Canadian, Quebec governments fund conveyor project at Port of Saguenay

Small rail yard and storage area with wind machine parts

SAGUENAY, Quebec — The Canadian government and the province of Quebec will help fund a conveyor system at the Port of Saguenay, connecting the port to storage facilities and railyards in the community’s industrial port zone. The funding announced this week includes C$55.2 million from the federal government, a loan of up to C$36.8 million […]

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Weekly U.S. rail traffic again shows increase

Weekly table showing U.S. carload rail traffic by commodity type, plus overall intermodal volume

WASHINGTON — U.S. rail traffic remained ahead of 2022 levels for the week ending Dec. 9, the fifth straight week with volume in positive territory. The latest statistics from the Association of American Railroads show total traffic for the week was 499,094 carloads and intermodal units, a 1.7% increase over the same week a year […]

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Sound Transit CEO Timm to resign

Woman with short dark hair

SEATTLE — The CEO of Sound Transit is resigning after just 16 months, sending the agency back into a search for a new chief executive. Julie Timm, who became CEO in September 2022, will “return to the East Coast to take care of family matters,” Sound Transit said in a statement on Tuesday, Dec. 12. […]

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Two rail projects receive federal Rural Surface Transportation grant funding

WASHINGTON — A pair of rail-related projects are among the 18 selected to receive grants totaling $645 million under the Rural Surface Transportation Grant Program, announced Tuesday, Dec. 12, by the U.S. Department of Transportation. “Rural communities face some of the toughest transportation challenges, yet are often left out of major federal investments, a pattern […]

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CTA train was in emergency braking when it struck snow removal machine

Stainless steel railcar with smashed-in front end

WASHINGTON — A Chicago Transit Authority train was in an emergency brake application when it struck a snow removal machine last month, according to the preliminary report released today (Tuesday, Dec. 12) by the National Transportation Safety Board. While preliminary reports set basic facts of an accident and do not determine cause of an incident, […]

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DC Metrorail faces major cuts under proposed WMATA budget

Rapid-transit train arrives in station as people wait on platform

WASHINGTON — The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority has released a budget for the fiscal year beginning in July 2024 that calls for drastic cuts to rail and bus service unless money can be found to address an operating deficit of $750 million — roughly 25% of the current budget. The proposed budget will include […]

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City of Cheyenne creates group to pursue passenger rail service

Map of northern Colorado with proposed rail line

CHEYENNE, Wyo. — Cheyenne’s mayor has launched a new group to aid in efforts to bring passenger rail service back to Wyoming’s largest city. Mayor Patrick Collins announced creation of the 10-member Cheyenne Passenger Rail Commission on Monday, saying the group’s first meeting is set for this Friday, Dec. 15, at 10 a.m. It will […]

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Reading & Northern hits one million tons in coal traffic

Close view of Reading & Northern hopper car

PORT CLINTON, Pa. — The Reading & Northern Railroad announced today it has moved one million tons of coal this year, reaching that long-sought goal for the first time in its 33-year history. The milestone reinforces the “Road of Anthracite” slogan adopted by owner and CEO Andy Muller since launching the railroad with an initial […]

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Canadian government announces second phase of new brake rules

Transport Canada logo

OTTAWA, Ontario — The Canadian government has announced new rules regarding rail air brake inspection and maintenance, to take effect Dec. 1, 2025. The new changes to the federal Railway Freight and Passenger Train Brake Inspection and Safety Rules, announced on Friday, Dec. 8, require railroads to: — Perform more robust brake inspections for heavy […]

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News photos: Metra operates congressional special

Blue and white locomotives lead commuter train

CHICAGO — In a rarity on a number of fronts, Metra operated a special train today (Sunday, Dec. 10) for members of Congress between Chicago Union Station and the O’Hare Airport station on the North Central Service line. The train, using one of Metra’s decorated holiday train sets generally led by F40PH-3 No. 104, the […]

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The EMC TA Diesel – A Locomotive That Kind of Didn’t

Streamlined EMC TA Diesel locomotive with passenger train on curve

The EMC TA diesel locomotive was an early passenger diesel and a Rock Island oddity.     If it looks and sounds like an early EMC E-series streamlined diesel passenger locomotive, there is a good chance it is. But don’t bet the family farm.   The locomotive in question is the EMC TA diesel, a […]

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Biden administration heralds commitment to high speed rail

President Joe Biden speaking at podium with banner reading "high speed rail" above him

President Joe Biden and passenger rail advocates on Friday hailed announcement of two major Federal Railroad Administration programs — one providing $8.2 billion in grants for construction of passenger-focused projects [see “FRA announces $8.2 billion in Federal-State Partnership passenger grants,” Trains News Wire, Dec. 8, 2023] and the other announcing routes selected for further passenger […]

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