WASHINGTON — U.S. rail traffic remained above 2023 levels for the 13th straight week, but the margin is narrowing. For the week ending April 20, total U.S. volume was 474,544 carloads and intermodal units, a 0.8% increase over the corresponding week a year earlier, according to statistics from the Association of American Railroads. That includes […]
Magazine: Trains Magazine
Montreal’s REM faces new delays
MONTREAL — Ongoing work in the Mount Royal tunnel will further delay completion of the Réseau express métropolitain light rail project, the private developers said today (Wednesday, April 24). REM developer CDPQ Infra, the infrastructure arm of provincial pension manager Caisee de dépôt et placement du Quebec, said in an update posted today on the […]
Michigan mine to use Intramotev autonomous freight cars
ST. LOUIS – Intramotev, which retrofits freight cars with autonomous, self-propelled battery electric technology, today announced a partnership with global mining company Carmeuse Americas to deploy its TugVolt cars at a limestone mine in Cedarville, Mich. “We couldn’t have asked for a better partner to deploy our technology in Michigan than Carmeuse,” Intramotev CEO Tim […]
FRA issues safety bulletin following death of maintenance-of-way worker
WASHINGTON — The Federal Railroad Administration issued a safety bulletin today in the wake of a fatal accident involving a maintenance-of-way worker who was pinned by an excavator’s bucket. “FRA is actively investigating this accident, and is issuing this bulletin to remind railroads, railroad employees, and railroad contractors of the importance of ensuring proper safety […]
Longer lengths of haul help propel CPKC’s first-quarter earnings
CALGARY, Alberta — Canadian Pacific Kansas City’s first-quarter financial results reflected the progress the railway has made in the year since the Canadian Pacific-Kansas City Southern merger, executives said today. “One year into our historic combination, I am proud of what our dedicated family of railroaders has accomplished as we deliver on the benefits of […]
Norfolk Southern details operations and service improvement progress and goals
ATLANTA — Norfolk Southern executives today outlined steps they will take over the next six months to improve operations and service while wringing out $250 million in costs. NS is under pressure to show improvements amid a proxy battle with activist investor Ancora Holdings, which has been critical of the railroad’s lagging financial and operational […]
UP train derails in central Texas (updated)
TRENT, Texas — About two dozen cars of a Union Pacific train derailed east of Trent on Tuesday, April 23, KTXS-TV reports. The derailment occurred about 8 p.m.; a UP spokesman said there were no injuries and no releases of hazardous materials. Images on the station website show derailed double-stack containers. KTAB/KRBC-TV reports that high […]
Canadian National reports first-quarter earnings decline
MONTREAL — Canadian National’s revenue and profits declined in the first quarter as freight volume was flat and costs rose. “Q1 was a solid quarter. It played out as we expected and it set us up well for the growth that we see ahead of us,” CEO Tracy Robinson told investors and analysts on the […]
Governments in alignment as Brightline West work begins
LAS VEGAS — One thing Monday’s Brightline West groundbreaking ceremony drove home — probably unintentionally — is that there are jurisdictional reasons it’s difficult to undertake major infrastructure projects in the United States. In this case, however, those factors seem to be lining up in a positive, rather than negative, way. “On a project of […]
Colorado bill to help fund passenger rail projects advances in House
DENVER — A Colorado legislative committee has advanced a bill to help fund passenger rail and transportation projects. By an 8-3 vote, the state House Transportation, Housing & Local Government committee passed SB24-184, which will assess a fee on rental cars to help pay for the development of projects including the Front Range (Fort Collins-Pueblo) […]
Last chance to ride VIA’s Budd RDCs
The days of the five serviceable Budd RDCs (Rail Diesel Cars) remaining on VIA Rail Canada’s roster may be numbered. As Siemens Venture equipment displaces the stainless and LRC coaches (and F40s and P42 locomotives) on the Windsor-Quebec City corridor, the aging RDC fleet assigned to train Nos. 185 and 186 between Sudbury and White […]
MBTA sets more track projects for May
BOSTON — The rapid transit Red, Green and Orange lines will see service disruptions in May as part of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority’s ongoing effort to address slow orders, while six commuter rail lines will also see service disruptions. These service outages for maintenance have been scheduled: — On the Red Line, a previously […]