified. The Arizona Republic reports the Pima County Medical Office has identified the man as Darrion Taylor, 26. Taylor, who exchanged gunfire with officers while the train was […]
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Chicago firm files four more suits over Empire Builder derailment
CHICAGO — A Chicago law firm has filed four more lawsuits on behalf of passengers who were on board Amtrak’s Empire Builder when it derailed Sept. 25 in Joplin, Mont., killing three people. The new suits — involving Saint Matthew (Matt) Johnson, 40, of Seattle; Stuart and Karen Dixon, 60 and 57, of Berwyn, Pa.; […]
Cincinnati anachronism
Cincinnati anachronism The manually controlled crossing-gate arms at Winton Place stand watch at Clifton Avenue in Cincinnati. The suburban station was a favorite hangout for area railfans. W. Mike Weber, Denny Hamilton collection […]
How to sell toy trains
Where can I sell my trains? How to sell toy trains might be one of the most-asked questions we get at Classic Toy Trains. I first refer people who want to know how to sell Lionel, MTH, Marx, and American Flyer trains to the advertisers in Classic Toy Trains and even Model Railroader. There are […]
Reading Company: A railroad history
Reading Company, as a railroad, disappeared into Conrail more than 40 years ago. But it is still possible to “take a ride on the Reading.” This can be done when playing the board game Monopoly, or (more literally) by boarding a Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority commuter train in the Philadelphia area. Today, the Reading (pronounced […]
BNSF Railway hopes to reopen fire-damaged Northern California main this month
FORT WORTH, Texas — BNSF Railway hopes to have its fire-damaged Inside Gateway main line linking the Pacific Northwest and Northern California back in service later this month. The Gateway Subdivision between Stockton, Calif., and Klamath Falls, Ore., has been out of service since July 21, when the Dixie Fire approached the railroad and later […]
Iowa Pacific Railroad equipment in late 2021
ALAMOSA, Colorado — Iowa Pacific Railroad equipment rolled out of Alamosa in the San Luis Valley bound for days of fun, music, and beer in the Colorado mountains until just a few years ago. The Illinois Central colors of Iowa Pacific Holdings and the trains of the San Luis & Rio Grande added to the […]
Mark Twain Zephyr work continues with dining-car project (with video)
TREGO, Wis. — The interior of another car has been completed as the Wisconsin Great Northern Railroad continues its work to return one of the first diesel-powered streamlined passenger trains to operation. Trains News Wire’s latest visit to northwest Wisconsin to check on restoration of the Mark Twain Zephyr, the articulated trainset built by Philadelphia’s […]
MBTA light rail operator arraigned on charges from July crash
BOSTON — The operator of a Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority light rail train that rear-ended another train in July, injuring more than 20 people, has been arraigned on two charges of gross negligence in connection with the accident. WCVB-TV reports Owen Turner, 50, faces charges of gross negligence of a person in control of a […]
Rail operators to face new cybersecurity requirements
WASHINGTON — Major railroads and rail transit operators, along with airports and airlines, will be required to improve cybersecurity under a new directive from the Transportation Security Administration. Reuters reports that Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said Wednesday that the companies and agencies will be required to name a chief cyber official, disclose hacks to […]
September rail traffic down from 2020 figures as intermodal issues continue
WASHINGTON — Intermodal volume continued to be an issue for U.S. railroads in September, as container and trailer movement was down 6.7% over September 2020, leading to an overall traffic decline of 1.9% for the month despite a 4.3% increase in carload traffic. “Rail intermodal volume is clearly not what it has been and could […]
Powerful PAs persevere
Powerful PAs persevere Four Alco PAs roll Champlain Division local SC-20 along the shore of Lake Champlain just out of Port Henry, N.Y., en route south to Whitehall, N.Y., on May 7, 1977. Jim Shaughnessy photo […]
