Siemens Mobility has been awarded $34 billion in contracts in the United States to design, manufacture and technically support 73 multi-powered trains for Amtrak, the company said this week. There is also a possibility for up to 140 additional trains and further maintenance agreements.

The order is Amtrak’s latest endeavor to acquire the most sustainable and efficient trains on the market, which include dual powered and hybrid battery vehicles.

The trains will operate across the Northeast Corridor and various state-supported routes, including those in Maine, Massachusetts, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Vermont, Virginia, and Washington. With expanded capacity and the ability to shorten trip time, Amtrak expects the new trains will add over 1.5 million riders annually.

“These new trains will reshape the future of rail travel by replacing our aging 40-to-50-year old fleet with state-of-the-art, American-made equipment,” said Amtrak CEO Bill Flynn. “This investment is essential to preserving Northeast Regional and state-supported services for the future and will allow our customers to travel comfortably and safely, while reducing carbon emissions.”

Prototype modelers will be out in force in Texas and Missouri in June and July.

Saturday’s Red River Railway Prototype Modelers Meet in Forest Hill, TX, is one of two events on tap for rail fan purists and modelers this summer. The event − which features clinics, discussions and modeling of prototype railroading − is from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and is the first of its kind in the Dallas/Fort Worth area.

Red River RPM was originally scheduled for last spring, but covid-19 put on the brakes. Since then, organizer Jacob Damron has canvassed the RPM community, and modelers from around the country are expected to attend at the Forest Hill Civic Center.

“We’ve gotten pretty strong response,” he said. “I’ve got prototype modelers coming out of the woodwork.”

No. 4014 returns after making inaugural 2019 run

Union Pacific announced Monday that Big Boy No. 4014, which stole America’s heart in 2019 with its gallant return, is thundering back for an encore.The venerable steam locomotive will depart Cheyenne, WY, Aug. 5 and travel through Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, Illinois, Louisiana, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas and Wyoming.

This is the first tour since the locomotive was restored for 2019’s “Great Race” that celebrated the 150th anniversary of the Transcontinental Railroad’s completion. The multi-year restoration took place at Union Pacific’s steam shop in Cheyenne following a retirement that spanned six decades.

“This summer, we are proud to announce that the Big Boy will be back to tour through 10 of the states and hundreds of the communities which Union Pacific serves,” UP Senior Vice President Scott Moore said.

No. 4014 will be on display in Fort Worth (Aug. 14), Houston (Aug. 17), New Orleans (Aug. 21), St. Louis (Aug. 29) and Denver (Sept. 6).

The battle to form North America’s first end-to-end rail network is heating up.

Kansas City Southern rejected Canadian Pacific’s merger offer and accepted a more lucrative deal proposed by Canadian National.

KCS’s Board of Directors announced last week that CN’s $33.6 billion offer, which came a few weeks after receiving an offer from CP to buy the nation’s smallest Class I railroad, constitutes a superior proposal. The board voted to terminate CP’s $29 billion proposal, which pitched forming a seamless Canada-U.S.-Mexico network, and accept a similar offer by CN.

Under the terms of the CN merger agreement, upon closing each share of KCS common stock will be exchanged for $200 in cash and 1.129 shares of CN common stock. Closing will be subject to customary conditions, including KCS stockholder approval and approval by the Surface Transportation Board of CN’s proposed voting trust.