Steam locomotives dropped their fires for last time in everyday use in China in mid-January with the end of operations at a coal mine in Xinjiang Province, ending three decades during which the country became famous with railfans worldwide as the last refuge of steam operation. New steam locomotives were still being built in the […]
BOSTON — The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority eliminated eight speed restrictions during a 10-day shutdown of portions of the rapid transit Red Line that concluded Feb. 14, the agency announced Friday. The latest shutdown, part of a year-long effort to eliminate slow orders on the rail network, saw the Red Line shut down completely between […]
PORTLAND, Ore. — Amtrak Cascades and Coast Starlight service has been halted between Portland and Seattle for 48 hours because of a landslide earlier today, Amtrak announced shortly before noon PT today (Friday, Feb. 16). It is the fourth slide disruption on the route in less than a month. For both today and Saturday, Feb. […]
VERO BEACH, Fla. — County Commissioners in Indian River County, Fla., will not seek to develop quiet zones at 22 grade crossings in unincorporated areas along Brightline’s route in the county, preferring the safety impact of having trains continuing to sound their horns. The TC Palm reports that the commissioners made that decision at a […]
SAN CLEMENTE, Calif. — Amtrak’s Pacific Surfliner service will introduce a revised timetable on Saturday, Feb. 17, as it continues to deal with the effects of a line closure caused by a landslide in San Clemente. The revisions affect two northbound trains. Train 765, normally a 6:01 a.m. depart from San Diego to Goleta, Calif., […]
Track inspection No. 1: Know thy thermal forces! For John Zuspan, principal at Track Guy Consultants, the most important takeaway for any student in his introductory track inspection course is that rail forces increase with temperature changes. So, knowing that the rail can move (compress or tense), even in moderate temperatures, means knowing that track […]
CHARLESTON, S.C. — Palmetto Railways will work with Innovative Rail Technologies to convert two of its diesel switchers to battery-electric power, the railroad announced this week. Palmetto, a division of the South Carolina Department of Commerce, received a $4.17 million Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements, or CRISI, grant for the project in September [see […]
LEXINGTON, Ky. — The Transportation Committee of the Kentucky House heard testimony Tuesday on a bill requiring two-person crews for freight trains in the state, reviving legislation that has previously failed to advance. HB 33 is sponsored by seven legislators including Reps. Kevin Bratcher (R-Louisville), whose biography includes involvement with the Kentucky Railway Museum among […]
LINCOLN, Neb. — Less than two weeks after the Nebraska legislature killed a bill to require two-person train crews, a legislative committee has heard testimony on another rail regulation bill, this one including limits on train length. The unicameral legislature’s Transportation and Telecommunications Committee on Tuesday heard testimony on LB1212, introduced by Sen. Lynne Walz […]
SACRAMENTO — A California state senator is introducing a bill to address projects to prevent interruptions to passenger rail service on the LOSSAN Rail Corridor between San Luis Obispo and San Diego, such as the current slide near San Clemente, Calif., that has disrupted Amtrak’s Pacific Surfliner and Metrolink commuter rail service. The San Diego […]
WASHINGTON — Surface Transportation Board Chairman Martin Oberman was so disappointed in the lack of information provided at Wednesday’s board hearing into the status of Amtrak Gulf Coast service that he ordered the parties to come back in 30 days with a detailed report to address the board’s unanswered questions. “I’ve negotiated a lot of […]
PORT CLINTON, Pa. — Tickets will go on sale today (Feb. 15) at 9 a.m. ET for Reading & Northern Railroad’s three summer 2024 Iron Horse Rambles excursions featuring T-1 class 4-8-4 No. 2102. Two of the excursions will feature new destinations for the former Reading Co. locomotive, while the other will once again see […]
