Norfolk Southern leads railroads in growth during second quarter

Black locomotive with train of trailers in the Midwest

Class I railroads’ volume trends in the second quarter varied considerably, with Norfolk Southern traffic up 5.1% and Canadian Pacific Kansas City down 4.2%, according to the railroads’ Association of American Railroads carload reports. Norfolk Southern’s volume was boosted by 8.2% year-over-year growth in intermodal traffic. Its carload volume, less coal, was up 1.7%. Coal […]

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Durango & Silverton adds additional Highline Express trips

Steam-powered train crosses bridge

DURANGO — The Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad has added Wednesday departures to its evening Highline Express train beginning this week, adding four more trips to the new 3½-hour steam excursion introduced on July 1. The new offering, currently planned only for July, now will operate Mondays through Wednesdays, departing Durango at 4:30 p.m. […]

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Union Pacific worker killed in Proviso Yard (updated)

National Transportation Safety Board logo

MELROSE PARK, Ill. — The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the death of a Union Pacific railroader who was fatally injured in Proviso Yard over the weekend. WFLD-TV reports that the worker has been identified by the Cook County coroner as 27-year-old Justin Pender. “Preliminary information indicates on July 6, at approximately 1:59 a.m. […]

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First hearing on future of Chicago transit set for Tuesday

Commuter train passes under signal bridge

CHICAGO — A series of hearings to consider the future of public transit in the Chicago area — including a proposal to merge the four boards overseeing three transit systems and the umbrella agency overseeing them — is set to begin Tuesday in Chicago. The six hearings of the Illinois Senate Transportation Committee have been […]

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Fifteen cars of UP coal train derail in Nebraska

Union Pacific logo without slogan. UP Bailey Yard explosion appear to be accidental.

GIBBON, Neb. — Approximately 15 cars of a Union Pacific coal train derailed today (Sunday, July 7) in Gibbon, KGFW Radio reports. No injuries were reported. The incident was reported to the Buffalo County Sheriff’s Office about 2:24 a.m., according to KVRN Radio, and occurred at the intersection of U.S. Route 30 and Pawnee Road […]

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Fire mostly out at CPKC derailment in North Dakota

CPKC logo

BORDULAC, N.D. — The fire at the site of a CPKC derailment in North Dakota has mostly been extinguished, with cleanup and infrastructure repair work continuing today (Sunday, July 7). KFGO Radio reports first responders remain on scene as the fire occasionally flairs up as the derailed railcars are moved. The process is now underway […]

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Amtrak service between New York, Boston restored

Amtrak logo.

NEW YORK — Amtrak service on the Northeast Corridor between Boston and New York City was restored as of about 9 p.m. Saturday night, the passenger operator announced late Saturday evening. The company says the preliminary cause is a lightning strike that disrupted power. Normal operations are planned for today except for three early trains […]

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Amtrak NEC service halted between New York, Boston

Amtrak high speed train meets Metro-North electric multiple-unit trainset

NEW YORK — Amtrak service between New York City and Boston was cancelled for the remainder of today (Saturday, July 6) as of mid-afternoon because of “an ongoing electric power issue,” the passenger operator said in a service alert on its website posted at 5:50 p.m. ET. An earlier notification indicated that the problem was […]

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Fire continues to burn at North Dakota derailment

CPKC logo

BORDULAC, N.D. — Derailed cars of a CPKC train continued to burn as of early today (July 6) in Foster County, N.D., with an official saying the goal is to extinguish the fire in the next 12 to 18 hours. CNN reports Foster County Emergency Management Director Andrew Kirking said a voluntary evacuation recommendation had […]

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Rail labor opposes Amtrak request for waiver to deal with ‘loss of shunt’ until testing data is shared (updated)

Passenger train next to signal bungalow and signal worker's truck.

WASHINGTON — Three labor organizations have opposed Amtrak’s request for a waiver allowing installation of a device the company claims will prevent incidents where trains fail to trigger track circuits. As a result, a decades-old issue that recently has forced Amtrak to assign at least seven Superliners to trains operated over Canadian National’s Chicago-Carbondale, Ill., […]

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