RICHMOND, Va. — Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin has vetoed the bill that would have required two-person crews for freight trains within the state, the news website Virginia Mercury reports. Youngkin said in a veto message issued March 8 that he took the action because the actions in the bill “appear premature and lack the necessary […]
CHICAGO — Upgrading speeds and capacity or simply keeping tracks well-maintained for passenger trains has tradeoffs that often compromise a rail corridor’s ability to provide meaningful mobility while the work is going on. An example will occur in Michigan beginning May 6, when Amtrak and the state of Michigan jointly made the decision to suspend […]
REDWOOD CITY, Calif. — Caltrain’s electrification process took another step forward the weekend of March 9-10, with successful testing of trains and catenary on the commuter line’s Redwood City-Mountain View segment, the agency announced Monday. Test runs beginning at 20 mph and increasing to the 79-mph speed limit were conducted, with a total of 25 […]
BOSTON — Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority work on the rapid transit Green Line in February and March removed 11 speed restrictions and made unnecessary a planned suspension of service on the C Branch this fall, the MBTA said on Monday. The C Branch outage this fall is no longer needed because work eliminated a slow […]
Canaan Union Depot The past The story of this historic building traces back to the 1870s, a busy time for American railroads. Across the nation new lines were being built between cities and towns, often crossing over one another. One of these crossings happened in the small town of North Canaan. Located in the northwest […]
WASHINGTON — Fourteen major transit projects in 11 states would receive almost $4 billion under President Joe Biden’s fiscal 2025 budget request to Congress, according to recommendations from Transportation Pete Buttigieg. Primary funding would come under the Capital Investment Grants and Expedited Project Delivery Pilot programs. “FTA looks forward to working with these communities to […]
WASHINGTON — Surface Transportation Board Chairman Martin J. Oberman says he’s disappointed that executives from Ancora Holdings, the activist investor firm engaged in a proxy battle with Norfolk Southern, have yet to schedule a meeting to discuss its goals for the railroad. Ancora Holdings Group Chairman and CEO Frederick DiSanto and Ancora Alternatives President James […]
From tourist line operations to a transnational tour, see which of these big locomotives will be in steam and a must-see for 2024! Additional locomotives and schedules are expected to be added throughout the year based on upcoming news and announcements. Check back regularly for the most up-to-date list of the must-see big steam for […]
Types of dynamic brakes Dynamic brakes are a supplemental braking system that is the conversion of a locomotive’s traction motors from electric motors to electric generators. This allows a train’s speed to be adjusted by the engineer using a lever in the cab to vary the amount of electricity sent through a series of resistance […]
BOSTON — No injuries were reported when a Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority Green Line B Branch light rail train derailed today (Saturday, March 9) just west of Kenmore Station. The incident occurred hours after the line reopened after an 18-day shutdown for track maintenance. WCVB-TV reports the derailment occurred about 8:55 a.m. and led to […]
WASHINGTON — When the Surface Transportation Board names the members of its first Rail Passenger Advisory Committee, it will be worth remembering that the competition for places among the panels 18 voting members was fiercer for some seats than for others. As outlined in the January call for nominations, the panel has a very specific […]
“Diesel Helpers” are two buzzwords associated with today’s mainline steam excursions – from short lines to Class I railroads, and even selected tourist railroads off the national network. The use of one, or lack thereof, differs between railroads, organizations, and their operating preferences. Some are comfortable letting the steam locomotive travel solo. Others would prefer […]
