Railpace Hot News
Keep up to date on the latest railroad news from the northeastern United States and Canada, edited by Carl Perelman.
July 7, 2026
Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern Celebrate America’s 250th Anniversary with World’s Largest Steam Locomotive in Philadelphia
Union Pacific’s legendary Big Boy No. 4014 took center stage in Philadelphia on the Fourth of July as tens of thousands gathered for the America250 Block Party, commemorating the nation’s 250th anniversary.
July 7, 2026
NextGen Acela Fleet Continues to Grow
Amtrak now has 13 NextGen Acela trains in service. There are now 32 weekday NextGen Acela scheduled trips, allowing passengers more opportunities to travel on the new fleet
June 29, 2026
SEPTA Board Approves Fiscal Year 2027 Operating & Capital Budgets
SEPTA’s Board approved a total budget of $2.7 billion for Fiscal Year 2027 – a $1.84 billion Operating Budget and $920.7 million Capital Budget. The spending plan represents an increase of just 1.9% over the current year, and includes investments in new buses, more full-length fare gates and other enhancements for customers.
June 26, 2026
CPKC receives 170th Tier 4 Locomotive
This week, the 170th and final Wabtec Evolution Series ET44AC Tier 4 locomotive was delivered to CPKC, completing a multi-year order with Wabtec and marking another milestone in the renewal of the road locomotive fleet.
June 25, 2026
Amtrak and Partners Open New Brattleboro Station with Platform Upgrades
Amtrak, in conjunction with the town of Brattleboro, state of Vermont, Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), New England Central Railroad (NECR) and the Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTrans), officially opened the all-new Brattleboro Station for train travel.
June 25, 2026
AAR Reports Weekly Rail Traffic for the Week Ending June 20, 2026
The Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending June 20, 2026. For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 521,998 carloads and intermodal units, up 7.1 percent compared with the same week last year.
June 24, 2026
Metra Marks Nation’s 250th with Special Locomotive
Just in time for the 4th of July, Metra today unveiled a specially painted locomotive commemorating the 250th anniversary of our nation’s founding.
June 24, 2026
Amtrak and Penn Transformation Partners Sign Pre-Development Agreement for New York Penn Station Transformation Project
Amtrak and Penn Transformation Partners (PTP) announced they have finalized a Pre-Development Agreement (PDA) for the historic overhaul of New York Penn Station. During the PDA phase, Amtrak, led by Special Advisor Andy Byford, and PTP, a joint venture led by Halmar and Skanska, will finalize the project’s design and gather stakeholder input, which will then inform and establish a firm, fixed price to deliver the work.
June 23, 2026
M&E unveils America 250 Tribute
The Morristown & Erie Railway proudly unveiled locomotive M&E 26 on June 20, 2026, emerging from the Morristown Engine House through a dramatic shower of sparks and thick cloud of fog to a round cheers and applause as its tribute to the 250th anniversary of the United States. The locomotive was revealed during a special evening ceremony at the railroad’s Morristown headquarters, drawing railfans, employees, and members of the community to celebrate America’s Semiquincentennial.
June 18, 2026
Commonwealth Transportation Board Approves Six-Year Improvement Program
The Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) approved the Six-Year Improvement Program (SYIP) for the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) and the Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT) yesterday, which will allocate $28.5 billion to transportation projects over the next six fiscal years beginning July 1, 2026.
