CPKC route reopens at Wisconsin derailment site

CPKC logo

REESEVILLE, Wis. — CPKC tracks have reopened through the site of Tuesday’s derailment in Reeseville, with Amtrak’s Empire Builder returning to its normal route as of Wednesday evening. Plans had been for the westbound Builder to hold in Milwaukee until the derailment site on CPKC’s Watertown Subdivision reopened. But the train, which arrived in Milwaukee […]

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FRA warns Norfolk Southern on conductor training

Two men walking near tank cars

WASHINGTON — The Federal Railroad Administration is demanding immediate changes to Norfolk Southern’s conductor trainee program, citing “grave deficiencies” that have been marked by incidents resulting in “amputations and other serious injuries.” In a June 14 letter, Allison Ishihara Fultz, FRA’s chief counsel, wrote that despite nearly two years of FRA working with NS to […]

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Canadian government to fund Quebec rail infrastructure project

Transport Canada logo

PORT-DANIEL-GASCONS, Quebec — The Canadian government will provide more than C$10 million in funding for a rail infrastructure project protecting a coastal railway on Quebec’s Gaspé Peninsula, according to a Tuesday announcement. The project at Port-Daniel-Gascons will include installation of a retaining wall to prevent further erosion of cliffs along the coastline, repair of tracks […]

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US rail traffic remains down in June

Weekly table showing U.S. carload rail traffic by commodity type, plus intermodal totals

WASHINGTON — Continuing the trend since the start of the year, U.S. rail traffic was down 3.9% in June, compared to the same month in 2022. Weekly traffic, for the week ending July 1, was down 3.2%. The latest figures from the Association of American Railroads show carload traffic was down 0.2% while intermodal traffic […]

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News & Products for the week of July 5th 2023

News & Products for the week of July 5th 2023 Model railroad operators and builders can get the latest information about locomotives, freight cars, passenger cars, tools, track, and more by reading Model Railroader’s frequent product updates. The following are the products Model Railroader editors have news on for the week of July 5th 2023. […]

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Highway truck tolls to fund rail investment in Germany

Blue and white passenger train pulled by electric locomotive

Trucks in Germany are now paying higher tolls to use main highways, with the extra money to be invested in the country’s government-owned rail network. The new tolls were effective July 1. The new funds will address a rail system that is suffering in places from a high level of use by both passenger and […]

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CPKC train derails in Wisconsin (updated)

Derailed freight train

REESEVILLE, Wis. — Twenty-nine cars of a CPKC train were reported to have derailed this afternoon (Tuesday, July 4) in Reeseville, leading to delays for Amtrak’s Empire Builder. WKOW-TV reports the derailment occurred about 1:55 p.m. Chris Abell, deputy chief with Clyman-Lowell-Reeseville Fire & Rescue, told the station the derailed cars were carrying grain and […]

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Strike shuts down British Columbia ports

VANCOUVER, British Columbia — Port workers in British Columbia went on strike Saturday, an action with the potential for impacts on the Canadian and U.S. economies and immediate significance for three Class I Railroads. Members of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union Canada’s Longshore Division walked out at 8 a.m. Saturday. The move affects about […]

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