BERN, Switzerland — The Gotthard Base Tunnel will not fully reopen to passenger and freight traffic until September 2024, Swiss Federal Railways announced today (Thursday, Nov. 2), saying ongoing repairs from an Aug. 10 derailment in the tunnel have found much more severe damage than initially believed. The Aug. 10 incident caused damage for more […]
RODESSA, La. — At least 10 cars of a CPKC train derailed near Rodessa this morning (Wednesday, Nov. 1), leading to the closure of State Route 1 while heavy machinery assists in cleanup at the scene. The Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office reports the derailment occurred about 6 a.m. Caddo Fire District 8 responded to the […]
STANLEY, Wis. — Approximately 10 cars of a Canadian National Railway train derailed early this morning (Wednesday, Nov. 1), the Stanley Police department said in a press release posted on Facebook. The derailment occurred about 1:07 a.m. No injuries were reported and no hazardous materials were involved, police said. Stanley, population 3,378, is about 30 […]
MILWAUKEE — Amtrak’s Chicago-Milwaukee Hiawatha service will now feature variable ticket pricing, ending a flat fare of $25 that had been in effect since 2016. The new sliding fares of $19 to $31, based on demand and advanced purchase, are effective today (Nov. 1). They follow Amtrak’s nationwide adoption of a two-tiered pricing system; as […]
OMAHA, Neb. — The head of the track workers’ union has warned federal regulators that Union Pacific aims to furlough up to 1,350 maintenance-of-way employees next month and will push the remainder of this year’s planned trackwork projects into 2024 as a cost-saving measure. But the railroad says the move is nothing unusual. “This is […]
BELLEVUE, Wash. — Sound Transit will begin pre-revenue testing on a portion of its East Link light rail line starting today (Nov. 1, 2023), a step toward the beginning of service between the South Bellevue and Redmond Technology stations next spring. The transit agency cautions that pedestrians and drivers should be alert for trains at […]
LOS ANGELES — The California High-Speed Rail Authority is proposing changes for the Los Angeles-Anaheim portion of its route, introducing a plan that would build a fourth track in that segment to help handle freight traffic. KTLA-TV reports the revision reflects opposition to an earlier plan which would have seen a new freight facility built […]
At Bluffs, Ill., a veteran hostler oils around Wabash 2-6-0 No. 576 before she and sister 573 set off up the Keokuk Branch with freight in September 1954. Philip R. Hastings photo […]
ERIE, Pa. —Wabtec and Australian mining firm Roy Hill have unveiled world’s first 100% battery-powered, heavy-haul locomotive for mainline service in ceremonies today (Oct. 31, 2023) at Wabtec’s Erie manufacturing facility. The FLXdrive locomotive contains 72 lithium-ion modular battery packs with a total of 36,288 cells, giving the locomotive an energy capacity of 7 megawatt-hours. […]
WASHINGTON — Legislation that aims to reverse Amtrak’s statutory right of preference over host railroad freight trains “within 50 miles of a port or rail yard” has been introduced by a U.S. Congressman representing a rural district without any passenger service. Among its co-sponsors is the head of the U.S. House subcommittee with jurisdiction over […]
ATLANTA — Norfolk Southern will install more than a dozen digital train inspection portals across its network by the end of 2024 as part of its drive to improve safety. The first portal – developed by NS and the Georgia Tech Research Institution – was activated Sept. 25 on the Fort Wayne Line in Leetonia, […]
EAST PALESTINE, Ohio — The last loads of contaminated soil have been removed from the site of February’s East Palestine derailment, according to local news reports. WKBN-TV reports the final excavation at the derailment site was completed Sunday evening. More than 175,000 tons of soil have been removed from the site, with Bob Scoble, Norfolk […]
