WASHINGTON — Surface Transportation Board Chairman Martin Oberman was so disappointed in the lack of information provided at Wednesday’s board hearing into the status of Amtrak Gulf Coast service that he ordered the parties to come back in 30 days with a detailed report to address the board’s unanswered questions. “I’ve negotiated a lot of […]
Train Topic: Rail Industry
U.S. rail traffic up for week ending Feb. 10
WASHINGTON — U.S. weekly rail traffic was up for the week ending Feb. 10, according to the latest statistics from the Association of American Railroads. It was the third straight week showing a gain and fourth in six weeks so far this year. Total traffic was 484,840 carloads and intermodal units, an increase of 4.5% […]
STB approves reactivating UP connecting track that would link with proposed Utah short line
WASHINGTON — Federal regulators yesterday approved Union Pacific’s request to restore common-carrier service over 1.04 miles of rail line in Tooele County, Utah, that would connect to the proposed Savage Tooele Railroad. The Surface Transportation Board decision also turned down BNSF Railway’s petition to begin a proceeding that would ensure that it can use its […]
North Carolina Railroad Co. plans improvements to support Siemens Energy plant
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The North Carolina Railroad Co. will invest $100,000 in upgrades and improvements to an existing spur to support Siemens Energy’s planned expansion of its manufacturing facility in Charlotte, the railroad has announced. That expansion will involve a total investment of $145 million and is projected to add 475 jobs. The expanded plant […]
NTSB to investigate CSX employee death in North Carolina (updated)
ROANOKE RAPIDS, N.C. — The National Transportation Safety Board will investigate an incident today in which a CSX Transportation employee was struck and killed by moving equipment, according to an NTSB social media post. WRAL-TV reports the incident occured about 1:30 p.m. and involved the member of a crew installing ties, and that the Federal […]
FRA issues safety bulletins on securing rolling stock and PTC software glitch
WASHINGTON – The Federal Railroad Administration, reacting to the Feb. 1 accident in Alabama that claimed the life of a Norfolk Southern engineer, today issued a safety bulletin advising railroads to ensure that rolling equipment is properly secured at all times. The bulletin did not specifically mention NS, but the specifics match those of an […]
Wabtec to modernize more CSX AC4400 locomotives
PITTSBURGH — Wabtec Corp. and CSX have announced a deal to modernize more than 200 locomotives, providing hardware and software upgrades to the railroad’s remaining AC4400 units. The locomotives will receive upgrades including the FDL Advantage engine and digital improvements such as Locotrol Expanded Architecture, which the companies say will provide fuel savings and carbon […]
Dire Strates: Last carnival train still hopes to roll again
TAFT, Fla. – The James E. Strates Shows carnival train – which has hauled midway attractions to fairs up and down the East Coast since 1934 – may have unceremoniously made its last trip. When the 45-car train was spotted on the two spurs adjacent to the Strates headquarters outside of Orlando, Fla., on Nov. […]
Ohio considers rejoining regional passenger rail group
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio legislators are preparing to introduce bills to rejoin the Midwest Interstate Passenger Rail Commission, an organization the state left in 2013, Statehouse News Bureau reports. State Rep. Mike Skindell (D-Lakewood) said the House version of the bill will be introduced in the next month or so, and several Republican legislators will sign […]
Sanimax and Union Pacific settle common carrier case over reduced local service
WASHINGTON — Sanimax and Union Pacific have reached a settlement that ends the common-carrier complaint that the Minnesota shipper had filed in 2020 after UP unilaterally reduced the frequency of local service to the Sanimax facility in South St. Paul. Sanimax and UP today told the Surface Transportation Board that they had agreed to a […]
CSX debuts RF&P heritage locomotive
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – CSX has released its 10th heritage locomotive, No. 1836 honoring the Richmond, Fredericksburg & Potomac. “Here is our latest ONE CSX Heritage Locomotive … the RF&P #1836! This one is from the Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad, founded in 1836,” CSX CEO Joe Hinrichs wrote on LinkedIn today. “Richmond was the headquarters […]
New proposal calls for ground-level light rail for eastern Montreal
MONTREAL — The latest concept for light rail service for eastern Montreal involves a ground-level system which, in its initial phase, will serve 22 stations in 21 kilometers (13 miles) of track, the CBC reports. The proposal by transit agency Autorité régionale de transport métropolitain, or ARTM, is estimated to cost C$10.4 billion. It follows […]