Trains March 2016

The fastest route through nowhere
By Erik Coleman
Illinois Central’s Edgewood Cutoff speeds traffic between the Great Lakes and Gulf Coast

Green is the new black
Introducing Norfolk Southern’s four-axle, fuel-efficient, 3,000-hp GP33ECOs

Map of the Month: The train rider’s guide to the Bay Area
By Bill Metzger
From cable cars to BART, San Francisco offers variety

Coal: A twisted future
By Peter A. Hansen
With coal no longer the rock-solid traffic it once was, railroads look elsewhere

Hoosier State reflects a new approach
By Bob Johnston
Indiana saga shows advantages and challenges when a private operator replaces Amtrak

In My Own Words: My second biggest scare
By Charles H. Geletzke
Following the rules may just not be enough