Preservation effort mounted for New York’s Penn Station

Illustration showing station concourse under large glass ceiling

NEW YORK — The destruction of New York’s Penn Station — built in 1910, demolished in 1963 — is often cited as a seminal moment in the movement to preserve historic buildings. Now, the processes to protect historic structures may be used to prevent redevelopment of the current Penn Station, the crowded, confusing, and largely […]

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DC Metrorail gets okay to return 7000-series cars to service

DC Metrorail train

WASHINGTON — The independent agency that oversees DC Metrorail safety issues has given its approval to a plan to gradually return Metro’s 7000-series railcars to service, ending an equipment shortage that has led to a significant reduction in Metrorail operations. The Washington Post reports the Washington Metrorail Safety Commission said it had no technical objections […]

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BNSF to join Caterpillar, Chevron in hydrogen fuel-cell project (updated)

BNSF Railway logo

BNSF Railway will join Caterpillar and Chevron in a hydrogen fuel-cell locomotive demonstration project, the three companies have announced, seeking to show hydrogen is a viable alternative fuel source for line-haul rail. The companies have announced they have signed a memorandum of understanding and are working toward definitive agreements in which Progress Rail will build […]

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Kansas City Southern enters voting trust

Logos for Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kansas City Southern’s sale to Canadian Pacific has officially been completed, allowing the KCS shares to be placed into a voting trust while the deal is reviewed by federal regulators. The $31 billion deal sees KCS stockholders receive 2.884 shares of CP common stock and $90 in case for each share […]

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Canadian National, Google Cloud announce seven-year partnership

Canadian National logo

MONTREAL — Canadian National has announced a seven-year deal with Google Cloud to modernize the railroad’s technology infrastructure and improve customers’ ability to ship and track cargo moves. CN says the move will use Google Cloud’s expertise in artificial intelligence, machine learning, and data analytics to provide customers and supply-chain partners with planning, shipping, tracking, […]

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Transportation Safety Board releases report on fatal Montreal yard accident

Diagram showing site of fatal switching accident

MONTREAL — A jerk caused by slack action, following a sudden brake application, resulted in a railroad crewman falling from a car he was riding in a fatal January accident at Canadian National’s Pointe-Saint-Charles Yard in Montreal, the Transportation Safety Board of Canada determined in a report released Monday. The Jan. 6, 2021, accident killed […]

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Former employee pleads guilty in theft from Amtrak of more than $76,000 worth of chainsaws and parts

NEWARK, N.J. — A former Amtrak employee has pleaded guilty to charges stemming from fraudently obtaining dozens of chainsaw and hundreds of chainsaw parts over an eight-year period. A press release from Amtrak’s Office of Inspector General says Jose Rodriguez, 49, of Brick, N.J., obtained 114 chainsaws, 112 chainsaw replacement bars, and 222 replacement chains […]

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