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Amtrak celebrated the topping out of the steel structure for its new maintenance and inspection facility in Seattle, marking the placement of the final steel beam and an important construction milestone at King Street Yard. The new facility will be used to maintain the Airo trainsets due to debut this year.

In South Carolina, Amtrak has completed improvements at both Camden and Denmark, both of which are served by the Chicago–Miami Floridian. In Camden, improvements include a new 600-foot concrete boarding platform, as well as new walkways, ramps, lighting, and signage. In Denmark, passengers will enjoy a new 240-foot platform, as well as new lighting, walkways, and signage. The station upgrades are part of the ADA Stations Program that covers 134 stations and 66 construction projects across the country. The program will wrap up in 2029. 

—Bob Gallegos

The post Construction Projects Keep Moving on Amtrak appeared first on Railfan & Railroad Magazine.

VIA Rail Canada announced it is investing C$150 million in a major modernization program for its entire fleet of 56 Château- and Manor-series sleeper cars, originally built for Canadian Pacific by Budd between 1954 and 1955. This life extension occurs as the procurement process for new locomotives and passenger cars is already underway, with full fleet replacement expected over the next decade. The fleet upgrade will keep the classic streamlined trains rolling in the interim.

VIA chose CAD Railway Industries, located in Lachine, Que., to perform the work over a five-year period. Work includes upgrades to key systems and interiors, improving comfort, reliability, and onboard amenities. The cars are assigned to VIA’s primary long-distance trains, the Ocean and The Canadian. 

—Bob Gallegos

The post VIA to Modernize Sleepers appeared first on Railfan & Railroad Magazine.

Union Pacific “Big Boy” 4014 will travel to the East Coast for the first time as part of a coast-to-coast tour marking the 250th anniversary of the United States. The eastern portion of the trip will operate over Norfolk Southern, representing a rare collaboration between the two railroads. The tour will include a special July 4 appearance in Philadelphia, along with major display events in eight cities and more than 50 whistle-stops across 10 states. Scheduled stops include first-time visits by the locomotive to Indiana, Ohio, New York, and Pennsylvania.

This marks the first time the 4-8-8-4 has operated east of Chicago. As it traverses former industrial corridors on Norfolk Southern rails, the trip brings the locomotive to regions historically tied to the nation’s railroad and manufacturing heritage. The tour resumes May 25 from Cheyenne, following the completion of its western leg, which concluded April 24 with events in Sacramento near the original starting point of the Central Pacific Railroad.

In addition to brief stops for servicing along the way, eight major public display events will be held in:

• May 30 – Omaha, Nebraska (near UP’s historic Milepost 0)
• June 3 – West Chicago, Ill.
• June 10 – Buffalo, N.Y.
• June 15-16 – Scranton, Pa.
• July 4-5 – Philadelphia, Pa.
• July 9-10 – Altoona, Pa.
• July 14 – Fostoria, Ohio
• July 19 – St. Louis, Mo.

In addition to the public display days, railfans can see this historic machine in action at over four dozen whistle-stops, generally 15- to 30- minutes long. Complete details can be found on UP.com in the official steam schedule.

As part of the tour, the Union Pacific Museum will be selling tickets for rides in vintage passenger cars pulled by Big Boy on Reading & Northern through the Poconos Mountains in Pennsylvania on June 14. Tickets can be purchased at www.UPtrainTix.org. This will be the only public passenger excursion opportunity on this tour.

During the eastern leg, No. 4014 will be accompanied by commemorative locomotives from Norfolk Southern Railway, along with several cars from the railroad’s Heritage Fleet. The tour highlights the histories of Union Pacific Railroad in the West and Norfolk Southern and its predecessor lines in the East, reflecting the broader role of railroads in the nation’s economic development. Norfolk Southern is also expected to unveil a new locomotive commemorating the 250th anniversary of the United States in the coming weeks.

Union Pacific “Big Boy” No. 4014 is a massive 4-8-8-4 articulated steam locomotive built in 1941 to haul heavy freight over the Wasatch Mountains. After retiring in 1961, it was restored by Union Pacific and returned to service in 2019, making it the world’s largest operational steam locomotive. Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern announced an $85 billion merger in July 2025 to form a coast-to-coast system linking the Atlantic and Pacific. The proposal, aimed at improving freight efficiency, is under federal review amid concerns over competition, with a revised application due April 30, 2026, and a decision expected in 2027.

The post Union Pacific announces schedule for Big Boy’s 2026 eastern tour over Norfolk Southern appeared first on Railfan & Railroad Magazine.

A 19-year-old in Nebraska was convicted of derailing a BNSF Railway train in 2024 and then posting a video of the incident online. The defendant, Zachary Hertzler, was found guilty of one count of criminal mischief and could face up to two years in prison. 

In April 2024, a loaded coal train went through the switch at Bennet, Neb., derailed and struck a parked railcar on a siding. The derailment resulted in an estimated $350,000 in damage. 

After the derailment, law enforcement reviewed security cameras and found that someone had driven up to the switch and thrown it before the train arrived. That person then left and set up a camera near the crossing before the train arrived. After the derailment, the then-17-year-old showed the video to railroad employees and identified himself as an enthusiast.

—Railfan & Railroad Staff

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