Time Magazine named its person of the year this week. This annual occurrence, among other signs of the season, signaled me to pause and reflect on what this year has been in the world of railroads.
At the top of my mind right now, there has been what seems like a slew of crashes and accidents around the world this year, with back-to-back passenger train accidents throughout November, killing hundreds of unfortunate passengers.
The passenger news here in the U.S. is that Amtrak agreed to purchase $2 billion in trainsets from Alstom while, in a move we all hoped would come, the passenger railroad tapped Wick Moorman to succeed Joe Boardman. Oh, and Brightline, the privately run start-up passenger operation in Florida will happen. Who would have ever believed any of this two years ago?
Not to change subjects, but I sensed the momentum behind big preservation projects this year, did you?
Big Boy is getting closer to restoration, but so is Western Maryland's former Chesapeake & Ohio 2-6-6-2 No. 1309. There's Louisville & Nashville No. 576; a locomotive in Duluth, Minn.; and the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania is doing its part to preserve their Pennsylvania Railroad motive power a bit better; and well, there's just talk about steam everywhere. Even big diesels are getting into shape as the Museum of the American Railroad in Frisco, Texas, works to restore a Santa Fe Alco PA. I'm not a big diesel guy, but seeing a silvery Alco with a red warbonnet stirs my soul.
Emotionally, little else could move me earlier this year while my attention fixated on Canadian Pacific's hostile takeover moves on Norfolk Southern. The drama played out along lines that would become eerily familiar in the U.S. Presidential election. The difference is that in railroading, the larger-than-life, bristly businessman lost.
Santa trains (Christmas trains to me) are going strong in most places around the country whether the main object is to offer children short rides with Santa, deliver gifts to folks in need, or just brighten spirits in communities along the mainline with a performance of some kind. I have no official numbers, but these trains seem more popular this year than ever.
And why not? The economy is still down. Someone is making money, but Americans keep telling pollsters it's not them. As if to prove the people right, officials with the Association of American Railroads say carloads across all Class I railroads are still down 6 percent from 2015 despite hopes that carload moves would rebound this fall. They would have too, if it weren't for coal and crude oil, which are still down from record highs of a few years ago.
Little discussions such as top stories and persons of the year inevitably lead into talk about who is going to write a story about all of these top stories of the year.
Well, we will. Trains, that is.
Starting December 15 and for every remaining business day of the year, we'll post a quick note about one Top 10 railroad story. The last story, the one we deem most important, I will post for you on Dec. 30. You'll also get to see us editors talk about what we chose and why in our weekly video roundup on the same day.
But, certain that I missed a top story idea about this year, won't you help me?
Send your Top 10 Railroad Story ideas to Trains editors by the close of business on December 14 to NewsWire @trainsmag.com, so we can consider it. If your idea is one we've haven't thought of, we'll be sure to mention your name in our story. Or you can just post it below in the comments section.
Let us know.
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