Opinion

Passenger rail projects, as many industry observers have been pointing out since POTUS 45 won a second term this past Presidential election, will suffer under the POTUS 47 regime. California’s…

As the new presidential administration and Congress begin their terms, RSI is hard at work advocating for key legislative priorities that will shape the future of the rail industry. High…

On the 46th day since the congestion toll for vehicles entering the portion of Manhattan south of 60th Street went into effect, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy took the first…

The original Pennsylvania Station New York opened for service in 1910 and lasted a mere 53 years. It was a magnificent edifice, reminiscent of the grandeur of the greatest structures…

Equipment industry panelists expect muted 2025 railcar demand amid elevated interest rates and trade uncertainty affecting carloads as well as input prices. Disruptions are likely to benefit secondary market valuations.…

Federal provisions concerning passenger rail liability are creating a headache that may threaten commuter rail service across the nation. The adage of “like watching a train wreck” is really not…

The buzz around Artificial Intelligence is deafening. We have all heard the motivational quotes about the accelerating pace of change, and much of that acceleration is powered by AI. At…

The new Administration has apparently reversed course on its predecessor’s energy policies, dismissing and de-funding sustainable methods of electricity generation such as wind and solar, instead favoring domestically sourced coal…

On Jan. 15, 2025, the Federal Railroad Administration released on its website the final report titled Cost and Benefit Risk Framework for Modern Railway Electrification Options (download below). The report…

“The Lost Subways of North America: A Cartographic Guide to the Past, Present, and What Might Have Been.” Written and illustrated by Jake Berman. University of Chicago Press, 2023. Hardcover,…

This report analyzes operational and service trends for the North American Class I railroads, incorporating weekly operating data through Jan. 31. January is typically the most challenging month for rail…

As a child in her native Jamaica, Susan Herman remembers her father returning from work as a builder of residential buildings with blueprints of his latest projects, spreading them out…

Throughout this series so far, I have looked at the concept of through-running as applied or envisioned in several different cities: Philadelphia, Toronto and Los Angeles. It was not applied…

FREIGHT RAIL POLICY OUTLOOK, RAILWAY AGE FEBRUARY 2025 ISSUE: The political and policy waves crashing across the nation’s capital seem more likely in the near term to flood the “D.C.…

I read with interest Contributing Editor David Peter Alan’s recent Railway Age commentary of Jan. 22, 2025, titled “Fourth of a Series: New Through Tracks Proposed for L.A. Union Station.”…

TTC OPERATED BY ENSCO, RAILWAY AGE FEBRUARY 2025 ISSUE: The global transportation industry is undergoing a profound transformation, driven by the rapid adoption of battery-electric-powered vehicles across multiple sectors. However,…

BOOK REVIEW: Managing Major Railway Projects. By Alfred E. Fazio,. P.E., and Anthony Fazio, P.E. Simmons-Boardman Books, 2024. (800) 228-9670. 200 pp. $79.95 (softcover); $89.95 (hardcover). Al Fazio, a colleague…

WATCHING WASHINGTON, RAILWAY AGE FEBRUARY 2025 ISSUE: If you’re unaware that President Jimmy Carter, who died Dec. 29 at age 100, was instrumental in preserving private-sector railroading, blame it on…

FINANCIAL EDGE, RAILWAY AGE FEBRUARY 2025 ISSUE: Let’s face it: Dieting is hard. Perhaps you count yourself in the group that makes weight loss a New Year’s Resolution/Priority. Depending on…

FROM THE EDITOR, RAILWAY AGE FEBRUARY 2025 ISSUE: Take a close look at the faces of this year’s 25 Under 40 honorees. What do you see? Diversity! Since this award’s…