Pedal the rails: Railbike excursions guide (2024) By Nastassia Putz | March 25, 2024 | Last updated on March 26, 2024 Rain or shine, get ready to pedal Railbike excursions Skunk Train What’s the fuss about? This concept has existed roughly since the 1850s, when maintenance workers on railroads used handcars and railbikes to get from point A to point B.  Something had to be used to carry the crew and materials for track inspections and/or repairs. In 1877, a Michigan farmer named George Sheffield was accredited for inventing the first three-wheeled railroad velocipede — a handcar that used a combination of hand and foot power to propel forward (“push-pull fashion”). With many variations of this today, railbikes are primarily used for pleasure. The construction of each railbike may differ — some are 2-seaters, others 4 — and can come with electric assist. Essentia...

 

 

 

 

  CPKC, shipper urge STB to resolve Texas trackage rights dispute By Bill Stephens | March 25, 2024 Union Pacific says grain from the Upper Midwest is not eligible to use trackage rights over UP south of Beaumont, Texas A pair of Kansas City Southern locomotives lead loaded grain cars in matching paint just north of Dequincy, La., on April 29, 2008. Chris Guss WASHINGTON — Canadian Pacific Kansas City says it has shippers lined up to export grain through the ports of Houston and Galveston, but they’re awaiting a regulatory decision regarding whether unit trains can move over Union Pacific trackage rights south of Beaumont, Texas. CPKC told the Surface Transportation Board last week that it has four customers in CP’s Soo Line territory who would like to ship grain to the Gulf Coast via Kansas City. “CPKC has had at least four concrete requests, including being notified ...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  Brightline bond document revises forecast for 2024 as monthly delivery steadies: Analysis By Bob Johnston | March 23, 2024 Information includes booking, capacity, and repeat customer details On Sept. 24, 2023, an Orlando-bound Brightline train passes the site near the  Stuart, Fla., water tower where a new station is to be built.  Currently, all departures are hourly and operate with one  Premium class and three Smart class coaches, which creates a wide d isparity of fares and sellouts as demand changes.  A report to bondholders confirms coaches are supposed to arrive  this year, leading to the possibility some trainsets will be expanded. Bob Johnston MIAMI — As the Spring Break surge approaches, Brightline continues to seek  the right pricing strategy when operating 16 daily fixed-con...

 

  Amtrak GP7 diesel locomotives served for decades in supporting roles for America’s passenger carrier throughout its network.   Amtrak GP7 diesel locomotive No. 761 works at Chicago on April 14, 1981, wearing the three-stripe phase 3 paint. James Claflin photo, Brian M. Schmidt collection   Electro-Motive Division produced the 1,500-hp, four-axle GP7 from 1946 through 1958, making a total of 2,729 units, including five cabless B units, for more than 40 railroads. By the time Amtrak needed more support motive power in the late 1970s, the GP7 had fallen out of favor with its original purchasers and was plentiful on the secondary market.   Amtrak rostered 26 GP7 locomotives for maintenance-of-way and switching service. They carried Nos. 760-785. A majority were acquired through dealer Precision National in March 1978. This acquisition came less than two years after Amtrak acquired the Northeast Corridor infrastructure and becam...

  Illinois senators meet with CN CEO about Chicago Hub project By David Lassen | March 20, 2024       Legislators describe meeting to advance passenger improvements as ‘productive’ Amtrak’s California Zephyr departs Chicago Union Station on  Dec. 2, 2023.  Illinois senators  met with Canadian National’s CEO on Tuesday regarding plans to  modernize Union Station  and passenger routes. David Lassen WASHINGTON — U.S. Sens. Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth (both D-Ill.) met with Canadian National Railway CEO Tracy Robinson on Tuesday to discuss the railroad’s involvement in the Chicago Hub Improvement Program, the plan to modernize Chicago Union Station and rail routes leading to the station. U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley (D-Chicago) also participated in the meeting by phone. Durbin, in a press release, described the meeting as “productive,”...

 

 

  Canadian government provides more than $13 million for Ontario rail safety projects By Trains Staff | March 8, 2024 Money funds 112 projects for grade crossings, other measures MARKHAM, Ontario — The Canadian government is providing more than C$13.5 million for 112 rail safety projects in the Toronto and Hamilton areas, as well as other regions of Ontario, Minister of Transport Pablo Rodriguez and Member of Parliament Paul Chiang announced Thursday, March 7, at the former Unionville station in Markham. The funding is under the Rail Safety Improvement Program, which addresses safety at grade crossings and elsewhere along rail lines; supports research study and new technology pilot projects, and funds safety outreach and awareness initiatives. The announcement in Markham highlighted a dozen projects in ...

 

  Union Pacific to launch new domestic intermodal service between Southern California and Chicago By Bill Stephens | March 8, 2024 The service will link the Inland Empire intermodal terminal with Global 2 in Chicago A short Union Pacific intermodal train heads east across Sherman Hill on Aug. 31, 2022. David Lassen OMAHA, Neb. — Union Pacific will launch domestic intermodal service between its Inland Empire terminal in California and its Global 2 terminal in Chicago on April 1. “This service will provide access from the Los Angeles Basin’s busiest warehouse district direct to the heart of the Chicago metro, supplementing existing service between IEIT and Global 4,” UP said in a customer advisory this week . The service between the Inland Empire and both Global 2 and Global 4 will be available to all dome...