July 2024

The July 2024 cover of Trains magazine

In every issue Trains.com, p. 4 Guide to the latest content posted on our website News, p. 6 Brightline West hosts a first-spike ceremony for its Las Vegas-Southern California high-speed line Bill Stephens, p. 10 Class Is should thank the FRA for two-person crew ruling Preservation, p. 44 Wisconsin Great Northern rescues a steam locomotive […]

Read More…

Brightline to offer Taylor Swift sing-along trains

Train crossing bridge

ORLANDO, Fla. — A lot of companies could take lessons on promotions from the people at Brightline. Last month, the company built a promotion around a poll showing that 59% of Floridians would prefer to find an alligator in their pool than get stuck in traffic on a family trip. In response, it offered 40% […]

Read More…

Officials sign off on $6.88 billion grant for Gateway Tunnel

Large group of people with oversized check for $6.88 billion

NEW YORK — Officials signed off on a $6.88 billion federal grant Monday for the Northeast Corridor’s Gateway Tunnel project — the largest single federal grant ever for a transit infrastructure project, and part of $11 billion in federal money for the $16 billion project to build two new bores under the Hudson River between […]

Read More…

Norfolk Southern leads railroads in growth during second quarter

Black locomotive with train of trailers in the Midwest

Class I railroads’ volume trends in the second quarter varied considerably, with Norfolk Southern traffic up 5.1% and Canadian Pacific Kansas City down 4.2%, according to the railroads’ Association of American Railroads carload reports. Norfolk Southern’s volume was boosted by 8.2% year-over-year growth in intermodal traffic. Its carload volume, less coal, was up 1.7%. Coal […]

Read More…

Durango & Silverton adds additional Highline Express trips

Steam-powered train crosses bridge

DURANGO — The Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad has added Wednesday departures to its evening Highline Express train beginning this week, adding four more trips to the new 3½-hour steam excursion introduced on July 1. The new offering, currently planned only for July, now will operate Mondays through Wednesdays, departing Durango at 4:30 p.m. […]

Read More…

‘Borealis’ carries more than 18,500 in first month, Amtrak says

Passenger train on slight curve under cloudy skies

CHICAGO — Preliminary figures for the first month of Amtrak’s state-supported Borealis show the train is averaging about 300 passengers each way daily, or more than 18,500 people in the first month, according to Amtrak. The second train on the Chicago-Milwaukee-St. Paul portion of the route also served by the Empire Builder launched on May […]

Read More…

First hearing on future of Chicago transit set for Tuesday

Commuter train passes under signal bridge

CHICAGO — A series of hearings to consider the future of public transit in the Chicago area — including a proposal to merge the four boards overseeing three transit systems and the umbrella agency overseeing them — is set to begin Tuesday in Chicago. The six hearings of the Illinois Senate Transportation Committee have been […]

Read More…

From the Cab: How fast ya’ going?

train moving fast at night

How fast ya’ going? The legendary John Luther “Casey” Jones forever linked the heroic railroad engineer with speed. He was the lone casualty when his train crashed in an attempt to get his “Cannonball” back on schedule. For the most part, steam engines lacked speedometers. Skill and a trusted pocket watch worked aptly for safe […]

Read More…

Fifteen cars of UP coal train derail in Nebraska

Union Pacific logo without slogan. UP Bailey Yard explosion appear to be accidental.

GIBBON, Neb. — Approximately 15 cars of a Union Pacific coal train derailed today (Sunday, July 7) in Gibbon, KGFW Radio reports. No injuries were reported. The incident was reported to the Buffalo County Sheriff’s Office about 2:24 a.m., according to KVRN Radio, and occurred at the intersection of U.S. Route 30 and Pawnee Road […]

Read More…