WILLIAMS, Ariz. — Twenty-three cars of a BNSF Railway train carrying new vehicles derailed east of Williams, Ariz., Thursday night, leading to cancellation of Amtrak Southwest Chief service through the area today, KAFF Radio reports. The derailment involving a 167-car train occurred about 11:20 p.m., according to Coconino County Emergency Management. A BNSF representative told […]
Type of Train: Freight
A year after acquisition, CSX continues making improvements to former Pan Am Railways trackage
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — CSX Transportation has made major upgrades to Pan Am Railways’ physical plant since acquiring the New England regional a year ago — and there’s more to come as part of its two-year plan. “Since the CSX acquisition of the former Pan Am Railways, significant progress has been made to improve the physical […]
Freight forecaster: Intermodal doldrums will run through next year
Don’t expect North American intermodal traffic to break out of its slump anytime soon. The decline of imports from pandemic-related highs, the ongoing shift of imports to East Coast and Gulf Coast ports, and tough truck competition are all contributing to the 10% decline in intermodal volume for the year to date, says Todd Tranausky, […]
Delaware-Lackawanna begins 2023 track improvement work
SCRANTON, Pa. — The Delaware-Lackawanna Railroad will reduce trip times and restore capacity on two key routes as part of its 2023 capital program, the railroad has announced. The projects will focus on lines owned by the Pennsylvania Northeast Regional Railroad Authority and operated by Delaware-Lackawanna, part of the Genesee Valley Transportation rail network. Work […]
Canadian judge finds CPKC in contempt for making train crews work excessive hours
OTTAWA, Ontario — A Canadian judge has found CPKC to be in contempt of court for forcing train crews to work excessive hours in violation of a court order. The Teamsters Canada Rail Conference announced the Wednesday ruling by Judge Ann Marie McDonald on its website. The union had filed a contempt motion with the […]
Arson likely in fire that damaged short line bridge in Washington state
MALONE, Wash. — Arson is now suspected in a fire that damaged a wood trestle on the Puget Sound & Pacific Railroad last weekend, KLFD Radio reports. The Grays Harbor Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of a fire on the trestle on Saturday, June 3, near Malone, an unincorporated community about 20 miles east […]
U.S. rail traffic remains down in May
WASHINGTON — U.S. rail traffic in May was down 5.7% from the same month in 2022, continuing the year’s overall drop in volume mostly attributable to decreased intermodal activity. Traffic was also down by 5.7% for the week ending June 3, compared to the same week in 2022. May statistics from the Association of American […]
Norfolk Southern rail labor locomotive makes debut at town hall
ATLANTA — At a companywide town hall meeting that focused on safety and the importance of labor-management collaboration, Norfolk Southern last week debuted a locomotive that includes the logos of all 12 railroad labor unions. AC44C6M No. 4693 served as a backdrop for the event, which was held on Thursday at Bellevue Yard in Ohio […]
FRA will conduct safety assessments of all Class I railroads, news report says (updated)
WASHINGTON — The Federal Railroad Administration will conduct safety assessments of all Class I railroads, Reuters reports, citing a June 1 letter from FRA Administrator Amit Bose to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) The letter by Bose says the FRA will conduct the assessments of each railroad over the next year and release “an […]
The Hills Line with James McNab | Catching up, Episode 12
Back by popular demand! James McNab has returned to host all-new video episodes of his previous Model Railroader Video Plus modeling series, The Hills Line with James McNab. This series featured layout construction insights and expert tips he shared while working to complete an HO scale (1:87) rendering 0f the IAIS Hills Industrial Spur. Take […]
Pennsylvania House passes rail regulation bill
HARRISBURG, Pa. — Pennsylvania’s House of Representatives on Monday passed a wide-ranging bill on rail regulations at the state level, sending the measure on to the state Senate for consideration. HB 1028 passed by a 141-62 vote, with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reporting 39 Republicans joined all 102 Democrats in voting for the bill. The legislation […]
Nevada governor vetoes rail regulation bill
LAS VEGAS, Nev. — Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo has vetoed a bill that would have limited train lengths in the state to 7,500 feet, and set requirements for hotbox detectors along rail lines. Assembly Bill 456, which had passed the Assembly 28-14 and the Senate 13-8, required wayside detectors every 10 to 15 miles or […]