JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — CSX Corp. has announced ratification of a second agreement covering paid sick leave with members of the Brotherood of Railroad Signalmen, this time with approximately 200 workers on the company’s L&N property. The agreement announced today (Oct. 25) follows a similar deal last with 400 members of the same union on CSX’s […]
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Norfolk Southern earnings take hit from East Palestine, volume decline, and higher costs
ATLANTA — Norfolk Southern’s third-quarter earnings fell sharply due to the mounting toll of the East Palestine, Ohio, derailment, lower volume, and higher costs related to carrying more train crews as part of the railroad’s service resilience strategy. “We are making smart investments in safe, reliable, and resilient service,” CEO Alan Shaw told investors and […]
CNJ No. 113 delights photographers during night session
MINERSVILLE, Pa. — Central Railroad of New Jersey No. 113 was under steam for a night photo session on Oct. 21 – rescheduled from the original Oct. 14 date due to weather. The heavy 0-6-0 switcher is in its centennial year, having been built in June 1923 by the American Locomotive Company in Schenectady, N.Y. […]
LA’s Taylor Yard: Always something different
Always something different at LA’s Taylor Yard A wise man once said, “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” It’s a nice thought. But he never met a train fan. For decades, whenever I had a few free minutes, I’d drive down to Southern Pacific’s […]
Two rail projects could benefit from new Kansas City, Mo., agreement with federal government
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Train service from downtown Kansas City to Kansas City International Airport and an expansion of the city’s existing streetcar system are among the projects that could be funded through a new agreement between officials in Kansas City, Mo., and the U.S. Department of Transportation. The Emerging Projects Agreement, announced Tuesday, could […]
NTSB report on conductor fatality calls for new rule on shoving moves
WASHINGTON — The National Transportation Safety Board is calling for new rules regarding crew members riding shoving moves through grade crossings as a result of a fatal October 2021 accident in Houston, Texas. The board has recommended that crew members be prohibited from riding such moves through crossings equipped only with warning lights or passive […]
Napa Valley Wine Train to replace six older diesels with two Tier 4 units
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The California Air Resources Board has approved a grant that would allow the Napa Valley Wine Train to replace — and, under regulatory requirements, destroy — six vintage diesels with two Tier 4 compliant switchers. The approval, which occurred earlier this year, according to the CARB website, covers two of the Wine […]
First VIA Siemens trainsets begin serving Toronto
TORONTO — After months of service limited to a handful of round-trips regularly operating between Ottawa, Montreal, and Quebec City, a VIA Rail Canada Venture trainset made its Toronto debut Tuesday, rolling into the company’s Toronto Maintenance Centre Tuesday after bringing passengers from Ottawa on train no. 41. The first trip was celebrated with a […]
CN earnings fall on lower volume, but executives say traffic rebound is under way
MONTREAL — Canadian National’s third-quarter profits tumbled on lower freight volume, the railway reported today, but most business segments are bouncing back. “I believe we’ve seen the bottom on volumes,” CEO Tracy Robinson told investors and analysts on the railway’s earnings call this afternoon. CN’s third-quarter operating income sank 21%, to $1.5 billion, as revenue […]
In Memoriam: F. Raoul Martin
F. Raoul Martin, founder of NorthWest Short Line, passed away on September 9, 2023 at the age of 87. Raoul founded NorthWest Short Line in 1958, importing brass models from Japan. He later became one of the first model railroad importers to move production to Korea. By the early 1970s, Raoul was exploring building brass […]
World War II: The Transcontinental Railroad’s impact
Southern Pacific & World War II By the 1940s, the original Transcontinental Railroad main line around the north end of the Great Salt Lake had fulfilled its original purpose of connecting the eastern United States with California, and was now needed for World War II. Specifically, the U.S. war effort needed the Transcontinental Railroad’s steel […]
Amtrak’s Dash 8-32BWH
In the early 1990s, as the bulk of Amtrak’s EMD F40PH diesel fleet began nearing potential retirement age, the passenger carrier quietly began nosing around for potential replacements. After testing Electro Motive’s F69 AC traction prototypes, the company opted to explore a less-expensive option. To save money, Amtrak sought to modify an existing freight locomotive model […]