Ontario awards three contracts to prepare for return of Northlander service

Illustration of station shelter with Ontario Northland logo on one corner

BRACEBRIDGE, Ontario — The Ontario government has awarded three contracts for projects related to its plan to restore passenger service between Toronto and Timmons, Ont., according to a recent announcement. The contracts are for design and construction of nine new station shelters; track upgrades; and improved warning systems. Enseicom Inc. received the ctonract for the […]

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Gotthard Base Tunnel repairs on pace for September reopening

Orange construction train and workers within tunnel

FAIDO, Switzerland — Repairs to the Gotthard Base Tunnel remain on pace for a full reopening in September, according to a project update on the Swiss Federal Railways website. The lane-change gate at the Faido multifunction point — which seals off the two bores of the tunnel at a crossover, to prevent the spread of […]

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Railroads among recipients of Canadian funding for digital infrastructure projects

Locomotive moving cars of containers with ship and dock in background

HAMILTON, Ontario — Canadian National Railway, the Southern Railway of British Columbia, and a consortium including several short lines in Saskatchewan and Alberta are among recipients of up to C$51.2 in funding from the Canadian government for digital infrastructure projects under the National Trade Corridors Fund. A total of 19 projects will receive funding, announced […]

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Caltrain plans final weekend shutdown before launch of electrified service

two red and white trainsets on tracks

SAN CARLOS, Calif. — Caltrain will suspend service between San Francisco and San Jose this coming weekend, June 8-9, for testing of its new electric fleet. It will be the last in a series of weekend service disruptions prior to the planned September launch of electrified service on the San Francisco-San Jose corridor. Limited-capacity replacement […]

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Trackage rights: Same line, two railroads

Three red and yellow diesel locomotives exit a tunnel and round a curve in hilly country

Trackage rights are one of the main reasons you may see a train from one company operating on tracks belonging to another company. Geography, for example, played a role in the long-standing agreement governing Union Pacific’s crossing of California’s Tehachapi Mountains. When this line was built by the then-Southern Pacific, there was no room for […]

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Amtrak San Joaquins add stop at Allensworth State Historic Park for Juneteenth event

Sign for California's Colonel Allensworth State Park.

STOCKTON, Calif. — Amtrak’s San Joaquins will once again add a special stop at Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park for the annual Junteenth event, set this year for June 8 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. In connection with the event, trains will offer half price “Allensworth fares” for those attending the Juneteenth celebration at […]

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CSX grain train derails in Ohio

CSX logo

WEST MANSFIELD, Ohio — Twenty-eight cars of a CSX train carrying grain derailed Saturday afternoon (June 1), the Mercer County Outlook reports, leading to the closure of an adjacent county road. No injuries were reported in the derailment that occurred about 5:15 p.m. The Logan County Sheriff’s Office reported County Road 142 was closed Saturday […]

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TSB to investigate CN derailment in Alberta

Canadian National logo

HINTON, Alberta — The Transportation Safety Board of Canada will investigate a Canadian National Railway derailment that occurred today (Saturday, June 1) west of Edmonton, Global News reports. TSB spokesman Liam MacDonald said an estimated 20 cars were involved in the derailment that occurred about 5:30 a.m. in Hinton, 51 miles east of Jasper on […]

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Tri-Rail to launch West Palm Beach-MiamiCentral limited-stop, rush-hour service July 1

Blue locomotive at commuter rail station

MIAMI — Commuter operator Tri-Rail will launch a weekday round trip from West Palm Beach to Brightline’s Miami Central beginning July 1 that will skip 11 stops all its other trains make. The move, announced after a South Florida Regional Transportation Authority board of directors meeting Friday, comes as Brightline discontinues its $399, 40-ride “SoFlo” […]

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Rail safety experts question conclusions of long-train derailment study

Derailed cars on curve leading onto bridge

Railroad safety experts are questioning the conclusions of a study released this week that found that a 200-car train is 24% more likely to derail than a 50-car train. The study, by researchers from Brigham Young University, Georgetown University, and Virginia Tech, analyzed Federal Railroad Administration rail equipment accident data from 2013 through 2022. The […]

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Alabama governor’s office in talks with Mobile about Gulf Coast passenger funding

MOBILE, Ala. — Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey’s office has been in contact with officials in Mobile about possible state involvement in the Gulf Coast passenger project, AL.com reports. Mobile officials expressed concern during a Monday meeting that the city, rather than the state, was being asked to provide funding for Amtrak’s effort to launch passenger […]

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Pacific Surfliner adds service for X Games in Ventura

Bilevel passenger car wrapped with advertising for X Games sporting event

VENTURA, Calif. — For the second straight year, Amtrak’s Pacific Surfliner is adding service to Ventura while the city hosts the X Games sporting competition. The additional trains will run June 28-30; during the same period, reservations will be required on the Surfliners because of anticipated additional ridership, and the Rail 2 Rail and Metrolink […]

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