Kalmbach rail magazines, Trains.com sold to Firecrown Media

Logo of Kalmbach Media

WAUKESHA, Wis. — Trains Magazine, the company’s other rail magazines, and Trains.com are among assets that have been sold by Kalmbach Media to Chattanooga, Tenn.-based Firecrown Media, the two companies have announced today (May 1). Other Kalmbach titles involved in the transaction are Classic Trains, Model Railroader, Classic Toy Trains, FineScale Modeler, and Astronomy, as […]

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FRA halts safety culture assessment of Union Pacific, citing coaching of workers

Two men standing by train watch as another train goes by

WASHINGTON — The Federal Railroad Administration has discontinued efforts to gather information for an assessment of Union Pacific’s safety culture, telling the railroad it found indications of activities by the railroad that “adversely impact the integrity” of the process. The railroad, in a statement to Trains News Wire, says the issue arose from a mistake […]

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Illinois bill proposes merger of Chicago transit agencies into single organization

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — State legislators have proposed a plan to merge Chicago’s three transit agencies and their parent organization into a single entity, and provide $1.5 billion in additional funding for the new organization, WTTW-TV reports. The 621-page HB 5829, introduced by state Rep. Evan-Dina Delgado (D-Chicago) would create the Metropolitan Mobility Authority, replacing commuter […]

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Latest CSX heritage locomotive wears Pere Marquette passenger livery

Pere Marquette is the newest heritage unit to join the growing CSX fleet of locomotives honoring its predecessor railroads. “Here is our latest CSX Heritage Locomotive celebrating the Pere Marquette line,” CEO Joe Hinrichs wrote on LinkedIn Monday night. “Locomotive #1899 represents the three Michigan-based railroads that merged to form the Pere Marquette to serve […]

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Alberta to develop province-wide passenger rail plan

Woman speaking at podium in front of steam locomotive

CALGARY, Alberta — The government of Alberta is developing a “Passenger Rail Master Plan” that seeks to create a provincial rail system include a line linking Calgary and Edmonton, commuter rail networks around those two cities, and routes to parks in the province’s mountains, Premier Danielle Smith said in a Monday press conference. The province […]

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Union Pacific unveils first mother-slug set of hybrid switchers (with video)

OMAHA, Neb. — Union Pacific today took the wraps of its first mother-slug set of hybrid switching locomotives that can run on diesel fuel or batteries. The units, SD40-2 slug set UPY No. 409 and UPY No. 309, were converted at the railroad’s Jenks Locomotive Shop in North Little Rock, Ark., and will begin testing […]

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Missouri River Runners again cancelled by UP derailment

Derailed cars accordioned in wooded area

LEE’S SUMMIT, Mo. — Missouri River Runner service has been canceled today, the second day of cancellations because of a Union Pacific derailment early Sunday near Kansas City, according to the Amtrak Alerts feed on social media site X. The through Lincoln Service/Missouri River Runner trains that operate between Chicago and Kansas City are originating […]

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Influential proxy advisory firm recommends that Norfolk Southern shareholders side with activist investor Ancora Holdings (updated)

Red, white, and black locomotives with train of equipment for training first responders

In a significant boost to activist investor Ancora Holdings, one of the two major proxy advisory firms has recommended that Norfolk Southern shareholders vote in favor of six of its seven dissident board candidates. Glass Lewis made the recommendation in a report issued on Sunday, which concludes that Ancora has made a compelling case that […]

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Long Chicago-Quad Cities Amtrak service impasse illustrates hurdles for new routes: Analysis

Red wooden railroad station next to single-track line.

MOLINE, Ill. — Among the 69 projects receiving Federal Railroad Administration Corridor Identification and Development Program grants last December was a familiar route: Chicago-Quad Cities. Familiar because that route, in addition to being among the recipients of the $500,000 Corridor ID grant [see “Full list of passenger routes …,” Trains News Wire, Dec. 8, 2023], […]

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