A light rail train passes through downtown Houston. The Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County will present a $3.5 billion plan for expansion of its light rail system to voters in November. Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County HOUSTON — The Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County, Texas, is making a $3.5 billion bet that […]
BEAUMONT, Texas — Following heavy rains last week, Kansas City Southern has reopened trackage between Beaumont and Houston while Union Pacific still has freight embargoes on its Beaumont, Houston, and Lafayette Subdivisions, railroad officials say. Closures stemmed from flooding caused by Tropical Depression Imelda. KCS officials advise shippers to “expect delays for some time until […]
Missouri-Kansas-Texas 4-6-2 No. 385 leads the Katy Limited south of Dallas in February 1948. The railroad’s locomotives characteristically had lots of white trim along with enameled heralds on the tender sides. C.W. Witbeck photo […]
DALLAS — More than 30 years after the project was first proposed, Dallas Area Rapid Transit has broken ground on the Silver Line commuter rail line. Multiple groundbreaking ceremonies were held Thursday along the route of the 26-mile line, NBC-5 of Dallas-Fort Worth reports. The route will use a former Cotton Belt right-of-way to connect […]
AUSTIN, Texas — Texas state legislators are trying to revive a long-proposed commuter rail service between Austin and San Antonio. The San Antonio Current reports that 20 state representatives have sent a letter to the chairman of the House Transportation Committee requesting a feasibility study of rail service prior to the 2021 legislative session. The […]
OKLAHOMA CITY — BNSF Railway has filed suit to block an Oklahoma law which allows fines for railroads blocking grade crossings for more than 10 minutes. The Oklahoman reports the suit filed Thursday in federal court in Oklahoma City seeks to establish that, as interstate commerce, railroad operations are governed by federal agencies. The suit specifically […]
A loaded D&I Railroad rock train heads south over South Dakota-owned track at Fairview, S.D. on Nov. 4, 2016. The state plans to sell its rail lines. Steve Glischinski PIERRE, S.D. — The state of South Dakota is getting out of the railroad business. The South Dakota Railroad Board announced this week it will be […]
WASHINGTON — Short line operator OmniTRAX is throwing in the towel on its Central Texas & Colorado River Railway. OmniTRAX this week filed to abandon the 67.5-mile line, citing its dim prospects and millions of dollars in operating losses since it acquired the route in 2016. The prime culprits: New crushed rock traffic that never […]
NEW UNDERWOOD, S.D. — Two crew members were injured when a Rapid City, Pierre & Eastern freight train derailed early Friday morning, KOTA-TV reports. The derailment occurred before 3 a.m. near New Underwood, about 25 miles east of Rapid City. The two were injured when trapped in the wreckage of the train, the TV station […]
EDMOND, Okla. — Police in Edmond have cited BNSF Railway under a new state law allowing tickets and fines for blocking a grade crossing. KOKH-TV reports that police issued two tickets under the law which allows fines of $1,000 for blocking a crossing for more than 10 minutes. Exceptions are allowed for emergencies, waiting for another […]
Brady, Texas, faces the loss of rail service with the embargo and possible abandonment of the Texas Central & Colorado River Railway. Jeffrey A. Harwell BRADY, Texas — Rail customers in Brady, a town of 5,300 some 128 miles northwest of Austin, Texas, are in limbo after the Texas Central & Colorado River Railway embargoed […]
Union Pacific SANDERSON, Texas – Union Pacific has experienced a bridge fire on the Sunset Route south of Dryden, about 18 miles east of Sanderson. According to the railroad, the fire occurred on Sunday evening and the line is expected to reopen “later this week.” According to spokeswoman Kristen South, at about 6:30 p.m. on […]
