Montreal light rail project will buy right-of-way from CN, revise route

Map highlighting changes on Montreal light rail project

MONTREAL — The organization building the REM de l’Est rail transit project has reached agreement with Canadian National to purchase a section of right-of-way, allowing it to relocate part of its route away from a major commercial corridor. CDPQ Infra, the public-works contracting arm of public pension organization Caisse dépôt et placement du Québec, said […]

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UP subsidiary Loup Logistics acquires Phoenix transload site

Aerial view of freight facility

OMAHA — Union Pacific on Tuesday announced its Loup Logistics subsidiary had acquired the Precision Components Inc. transload facility in Phoenix, a UP-served location that processes more than 8,000 railcars and 38,000 trucks annually. The facility in central Phoenix covers more than 100 acres, with 125,000 square feet of covered storage and 3 miles of […]

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CREATE donates funds for Chicago-area STEM education

Logo of Chicago's CREATE program

CHICAGO — Partners in Chicago’s CREATE program have donated $200,000 to bolster science, technology, engineering, and math education at eight locations as part of the 75th Street Corridor Improvement Project. The Chicago Region Environmental and Transportation Efficiency Program, created to address bottlenecks in the Chicago-area rail network, is making the STEM program donations to five […]

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Canadian National reports record financial results for fourth quarter

Canadian National logo

MONTREAL — Canadian National reported record fourth-quarter financial results on Tuesday, despite the impact of severe flooding that shut its main line through southern British Columbia for three weeks. CN’s “Full Speed Ahead” plan to improve the company’s financial results, announced in September amid a proxy contest launched by activist investor TCI Fund Management, gained […]

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Judge blocks strike by BNSF unions over attendance policy (updated)

On three-track main, intermodal train on left-hand track catches up to freight train on center track.

FORT WORTH, Texas — A judge has granted BNSF Railway a temporary restraining order, blocking a threatened strike by two of its unions over new work rules. The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports U.S. District Court Judge Mark Pittman said that his ruling does not address whether the dispute between BNSF and the unions — the […]

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CN names former CP official Tracy Robinson as its next CEO

Head shot of woman with short blonde hair

MONTREAL — Canadian National on Tuesday named former Canadian Pacific executive Tracy Robinson as its new president and CEO, and reached an agreement with activist investor TCI Fund Management, which has dropped its proxy contest. Robinson spent nearly three decades at CP — with experience including positions in operations, finance, and marketing — before joining […]

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Watco sets startup dates for former CN lines in Wisconsin, Michigan, and Ontario

Map of Watco linces purchased from CN

Watco short line railroads will begin operating former Canadian National branches in the Badger State, the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, and Ontario in the next week. On Jan. 29, Watco will begin operations on the 328.5-mile Fox Valley & Lake Superior in Wisconsin, as well as the 142.6 miles of trackage on the Upper Peninsula […]

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Brightline breaks ground on new Boca Raton station

Rendering of white building with large windows

BOCA RATON, Fla. — Brightline has broken ground on its new station in Boca Raton, Fla., which will become the passenger operator’s fifth station on its route between Miami and West Palm Beach. The 38,000-square-foot station is located adjacent to the city’s library and across from Mizner Park, and is expected to be completed this […]

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ScaleTrains four-axle locomotive announcement at Amherst 2022

ScaleTrains gray, black, and white announcement ad.

ScaleTrains four-axle locomotive announcement is set for this weekend. Officials with ScaleTrains say they’ll unveil the new HO Scale model during the Amherst Railway Society Railroad Hobby Show at 10:50 a.m. Eastern time, January 29. Attendees will be able to see the unveiling live at booth BLC No. 34A. More details will be available from […]

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Civil trial against Durango & Silverton is delayed

Steam locomotive leads train onto dirt street

DURANGO, Colo. — A trial in which more than 30 property owners and businesses are seeking damages from the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad over a 2018 wildfire has been delayed, the Durango Herald reports. The civil lawsuit was delayed by 6th Judicial District Judge Suzanne Carlson to Aug. 29 because of ongoing negotiations […]

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Utilities look to stockpile more coal in 2022 even as coal-fired plant retirements loom: Analysis

Coal train in snow

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Railroads are likely to haul more coal to American power plants this year even as coal’s share of electric generating capacity declines. Utilities that use coal are eager to replenish inventories after high natural gas prices and supply chain issues severely depleted their supply in 2021. In a recent short-term outlook, the […]

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