MONTREAL – As part of its proposed acquisition of Kansas City Southern, Canadian National envisions spending $250 million to create an upgraded route linking Kansas City, Mo., with Eastern Canada via Springfield, Ill. The big prize in a CN-KCS merger is connecting Canada, the U.S., and Mexico. But the combined CN-KCS route to Kansas City would […]
South Shore faces decision after receiving higher-than-expected bids for Double Track project Bids for construction of the South Shore Line’s Double Track project came in higher than expected, leaving the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District to decide whether to accept the lowest bid or reject both offers in an attempt to achieve a lower price. […]
NTSB indicates safety at industrial facilities will be part of investigation of BNSF fatality The National Transportation Safety Board has indicated it will look into safety factors for rail workers at industrial facilities, as well as investigating the cause, after issuing its preliminary report into the fatality of a BNSF Railway crew member at a […]
F unit parade Two Great Northern paint schemes are on display as GN Extra 312-A passes Extra 311-C, waiting in the siding at Floodwood, Minn., on Aug. 16, 1969. Doug Wingfield photo […]
Citing blocked crossings, Iowa woman seeks to have CP move rail yard An Ottumwa, Iowa, woman has started a petition asking Canadian Pacific to move its railroad yard in the community because of blocked grade crossings that result nearby. KYOU-TV reports Trisha Rea, who works near the intersection of Blackhawk Road and North Quincy Avenue, […]
Throughout the 1960s, my grandfather owned a filling station in the tiny town of Lanagan, south of Joplin in the southwestern corner of Missouri on the Kansas City Southern main line. Every weekend I would be at the station, and once my chores were done, I was free to wander about the area. The KCS […]
BEECH GROVE, Ind. — Two structures at Amtrak’s Beech Grove Heavy Maintenance Facility, used to store paint and cleaning supplies, were destroyed by an early morning fire on Sunday. WTHR-TV reports firefighters were called just after 12:30 a.m. and found no working fire hydrant inside the facility, forcing them to run hose lines from Emerson […]
CHICAGO — The Amtrak next-generation Acela trainset that has been testing at the Transportation Technology Center in Pueblo, Colo., is due in Chicago this morning as it returns to Alstom’s Hornell, N.Y., plant following the completion of that testing. The train is currently due to arrive at Chicago Union Station at 11:59 a.m., but is […]
Senators’ legislation would provide $500 million annually for grade-crossing separation, other improvements U.S. Sens. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) and Roy Blunt (R.-Mo.) have introduced legislation to provide $2.5 billion — $500 million annually for five years — for grade-crossing separation projects and other track relocation projects to improve safety or reduce congestion. “Too many people are […]
U.S. House member seeks funds for next step in Metra yard relocation project U.S. Rep. Lauren Underwood (D-Ill.) is seeking $4 million to support relocation of a Metra yard on the UP Northwest line from Crystal Lake, Ill., to rural Woodstock, which could accommodate a full-service facility not possible at the current facility, limited by […]
Maryland DOT turns down request for single-tracking at Purple Line station, citing ‘significant risk’ to project The Maryland Department of Transportation has turned down a request to reduce the Purple Line light rail project to a single track at its Bethesda station. Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich had made the request, seeking to create room […]
CICERO, Ill. — Wabtec’s FLXdrive battery-electric locomotive No. 3000 made an appearance in the Chicago area on Tuesday, showing up as the trailing unit in a three-unit set of locomotives on an eastbound train of hopper cars. The train arrived at Cicero Yard shortly before noon, and departed a little more than two hours later, […]
