WASHINGTON — The U.S. House of Representatives has passed a bill requiring Amtrak to report annually to Congress on its progress in improving stations to stations with the Americans with Disabilities Act. The bill, previously passed by the Senate, now goes to President Joe Biden for his signature. S.4107, the Think Differently Transportation Act, was […]
NEW YORK — Delays continue as Amtrak continues to restore operations between Philadelphia and New York after a suspension for much of the morning because of downed overhead power wires today (Dec. 22, 2024) near Philadelphia’s 30th Street Station. Amtrak’s latest update, as of 1:30 p.m. ET, says two of the four tracks in the […]
In general terms, America is not a country with great affinity for nationalization. The machinations of the American economy are diametrically opposed to the principles of nationalization. However, that doesn’t mean that the U.S. has never dabbled in the practice. The United States Railroad Administration (USRA) is an example. In the interest of clarity, I’ll […]
Several freight rail business developments did not rank among our Top 10 stories of the year — but were still important in the grand scheme of things. They include: New Southeast-Mexico corridor CSX and Canadian Pacific Kansas City on Dec. 1 began service over the former Meridian & Bigbee short line that serves as a […]
MOLINE, Ill. — An exceptionally long-running effort to launch Amtrak service to the Quad Cities of Illinois and Iowa may be extended even longer, if some federal lawmakers have their way. Three members of Illinois’ congressional delegation — U.S. Sens. Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth, and U.S. Rep. Eric Sorensen — have written Transportation Secretary […]
The North American passenger rail landscape in 2024 included a number of service debuts, some so noteworthy that they earned a spot in the year’s top stories, which will appear through Dec. 31. But the overarching theme was continued growth punctuated by intermittent operating lapses. Leading the way with new ridership achievements — thanks, in […]
LAGOS, Nigeria — The Lagos commuter rail service using Talgo trainsets built for but never used by the state of Wisconsin has resumed operation. Operations on the 27-kilometer (16.7-mile) Red Line Mass Transit service were suspended indefinitely on Dec. 4, after mechanical issues on Dec. 2-3 [see “Nigerian commuter operation … is halted,” Trains News […]
PECOS, Texas — Two crew members have died after a Union Pacific train collided with a tractor-trailer truck on Wednesday (Dec. 18) and derailed, sending railcars into a trackside building. The second death, of an individual who had been transported to Odessa, Texas, in serious condition, occurred this morning, officials said during a press conference […]
When mourners gather Thursday for services at the Church of Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Auburn, Calif., it will mark a special occasion for anyone associated with the once-upon-a-time Southern Pacific Railroad: a moment to appreciate a true SP hero, James C. Mahon, known from Sacramento to San Antonio as “The Bear.” Railroaders in charge […]
ERWIN, Tenn. — It could be September 2025 before CSX Transportation is able to resume operations on the badly damaged portions of its former Clinchfield Railroad route in Tennessee and North Carolina. The railroad has listed September 2025 as the date by which emergency repairs will be completed in its latest permit request for repairs […]
The annual Trains News Wire year in review series begins today, which includes a look at the Top 10 news stories of 2024, as selected by a vote of staff members and key contributors. The cutoff date for consideration was Dec. 1. This year, our voters cast votes for 22 nominees for the Top 10 […]
WASHINGTON — A Coastal Carolina Railway conductor was seriously injured when struck while walking next to railcars during a gravity-drop move, the National Transportation Safety Board says in its preliminary report on a Nov. 19, 2024, incident in Rocky Mount, N.C. The incident occurred about 2:55 p.m. during switching moves on the Nash County Subdivision. […]
