STUART, Fla. — A group of marine businesses in Martin County, Fla., are suing to block a request to alter operating plans for a drawbridge over the St. Lucie River to allow for operation of Brightline passenger trains between Orlando and Miami. The TC Palm newspaper reports the 13 businesses filed suit Friday in federal […]
Type of Train: Freight
News photos: Flooding along the Mississippi
Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers said high water and flooding may have been a factor in last week’s derailment of a BNSF derailment near De Soto, Wis., although investigation is continuing. That incident sent some cars into the Mississippi River [see “BNSF reopens track at site of Wisconsin derailment,” Trains News Wire,” April 29, 2023]. But […]
Maine agencies inform CPKC of environmental violation in derailment cleanup
AUGUSTA, Maine — Canadian Pacific Kansas City has been cited by Maine agencies for violating anti-pollution rules because of “a large release of sediment” into streams during its clean-up of derailment in northern Maine, while another agency is saying the railroad must repair the roads it is using and prevent further releases. The Portland Press-Herald […]
BNSF reopens track at site of Wisconsin derailment (updated)
DE SOTO, Wis. — BNSF Railway operations resumed today (Saturday, April 29) past the site of a Thursday derailment that injured four crew members and sent some cars into the Mississippi River. Clean-up at the site is continuing. The derailment occurred about 12:15 p.m. Thursday between the towns of De Soto and Ferryville, Wis., blocking […]
Unifor ratifies contract with Canadian National
MONTREAL — Members of the Canadian union Unifor have ratified a two-year contract with Canadian National Railway, the union announced Friday. The union and railway had announced an agreement March 20. The deal covers more than 3,000 mechanical, intermodal, facility management, and clerical positions represented by Unifor’s Local 100 and Council 4000 [see “Canadian National, […]
Conductors ratify CSX sick-time agreement
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Conductors and trainmen on CSX Transportation’s northern lines have ratified an agreement for paid sick time reached earlier this month, their union announced Friday. Members of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers-Transportation Division GO-049 ratified the agreement on a majority of ballots returned, SMART General Chairperson Richard Lee announced. Exact ballot […]
The Buffalo & Susquehanna Railroad
For most of my 70 plus years I have been interested in trains. Wherever I lived, I built a number of layouts in basements and attics. It was not until I became interested in the life of the Buffalo & Susquehanna Railroad that I thought it would be a railroad to model. It could not […]
Norfolk Southern, conductors reach deal on sick time, scheduled days off, extra weekend pay
Norfolk Southern and the union representing conductors have reached what they are terming a “ground-breaking, system-wide agreement” to address quality-of-life issues — not just paid sick leave, but scheduled days off, and additional pay for weekends and time away from home. NS and the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers-Transportation Division […]
Union Pacific dramatically scales back use of congestion-related embargoes
WASHINGTON — Union Pacific has significantly reduced its use of congestion-related embargoes, which last year drew scrutiny from the Surface Transportation Board and scorn from shippers. UP dramatically increased its use of embargoes last year, when it issued the vast majority of Class I railroad embargoes in order to prevent its local yards from clogging […]
Montana railroad sues utility company over fire damage
GREAT FALLS, Mont. — A Montana short line is suing a utility company over a November 2021 wildfire that caused significant damage to the railroad. Central Montana Rail, an 84-mile railroad based in Denton, Mont., is suing NorthWestern Energy over damage from a fire that largely destroyed the town of Denton, as well as a […]
Prison inmate sues Norfolk Southern over East Palestine derailment
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio — In the latest twist on lawsuits stemming from the derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, a prison inmate is suing Norfolk Southern and its CEO, Alan Shaw, over alleged exposure to chemicals as a result of the Feb. 3 incident. Reuters reports that Joshua Turner, incarcerated at the Ohio State Penitentiary in Youngstown, […]
NYC 2-6-6-2 in West Virginia
A long way from the broad, flat Water Level Route, New York Central 2-6-6-2 Mallet 1940 is seen in an undated photo on the road’s line to Charleston and other West Virginia points. Classic Trains collection […]