Prototype News

Here we go with another shutdown of democratic free speech by a POTUS and his inner circle consolidating power in pursuit of a unitary form of government controlling every aspect of American life from the arts, to Congress, to the courts, to education, to independent federal agencies, non-government organizations, corporate decision making and transportation.

In a formal statement issued by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) Aug. 13 and citing instructions from POTUS 47 and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, FRA announced it is deconstructing its Rail Safety Advisory Committee (RSAC) and “refocusing [it and other Executive Branch] federal advisory committees on what matters.”

Without specifics, the statement asserts that “some committees have lost sight of the mission and have been overrun with individuals whose sole focus is their radical DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) and climate agenda.” The statement says DOT has “intent to reconstitute membership” without providing a date or preferred membership qualifications.

Duffy previously weaponized the Department of Transportation against transit, high-speed rail and Amtrak funding, and ordered DOT agencies to cancel DEI programs whose appreciation of cultural, racial and gender differences offends POTUS 47.

Notably, FRA has been without a Senate-confirmed Administrator since POTUS 47 took office. His nominee, former Pan Am Railways President David Armstrong Fink, cleared a Senate Commerce Committee confirmation hearing in May, but his name has yet to reach the Senate floor for a confirmation vote.

There is no evidence RSAC has offended the POTUS as asserted. FRA, under previous Republican and Democratic Administrations, celebrated RSAC’s “invaluable input” toward improving railroad safety nationwide, terming RSAC “a unique tool of democratic government.” RSAC’s mission, say previous FRA statements, is to “develop new regulatory standards, through a collaborative process, with all segments of the rail community working together to fashion mutually satisfactory solutions on safety regulatory issues.”

RSAC was created in 1996 by the longest serving (1993-2000) and first female FRA Administrator, Jolene Molitoris, whose legacy is consensus building. She convened an informal version of RSAC in 1994 to focus on reducing track worker deaths and injuries. Its success drove its expansion.

Participating in RSAC, up to POTUS 47 and Duffy’s ordered execution of it, have been representatives of railroads; rail labor; and organizations representing rail passengers, rail shippers, manufacturers, suppliers and states.

At its October 2024 meeting—RSAC typically convenes formally twice each year, but its working groups more often—discussion topics included C3R (confidential close call reporting), train braking modernization, wayside detectors, roadway worker protection and electronic devices. RSAC is the only forum for such a diverse group to share knowledge on these and other complex rail safety issues.

“The process has not always been perfect nor always productive, but there were outcomes beneficial to everyone,” says a former Class I mechanical officer who participated two RSAC Working Groups—locomotive crashworthiness and locomotive cab sanitation and working conditions—in the late 1990s and early 2000s. “We incorporated the existing AAR standards for crashworthy noses and fuel tanks into FRA locomotive safety regulations. That effort alone by my estimate saved lives by preventing ‘cab crush’ and fuel fires. Overall, I believe the RSAC WG process allowed the unions to see that railroad managers were like them—people—and capable of reaching commonsense solutions.

“Cab sanitation was a ‘rapidly boiling pot’ situation as the unions had made the FRA aware that cab sanitation on some railroads was truly deplorable. One eastern railroad took the extreme step of replacing ‘dry hoppers’ with a welded angle-iron ‘seat frame’ on which each employee would attach a black plastic ‘disposal bag’ that was to be placed after use in a sanitary waste dumpster upon arrival at their destination. To enforce use, each bag was serial-numbered and recorded as to which employee was issued which bag. Many bags eventually ended up in trees along the right-of-way. Residents threatened to sue the railroad. The unions threatened a strike. FRA, in the first RSAC cab sanitation Working Group meeting in 1998, gave the railroads one month to come up with a joint solution, or FRA would quickly issue a regulation without any involvement by anyone, and the unions would strike. The eastern railroad said ‘hell no.’

“I returned to headquarters at my railroad and met with the executive vice president of operations, suggesting he talk with his eastern counterpart to urge common sense. He did, and they ‘saw the light.’ That railroad subsequently installed airliner-style microprocessor-controlled vacuum toilets (though after about 10 years they discovered the toilets were unsuited for a locomotive environment).”

Railroads, as described above, have had difficulties with RSAC, but it has everything to do with FRA Administrator neutrality. The RSAC advisory process, when respected, brings together a peer group representing a variety of academic disciplines, practical experience, diverse viewpoints and data open to collegial scrutiny.

Its low point came in 2014 with allegations that then Administrator Joseph C. Szabo—a former union officer—placed the agency’s thumb on the scale in pursuing rail labor’s objective of minimum two-person crews on intercity freight trains and in switch yards nationwide.

The Szabo-led FRA said its two-person minimum crew-size mandate was collaborated with RSAC. But the Association of American Railroads, whose members were and are seeking to operate some trains with one-person crews, termed the process “a sham,” saying “there was no consensus. There was no vote taken. [FRA] spurned the collaborative RSAC process by declaring in advance the only result it would accept.”

When FRA published its Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) in March 2016, following Szabo’s departure, it confirmed “FRA cannot provide reliable or conclusive statistical data to suggest whether one-person crew operations are generally safer or less safe than multiple-person crew operation.”

The NPRM was eventually withdrawn when career railroader Ronald L. Batory was Administrator, but his successor, Amit Bose, in 2024 finalized a minimum two-person crew requirement now being challenged in federal court as running afoul of a Supreme Court holding that regulatory agency edicts have “a rational connection between the facts found and the choice made.”

As to the crew-size matter, the RSAC process is not to blame if FRA, as alleged, failed to consider the full record before it as presented by all RSAC stakeholders. Overall, RSAC has performed as advertised and enjoyed, prior to this Administration’s attack, laudatory bipartisan comments.

At the independent (of the Executive Branch) Surface Transportation Board, several advisory groups continue to function, with the agency seeking to fill membership vacancies.

RSAC participating organizations include:

• American Association of Private Railroad Car Owners
• American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials
• American Chemistry Council
• American Petroleum Institute
• American Public Transportation Association
• American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association
• American Train Dispatchers Association
• Association of American Railroads
• Association of State Rail Safety Managers
• Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen
• Brotherhood of Maintenance of Ways Employes
• Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen
• The Chlorine Institute
• Commuter Rail Coalition
• The Fertilizer Institute
• Heritage Rail Alliance
• Institute of Makers of Explosives
• International Association of Machinists
• International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers
• National Conference of Firemen & Oilers
• National Railroad Construction & Maintenance Association
• Rail Passengers Association
• Railway Supply Institute
• SMART Transportation Division
• Transportation Communications Union
• Transportation Workers Union

Railway Age Capitol Hill Contributing Editor Frank N. Wilner is author of “Railroads & Economic Regulation,” available from Simmons-Boardman Books, 800-228-9670. 

The post DOT Dumps FRA’s Collaborative RSAC appeared first on Railway Age.

NS on Aug. 12 reported bringing together 17 railroaders (see list above) to serve as its representatives at local events, “fostering relationships with community organizations and stakeholders.” Selected through a competitive application process earlier this year, the Community Impact Ambassadors will also recruit volunteers, “inspiring fellow employees to get involved and give back,” and promote safety, becoming Operation Lifesaver-certified and supporting safety education efforts.

“In partnership with NS Community Impact, they’re helping us build bridges between our work and the people it touches,” NS said. Through its Community Impact program, the railroad last year contributed approximately $18.3 million to charitable organizations across its 22-state network. Of that total, $1 million was awarded to 65 Hampton Roads, Va., nonprofits.

The Community Impact Ambassadors team includes:

1. Shawn Bruderly, Foreman
2. Katie Byrd, Assistant Director Executive Communications
3. Trevor Cain, Track Patrol Foreman
4. Ariana Draine, Wayside Detection Analyst
5. Marijoy Halitzka, Bridge Tender
6. Mark Goin, Telephone Maintainer
7. Andrew Homick, Senior Supervisor Equipment Engineering
8. Ernest “Leon” Jackson, Manager Public Safety
9. Kelly Keil, Supervisor C&S II
10. Paul Lawson, Locomotive Engineer
11. Shawn McCauley, Signal Maintainer
12. Willie Mills, Road Foreman of Engines
13. Taylor Morton, Payroll Business Analyst
14. Thomas Saathoff, Terminal Manager
15. Christopher Slasinski, Field Sales Manager
16. Matthew Wade, NSPD Special Agent
17. Courtland Wheat, Conductor

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“CSX is helping Sappi North America, a global leader in sustainable wood fiber products, achieve its supply chain goals through dependable freight rail service and a collaborative partnership,” the Class I reported Aug. 12.

CSX works with the company to develop shared key performance indicators (KPIs) to monitor progress and prevent delays.

“We’ve established some good KPIs around congestion and service visibility,” said Mike Segal, Director of Logistics and Operations Planning for Sappi North America, which produces graphic papers, packaging, and dissolving pulp used in textiles, hygiene products, and pharmaceuticals. “This has strengthened our relationship with CSX and helped us move things forward.”

The CSX-Sappi partnership, he added, is built on communication and collaboration. “I’ve been very pleased with our relationship with CSX because I feel like they really understand our challenges and our network,” Segal reported. “We’ve had a number of meetings with them to identify potential issues and solve them ahead of time.”

According to Segal, the railroad’s transparency has been a standout feature of the partnership, CSX reported. “CSX has been very honest with us,” Segal said. “If things aren’t going a certain way, they’ve been very clear with us, and then we can make a plan.”

That level of openness and alignment supports Sappi’s commitment to reliable service and continuous improvement, Segal pointed out.

“Freight rail is a key component of our transportation network,” he said. “We fully expect that our rail volume will grow, and CSX will be a key partner in that.”

“We appreciate the investments they’re making in the network,” Segal added, “and we hope to support that moving forward.”

• CSX ‘Elevates Freight Efficiency’ With CSX Howard Street Tunnel Bridge Project
• CSX: ‘We Continue to Stay Focused’

The post Class I Briefs: NS, CSX appeared first on Railway Age.

Dwight A. Smith, founder of the Conway Scenic Railroad, died on August 8, 2025. He was 100 years old.

Smith was on a Boston & Maine “Snow Train” excursion in February 1968 when he arrived at the railroad’s small terminal in North Conway, N.H., in the heart of the Mount Washington Valley. He was immediately captivated by the station, roundhouse, and yard there. “When I got off the train and looked at that station, and the roundhouse, and the turntable, and the views… I thought ‘Oh my God, what a great place for a tourist railroad,” he would say years later.

Smith was born in 1925 and later served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. After the war, he started working for the Boston & Maine. Following that 1968 visit to North Conway, he became involved in an effort to bring an excursion train to Mount Washington Valley. However, the B&M was initially uncooperative about hosting excursions on its soon-to-be-abandoned branch. Despite this, Smith and his business partners persisted and spent five years trying to buy the railroad from the B&M. Confident he would succeed, Smith purchased a steam locomotive: Canadian National O-18s 0-6-0 7470, which had been stored in a roundhouse in Ontario since the end of steam. After buying it in early 1968, Smith moved the locomotive to Maine Central’s Rigby Yard in South Portland, Maine.

Persistence paid off for Smith and his partners. On August 4, 1974, the Conway Scenic ran its first revenue excursion between North Conway and Conway, N.H. Over the years, the railroad expanded to include the former MEC Mountain Division. Today, it’s the premier tourist railroad in northern New England.

Smith would go on to sell the railroad but would remain connected to it long afterwards. In 2019, the Conway Scenic named 7470 the “Dwight Smith.”

“Conway Scenic Railroad mourns the passing of its founder and visionary, Dwight A. Smith, who passed away last week at the age of 100 years old,” the railroad said in a statement. “Dwight will always be memorialized by steam locomotive 7470, an engine that he purchased in 1968 and restored to service in 1974 to begin excursions on the Conway Scenic Railroad.”

—Justin Franz 

The post Dwight A. Smith, Founder of Conway Scenic, Dead at 100 appeared first on Railfan & Railroad Magazine.

Union Pacific (UP) via a LinkedIn post congratulated Conagra Brands on the opening of its newest distribution center in Fort Worth, Texas.

“We are proud to provide safe and reliable service to your state-of-the-art facility,” the Class I wrote.

TexAmericas Center has taken a major step forward in expanding its logistics and infrastructure capabilities with the arrival of two new locomotives. The additions are a part of a $3.15 million dollar investment into “strengthening its fleet and bolstering rail services across the industrial park.”

As one of just a few UP Focus Sites across the country, TexAmericas Center is “uniquely positioned to support tenant connectivity and logistics operations. The new locomotives further strengthen the Center’s ability to provide in-house rail movement and support a wider range of tenant operations. With increased power and flexibility, the new equipment allows the organization to aid in the growth of its tenants, Spring Creek Holdings, transload service offerings, connect its tenants to broader markets, reduce delivery times, and improve Speed-To-Profit offerings.”

“This investment gives us the horsepower to meet our tenants’ needs today and scale for what’s next,” said Scott Norton, CEO and Executive Director of TexAmericas Center. “We’re eliminating barriers and enabling businesses to adjust and expand their logistics strategies right here on our footprint—all while supporting safer, more efficient operations.”

The project was funded in part through a $1.5 million Defense Economic Adjustment Assistance Grant (DEAAG) from the Texas Military Preparedness Commission (TMPC). This support, the industrial park says, empowered TexAmericas Center to upgrade its locomotive fleet with remarkable efficiency. The need for upgraded locomotives emerged after TexAmericas Center acquired a railcar storage business in 2021, inheriting two aging locomotives and a growing demand for its rail system. “With rail use expanding, leadership identified a clear opportunity to invest in infrastructure that could better support existing tenants, attract new business, and strengthen logistics capabilities for the nearby Red River Army Depot and its contractors,” the Center said.

“The support we received from the TMPC through the DEAAG program was instrumental in accelerating this investment,” said Norton. “Their partnership not only helped us move quickly but also allows us to enhance regional logistics capabilities, including those supporting the Red River Army Depot. We’re deeply grateful for their continued commitment to economic development in defense communities like ours.”

These new locomotives directly support industries that rely on heavy commodities or long-distance shipping and position TexAmericas Center as a unique rail-served location in the mid-south region, the Center noted.

“We now have the rail power, the trained staff, and the long-term vision to grow a competitive logistics platform,” said Norton. “This aligns with our broader strategy to be responsive, aggressive, and future-ready.”

TexAmericas Center is also moving forward with broader rail expansions, including new track on the south end of East Campus, additional spurs, and the development of sit yards, all aimed at “increasing capacity and flexibility for tenants.”

“Our success comes from listening to the needs of our tenants and prospects,” said Norton. “When tenants or prospects bring us challenges or ideas, we respond with solutions. These locomotives are just one example of how we turn feedback into forward motion.”

With the arrival and service of these new locomotives, TexAmericas Center says it “continues to strengthen its reputation as a high-performance industrial park serving the four-state region of Texarkana.”

The post Industrial Development Briefs: Conagra Brands, TexAmericas Center appeared first on Railway Age.

The Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT) announced another record-breaking year in truck diversion through its freight rail programs, allowing the Commonwealth of Virginia to continue “leading the way in rail efficiency.” In 2024, a total of 16,234,884 trucks were successfully diverted from Virginia’s highways, a significant increase from 15,054,707 trucks diverted in 2023.

This milestone, DRPT says, reflects a consistent upward trend in truck diversion that has continued every year since 2017, supported by the Youngkin Administration’s focus on modernizing infrastructure and maximizing taxpayer return on investment.

According to the agency, these results highlight the transformational impact of rail investments across the Commonwealth. On average, one railcar removes 3.4 truckloads from the road. In 2024 alone, 4,774,966 railcars contributed to this achievement, “demonstrating that freight rail is playing a crucial role in improving transportation efficiency and reducing highway wear.”

Virginia’s success is made possible through the combined efforts of several targeted DRPT programs, including the Rail Preservation Fund, the Rail Industrial Access Program, the FREIGHT Program, and its predecessor, the Rail Enhancement Fund. Each program, DRPT says, “plays a strategic role in strengthening and expanding the Commonwealth’s freight rail infrastructure, while helping businesses shift goods off crowded highways and onto rail.”

All recipients of DRPT rail grant funding are required to report annually on project performance for several years after completion. This performance tracking, the agency says, “enables DRPT to evaluate long-term project success and ensure that taxpayer dollars are being invested responsibly and effectively.” In 2024, 32 grantees submitted carload data for projects completed that year, contributing to the overall truck diversion count and providing insight into the sustained impact of these public investments.

“This progress demonstrates that rail is not only a smart investment, but it is a strategic solution to some of Virginia’s biggest transportation challenges,” said DRPT Director Tiffany Robinson. “Every truck we keep off the road means less congestion for drivers, lower maintenance costs for our infrastructure, and a more efficient supply chain for Virginia businesses. These results show that our freight rail programs are delivering meaningful benefits to communities and the Commonwealth as a whole. We’re proud of the momentum we’ve built, and we’re committed to taking it even further in 2025.”

“Freight rail is essential to Virginia’s economy, and this new data proves that our investments are making a measurable difference,” said Secretary of Transportation Shep Miller. “Under Governor Youngkin’s leadership, we are focused on infrastructure solutions that are efficient, fiscally responsible, and designed to support long-term growth. By leveraging public-private partnerships and targeting smart infrastructure projects, we’re supporting growth, while also helping to ensure that Virginia remains a competitive and connected place to live and do business.”

Virginia’s freight rail network spans more than 3,000 route-miles and includes nearly 6,000 miles of active track, reaching every region of the Commonwealth. The system is served by two Class I railroads, Norfolk Southern (NS) and CSX, as well as nine short line railroads that connect local industries to national and global markets.

The post Virginia DRPT Breaks Record in Truck Diversion Via Freight Rail Programs appeared first on Railway Age.

Total U.S. weekly rail traffic came in at 511,194 carloads and intermodal units, a gain of 3.0% from the same week in 2024, according to the AAR. Total carloads were 227,327, up 2.4%, while intermodal volume was 283,867 containers and trailers, up 3.4% from 2024.

Results were similar for the week ending Aug. 2, 2025: U.S. Class I railroads carried 513,529 carloads and intermodal units, up 2.9% from the same point last year, according to the AAR. That comprised 233,805 carloads, up 6.4% from 2024, and 279,724 containers and trailers, up 0.2% from 2024.

For the week ending Aug. 9, 2025, seven of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2024. They included metallic ores and metals, up 1,825 carloads, to 21,247; grain, up 1,052 carloads, to 19,454; and coal, up 810 carloads, to 61,843. Commodity groups that posted declines were petroleum and petroleum products, down 232 carloads, to 10,092; chemicals, down 123 carloads, to 32,838; and farm products excluding grain, and food, down 33 carloads, to 16,161.

For the first 32 weeks of 2025, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 7,055,736 carloads, a 2.8% gain over the year-ago period; and 8,618,069 intermodal units, a 4.6% increase from last year. Total combined U.S. traffic for the first 32 weeks of this year came in at 15,673,805 carloads and intermodal units, up 3.8% from 2024.

In comparison, for the first 31 weeks of this year, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 6,828,409 carloads, up 2.8% from the same period in 2024; and 8,334,202 intermodal units, up 4.7% from 2024. Total combined traffic for this period was 15,162,611 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, up 3.8% from 2024.

North American rail volume for the week ending Aug. 9, 2025, on nine reporting U.S., Canadian, and Mexican railroads totaled 324,349 carloads, down 0.04% from the same week last year, and 371,325 intermodal units, up 5.3% from last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 695,674 carloads and intermodal units, up 2.7%. North American rail volume for the first 32 weeks of 2025 was 21,639,091 carloads and intermodal units, rising 2.9% from the same point last year.

Canadian railroads reported 84,689 carloads for the week ending Aug. 9. 2025, down 5.6%, and 74,518 intermodal units, up 11.4% from the same week last year. For the first 32 weeks of this year, they reported cumulative rail traffic volume of 5,194,861 carloads, containers, and trailers, up 1.6%.

For the week ending Aug. 9, 2025, Mexican railroads reported 12,333 carloads, dipping 3.2% from the same point last year, and 12,940 intermodal units, rising 14.5%. Their cumulative volume for the first 32 weeks of 2025 came in at 770,425 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, a 4.8% drop-off from the prior-year period.

The post AAR: U.S. Rail Traffic Up Through Week 32 appeared first on Railway Age.

The Pennsylvania Trolley Museum’s restored “Terrible Trolley” made its public debut on August 12, two years after the PCC streetcar arrived at the museum campus in Washington, Pa. The streetcar, former Port Authority of Allegheny County (PAT) PCC 1713, held a special place in Pittsburgh rail and sports history because it wore a unique livery to celebrate the Pittsburgh Steelers’ four Super Bowl victories in the 1970s, becoming a beloved symbol in the city. It was radio announcer Myron Cope who introduced the idea of the “rally towel” in 1975, which quickly became the team’s beloved “Terrible Towel” mascot.

The streetcar was built by the St. Louis Car Company in 1949 and originally operated on the Pittsburgh Railways’ (predecessor to PAT) Charleroi and Washington interurban lines. When the interurban routes were abandoned in the 1950s, Car 1713 was assigned to the truncated city streetcar lines. In 1980s, nine-year-old Kim Sever wrote to the mayor of Pittsburgh suggesting a trolley be painted in Steelers colors, celebrating their recent string of Super Bowl wins. That January, Car 1713 was painted in Steelers black and yellow with the words “Super Steelers” and “Super Bowl Champs.” The graphics were designed and applied by Chester Zygowski, who worked in PAT’s sign shop. The “Terrible Trolley” continued running into the 1980s and was briefly retired in 1988. In 1989, PAT rebuilt the car and operated it for another decade, wearing its standard white paint with green and yellow stripes.

Rear of Car 1713 carries “The Terrible Trolley” slogan. —Otto M. Vondrak photo

After its final retirement, the car was sold to the private Penn Ohio Electric Railway Association collection in Columbus, Ohio, and stored in a barn. While some initial work had taken place, the owner was unable to finish it before deciding to sell his property and move. PTM made inquiries and acquired the car in 2023. Torn down to the frame, Car 1713 was subject to an intense rebuilding and restoration that was completed in just two years, thanks to generous support from donors and volunteers. The museum secured licensing agreements with the National Football League, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Eamon Foundation to allow use of the football team’s logos and imagery.

This car will be part of the museum fleet offering shuttle service to the Washington County Fair August 9-16, 2025. The Pennsylvania Trolley Museum is open for the summer, Tuesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, visit patrolley.org. 

—Justin Franz 

The post Pittsburgh’s ‘Terrible Trolley’ Rides Again appeared first on Railfan & Railroad Magazine.

ProTecht, described as “the rail industry’s first mobile, autonomous tank car cleaning system,” is now available across the U.S. and Canada through Marmon Rail brands UTLX in the United States and Procor in Canada.

“Tank car cleaning is one of the rail industry’s most hazardous and time-intensive operations,” Marmon Rail said. “Whether for repairs or change of service, every tank car must be cleaned—a process that traditionally requires human entry into confined spaces containing hazardous residues. This manual approach is one of the most dangerous aspects of tank car maintenance. ProTecht represents a major technological breakthrough in tank car cleaning. This proprietary mobile cleaning system revolutionizes tank car maintenance with safer, more sustainable and highly efficient on-site cleaning.

The patent-pending ProTecht system, Marmon Rail noted, “is compatible with all tank car types, regardless of ownership or manufacturer. Designed specifically for industrial railyard environments, it eliminates the need for confined space entry and features three specialized cleaning modes tailored to the commodity being handled:

• “Water Filtration System – Efficient cleaning for light residues.
• “Steam Injection System – Precision cleaning for midgrade commodities.
• “Automated Cannon System – High-impact cleaning for hardened residues.”

ProTecht’s closed-loop system filters and reuses water and detergent, “significantly reducing waste, extending operational uptime and minimizing environmental impact,” Marmon Rail added. “By eliminating the need for costly freight moves and out-of-service delays, ProTecht helps fleet owners accelerate turnaround and improve asset utilization.”

“Seeing firsthand the risks of traditional cleaning methods inspired me to develop a safer alternative,” said Evan Ingram, Operations Manager at Marmon Rail. “Our mobile, autonomous system eliminates the need for operators to enter hazardous environments.” Ingram, inventor of ProTecht, spent four years developing, testing, and patenting the technology.

“If it ships in a tank car, ProTecht can clean it,” said Jay McGill, President Repair Services, On-Site & Mobile. “Marmon Rail has long been the industry leader in railcar repair and maintenance. ProTecht builds on that legacy with a cutting-edge system that is safe, sustainable, versatile, and purpose-built for on-site deployment. It is a major leap forward in modernizing tank car cleaning for today’s rail industry.”

The post New From Marmon Rail: ProTecht Mobile Autonomous Tank Car Cleaning appeared first on Railway Age.

Standard & Poor’s (S&P) Global Ratings upgraded the MTA’s Transportation Revenue Bonds rating from “A-” to “A” with a “stable” rating outlook, MTA reported Aug. 12.

According to the transit authority, S&P took this action based on the six-month success of the Congestion Relief Zone tolling program with net revenues 8% favorable to budget; the state’s new funding source to support the MTA’s 2025-2029 Capital Plan by increasing the maximum rate of the Payroll Mobility Tax (PMT) projected to generate an additional $1.4 billion in recurring annual revenues; and the MTA’s balanced budget through 2026 with baseline increases in farebox revenue, toll revenue, dedicated taxes, and state and local subsidies, allowing the MTA to maintain a sufficiently strong financial profile.

MTA said it is also managing expenses by achieving operating efficiencies and reducing outyear deficits, which contributed to the upgrade of its credit rating. Per S&P’s report, it noted, “these deficits are manageable due to the Authority’s financial planning and strategic adjustments, including the baseline increases from previously mentioned sources.” MTA said that over the past year it has reduced the outyear deficit by $198 million, and overall operating expenses remain below budgeted levels. The July Financial Plan, it added, “reaffirms the Authority’s previously forecasted $500 million in annual cost savings beginning in 2025.”

According to MTA, S&P also “cited an increase in paid ridership, due in part to growing ridership and progress in reducing fare evasion, and expects this positive trend to continue based on the expectation of more employees returning to office, contributing to an increase in revenue through transit or the Congestion Relief Zone tolling program.”

This S&P upgrade follows Moody’s Investors Service earlier upgrade of the Transportation Revenue Bonds credit to “A2” this summer and comes ahead of the planned issuance of the Transportation Revenue Bonds this fall, the Authority reported. The Transportation Revenue Bonds are also rated “AA” by both Fitch Ratings, Inc. and Kroll Bond Rating Agency, LLC, it added.

“S&P’s upgrade demonstrates continued growth in confidence in the MTA’s financial stability while recognizing the early success of the Congestion Relief tolling program, ongoing ridership recovery, and dedicated State support to maintain a strong financial position,” MTA Chief Financial Officer Jai Patel said. “To further support the MTA’s financial profile, we’ll continue to focus on operating budget savings while delivering reliable service.”

• NYMTA: ‘Safest July in Subway History’
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MDOT on Aug. 12 reported awarding $500,000 in the second round of its Purple Line Small Business Grant Program. The grants, ranging from $5,000 to $40,000, will help businesses located along Purple Line sustain operations and preserve jobs during the 16-mile, 21-station light rail project’s construction. Out of the 350 applications, 46 eligible businesses “most directly impacted by construction” were selected to receive awards, it said (download list below).

The Purple Line, slated to open in 2027, will extend from Bethesda in Montgomery County to New Carrollton in Prince George’s County (see map below). It will directly connect to Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority’s Red, Green and Orange lines at Bethesda, Silver Spring, College Park and New Carrollton. The Purple Line will also connect to MARC, Amtrak and local bus services. The project is 80% complete with more than 60% of rail installed across the alignment, according to MDOT. Half of all CAF-built Purple Line light rail vehicles (14 of the full fleet of 28 vehicles) are onsite at the Operations and Maintenance Facility in Glenridge.

The Purple Line Small Business Grant Program, launched in February 2025, will invest $4 million over four years, according to MDOT. The program will hold three grant rounds each year. In May 2025, the Department awarded $1 million.   

“Grant awards to eligible businesses are prioritized based on the location of the business and its proximity to the areas most significantly impacted by construction in the prior and upcoming six months,” MDOT reported. “Grant amounts vary by business size and location and funds may be used for any business-related expenses. To be eligible, awardees must be small businesses that primarily do business with customers onsite at a location within one-quarter of a mile of the Purple Line and have been open and operational since Jan. 1, 2022.”

MDOT is encouraging businesses that did not receive an award during the second round of funding or businesses that did not apply to submit an application in the next funding cycle, which opens Oct. 6, with applications due by Nov. 14, 2025. Program details, full eligibility requirements and a link to the grant application (available in multiple languages) can be found at https://purplelinemd.com/small-business-grants/.  

“Small businesses are the heart of Maryland’s economy and its diverse communities, providing jobs, essential services and economic opportunities,” MDOT Acting Secretary Samantha J. Biddle said. “It is critical that small businesses impacted during construction of the Purple Line are supported.” 

Further Reading: Maryland Again Delays Purple Line Opening

First-half 2025 ridership on NC By Train, the state-supported Amtrak intercity passenger rail service, was up 4% from the same period in 2024, the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) reported Aug. 12. It carried more than 355,000 riders compared with approximately 342,000 riders last year.

According to NCDOT, all stations along the Piedmont corridor between Raleigh and Charlotte saw an increase in riders getting on or off at specific stops: Salisbury was up 13%; Burlington, 12%; Kannapolis, 11%; Charlotte, 10%; Greensboro, 8%; High Point, 7%; Durham, 7%; Raleigh, 6%; and Cary, 5%.

NC By Train ridership has grown over the past three years, carrying 522,000 riders in 2022, 641,000 riders in 2023, and more than 720,000 passengers in 2024, NCDOT reported. It noted that it continues to see a positive response to the addition of a fifth-round trip between Raleigh and Charlotte in July 2023.

“We’re proud to provide an effective transportation option for North Carolinians that is convenient, affordable and reliable,” NCDOT Rail Division Director Jason Orthner said. “This type of growth supports continued improvement and expansion of NC By Train as we plan for the future.”

Separately, on May 30, NC By Train celebrated 35 years of the Carolinian between Charlotte, N.C., and New York and 30 years of the Piedmont between Charlotte and Raleigh, N.C. NCDOT also unveiled a commemorative locomotive, No. 1893, that was specially painted for the Piedmont’s anniversary.

Late-night service is coming to the T. Effective August 24, we're extending service by ~1 hour on subway and 8 frequent bus routes on Fridays & Saturdays with 5 frequent bus routes running extended service every day. All modes will be free after 9pm for five Fridays & Saturdays. pic.twitter.com/2kCUkLL4eM

Effective Aug. 24, as part of fall 2025 service changes, MBTA reported that all subway lines and eight frequent bus routes will offer extended service on Fridays and Saturdays, with five of the its most frequent bus routes with the highest number of later riders offering extended service every day of the week. Trip end times for these lines and routes, it said, will be about one hour later compared with current service end times. Extended service will also be added on some ferry lines on Fridays and Saturdays through the end of September with additional trips added. 

To encourage riders to take advantage of the extended service, MBTA said all subway lines, bus routes, ferries, Commuter Rail lines, and the RIDE trips will be free on Fridays and Saturdays beginning at 9 p.m. through the end of service on Sept. 5-6, Sept. 12-13, Sept. 19-20, Sept. 26-27, and Oct. 3-4.

Extending service later into the night is a frequent request and longstanding interest of the riding public, according to MBTA. “Later public transit options enhance quality of life, improve the economic vibrancy of the region, and better position the Greater Boston area to be competitive among other world-class cities that offer late-night public transportation,” it noted. “With the goal of increasing mobility during the nighttime hours for workers and travelers, this targeted approach to extending service prioritizes current evening ridership, improves connectivity across the network, and is a strategic investment that is within the MBTA’s current operating budget.”

Following are the service changes for weekends:

• Subway: Service for the Red, Orange, Blue, and Green lines will be extended by about one hour on Friday and Saturday nights. Frequency during the one-hour of extended service will be about every 30 minutes on the Ashmont and Braintree branches of the Red Line and each of the Green Line branches, and about every 15 minutes between Alewife and JFK/UMass on the Red Line, on the entire Orange Line, and on the entire Blue Line. 
• Bus: Service on Bus Routes 1, 22, 39, 66, 110, SL1, SL3, and SL5 will extend by about one hour on Friday and Saturday nights. Frequency during the one-hour of extended service will be approximately every 30 minutes.
• Ferries: Service for some ferry lines will extend by one to two hours with additional trips on Fridays and Saturdays beginning Friday, Aug. 29, through Saturday, Sept. 27. On Fridays on the Hingham/Hull Ferry, an additional roundtrip will be added to the schedule departing about one hour later than current schedules. This trip departs Hingham to Long Wharf at 10:15 p.m.; the trip departs Long Wharf to Hull and Hingham at 11 p.m. The current last departure from Hingham is at 9:15 p.m. with the last departure from Long Wharf at 9:55 p.m. On Fridays and Saturday on the East Boston Ferry, additional trips will be added to the schedule with service extended to 10 p.m. The last trip from East Boston to Long Wharf will depart at 9:30 p.m.; the last trip from Long Wharf to East Boston will depart at 9:45 p.m. The current last departure from East Boston on Fridays is at 7:30 p.m. and on Saturdays is at 8:30 p.m. with the last departure from Long Wharf on Fridays at 7:45 p.m. and on Saturdays is at 8:45 p.m. On Fridays and Saturdays on the Charlestown Ferry, additional trips will be added to the schedule with service extended to 10 p.m. The last trip from Charleston to Long Wharf will depart at 9:30 p.m.; the last trip from Long Wharf to Charlestown will depart at 9:45 p.m. The current last departure from Charlestown on Fridays is at 8:15 p.m. and on Saturdays is at 6:15 p.m., with the last departure from Long Wharf on Fridays at 8:00 p.m. and on Saturdays at 6:00 p.m. For the Lynn, Winthrop, and Quincy ferries, the last trip for these routes will remain as they are on Fridays and Saturdays. 

According to MBTA, service on Bus Routes 23, 28, 57, 111, and 116 will be extended by about one hour every day of the week. Frequency during the one hour of extended service will be approximately every 30 minutes. The current cost of the extended service on subway lines and bus routes for additional operations personnel hours is approximately $2 million, MBTA noted. Schedules for all lines and routes vary; regular fares will be charged for all extended services.

“Safe and reliable transportation is essential and the MBTA wants to do our part with ensuring that the public has access to mass transportation when they need it,” said MBTA General Manager and CEO Phillip Eng, who in 2025 was named an Influential Leader by Railway Age readers. “We are not satisfied with simply restoring our system to what we once provided but pushing ourselves to continuously improve. Extended service is something that we have been working towards and I’m proud that the investments being made in the MBTA allows us to now provide later service on subway, bus, and ferries, giving the public the opportunity to choose transit. We could not have done this without the hard work of the MBTA workforce and the commitment to transportation by the Healey-Driscoll Administration and the Legislature.”

Separately, John Killeen on Sept. 1 will become the new CEO of Keolis Commuter Services, MBTA’s Commuter Rail operations and maintenance partner.

• MBTA Honors 35 years of Americans with Disabilities Act
• MBTA Completes Winchester Center Commuter Rail Station Accessibility Project
• Massachusetts Sets FY26 Budget
• Report: U.S. CBP Delaying CRRC MBTA Carshell Deliveries

The post Transit Briefs: NYMTA, MDOT, NC By Train, MBTA appeared first on Railway Age.

This year, Railway Age and RT&S are pleased to venture to Pittsburgh on Oct. 1-2 for the much-anticipated 2025 Light Rail Conference, featuring a packed lineup of LRT professionals who are significantly influencing today’s rail transit industry. Among the list of reasons to attend is a special tour of the Pittsburgh Regional Transit (PRT) light rail system.

Light Rail Conference host agency PRT’s network, commonly known as “The T” or “The Trolley,” runs from the North Shore and Downtown Pittsburgh areas, through Pittsburgh’s southern neighborhoods and many South Hills suburbs. With 80 light rail vehicles in its fleet, PRT aims to be the “region’s transportation mode of choice by delivering an innovative network that is clean, sustainable, and equitable; a network that enables individuals, businesses, and economies to thrive.”

Sponsored by Benesch, the tour—a well-attended venue at this conference every year—takes place the afternoon of Oct. 2 and is available on a first-come, first served basis. Attendees will see PRT’s Rail Transportation and Rail Car Maintenance Center, the heart of its 26.2-mile system. Built in the 1980s, the maintenance facility was totally rehabbed in 2022. The project’s scope of work included replacing 4,000 lineal feet of rail, 2,100 lineal feet of elevated rail supports and three work pits; installing 70,000 square feet of epoxy flooring; repair patching of 6,000 square feet of concrete spall, crossover platform replacement; pit lighting upgrading; and complete replacement of the E-Stop safety system.

This edition of our annual in-person Light Rail Conference will be filled with dynamic panels and the chance to network with a wide-reaching group of like-minded professionals. This event will offer a comprehensive review of the specialized technical, operational, environmental, and socio-economic issues associated with light rail transit (LRT) in an urban environment. All this will take place at the Fairmont Pittsburgh.

Presented Oct. 1-2 at the Fairmont Pittsburgh, the 2025 Railway Age and RT&S Light Rail Conference is a must-attend premier conference on LRT for transportation professionals in planning, operations, civil engineering, signaling, and vehicle engineering. Students at the undergraduate and graduate levels are also welcome.

Transit leaders on the program include Andy Lukaszewicz and  Justin Selepack of Pittsburgh Regional Transit (PRT), Bryan K. Moore and Casey Blaze of the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (GCRTA), Henry Posner and Ida Posner of Railroad Development Corporation (RDC), Harry Skoblenick of Alstom, Barbara M. Schroeder of Benesch,  Rachel J. Burckardt of WSP USA, and many more.

Key sessions will focus on:

• Strategic insights into major new-builds and expansion projects.
• Engineering sessions illustrating how to best support long-term efficiency and safety.
• Capital program oversight, risk mitigation, and performance tracking.
• Resilience planning, sharing adaptive strategies for extreme weather events.
• Improvements to customer-facing technologies such as fare collection, communications and security.
• The viability and scalability of alternative propulsion technologies.
• Confronting funding challenges.

Supporting Organizations

Industry support for the Railway Age / RT&S 2025 Light Rail Conference is already strong, including sponsorship from 4AI Systems, Piper Networks, Benesch, and RDC.

• View the confirmed speakers and agenda, and take advantage of the early bird rate for Railway Age / RT&S 2025 Light Rail.
• To inquire about sponsorship opportunities, contact Jonathan Chalon at jchalon@sbpub.com or (212) 620-7224.

The post Tour PRT at the 2025 Light Rail Conference appeared first on Railway Age.

European freight railcar lessor Ermewa has deployed Load Status in Motion (LSiM) technology from Amsted Digital Solutions SAS across cars already equipped with Amsted Digital telematics.

Ermewa has a fleet of 50,000 railcars covering the aggregates and worksites, automotive, chemistry, grain, energy, intermodal, palletized goods, and steel markets.

The new LSiM technology delivers real-time load status and mileage tracking, without the use of external sensors, Ermewa and Amsted Digital Solutions SAS reported late last month.

According to the companies, LSiM “transforms each railcar into a smart, self-aware asset by analyzing high-frequency motion and vibration data. Its AI [Artificial Intelligence] engine learns in real time, adapting to railcar types, truck designs, and route profiles to deliver sensor-level performance—at a fraction of the cost.”

“At the core of LSiM is unsupervised deep learning (AI learning),” Ermewa and Amsted Digital Solutions SAS explained, “which detects anomalies without needing predefined fault signatures. With edge computing built into every device, insights are processed locally, ensuring low latency, high data integrity, and continuous operation even in low-connectivity environments.”

LSiM supports both predictive maintenance and sustainability goals, they pointed out, as the technology can help users extend asset life, reduce shop time, and eliminate unnecessary part replacements.

“The insight unlocked by LSiM far exceeded our expectations,” commented Peter Reinshagen, Managing Director at Ermewa. “Thanks to Amsted Digital’s AI-native design, we’ve remotely activated powerful new capabilities—without hardware changes, installation costs, or added emissions. The result: significant reduction of the impact of the maintenance on our customers’ supply chain.”

“Activating LSiM fleet-wide—even on units installed years ago—proves the long-term value of embedding edge AI into telematics,” noted John Felty, Managing Director of Amsted Digital Solutions SAS. “And with over-the-air upgrades, we can now add advanced diagnostics—like brake fault alerts, bearing wear, and wheel condition monitoring—without ever touching the wagon.”

“We are proud to push AI forward without relying on additional wireless sensors,” added Evan Weiner, Vice President, IoT Technologies for Amsted Digital. “Sensors increase cost, raise long-term reliability concerns, and contribute to environmental waste through battery disposal. Our architecture enables upgrades without downtime—no depot visits, no field crew interruptions, just seamless performance.”

• Ermewa Group Selects Amsted Digital Solutions for Telematics
• Telematics: Slow, But Steady
• Amsted Recognized as ‘RailPulse Certified Vendor’

The post For European Railcar Lessor, New Load Health, Tracking Tech appeared first on Railway Age.

The City of Rockaway Beach, Ore., has requested that a section of former Southern Pacific tracks, now used by the Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad, be removed and replaced with a trail. The request from the tracks’ owner, the Port of Tillamook Bay, surprised the tourist railroad, which has long supported building a trail alongside the tracks. 

The planned Salmonberry Trail will stretch 84 miles along the former SP Tillamook Branch, starting from Tillamook along the Pacific Coast before heading into the Coast Range via the Salmonberry River. Construction on a short section of trail began in July near Wheeler, alongside the railroad tracks. However, the City of Rockaway, which has committed to building the trail through its community, said that constructing the trail next to the tracks is too expensive — even though it is being built in other areas. 

“We want to be clear: OCSR is not opposed to the Salmonberry Trail,” the railroad’s board of directors wrote. “In fact, we are strong proponents of a rail-with-trail model and have offered numerous engineering ideas to support safe co-location within the right-of-way, including cantilevered trail segments on the side of existing railroad bridges, as well as using the railroad’s specialized on-track machinery to help with trail construction. We have been working closely with the non-profit Salmonberry Trail Foundation on a demonstration segment of the rail-with-trail in Wheelers, where the railroad is providing help with spreading gravel and vegetation control. We remain open to collaboration, cost-sharing, and innovation over the leased section of the railroad — but we will not be excluded.”

The decision to remove the track is made by the Port of Tillamook Bay. While most of OCSR’s excursions operate between Tillamook and Rockaway Beach, some trips go north of there to Wheeler. Last year, about 10,000 of the railroad’s 55,000 passengers traveled on that section. 

—Justin Franz 

The post Oregon Coast Scenic Track Threatened by Trail appeared first on Railfan & Railroad Magazine.