STAMFORD, Conn. — One person was injured when a portion of a ceiling collapsed at the Stamford station served by Amtrak and Metro-North trains on Wednesday afternoon, the Stamford Advocate reports. Kafi Rouse, director of communications for the Connecticut Department of Transportation, told the newspaper a portion of the ceiling liner collapsed in a tunnel […]
Train Topic: Railroad Operations
Amtrak continues to provide mobility in uneven fashion: Special report
First of two parts WASHINGTON — While the U.S. Transportation Security Administration reported a record 2.7 million passengers processed at the nation’s airports on Friday, May 26, a lack of capacity means intercity passenger rail travel was not a Memorial Day weekend travel option for many Americans served by Amtrak long-distance trains. The problem is […]
FRA publishes proposed rules on certification for dispatchers, signal employees
WASHINGTON — The Federal Railroad Administration has today published Notices of Proposed Rulemaking that would require certification of dispatchers and signal employees, under provisions of the Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008. The rule regarding dispatchers would require railroads to develop formal training programs, methods of verifying that dispatchers have the knowledge and skills to […]
Plane makes emergency landing on CSX tracks in Alabama
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Rail line seem to be popular landing strips for small aircraft in distress. Birmingham Fire & Rescue Service reports it responded to the crash landing of a small plane on the CSX Transportation tracks near the 3300 block of Vanderbilt Road at 9:58 p.m. on Tuesday night. A trainer pilot was training […]
Six cars, locomotive of CPKC train derail in North Dakota
BALFOUR, N.D. — Six cars of containers and one locomotive at the end of a CPKC freight train derailed near Balfour, N.D., on Tuesday evening, a railroad representative told KMOT-TV. No injuries were reported. Three of the cars were carrying some items classified as hazardous, including lithium batteries, airbags, and four small drums of methanol, […]
New locomotive emission rules put California short lines in a bind: Analysis
Rob Himoto’s Santa Maria Valley Railroad is the quintessential short line success story. His family bought the struggling 13.72-mile independent short line in 2006. Through hard work, they’ve been able to quadruple annual carloadings, diversify the railroad’s traffic base, and improve its track. Himoto is understandably proud of the turnaround and the role the railroad […]
Short Line Safety Institute adds Risdon as manager, program support
WASHINGTON — Ryan Risdon will become manager, program support, at the Short Line Safety Institute, a new position supporting the institute’s safety culture and hazardous materials training programs. Risdon brings more than 25 years of experience in railroad safety administration, compliance, and emergency response management to the institute, an educational, training, and research center for […]
CPKC more than doubles refrigerated container fleet for Mexico Midwest Express service
CALGARY, Alberta — The cross-border interline intermodal perishables service that Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern tested before their merger must have worked: CPKC announced today that it has more than doubled its refrigerated container fleet with the purchase of 1,000 new reefers. The 53-foot containers will be used on the railway’s new Mexico Midwest […]
Union Pacific to launch intermodal service linking port of Houston with five inland markets
OMAHA, Neb. — Union Pacific will launch international intermodal service between Port Houston and five cities beginning on Thursday, a move that follows a similar announcement from BNSF Railway just two weeks ago. Union Pacific’s new service at Barbours Cut Container Terminal at Port Houston will provide customers direct rail access to Denver; Salt Lake […]
New Acelas face further delays
WASHINGTON — Launch of service for Amtrak’s next-generation Acela trainsets has been pushed back into 2024, the Washington Post reports, as testing and computer simulations continue to find problems, most recently with the train’s wheelsets. That means the new trains will enter service at least three years late, placing increasing pressure on the existing Acela […]
New York Senate passes package of rail regulations
ALBANY, N.Y. — Following a nationwide legislative trend in the wake of February’s derailment and toxic-chemical release in East Palestine, Ohio, the New York state Senate has passed a series of bills seeking to regulate the way railroads operate in the state. The wide-ranging bills address everything from crew size for a mandate for positive […]
FTA orders MBTA to revise safety plan for track workers
BOSTON — A Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority safety plan for track workers has been turned down by the Federal Transit Administration, which has ordered a new plan to be submitted by June 5. The May 19 letter to MBTA General Manager Phillip Eng from Joe DeLorenzo, FTA associate administrator and chief safety officer, Office of […]