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According to NCRR, this is the first time the program offered two application rounds in a single year, “a response to increasing interest from communities and site developers.”

“North Carolina’s economic future depends on how well we prepare today,” said NCRR President and CEO Carl Warren. “The Build Ready Sites Program equips communities with the tools to attract transformative industry. Expanding to two grant rounds this year reflects the growing demand for domestic manufacturing capacity.”

Since its launch in 2021, the BRS Program awarded $11.7 million in private grants to 21 counties across North Carolina, helping create more than 4,000 acres of rail-served property for industrial use. These investments, NCRR says, “aim to strengthen local economies, attract new industry and support job creation in both rural and urban communities.”

In the spring 2025 cycle, NCRR awarded $2.5 million overall to four communities preparing rail-served sites for future industrial use. “By investing in rail-served sites, we’re giving North Carolina communities the tools to compete and win-attracting jobs, industry, and long-term growth,” said NCRR Chief Commercial Officer Trish Haver.

The Town of Spencer in Rowan County received $750,000 for water and sewer extensions at the N.C. I-85 South site, a 100-acre property. Partners include the Rowan County Economic Development Council and Samet Corporation.

Mecklenburg County received $500,000 towards clearing and grading as well as connecting to public utility infrastructure at the 40-acre Pence Road site. The Aberdeen Carolina & Western Railway Company (ACWR) owns the industrially zoned property and partnered with the county to pursue the grant.

NCRR awarded Wayne County up to $750,000 for utility extension and relocation at a 44-acre lot in ParkEast Industrial Park in Goldsboro, a project advanced in partnership with the North Carolina Global TransPark Economic Development Region. The fourth grant of $500,000 was awarded to Cabarrus County for site readiness regarding rail centric development on the ACWR.

These awards, the company says, “build on NCRR’s commitment to advancing site readiness and ensuring communities are well-positioned to compete for new industrial projects.”

In related news NCRR has received a 2025 Excellence in Economic Development Gold Award from the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) for the company’s work in the Recovery, Resiliency & Mitigation category that impacted approximately 1.2 million residents. NCRR representatives were honored at the IEDC 2025 Annual Conference in Detroit, Mich., September 14-17.

“North Carolina Railroad Company is leading the field of excellence in economic development with its Back-on-Track Disaster Recovery Program. This award shines a spotlight on NCRR’s commitment to its community and showcases the significant impact of economic development,” said IEDC President and CEO Nathan Ohle. “IEDC is honored to present this award to North Carolina Railroad Company to celebrate both their leadership and innovation in the field.”

Each year, IEDC honors economic development organizations, government entities, initiatives, and programs that consistently demonstrate excellence in the field. The honorees lead transformational projects that revitalize communities and advance the practice of economic development.

“When disaster strikes, North Carolina communities need partners who understand the stakes, move quickly and bring practical solutions,” said Warren. “We are proud to be that partner and appreciate the IEDC’s recognition of our work in recovery, resiliency and mitigation.”

The Back-on-Track Disaster Recovery Program provided more than $8.2 million within FEMA-designated disaster areas to Class II and Class III short lines, local rail-served industries in need of track infrastructure repairs and nonprofit Economic Development Organizations in need of operational support.

The post NCRR Opens Fall 2025 Build Ready Sites Grant Round appeared first on Railway Age.

Anchored by a newly developed port in Sault Ste. Marie, the Sault to the South Trade Corridor “is a strategic national initiative that will strengthen Canada’s internal trade and export networks, unlock new economic opportunities, and build industrial capacity in key sectors, including mining, forestry, steel, advanced manufacturing, and agriculture,” the City said.

Strategically located on the Great Lakes as a gateway to northern Ontario’s resource zones, the corridor will serve as a logistics and processing gateway, integrating marine, rail, and highway infrastructure to support full-season, multimodal connectivity. The initiative is aligned with the federal Canada Strong plan, the Growth Plan for Northern Ontario, and Ontario’s Critical Mineral Strategy.

“Sault Ste. Marie is a natural fit as a multimodal hub within the Great Lakes corridor,” said HOPA Ports President and CEO Ian Hamilton. “Its geographic position connects seamlessly to industrial bases like Windsor, Port Colborne, Hamilton, and Montreal, forming powerful intra-provincial links between Northern Ontario’s resource base and Canada’s largest industrial and consumer markets.”

As part of this initiative, the partners are exploring the Algoma Steel site as a potential host location for the port facilities. The Algoma Steel site offers significant industrial land, deepwater access, and existing infrastructure that can support co-located economic activities. Positioning the port on Algoma’s footprint would create a unique multimodal hub, linking steelmaking, logistics, energy, and advanced manufacturing, and reinforcing the Sault’s role as a strategic engine of industrial growth in Northern Ontario, the partners noted.

“Having Algoma Steel’s site under consideration as a port location positions us as a central player in regional economic diversification, beyond steelmaking,” said Algoma Steel CEO Michael Garcia. “It underscores our role as an anchor in nation-building infrastructure and highlights Sault Ste. Marie’s importance as a gateway for Canadian industry.”

Benefits of the Sault to the South Corridor include:

• Multimodal Hub: 100+ acres of industrial space with deepwater access and redevelopment potential.
• Transportation Connections: Integrated rail, highway, and marine links with extended-season service.
• Industrial Clustering: Immediate access to key sectors and co-location opportunities for logistics and energy.
• Skilled Labor Pool: Strong base of tradespeople; relationships with Sault College and Algoma University.
• Speed to Market: Base infrastructure; market connections are active and ready to scale.

The project, the partners say, will attract investment and create jobs in construction, marine operations, industrial manufacturing and processing, warehousing and logistics, while fostering academic-industry collaboration through Sault College and Algoma University.

Next steps include stakeholder engagement at provincial, federal, and Indigenous levels; infrastructure analysis; and market outreach in key sectors. The City and HOPA will continue collaborating to advance the business plan and marine/rail infrastructure strategy.

The post City of Sault Ste. Marie, HOPA Ports to Develop Multimodal Port and Trade Corridor appeared first on Railway Age.

After setting a July cargo record, Port of Los Angeles volume remained “strong” in August, according to the California Port, which processed 958,355 TEUs (Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units), “nearly the same as last year’s robust performance.”

August 2025 loaded imports came in at 504,514 TEUs, 1% less than last year, the Port reported Sept. 17. Loaded exports landed at 127,379 TEUs, a 5% improvement from 2024. The Port processed 326,462 empty container units, 1% less than last year.

Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka recently announced the Port handled 2 million container units in just two months. In this clip, he takes a closer look at the numbers. pic.twitter.com/D71CXn8664

Eight months into 2025, the Port of Los Angeles handled 6,934,004 TEUs, 4.5% more than the same period in 2024.

“The Port of Los Angeles moved nearly 2 million containers in July and August combined,” Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka said at a media briefing (see video below). “That’s the best two-month stretch for any port in the Western Hemisphere. Retailers and manufacturers have continued to bring goods in early, both to get ahead of holiday demand and to hedge against any shifts in trade policy. Looking forward, I expect container volumes to ease through the rest of 2025—especially against last year’s unusually high benchmarks. That’s because much of the year-end holiday cargo has already arrived. And economic signals like slowing job growth and lingering inflation are making both importers and consumers a bit more cautious.”

Meanwhile, peak shipping season boosted the Port of Long Beach, Calif., to its second-busiest August on record and the sixth-busiest month in its 114-year history “as retailers continued to see the arrival of goods purchased during a recent pause in tariffs,” the Port reported Sept. 15.

The ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles recently announced they are extending their agreement with Pacific Harbor Line to provide railroad operating and maintenance services within the San Pedro Bay ports complex. Union Pacific and BNSF move cargo in and out of the complex.

• ITS Logistics Issues August US Port/Rail Ramp Freight Index
• Jacobs Tapped for POLB Pier B On-Dock Rail Support Facility
• Port of LA Signs MOA to Expand Exports Through Central Valley
• VIDEO: Tariffs Tamp POLA Volume Down
• POLB: $3.2B 10-Year Capex Plan
• Watch: California ‘State of the Port’ Priorities for 2025

The post For Port of LA, ‘Strong’ August Cargo Volume appeared first on Railway Age.

“With the Canada-Mexico Action Plan 2025-2028, our countries will drive progress in strategic areas, particularly in shared prosperity, security, inclusion, and sustainability—advanced by frequent meetings at the leader and ministerial levels,” according to the Canadian government.

It said that the key areas of co-operation include:

• “Prioritizing the development of long-term infrastructure, including ports, rail, and energy corridors.
• “Creating a new bilateral security dialogue to disrupt transnational organized crime, drug trafficking, human trafficking, money laundering, and cybercrime.
• “Building more opportunities for trade and investment—from energy and infrastructure to critical minerals and agriculture.
• “Reinforcing climate and conservation co-operation to protect wildlife and freshwater systems.”

Recibimos en Palacio Nacional al primer ministro de Canadá, Mark Carney. Fortalecemos la amistad entre naciones por el bien de nuestros pueblos. pic.twitter.com/3mtBAiFHWS

As part of a joint statement, Prime Minister Carney and President Sheinbaum said they “reaffirm their commitment to dynamic and forward-looking collaboration” and “recognize the shared benefits of a competitive, dynamic and resilient North American region.” To this end, they both expressed “their commitment to strengthen the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) and the bilateral commercial relationship, after more than 30 years of successful trilateral free trade.” Moreover, they said they “recognize how sport can unite nations and inspire a more just and equitable world” and “will celebrate the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America, a historic opportunity to showcase the principles, diversity and shared values that bind the three countries of Canada, Mexico and the United States.” The World Cup, to be held June 11-July 19, is slated to bring together 48 countries for 104 games across 16 cities.

According to the Canadian government, Prime Minister Carney announced a new forthcoming trade mission to Mexico, led by Dominic LeBlanc, President of the King’s Privy Council for Canada and Minister responsible for Canada-U.S. Trade, Intergovernmental Affairs, Internal Trade, and One Canadian Economy, and C$9.9 million in funding for United Nations-led projects “to support migrant integration initiatives in Mexico and combat the illicit production and trafficking of fentanyl.”

Carney also announced that as Canada, Mexico, and the United States prepare to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Adam van Koeverden, Secretary of State (Sport), will serve as Canada’s FIFA Sherpa. Van Koeverden will work with his U.S. and Mexican counterparts “to ensure a successful experience for spectators.” Canada will host 13 matches, including seven in Vancouver, British Columbia, and six in Toronto, Ontario. The World Cup is projected to create more than 24,000 jobs and add C$2 billion to the Canadian economy, boosting tourism, small businesses, hotels, and local communities, according to the Canadian government.

“Canada and Mexico are entering a new era of co-operation,” Carney said in a statement. “We are elevating our partnerships in trade, investment, energy, and security to create more opportunity for Canadian workers, expanded markets for Canadian businesses, and more certainty for Canadian investors, while making North America the most competitive and dynamic economic region in the world.”

Meanwhile, on Sept. 19 in Mexico City, Canadian Pacific Kansas City President and CEO Keith Creel hosted Mark Carney at a grain terminal where a unit train carrying Canada Western Red Spring Wheat grown and harvested in Manitoba had recently arrived. In a social media post, the railroad called it “one example of the expanded trade options open to Western Canadian grain customers and other exporters in Canada and the United States looking to diversify their end markets,” and noted that its trains “move a variety of Canadian grains to Mexico, including wheat, oats, canola oils and specialty crops.”

Our unique three-nation network connects markets and opens opportunities for new trade flows and investment across North America.

Today in Mexico City, CPKC President and CEO Keith Creel was honoured to host Canadian Prime Minister @MarkJCarney at a grain terminal where a unit… pic.twitter.com/AvYKjC7oWJ

The post Canada, Mexico Launch Action Plan on Trade, Energy, Security appeared first on Railway Age.

The STB is required by law to publish the RCAF on at least a quarterly basis. The Association of American Railroads (AAR) each quarter computes three types of RCAF figures and submits them for STB approval:

1. Unadjusted RCAF: “an index reflecting cost changes experienced by the railroad industry, without reference to changes in rail productivity.”
2. Adjusted RCAF: “an index that reflects national average productivity changes as originally developed and applied by the ICC [Interstate Commerce Commission; the STB’s predecessor], the calculation of which is currently based on a five-year moving average.” According to the STB, the five-year moving geometric average of productivity change for U.S. Class I railroads from 2019-2023 is 1.014 (1.4% per year).
3. RCAF-5: “an index that also reflects national average productivity changes; however, those productivity changes are calculated as if a five-year moving average had been applied consistently from the productivity adjustment’s inception in 1989.” According to the STB, the RCAF-5 for fourth-quarter 2025 uses a productivity trend for the years 2018-2022, which is 1.011 (1.1% per year).

The STB in a Sept. 12 decision (scroll down to download), reported that it has reviewed AAR’s submission and adopted the RCAF figures for fourth-quarter 2025: unadjusted RCAF, 0.966 (up 0.6% from third-quarter 2025’s 9.60); adjusted RCAF, 0.372 (up 0.3% from third-quarter 2025’s 0.371); and RCAF-5, 0.352 (up 0.3% from third-quarter 2025’s 0.351).

Table A shows the index of railroad input costs, unadjusted RCAF, adjusted RCAF, and RCAF-5 for third-quarter and fourth-quarter 2025:

Table B shows the second-quarter 2025 index and the RCAF calculated on both an actual and forecasted basis (the difference between the actual calculation and the forecasted calculation is the forecast error adjustment):

The post STB Sets 4Q25 Rail Cost Adjustment Factor appeared first on Railway Age.

Baylor Scott & White is one of the most notable hospital networks in the country, and its name originated from two legendary railroaders. That’s because BNSF predecessor railroads served as a guiding force behind the development of modern-day corporate healthcare.

Through the early years of expansion, railroads hired doctors and built hospitals to provide healthcare for workers. Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway (GCSFR) was a trailblazer in employee care, becoming one of the first railroads to introduce a companywide, employee-funded health plan.

Over time, railroad surgery developed, and because the specialty required treating patients in the field, railroads created railcars that functioned as examination and operating rooms.

They also adopted hospital cars, a practice carried over from the Civil War. These offered a fully stocked operating room and holding area for up to four patients. The purpose was to stabilize patients before sending them to a regular hospital.

Railroad physicians played a role in the development of first-aid kits, medical transportation devices and pre-employment examinations, which improved occupational safety. The kits contained medicines and sterile dressings, with training provided to workers by doctors.

Railway doctors didn’t limit care to work-related injuries. They performed elective surgeries, routine checkups, baby deliveries and advised railroad officials on sanitation, safety and public health. Their work advanced emergency medicine, occupational medicine and public health practices, helping to lay the groundwork for today’s health care.

Railroads also built hospitals for employees that pioneered U.S. employer-based healthcare by providing organized medical services and creating early health insurance models. The first Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe (ATSF) hospital opened in Las Vegas, New Mexico, in 1884. Over the next four years, ATSF opened hospitals in Ottawa, Kansas, La Junta, Colorado, and Fort Madison, Iowa. In 1892, the GCSFR opened the Temple, Tex., hospital.

Dr. Arthur Carrol Scott was chief surgeon for ATSF in 1892 and made many contributions to the field, including developing the hot cautery knife still used in cancer surgery.

In 1897, Scott appointed Dr. Raleigh R. White as Santa Fe Hospital house surgeon, forming a partnership of joint chief surgeons. In 1922, the two opened a hospital together that was eventually renamed the Scott and White Memorial Hospital.

The Santa Fe Hospital exclusively served railroad employees until 1966. In 1983, It merged with the Scott and White Memorial Hospital, which evolved into the Baylor, Scott and White Health system.

The legacy of railroad doctors continues. BNSF has a medical team focused on programs that benefit our employees and improve safety. That team collaborates with other railroad medical teams, a tradition started in 1888, when railway surgeons began sharing best practices, eventually forming the National Association of Railway Surgeons. Today, BNSF’s Chief Medical Officer Dr. Theodore Aquino meets physicians from all Class I railroads to discuss industry health and safety issues and share medical best practices.

Additionally, Aquino leads specialized BNSF teams that provide a range of services, including management of drug and alcohol programs, fitness for duty evaluations, overseeing medical equipment and administration of physical exams by a network of providers.

“We work to ensure that our employees have programs to support their ability to thrive in the workplace,” Aquino said. “My team works day in and day out to make sure we are the safest railroad in the industry.”

The post How BNSF Predecessor Railroads Helped Shape Modern Healthcare appeared first on Railway Age.

At a June 2025 U.S. House Subcommittee hearing on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials, Wabtec Corporation’s Executive Vice President and CTO Eric Gebhardt testified on behalf of RSI. His testimony highlighted the transformative technologies reshaping America’s rail network, and how support from Congress is needed to continue RSI’s mission of advancing safety in the rail industry.

We sat down with Gebhardt to dive deeper into the themes of his testimony and explore how Wabtec and RSI are working together to build a safer, smarter and more efficient rail system.

Your testimony highlighted the role of technology in improving rail safety, efficiency, and sustainability. Can you provide a specific example of a recent technological innovation from Wabtec that has demonstrably saved lives or prevented accidents?

One of the most impactful technologies we’ve deployed is Positive Train Control (PTC). It’s been in operation for about five years in the U.S. and is now active on 24,000 locomotives, covering over a million miles daily. PTC acts as a safety overlay across the Class 1 track network, enforcing speed limits and train authorities to prevent accidents.

We’re now advancing to PTC 2.0, which shifts from track-circuit-based systems to GPS-based tracking. This upgrade will enable virtual block systems, increasing network fluidity and capacity while maintaining SIL4-level safety standards on an international scale.

You mentioned the importance of partnership with Congress and the administration. In your opinion, what is the single most critical policy or legislative action that Congress could take right now to foster greater technological advancement in the rail industry?

Continued federal funding for research and development (R&D) and technology deployment is essential. Besides funding, we need streamlined regulatory approval processes. Faster waiver processes and closer collaboration between the FRA, Class 1s, and suppliers would accelerate deployment and maximize safety and efficiency gains.

What role does the rail supply industry play in ensuring the long-term sustainability and growth of the American rail system, beyond just providing new technology?

The rail supply industry is the cornerstone of U.S. transportation. It supports economic development, drives innovation and ensures the backbone of freight movement remains strong. Beyond technology, we contribute to infrastructure upgrades, emissions reductions, and regulatory modernization. Whether it’s deploying Tier 4 emissions tech or digitizing safety systems, our collective efforts shape the future of rail.

RSI plays a critical role in advocating for the effectiveness of our industry, educating lawmakers and coordinating railway industry voices.

Given the upcoming Sept. 30, 2026, expiration of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), what are your primary concerns and hopes for the next surface transportation reauthorization bill?

We hope to see sustained or increased federal investment, especially with dedicated set-asides for digital safety and inspection technologies. Technologies like Pathfinder allow short lines to upgrade entire trains without replacing the electronics on every locomotive—bringing PTC and Trip Optimizer capabilities to more operators.

We also need expanded support for advanced inspection technologies like RailGhost, which has the potential to use acoustic, thermal, and visual monitoring for automated inspections. These innovations reduce risk for yard personnel and improve maintenance accuracy.

Your testimony focused on three key areas for rail safety: accident prevention, asset health awareness, and network utilization. How do these three domains work together to create a holistic safety strategy, and which one presents the most significant challenge to implementing new technology?

These domains are deeply interconnected. Accident prevention is driven by systems like PTC. Network utilization improves with technologies like virtual blocks and Trip Optimizer.

Asset health awareness is where we see the most transformative potential and is the biggest challenge.

Wabtec remotely monitors 18,000 locomotives, processing 10 million data messages daily and issuing 400 maintenance recommendations. This enables condition-based maintenance, extending service intervals and improving reliability. The challenge lies in integrating and acting on this data across diverse fleets and operators. When done right, this creates a digital ecosystem that enhances safety, efficiency and, ultimately, profitability.

What is your long-term vision for how emerging technologies will fundamentally reshape the American freight rail networks over the next decade?

Our vision is a network that’s safer, more reliable and at a higher velocity. Technologies that include acoustic monitoring, thermal imaging, and AI-driven diagnostics will make inspections smarter and faster.

We’re not just improving rail—we’re redefining it. With RSI’s leadership and industry collaboration, we’re building a future where rail remains the most efficient and sustainable way to move goods across America. Technology, policy, and partnership must move in lockstep to ensure America’s rail system remains the safest and most efficient in the world.

The post Driving the Future of Rail: A Conversation With Wabtec’s Eric Gebhardt appeared first on Railway Age.

While consolidation sentiment varied at the NEARS conference, there was a belief that the deal would get done. Comments on the economic backdrop were not positive, varying from sub-seasonal to weakening. We continue to believe the Union Pacific+Norfolk Southern deal has a 90% chance of getting approval and expect synergy numbers to be walked up over time.

In a fireside chat with TD Cowen Managing Director Industrials and Railway Age Wall Street Contributing Editor Jason Seidl, Union Pacific CFO Jennifer Hamann struck a very positive tone regarding the company’s proposed acquisition of NS. She noted that UP was fairly conservative when publishing its synergy targets and ranked transcontinental intermodal as having the most potential and quickest benefit to the railroad’s top line. Watershed freight opportunities were also called out with a tip of the proverbial cap to our note quantifying the opportunity that was published last week. That said, she was quick to point out that these watershed opportunities would take longer to develop than the transcontinental intermodal business. Although no update on when the official filing would reach the desk of the STB, it was noted that they are targeting the lower end of the three- to six-month window deadline. This means our next major catalyst beyond 3Q25 earnings could come in the first half of November.

NS Vice President Business Development Stefan Loeb offered a sobering industrial development outlook, noting that the number of projects moving into engineering and construction declined from 30 in 1Q25 to 20 in 2Q25 and then sharply down to 5 in 3Q25. Tariff uncertainty was attributed for the freeze, and 3Q’s number was the lowest number the NS panelist has ever seen. Tariffs present a hurdle to reindustrialization due to the degree of import input that takes place in industrial projects.

First mile/last mile service was in focus, and panelists highlighted short line partnerships and visibility. Short lines help serve ~40% of NS’s industrial business. As a result, NS implemented a system to track interchange performance daily with short line partners in 2024. Volumes on monitored interchanges grew 4.5% by the end of the year. NS also set up a dedicated sales team to interact with the short lines. Visibility technology such as RailPulse and internally developed solutions for smaller customers have also been deployed.

A supply chain panel consisting of a railroad shipper, a major TMS (transportation management system) provider and a short line railroad noted that the economic conditions remain very challenged. One panelist stated that while his company has finalized plans for next year, he would not be surprised to see it flat-to-down. When asked about the proposed UP+NS transaction, it was noted that none of the companies on stage have taken an official stance (with one stating they always remain neutral). The TMS provider stated agreement with many of the stated goals of the merger in principle and is hopeful it is successful as this company is a large UP partner. The shipper expressed a good deal of concern, given his experience over the years with mergers, including the recent technology glitches from the CPKC.

BNSF General Director of Marketing – Industrial Products Mark Ganaway introduced a new first/last mile team that focuses on carload growth. Partnership with 200 short lines has helped BNSF grow into new markets, including a new intermodal facility in Salt Lake City won from a competitor. Despite the uncertainty, BNSF is investing in improving service; it has rolled out new initiatives for customer service, AI that identifies track defects, and streamlined processes for customer communication. Policy uncertainty around tariffs has created a visible slowdown in projects, and many customers are questioning when to make investment decisions. The macro-outlook has worsened, as we’ve moved through the year, with hope that deregulation and rate cuts will help spur the industrial economy, though there are no signs to be seen.

STB Vice Chair Michelle Schultz spoke to STB procedures while remaining measured on merger-related questions. The Vice Chair attested to measures the Board has taken to issue decisions quickly and reduce delays. Once UP and NS file their merger application, the Board is required to decide on whether the application is complete within 30 days, following which a comment period commences for up to one year.

The post NEARS: Consolidation, Weak Economic Backdrop Highlighted appeared first on Railway Age.

When Amtrak was founded in 1971, there were no passenger trains running north of Massachusetts or the Empire Service line in New York State. The were no passenger trains at all in the Adirondacks and northern New England, and the only train connecting the United States and Canada was a non-Amtrak operation between Buffalo and Toronto.

Today the Adirondack runs through the mountains to Montreal (when it does run), the Downeaster trains connect Boston with New Hampshire and Maine, and there are two trains in Vermont: the Vermonter in the eastern part the state and the Ethan Allan Express in the western part. There are profiles of those trains and the areas they serve later in this article.

Northern New England, including Vermont, lost its passenger trains before many other regions of the country did. Maine had no scheduled passenger trains from 1965 until 2001. The same was true of New Hampshire, except for a short-lived non-Amtrak train between Boston and Nashua, Manchester, and Concord for one year in the late 1970s. The Connecticut River Line, with service run jointly on the New Haven, Boston & Maine (B&M), Central Vermont (CV), and Canadian National (CN) Railroads, consisted of two daily trains until 1966: the Ambassador, a day train (with a Boston section at one time), and the Montrealer northbound and the Washingtonian southbound (on the PRR south of New York). Today the CV is the New England Central Railroad, part of the Genesee & Wyoming Railroad system.

For its first five years or so, Amtrak was in an expansionary phase, and the Montrealer came back on September 30, 1972, and I was on the first trip to Montreal. Local politicians and the governor of Vermont welcomed the train at their stops. It carried a dining car and a lounge car with a piano, and Amtrak called the car “Le Pub,” an apparent bow to entertainment in Montreal and to create a party atmosphere for skiers riding to the slopes. The train later became the Montrealer both ways. The route changed from time to time due to poor track conditions and moved onto the southern portion of the CV route between New London and Brattleboro, passing through Palmer, Massachusetts (east of Springfield) in 1989, following a two-year suspension.

The Montrealer came to an end in 1995, when the Canadian portion of the line was discontinued and St. Albans, Vermont became the new northern terminal. The train was renamed the Vermonter and became a day train. It runs between St. Albans and Washington, D.C., and the schedule has changed little in the past 30 years, except that it detoured east from Springfield to Palmer and then north on the CV until conditions between Springfield and Brattleboro improved enough to restore service on that route. At one time there was also a connecting bus between St. Albans and Montreal, but that has been discontinued, too. Today there is talk of restoring the bus connection, and possibly even running through to Montreal again. Both are feasible, but time will tell if either of those events happen.

Like many trains, the daytime and overnight trains in New York State to Montreal ran for the last time on April 30, 1971. With State support, the Adirondack came back on August 6, 1974 on the Delaware & Hudson Railroad (D&H, now part of CPKC) as a day train, successor to the D&H’s Laurentian. That re-established service on the D&H, which the Ethan Allen Express alsouses as far as a junction slightly south of Whitehall, New York. That train began running on Dec.r 2, 1996. North of Whitehall, it runs on a former D&H branch to Rutland, now part of the Vermont Railway. Originally there was an intermediate stop at Fair Haven, which was moved to Castleton in 2010. It terminated at Rutland until July 29, 2022, when the route was extended north to Burlington and ridership increased dramatically.

Burlington is as close to being a “city” as Vermont has. It is the most-populous municipality in the state, with a population of about 45,000, and it is also home to the University of Vermont (UVM). The term “city” seems to have its own meaning in the Green Mountain State, Vergennes is the state’s oldest “city” with a population of 2553 in 2020. While there were occasional passenger trains of some sort serving Burlington, it and the region to the south did not host scheduled passenger trains from 1953, when the Rutland Railroad discontinued the Green Mountain Flyer and Mount Royal, until the Ethan Allen Express was extended in 2022. There were tourist excursions, and a local service, the Champlain Flyer, which ran only from 2000 until 2003. Today, Burlington’s 1916-vintage Union Station, on the shore of Lake Champlain and at the foot of Main Street, again hosts passenger trains daily.

The Connecticut River serves as Vermont’s eastern border with New Hampshire. The Vermonter train runs near the river, making nine stops in the Green Mountain State: Brattleboro, Bellows Falls, Windsor, White River Junction (named after a river junction, but it later became a railroad junction), Montpelier Junction, Randolph, Waterbury, Essex Junction, and St. Albans. It also makes a brief foray into New Hampshire, and Amtrak added a stop at Claremont (Junction), probably to claim that it serves the Granite State, before Downeaster trains began serving three communities there on its way to Maine.

I visited Windsor, Randolph, Waterbury and Montpelier on a 2012 trip with a friend who had a camper and was willing to undertake a 12-day ramble with me to see towns on the Adirondack and Vermonter routes and crossing Lake Champlain on a ferry. In August 2022, I stayed in White River Junction for several days, enough time to use the local bus system to visit nearby Vermont and New Hampshire towns, including Hanover, the home of Dartmouth College. The train schedule also allowed excursions to Bellows Falls and Brattleboro for an afternoon of sightseeing in each town. One piece of history that survives in White River Junction is the Coolidge Hotel, built in 1926 and with a provenance dating back to 1849. It was a classic “railroad hotel” located one block from the station, and visitors take the train and stay there today. It was not named after Calvin, who was POTUS 28 during the 1920s, but after his father, John. I took day trips from Burlington to visit the northernmost stops earlier this month.

The towns on the Vermonter route are all similar, yet they all seem to have their own character. They are quaint and attractive, with many old houses and historic commercial buildings in the downtown areas, which are small and easily walkable for able-bodied persons. In addition to being scenic, many of the towns along the route sport art galleries and museums, as well as history museums that tell their stories. The route is also somewhat scenic, with its long stretches of country between towns.

For the past three years, and after a 69-year absence, there is a train that serves western Vermont and runs as far north as Burlington, Vermont’s biggest city (or town, if you prefer). It comes from New York on the Empire Service line as far as Schenectady, continues on the Adirondack line (historic D&H) almost to Whitehall, and then goes to Vermont, stopping at Castleton, Rutland, Middlebury, Ferrisburgh, and terminating at Burlington’s historic Union Station.

Lake Champlain forms the western boundary of much of the state, although its eastern shore is only visible briefly south of Burlington (its western shore is the location for part of the Adirondack route, which delivers many more views of the lake. The towns along the route are like those on the route of the Vermonter, although they each have their own character, as well. Stone quarrying, especially marble and granite, is a major activity in the region (the state also produces large amounts of slate). The towns are scenic, especially Middlebury, which seems to typify Vermont more than any other town in the state that Amtrak serves. Ferrisburgh is apparently a sprawly town without a significant town center. The Ferrisburgh station (also called “Ferrisburgh/Vergennes”) is slightly more than one mile from downtown Vergennes, another town with old houses and a quaint, historic Main Street. The train terminates at Burlington, Vermont’s biggest city and hub for travel within the northern part of the state.

The route itself is new. Until 1953, the Rutland Railroad (parts of which are now the Vermont Rail System) served Rutland and Burlington from New York, using the old Harlem Line to Chatham in that state (now served by Metro-North for slightly more than half the original route, while the northern part was been converted into a “rail trail”) and getting to Rutland through Bennington and Manchester. When Burlington service was restored in 2022, the Vermont Rail System became the host railroad on the extension, with the station at a junction, which allows the train to change directions (the Rutland Railroad had a station called Center Rutland, which is still standing and is a museum today). The line is not particularly scenic, but Rutland is interesting, and Middlebury appears to typify towns in Vermont.

The consist is like other trains on the Northeast Corridor (NEC), running 1970s-vintage Amfleet I coaches and a snack car that also has business-class seats. There is a unit on each end, which is necessary for two reasons. Northbound, the train approaches the Rutland station from a southwesterly direction and leaves in the northwesterly direction, so it changes direction there. The yard where it ties up at Burlington is south of the station, and there is no opportunity to wye the consist or otherwise change direction at the station itself.

Burlington is worth seeing, and it is served directly by the Ethan Allen Express and indirectly by the Vermonter. The latter train requires a bus segment to and from Essex Junction on the #2 bus to or from downtown Burlington, a ride that takes 30 to 40 minutes. The connection to the morning departure is available seven days a week, but the bus stops running before the northbound arrival on Sundays.

This writer visited Burlington during the week after Labor Day and used local buses to visit eight other towns in the area, as well. Burlington is an attractive town, with a downtown area that encompasses about 20 square blocks. It has many historic government and commercial buildings. Church Street is unusual, in that it has been transformed into an auto-free pedestrian mall, without curbs, but with street furniture installed on the length of the auto-free segment, which contains many restaurants and stores. The streets running south of Main Street contain mostly houses from the late 1800s and early 1900s. Willard Street is the most scenic, with Victorian-era mansions, many of which are now part of Champlain College, a private institution. The University of Vermont (UVM) campus is interesting, too, with Old Mill, the school’s original building, and the Billings Library, designed by famed New England architect H.H. Richardson. The northern part of town has attracted immigrants for more than a century, resembles similar neighborhoods in Boston, and still contributes to Burlington’s multicultural flavor.

The food scene in town was disappointing, with few local specialties. There is lots of good beer, though, much of it made at local brewpubs. Soft ice cream (locals calls the flavors “creamies”) is popular, too, especially the “maple” flavor that is made with local maple syrup.

Bus service to towns beyond Green Mountain Transit’s local range is very limited. There are “commuter” routes to places like Montpelier and St. Albans, but the schedule only includes two runs for commuters and a single midday trip on weekdays only. The trip to St. Albans requires a 6:15 AM departure from Burlington, acceptable for a single visit, but very difficult for any local non-motorists.

Montpelier is the smallest state capital in the country (population about 8,000), and it also has old houses and a historic downtown area. The State House and the Vermont History Museum are worth visiting. Scheduling was tight, but there was also time for a short visit to the nearby town of Barre, which is served by a different bus route. It was tricky, but possible to schedule around the two “commuter runs,” a situation that applied to Middlebury and St. Albans trips, as well as to Montpelier.

Tri-Valley Transit, a different provider, operates the “commuter” service to Middlebury. On the morning run to that town, the driver and the two other passengers allowed me to take about two minutes to photograph the train station at “Ferrisburgh/Vergennes” as Amtrak calls it. Ferrisburgh does not have much of a town center, and the station is located more than two miles from it.

If there is one town that appears to epitomize the picture of a small Vermont town, Middlebury is it. I had about 4½ hours to explore the town and, while there was no time to waste, it was enough. The campus of Middlebury College consists mostly of beautiful, historic white stone buildings. Main Street and other streets in town sport a historic appearance, both houses and commercial buildings. The Henry Sheldon Museum contains interesting memorabilia from a local collector, and I managed to have time for some good food and beer for lunch. The two afternoon bus departures for Burlington were spaced 105 minutes apart, so that’s how much time I had to explore Vergennes. It was worthwhile, and enough.

Winooski, an old mill town, is located next to Burlington. It is served by the #2 bus, one of the busiest routes in the Burlington system. The Champlain Mill, which has been repurposed into an office building, also contains a local history museum and a separate museum about the mill and the textile industry. The bus route continues to Essex Junction and terminates at the Amtrak station there.

For railroad history, the town to visit is St. Albans, north of Burlington. For a full day in town, the last available bus leaves Burlington at 6:15 AM, which allows either 10 or 11 hours before the return trip. There is also a midday run that allows a shorter visit, but there is enough to do in St. Albans to spend all day there. The town was headquarters for the Central Vermont Railway (originally the Vermont Central), and the 1873 railroad office building is still standing. The train shed and much of the old yard that adjoined it are long gone, although the roundhouse to the north is still standing, too. Retired railroaders often gather at 9:15 AM to see Train 56 off as it leaves for New York and Washington. The town’s history museum, housed in an old school on historic Church Street, contains a wealth of information about the railroad and many other local topics, and seems impossible to see it all in the six hours it’s open. The town has some good local eateries, too. I chose to take the earlier of the two buses to Burlington, which allowed a bit of time to see Milton, a small town south of St. Albans, on the way.

Understanding Vermont’s history should be considered part of the preparation to appreciate a visit to the Green Mountain State. The best place to start examining the conditions that made Vermont what it is today is the Vermont History Museum in Montpelier, located less than a block form the State House on State Street (also worth a visit). Vermont was the first state admitted to the Union after the country won its War for Independence. The colonial governments of New York and New Hampshire fought over competing land grants in what is now Vermont. Nonetheless, many Vermonters sided with the forces fighting for independence. Their leaders, especially Ethan Allen, are honored today, although the Ethan Allen Homestead near Burlington is not accessible on local transit. The locals were tired of the fighting between the neighboring governments and effectively declared their own independence (the Old Constitution House is a museum in Windsor). Toward the end of the war, there was a failed attempt to negotiate with the British, but differences were settled after the war was finally won, and Vermont became a state in 1791. Slavery was prohibited, a forward-thinking policy, especially for that era.

Vermonters apparently continue to maintain a strong independent streak. Sen. Bernie Sanders got his start in Burlington, and is still popular, as are his progressive policies. However, one “progressive” policy that is not observed in the state is providing significant transit service. It took a long time to extend the Ethan Allen Express route to its current length. Rail passengers can go between Vermont and points south, but not to or from Montreal, which is the nearest “big city” to many communities in the state. There has been occasional talk about running trains on the old Rutland Railroad through Bennington and Manchester, but no service has come from those efforts. There is also talk of reopening the branch on the CV (now part of CN) between Essex Junction and downtown Burington. Such a route might be a good candidate for the sort of operation proposed by Henry Posner III and others, using his “Pop-Up Metro” system, but the two endpoints are served by one of the most-frequent bus routes in the state, one of the few that runs a full span of service six days a week and daytime service on Sundays.

Several bus providers run routes throughout the state, but the level of service everywhere outside Burlington is very limited. Buses on many routes run three or four times a day, some on Saturdays and others only on weekdays, although they often connect with neighboring providers. Still, whatever access they offer to non-motorists and motorists alike is available only a few times during each service day, at most. Burlington has a relatively comprehensive set of local routes within its limits and a few nearby towns, but service is very limited beyond that local area.

The Burlington trip was interesting, and there was a lot to see. Still, transit is so limited that such a trip is not for anybody uninitiated in using limited transportation options. Like visiting White River Junction, Waterbury and other places in the state served by the Ethan Allen Express and the Vermonter, visitors need to accept Vermont as they encounter it, and as Vermonters like it. It has not been easy to get trains running in Vermont, and advocates such as those at the Vermont Rail Action Network helped get them going. Now visitors and Vermonters themselves appear to be enjoying them.

The post Vermont by Rail appeared first on Railway Age.

Pulse of the Continent, a new documentary about CPKC’s “Final Spike Steam Tour” in 2024, premiered at a Calgary film festival over the weekend with a party attended by the crew and locomotive that starred in it. The event near downtown Calgary marked the first time in more than a year that Canadian Pacific H1b 4-6-4 2816 appeared in public and under steam. 

The new movie chronicles the 76-day, 10,000-mile journey that 2816 and her crew made from Calgary to Mexico City and return in 2024. CPKC restored the locomotive to service to celebrate the one-year anniversary of CP and Kansas City Southern. However, the 2024 trip was historic for several reasons: 2816 became the first steam locomotive to visit Canada, the United States, and Mexico; it was the first main line steam locomotive to run in Mexico since the 1960s; and at 10,000 miles, the tour will likely be remembered as the longest steam excursion featuring a single locomotive. 

Since the locomotive returned to Calgary, it has been stored at CPKC headquarters, and the railroad has been tight-lipped about its future. However, sources close to the railroad say the locomotive is well cared for, and its appearance at the film premiere suggests that CPKC isn’t finished with the 95-year-old locomotive yet.

Locomotive 2816 was built by the Montreal Locomotive Works in 1930. The locomotive ran in regular service until 1960, when it was retired and eventually sold to F. Nelson Blount, the founder of Steamtown. In the 1990s, it was reacquired by CP and restored to service in 2001. The locomotive ran for about ten years before being placed in storage in 2012. 

—Justin Franz 

The post CP 2816 Makes Appearance at Calgary Film Premiere appeared first on Railfan & Railroad Magazine.

Industry veteran Eric Olson, P.E., has joined STV Inc. as Senior Vice President and Rail Director, West Operating Group. Olson comes to STV from Gannett Fleming, which he joined in 2016 as Transit & Rail Business Line Leader, West Region.

“With more than three decades of experience, Olson has been at the helm of several high-profile transit initiatives in California, and his expertise in managing complex, design-build transit programs has established him as a trusted leader in the industry,” STV said. “For example, he previously oversaw the $2.5 billion LA Metro Expo Line Extension and played a pivotal role in the Pasadena Gold Line and its Eastside Extension.  

“Eric’s track record in delivering complex rail programs across Los Angeles and beyond is unmatched,” said Liz Justison, P.E., P.M.P., President of STV’s Transportation West Operating Group. “His leadership and insight will strengthen our rail practice in the West and help us continue delivering projects that transform mobility for our local communities.” 

Olson holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from California State Polytechnic University and an MBA from the University of Southern California. He is a member of the Design-Build Institute of America, the American Society of Civil Engineers and the American Public Transportation Association. 

STV noted that it “has delivered projects in the West for more than 30 years, serving as a leading provider of comprehensive engineering, planning and design services for commuter rail, light rail, bus, zero-emissions vehicles and maintenance facilities. Recent projects include the LA Metro Zero-Emissions Bus Program LA Metro Purple Line Extension Section 2 and Section 3 and the Sound Transit East Link and Northgate Link Extensions Systems Construction.”

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