Updated Grafton & Upton paint scheme introduced

Black-and-orange diesel locomotive with freight train displays updated Grafton & Upton paint scheme

  NORTH GRAFTON, Mass. — The Grafton & Upton paint scheme has been yellow and black ever since its first diesels – two General Electric 44-tonners – arrived on the property in 1946. Those colors carried over to an Alco S4 switcher, and earlier in this century on an eclectic roster of older EMD road-switchers […]

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New Norfolk Southern CEO Mark George prioritizes operational excellence

A black locomotive under a silver signal bridge

LAGUNA BEACH, Calif. – Norfolk Southern, which has struggled to maintain consistent and reliable service in recent years, will no longer tolerate mediocre operational performance, new CEO Mark George says. “The tolerance for poor performance inside of rails has always bothered me,” George said this morning in his first public remarks since replacing Alan Shaw […]

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Colorado’s San Luis Central reopens line

Green-and-yellow diesel locomotive on five culverts over waterway with pink railcar

MONTE VISTA, Colo. — The San Luis Central reopens its main line running the first train to operate since May 24, 2024. Here, it crosses an irrigation canal on newly installed culverts that repaired a washout on this section of line on Sept. 9, 2024. Electro-Motive SW8, No. 70, with General Manager Tom Tancula at […]

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Florida’s Sugar Express adds former Florida East Coast observation car to its fleet

silver train

Sugar Express CLEWISTON, Fla. — U.S. Sugar’s Sugar Express train consist continues to grow in length, and its latest addition is an historic streamlined railcar with a strong Florida pedigree. Round-end observation lounge car Bay Biscayne arrived on U.S. Sugar’s Clewiston headquarters in July, and has been added to the Sugar Express 9-car excursion train […]

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Norfolk Southern dismisses CEO Alan Shaw, promotes Chief Financial Officer Mark George to president and chief executive

Head shot of man in suit

ATLANTA – Norfolk Southern today terminated the contracts of embattled CEO Alan Shaw and the railroad’s chief legal officer, Nabanita Nag, for having a consensual relationship in violation of company policy. The NS board unanimously named Chief Financial Officer Mark George as president and chief executive officer, effective immediately, the railroad announced Wednesday evening. George […]

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Study on impact of long freight trains is due out next week

Yellow locomotives in with double-stack cars ahead and behind

WASHINGTON – The long-awaited National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine report on the impact of long freight trains will be released next week. “Over the last two decades, railroad companies have been operating increasingly longer trains to reduce the number of crews, locomotives, and overall number of trains needed,” the academies said today. “In […]

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Amtrak cancels, modifies New Orleans service as tropical storm approaches (updated)

Amtrak train on track next to strip of grass

With Tropical Storm Francine approaching the Texas and Louisiana Gulf Coast – and expected to make landfall tomorrow afternoon – Amtrak has canceled or modified service on its trains that serve New Orleans. Union Pacific, meanwhile, today told customers that it’s preparing for the storm, which is expected to strike as a Category 2 hurricane. […]

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Tampa streetcar looks to maintain free fares as ridership soars

streetcar in downtown area

Tampa streetcar TAMPA, Fla. — Ridership on Tampa’s TECO Line Streetcar System is growing double-digit percentages every fiscal year, thanks in part to a state grant subsidizing its operations and allowing it to offer free fares. However, funding has expired and to sustain the ridership momentum, streetcar operators are looking for a new solution. In […]

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In remarks to regulators, rail shippers reveal preference for trucks

WASHINGTON — More regulatory oversight is needed to keep rail volumes from shifting to trucks and limiting the railroads’ growth potential, rail customers have told the Surface Transportation Board. Their testimony, along with that of railroads, unions, industry consultants and others, has been filed with STB ahead of a two-day hearing at the agency next […]

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First US high-speed rail production facility to set up shop in Horseheads, New York

Rendering of high speed passenger train

US high-speed rail HORSEHEADS, N.Y. – The United States’ first high-speed rail production facility will reside in New York state, according to a joint announcement by U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Brightline West, and Siemens Mobility today (Monday Sept. 9). The press releases, provided to Trains.com News Wire, states that the new 300,000 sq […]

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Los Angeles light rail project gains $893 million in federal funding

Illustration of light rail train running in street

WASHINGTON — The Federal Transit Administration on Friday signed a $893.3 million grant agreement for LA Metro’s planned light rail line in the San Fernando Valley. The 6.7-mile, $3.57 billion East San Fernando Valley Light Rail project will largely follow Van Nuys Boulevard, and connect the bus rapid transit Orange Line to two Metrolink lines, […]

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‘Adirondack’ resumes Monday with Canadian trackwork incomplete

Passenger train viewed from pedestrian overpass

MONTREAL — Amtrak’s New York City-Montreal Adirondack is set to resume operation north of Saratoga Springs, N.Y., this Monday, Sept. 9, with a northbound trip. The first southbound train from Montreal will run the following day, Sept. 10. Amtrak chose to cancel the train beginning May 19 because, as a result of deferred track maintenance, […]

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