Capitol Lines

Don Phillips is a veteran newspaper reporter and a magazine columnist writing about railroads and transportation policy for more than 40 years. He shares his insight with our readers each month in the pages of Railfan & Railroad.

How Bad Are Things in Railroading Right Now?

November 18, 2019

How Bad Are Things in Railroading Right Now?

In the freight railroad business it’s often difficult to determine what’s really going on. For instance, freight business is down all over the country in the last year. But is this something serious or just a temporary blip?

There Are Limits to Police Powers

November 13, 2019

There Are Limits to Police Powers

An arrest of a photojournalist by a Dallas Area Rapid Transit police officer violated the agency’s own photography policy, and lacked probable cause.

News & Notes is Well Worth the Read

November 13, 2019

News & Notes is Well Worth the Read

There are a lot of specialty magazines in railroading. One of my favorites is News & Notes, which is put out by the RABO Club, which roughly stands for “Retired Administrators of Baltimore & Ohio Railroad,” its affiliates, and successors.

In Railroading, Anything Can Happen

September 15, 2019

In Railroading, Anything Can Happen

It’s been difficult to predict what the future of freight traffic holds for America’s railroads. So many factors are involved, including economic, regulatory, and engineering.

Can Union-Management Disputes Go Too Far?

July 15, 2019

Can Union-Management Disputes Go Too Far?

Railroad unions play a vital role in keeping rail transportation safe, but unions have many different roles and sometimes those roles can be at odds with each other.

Half A World Behind Each Back: 150 Years Later

June 19, 2019

Half A World Behind Each Back: 150 Years Later

From time to time, we need to step back and look at just how far we have come in the last 150 years. This was the year to do that. A century and a half ago, the nation was joined coast to coast by a railroad at an isolated location known as Promontory Summit.

The World is Full of Heroes and Villians

May 28, 2019

The World is Full of Heroes and Villians

Let me stress quickly that this isn’t a column about aviation, but it is a column about aviation safety as it relates to railroads. There are huge differences in attitudes about safety between the two modes, but there are also some ways in which attitudes are almost exactly the same.

A Wild Ride: From a 1970 Bankruptcy to NS’ Move to Atlanta

May 1, 2019

A Wild Ride: From a 1970 Bankruptcy to NS’ Move to Atlanta

When Southern Railway and Norfolk & Western merged, Norfolk was considered neutral territory for a new headquarters. Now that Norfolk Southern has been a reality for more than 30 years, it’s time to move to Atlanta.

Morgan Was the Greatest Railroad Writer Ever

March 24, 2019

Morgan Was the Greatest Railroad Writer Ever

Morgan wrote with such grace that he created a whole generation of prolific railfan writers. Ask anyone now at his old magazine; they believe it would have gone out of business decades ago without Morgan’s talent.

The Railroad Industry’s Premier Conference

February 13, 2019

The Railroad Industry’s Premier Conference

The annual RailTrends conference in New York City is the top railroad industry get-together of the year, and the 2018 version was excellent.