Railpace Hot News
Keep up to date on the latest railroad news from the northeastern United States and Canada, edited by Carl Perelman.
January 14, 2025
Rail Teamsters Ratify Contract with CSX
Nearly 4,200 CSX railroad workers represented by the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Division (BMWED) of the Teamsters Rail Conference have ratified a new contract.
January 10, 2025
Biden-Harris Administration Announces Over $1.1 Billion in New Rail Grants to Reduce Train-Vehicle Collisions and Blocked Railroad Crossings
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) today announced that it has awarded more than $1.1 billion in Railroad Crossing Elimination Grant Program funding to 123 rail projects, improving or studying more than 1,000 highway-rail crossings nationwide. This announcement is the largest single investment in grade crossing safety in FRA’s history. Combined with previous rail investments announced under the Biden-Harris Administration, FRA has now invested a historic $48.5 billion in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding in more than 445 rail projects across the country and Amtrak.
January 10, 2025
Massachusetts Wins More Than $102 Million for Transportation Infrastructure Projects
The Healey-Driscoll Administration and Massachusetts Congressional Delegation are celebrating that Massachusetts has won more than $102 million for transportation infrastructure projects under federal funding programs from the U.S. Department of Transportation.
January 9, 2025
Wabtec’s Hybrid Battery-Diesel Work Locomotives Approved for New York Subway System’s Maintenance Operations
The Wabtec R255 Hybrid Battery-Diesel Work Locomotives for maintenance operations have been approved by New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) for use across its subway network. The new additions to the maintenance fleet will reduce diesel emissions by using battery power while conducting work in the tunnels.
January 8, 2025
R&N Passenger Department Has Best Year Ever in 2024, Looking Ahead to 2025
The Reading & Northern Railroad Passenger Department is pleased to once again report an increase in its overall annual ridership for 2024. 2023 saw over 322,000 guests experience rides on our many offerings including the Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway, regularly scheduled all-day excursions from Reading and Pittston, holiday-themed trains, and of course our famed Iron Horse Rambles to name a few. 2024 eclipsed that mark with nearly 340,000 riders, an increase of 5%.
January 8, 2025
New York Governor Hochul Proposes Major Investment in Hudson Valley Rail Service as Part of 2025 State of the State
As part of her 2025 State of the State, Governor Kathy Hochul on January 5th proposed a major investment in Hudson Valley rail service that would increase capacity, reduce delays, improve safety and cut potential travel times by up to 15 minutes each way for certain trips, as well as shorten “super-express” Metro-North Hudson Line trips to less than 90 minutes.
January 7, 2025
Norfolk Southern Grant Supports LNE 611
The Railroad & Industrial Preservation Society has announced that Norfolk Southern has awarded a $10,000 Thriving Communities grant to assist with the restoration of Lehigh & New England #611.
January 7, 2025
Norfolk Southern grants over $6M to communities across its network
Norfolk Southern Corporation (NYSE: NSC) awarded more than $6 million in 2024 to 408 organizations through its Safety First and Thriving Communities grant programs.
January 2, 2025
BLET Members Ratify New Contract with Berkshire & Eastern
BLET members unanimously ratified a new contract with the Berkshire & Eastern Railroad (B&E). The agreement governs rates of pay, benefits and work rules for 32 members.
January 2, 2025
2025 – The Year of Steam Trains on the Reading & Northern Railroad
Reading & Northern Railroad is pleased to announce the beginnings of what will be a banner year for steam-powered passenger excursions. The very popular Iron Horse Rambles, featuring steam locomotive #2102, will resume in 2025. Tickets for these exciting steam excursions will go on sale Friday, January 3, 2025, by phone at 610-562-2102, or
online at www.rbmnrr-passenger.com
