Bettendorf, Iowa, approves agreement with Canadian Pacific over merger plans

Train with red locomotive next to river

BETTENDORF, Iowa — Canadian Pacific has agreed to pay the city of Bettendorf $3 million to address the community’s concerns over increased traffic resulting from its planned merger with Kansas City Southern. The Quad Cities Times reports that the agreement — which is subject to Surface Transportation Board approval of the merger — was agreed […]

Read More…

CN to spend $485 million on U.S. capital projects

Canadian National logo

HOMEWOOD, Ill. — Canadian National will spend $485 million on capital projects in eight states as the U.S. portion of its capital plan for 2022, the railroad has announced. Overall, the company will spend more than C$2.6 billion on its capital program. It had previously announced almost C$2 billion in Canadian projects [see “CN announces […]

Read More…

Iowa city to purchase former CB&Q station

OTTUMWA, Iowa — The City of Ottumwa has agreed to purchase the city’s Amtrak depot, currently owned by the Iowa Heartland Historical Connection. The Ottumwa Courier reports that, by a 4-1 vote on Tuesday, the Ottumwa City Council agreed to purchase the building at a cost of $480,000, funds included in bond approvals earlier this […]

Read More…

Second ‘Missouri River Runner’ to return July 18

Passenger train at platform

CHICAGO — Amtrak will restore a second day round trip of the Missouri River Runner between St. Louis and Kansas City as of Monday, July 18, reflecting additional funding by the state of Missouri. The additional round trip will see train No. 311 depart St. Louis at 8:15 a.m. and arrive in Kansas City at […]

Read More…

More lawsuits filed over Southwest Chief derailment (updated)

Aerial view of derailed train with cars on their sides

Lawsuits continue to mount in the wake of the fatal June 27 grade crossing collision and derailment of Amtrak’s Southwest Chief, with suits filed Friday on behalf of five passengers and two Amtrak crew members. Meanwhile, the Kansas City Star reports that, while the crossing where the accident occurred was on a state list of […]

Read More…

Amtrak and BNSF, widow of truck driver file suits over Southwest Chief accident (updated)

Aerial view of accident site with debris of truck hit by train

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Amtrak and BNSF Railway have filed suit against the company that owns the dump truck involved in Monday’s fatal collision and derailment of the Southwest Chief — and the widow of the truck driver has sued a BNSF employee and the county where the accident occurred. KCTV reports Amtrak and BNSF […]

Read More…

Southwest Chief resumes regular schedule after Missouri derailment

Locomotive switches passenger cars in foreground as train passes in background

CHICAGO — The Southwest Chief that departed Los Angeles Tuesday evening and its westbound counterpart leaving Chicago today (Thursday, June 30) are the first Chiefs to operate over the train’s full route, passing the scene of the fatal derailment in Mendon, Mo., since that accident on Monday. Monday’s westbound Southwest Chief was cancelled, and the […]

Read More…

Trains Magazine, Kalmbach Media set for extended holiday weekend

Trains Magazine logo

WAUKESHA, Wis. — Trains Magazine, other Kalmbach Media publications, and the Kalmbach Media offices will be closed Friday and Monday as we observe a long weekend for the Fourth of July holiday. Readers should expect less News Wire content than usual during this period. We’ll be back to our normal hours as of Tuesday, July […]

Read More…

CTA wraps trainsets with vintage designs as part of 75th anniversary celebration

Rapid transit car with creme, green, and orange color scheme

CHICAGO — As part of a celebration of its 75th anniversary, the Chicago Transit Authority is wrapping a number of its railcars with designs recalling paint schemes dating to the 1950s through 1980s, and is planning to operate vintage equipment later this year. A Red Line trainset now displays a green, cream, and orange scheme […]

Read More…

Three unions ratify new contracts with Canadian Pacific subsidiaries

Canadian Pacific Railway beaver logo

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. — Three unions have ratified new contracts with Canadian Pacific subsidiaries in the U.S. and eastern Canada, the railroad has announced. The agreements cover a total of about 430 employees on the Central Maine & Quebec in Canada (represented by United Steel Workers Local 1976), the CM&Q in the U.S. (represented by the SMART […]

Read More…