WASHINGTON — With Norfolk Southern’s toxic train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, heightening public concern about rail safety, federal regulators went out of their way on Wednesday to explain that their approval of the Canadian Pacific-Kansas City Southern merger would help keep trackside communities safe. “We are well aware of the very real and legitimate […]
Train Topic: Rail Industry
CPKC’s first new trains will handle cross-border perishables shipments
NEW YORK — The first new Canadian Pacific Kansas City trains will be a pair of hotshots that link Chicago with Texas and Mexico City, hauling Midwestern meat southbound and Mexican-grown fruits and vegetables northbound. CPKC can begin offering single-line service as early as April 14, the date that Canadian Pacific will gain control of […]
Widow sues Norfolk Southern over death of conductor trainee in 2022 Alabama accident
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The widow of a Norfolk Southern trainee killed last year when struck by debris in a locomotive cab has sued the railroad, the news site Al.com reports. Sherita Fields filed suit in Jefferson County Circuit Court earlier this year over the death of Walter James Griffin III, 43. Griffin was killed in […]
Norfolk Southern to sell Saluda Grade for conversion to trail
LANDRUM, S.C. — Norfolk Southern has agreed to sell 31 miles of right-of-way for its dormant Saluda Grade — formerly the steepest main line in America — to the Saluda Grade Trail Conservancy for conversion to a trail, the Spartanburg Post and Courier reports. Three non-profit groups — Conserving Carolina, Upstate Forever, and PAL: Play, […]
Reading & Northern makes marketing changes
PORT CLINTON, Pa. — Reading & Northern has announced two changes in its marketing department, promoting James Raffa to senior vice president-petrochemicals and minerals, and naming Rian Nemeroff senior vice president-consumer products. Raffa, who rejoined R&N two years ago, was instrumental in developing a Marcellus Shale transload terminal in Tunkhannock, Pa. The railroad handled more […]
U.S. rail traffic slump continues
WASHINGTON — U.S. railroads experienced their biggest single-week traffic drop of the year, compared to the comparable week in 2022, with overall traffic down 7.6% for the week ending March 11, according to statistics from the Association of American Railroads. Intermodal traffic — at 229,383 containers and trailers, down 13% from the corresponding week in […]
Canadian government to help fund Winnipeg-area rail industrial park
ROSSER, Manitoba — The Canadian government will contribute up to C$18 million toward development of a rail-served industrial park near Winnipeg, Transport Minister Omar Alghabra announced Wednesday. Funds for the CentrePort Canada project will help pay for an additional switch connecting to the adjacent Canadian Pacific main line, several kilometers of track within the park, […]
Conditions placed on CP-KCS merger designed to ensure competition, smooth operations
WASHINGTON — Federal regulators imposed a number of conditions on the merger of Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern, including a novel way of enforcing the railways’ promise to not tamper with current interchanges. Nearly all of the conditions were proposed by CP and KCS themselves as part of the Surface Transportation Board’s merger review […]
Norfolk Southern, Boilermakers union reach agreement on sick time
ATLANTA — Norfolk Southern announced an agreement covering paid sick leave for members of the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers and Blacksmiths, which becomes the ninth of its 12 unions to reach such a deal. As with the other unions, the agreement calls for four days of paid sick leave, plus the ability to use up […]
Amtrak, Southern Rail Commission welcome news of CP-KCS merger
WASHINGTON — The merger of Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern may be a union of two freight railroads, but it is likely to matter for passenger railroading, as well. Amtrak had formally supported the railroads’ merger application before the Surface Transportation Board. That reflected CP’s backing for passenger operations between New Orleans and Baton […]
Metra, Chicago suburbs see few concerns addressed in merger decision
WASHINGTON — Commuter rail operator Metra and a group of Chicago suburbs received few of the conditions they had sought when the Canadian Pacific-Kansas City Southern merger was approved on Wednesday. But that doesn’t mean their concerns couldn’t be addressed later, Surface Transportation Board Chairman Martin J. Oberman said during a Wednesday press conference, thanks […]
Regulators approve Canadian Pacific-Kansas City Southern merger (updated)
WASHINGTON — Federal regulators today gave the green light to the historic merger of Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern. Their $31.6 billion deal — thought to be the last merger between two Class I railroads — redraws the North American rail map by creating the first railroad linking Canada, the U.S., and Mexico. The […]