Illinois Fs end their tenure with 27 cars of freight NEWSWIRE

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Fans gather east of La Harpe, Ill., to document the last run of Keokuk Junction Railway’s cab units on Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2019 Steve Smedley MAPLETON, Ill. — Feeling like rock stars, Keokuk Junction Railway engineer Jeff Ducharme and conductor Jeff Rhoades fired up FP9A No. 1750, F9B No. 1761 and GP20 No. 2003 at […]

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Amtrak unveils Chicago Union Station entrance food hall plans NEWSWIRE

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Chicago Union Station’s Great Hall Bob Johnston CHICAGO – A long-dormant space on the west end of Chicago Union Station’s Great Hall is set to become a conduit to booming West Loop commercial and residential activity through construction of a new entrance with access to “full interior infrastructure redevelopment,” according to Amtrak. In 1980, a […]

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Illinois F-units reach the end of the line NEWSWIRE

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Keokuk Junction Railway’s F units are making their final run Tuesday. Shown working Hollis pass at Mapleton, Ill., on June 5, 2019, are FP9A 1750, F9B 1761 and GP20 2003 at work on Toledo Peoria & Western Railway trackage. Steve Smedley LAHARPE, Ill. — Under the every good thing eventually comes to an end category, […]

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Former Soo Line Shoreham roundhouse, diesel shop being demolished NEWSWIRE

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Remains of Soo Line Shoreham roundhouse in Minneapolis on Aug. 1, 2019. Steve Glischinski MINNEAPOLIS – Canadian Pacific this week began work to demolish the former Soo Line Shoreham roundhouse and diesel shop in Minneapolis. The buildings had been in ruins for decades, and were fenced off from the rest of yard, which is used […]

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Metra to upgrade 95th Street station NEWSWIRE

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CHICAGO — Metra plans to renovate its Electric District station at 95th Street, serving Chicago State University, with the goal of boosting ridership and creating a transit hub. The Chicago Sun-Times reports that the commuter railroad has agreed to a “memorandum of understanding” with the university to build a new platform, stair enclosure, elevator, and […]

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CP puts damper on plans for more ‘Hiawathas’

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MADISON, Wis. — Wisconsin’s plans for increasing Chicago-Milwaukee Amtrak Hiawatha service may not be as close to fruition as state officials have believed. Canadian Pacific Railway, the host railroad for much of the Hiawatha route, has released a letter to the state’s rail program manager saying it will not support additional service without additional improvements […]

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Metra, Libertyville open remodeled station NEWSWIRE

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Libertyville, Ill., has opened its remodeled Metra station, shown late in the construction process in June 2019. TRAINS: David Lassen The station has undergone a significant makeover from its previous version, shown in 2015. TRAINS: David Lassen LIBERTYVILLE, Ill. — Village and Metra officials celebrated the completion of renovation of Metra’s Libertyville station on Friday, […]

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Rochelle to offer shuttle-bus service for Big Boy visit NEWSWIRE

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Huge crowds turned out on Friday, July 26, for Big Boy No. 4014’s arrival in West Chicago, Ill. When the locomotive visits Rochelle, Ill., on Tuesday, the city will offer free shuttle bus service to its railroad park. TRAINS: David Lassen ROCHELLE, Ill. — If you’re planning to see Union Pacific’s Big Boy during its […]

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UP train derails 70 cars in Missouri NEWSWIRE

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MERCER, Mo. — No injuries were reported in the derailment of 70 cars of a Union Pacific train in north-central Missouri, near the Iowa border, on Thursday. The derailment occurred about 7:30 a.m. Union Pacific spokeswoman Kristen South told the Kansas City Star that no hazardous materials were involved. A video on the Star website […]

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