SALT LAKE CITY — The Union Pacific Railroad has raised the causeway berm breach that carries its track across the Great Salt Lake at the request of the State of Utah. More than 10 million birds representing 338 bird species migrate to Salt Lake City annually from South America, Russia, and Mexico, attracted by the […]
Train Topic: Railroad Operations
Fractured rail being examined from site of BNSF derailment in Minnesota
WASHINGTON — A section of fractured rail is being examined as part of the investigation of the March 30 derailment and fire involving a BNSF Railway train in Raymond, Minn., according to the National Transportation Safety Board’s preliminary accident report. Twenty-three cars were part of that derailment. It involved 10 cars of ethanol, some of […]
NTSB chides National Steel Car, removes company from derailment probe
WASHINGTON – The National Transportation Safety Board today removed National Steel Car from its investigation into the March 4 derailment of a Norfolk Southern train in Ohio and was critical of the carmaker’s claims that its wheelsets had been ruled out as a potential cause of the wreck. “In a statement Friday, National Steel Car […]
BNSF and Montana Rail Link reach trackage rights deal for branch lines
WASHINGTON – BNSF Railway and Montana Rail Link have reached a trackage rights agreement that will permit BNSF to operate three of the regional railroad’s branch lines. BNSF in March won Surface Transportation Board approval to resume operation of lines it leased to MRL in 1987. The branch lines that MRL acquired from Burlington Northern, […]
Powder River Basin coal company files common carrier complaint against BNSF Railway
WASHINGTON – Navajo Transitional Energy Co. says BNSF Railway has violated its common carrier obligations by failing to provide adequate service for its Powder River Basin export coal trains. NTEC, in a complaint filed with the Surface Transportation Board on Friday, says BNSF has failed to provide adequate service from the Spring Creek Mine in […]
Two injured as UP freight in Texas hits parked train
CHICO, Texas — Two crew members were injured Sunday evening when a Union Pacific train struck another train parked on a siding north of Fort Worth, WFAA-TV reports. The collision occurred about 7 p.m. in Chico, about 45 miles north of Fort Worth on UP’s Duncan Subdivision, and involved a southbound train. Three locomotives and […]
Fire chief calls it a ‘miracle’ crew in Maine derailment wasn’t more seriously injured
ROCKWOOD, Maine — A fire chief involved in the response of Saturday’s CPKC derailment in a remote area of northern Maine says it was an ‘absolute miracle’ the three crew members were not more seriously injured. The three crew members were reported to have suffered minor injuries in a derailment and fire involving three locomotives […]
Norfolk Southern completes soil removal under one track at East Palestine derailment site
EAST PALESTINE, Ohio – Norfolk Southern announced Friday that it has reached a “significant milestone” at the sight of the derailment in East Palestine. NS said it has finished excavating and removing contaminated soil beneath the south track at the derailment site. It has excavated and removed more than 25,000 tons of soil and 12 million […]
National Steel Car: Steel coil car wheelsets didn’t play role in Norfolk Southern derailment
HAMILTON, Ontario – It turns out that the railroad industry’s emergency advisory sidelining 675 new steel coil cars with suspect wheelsets was a false alarm. In the wake of a March 4 Norfolk Southern derailment in Springfield, Ohio, the Association of American Railroads issued an equipment advisory recommending that the cars, built by National Steel […]
Three hurt as CPKC train derails in Maine
ROCKWOOD, Maine — Three crew members were reported to have suffered minor injuries after a CPKC freight train derailed and caught fire early today (Saturday, April 15) apparently as a result of a track washout, Reuters reports. Maine’s Forest Service said three locomotives and six railcars carrying lumber and electrical wiring derailed north of Rockwood, […]
Caltrain to reduce weekday service for two weeks
SAN CARLOS, Calif. — Caltrain will reduce weekday service for two weeks beginning Monday, April 17, to accommodate construction and testing for its electrification project. Daily service will be reduced from 104 trains to 82 for the weeks of April 17-21 and April 24-28. Monday through Thursday of those weeks, the last northbound train of […]
Maryland agreements will explore MARC expansion into Delaware, Virginia
ANNAPOLIS, Md. — Maryland’s Department of Transportation has signed agreements with agencies in Delaware and Virginia to explore expansion of MARC commuter rail service into those states, Gov. Wes Moore announced Thursday. The agreements are steps toward potential run-through service sought by MARC to Newark, Del., and Alexandria, Va. Discussions with the Delaware Transit Corp. […]