Justice Department raises competition concerns over NS control of Virginia terminal railroad

WASHINGTON — The Justice Department yesterday urged the Surface Transportation Board to closely scrutinize Norfolk Southern’s bid for full control of the Norfolk & Portsmouth Belt Line, warning that the move could choke off competition at one of the Port of Virginia’s intermodal terminals. The Justice Department’s Antitrust Division said the 129-year-old Belt Line — […]

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Trump fires Surface Transportation Board member Primus

Man in gray suit speaking at podium

WASHINGTON — President Donald J. Trump on Wednesday (Aug. 27) fired Surface Transportation Board member Robert E. Primus, breaking a 2-2 partisan split at the rail regulator while leaving it two members short of full strength just months before it is expected to receive the Union Pacific-Norfolk Southern merger application. The Wall Street Journal first […]

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Short Line Safety Institute promotes Leone, expands research efforts

WASHINGTON – The Short Line Safety Institute has promoted Julia Leone to assistant director of research and organizational development, an expanded role that includes leading efforts to improve delivery and outcome for the organization’s safety and research programs. “Our program expansion has come as a direct result of research led by Julia Leone. Improvements to […]

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CPKC: Railroads should focus on interline partnerships, not mergers

CALGARY, Alberta — Canadian Pacific Kansas City said today that Class I railroad mergers are not necessary and that it isn’t interested in participating in an immediate round of consolidation. “We believe that a transcontinental merger would trigger permanent restructuring of the industry and result in a disproportionately large railway whose size and scope would […]

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Buffett: Berkshire will not bid for CSX or Norfolk Southern

Train rounding curve in mountains

OMAHA, Neb. — BNSF Railway wants to date CSX — but has no interest in getting married. Five days after Union Pacific announced its $85 billion deal to acquire Norfolk Southern, Berkshire Hathaway Chairman Warren Buffett and CEO designate Greg Abel told CSX CEO Joe Hinrichs that they would not bid for the Eastern railroad. […]

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TTX joins RailPulse telematics joint venture

TTX has joined the RailPulse Coalition, becoming the latest member of the cross-industry effort to transform railcar visibility, safety, and efficiency through the adoption of telematics and data standardization. TTX’s entry into RailPulse adds the scale, operational expertise, and fleet management capabilities of North America’s leading shared railcar provider, the companies said today. TTX, which […]

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Congressman says SEPTA cuts could endanger Amtrak’s Keystone Service

blue and silver passenger train passes brick tower

HARRISBURG, Pa. — A Pennsylvania Congressman says he has been told that Amtrak’s Keystone Service — the Harrisburg-Philadelphia-New York route offering 13 weekday round trips — could be in jeopardy if state legislators don’t address the funding crisis that has the Southeastern Regional Transportation Authority planning major service cuts. The online news site Pennsylvania Capital-Star […]

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