U.S. rail traffic begins 2023 on a down note

Weekly table showing U.S. carload rail traffic by commodity type, plus overall intermodal statistics

WASHINGTON — A double-digit drop in intermodal traffic dragged down U.S. rail volume for the first week of 2023, according to statistics for the Association of American Railroads. For the week ending Jan. 7, overall traffic was 416,489 carloads and intermodal units, a 5.5% drop from the corresponding week in 2022. That included 212,962 carloads, […]

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Union Pacific has lost its way: Analysis

Yellow locomotives on train of tank cars

It’s fitting that Union Pacific’s logo is a shield. The beleaguered railroad needs one given the barrage of arrows coming its way. UP has a long list of problems, many of them self-inflicted as a predictable result of its pursuit of a 55% operating ratio. There are so many issues confronting UP that it’s hard […]

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Canadian government announces funding for Huron Central improvements

Huron Central Railway logo

SAULT STE. MARIE, Ontario — The Canadian government will invest up to C$10.5 million in infrastructure improvements on the Huron Central Railway, maintaining the railroad’s viability as a freight operator between Sault Ste. Marie and Sudbury, Ont., Transport Minister Omar Alghabra announced Tuesday. The federal funds will be matched by equal figures from the government […]

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Reading & Northern sets freight, passenger records

Green and yellow locomotives lead freight train

PORT CLINTON, Pa. — Reading & Northern Railroad announced it set new records in 2022 for freight traffic and excursion passenger ridership. Revenue freight traffic rose over 4,000 carloads and the railroad carried over 250,000 passengers on its excursion trains. Reading & Northern, Pennsylvania’s largest privately-owned railroad, said the freight traffic increase was driven by […]

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National Steel Car barrel ore hopper from Rapido

National Steel Car barrel ore hopper: an image of various model hopper cars against a white background

National Steel Car barrel ore hopper from Rapido Scale: N (1:160) Price: Single car, $42.95; three-pack, $128.85; six-pack, $257.70 Era: 1967+ (varies depending on paint scheme) Manufacturer: Rapido Trains Inc., 500 Alden Road, Unit 21, Markham, Ontario L3R 5H5 Canada; 905-474-3314; rapidotrains.com National Steel Car barrel ore hopper features: Two carbodies representing short and long barrel […]

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Rainy weather delays effort to fix rail line to San Diego

Heavy equipment moving rocks along rail lline at beach as train waits in distance

SAN CLEMENTE, Calif. — A series of storms that have brought significant rain to California have slowed efforts to repair an unstable slope along the Surf Line in Orange County, pushing back efforts to restore through rail passenger service between Los Angeles and San Diego while also raising the cost of the repair effort. The […]

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Canadian government to require railroads to report more information on traffic, performance

Passenger and freight train meet at junction

OTTAWA — The Canadian government will require railroads to provide more detailed information on traffic and performance under amendments to Canada’s Transportation Information Regulations, Transport Canada announced on Monday, Jan. 9. The information, to be reported weekly, will be published on the government’s Transportation Data and Information Hub. The new rules take effect April 4, […]

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Patriot Rail acquires Delta Southern Railroad

patriotraillogo

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Patriot Rail has added another short line to its stable. The short line holding company on Jan. 9 closed on its acquisition of the Delta Southern Railroad, which operates two line segments that are roughly 60 miles apart in Monroe and Tallulah, Louisiana. DSRR operates over 40 miles of track between the […]

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Rapido United States Railroad Administration single-sheathed boxcar

United States Railroad Administration single-sheathed boxcar: four orange and brown model boxcars are shown against a white background

Rapido United States Railroad Administration single-sheathed boxcar Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: Single car, $49.95; six-pack, $299.70 Era: 1918+ Manufacturer: Rapido Trains Inc., 500 Alden Road, Unit 21, Markham, Ontario L3R 5H5 Canada; 905-474-3314; rapidotrains.com United States Railroad Administration single-sheathed boxcar features: New tooling Details including roof and handbrake KC or AB brakes as appropriate Wood or […]

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