WASHINGTON — A decision appears to be at hand in the Canadian Pacific-Kansas City Southern merger. The Surface Transportation Board has announced a Wednesday press conference at 11 a.m. EDT in which board Chairman Martin Oberman will deliver remarks “regarding the agency’s decision on the proposed acquisition” of KCS by CP, followed by a Q&A […]
Train Topic: Rail Industry
BLET members ratify agreement with CP, Soo Line (updated)
INDEPENDENCE, Ohio — The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen has ratified a new five-year U.S. agreement with Canadian Pacific and its subsidiary Soo Line. The CP/Soo agreement is similar to the national agreement signed in 2022, including a 22% wage increase over the life of the contract, compounding to 24% over the life of […]
Broken wheel believed to have caused UP derailment in Kansas
McPHERSON, Kan. — A broken wheel is believed to have caused Sunday’s derailment of a Union Pacific train in McPherson, leading to a spill of denatured alcohol, the Associated Press reports. The derailment Sunday morning ignited a small grass fire in addition to causing the alcohol spill [see “Union Pacific train derails …,” Trains News […]
Union Pacific names CSX Transportation executive to senior operations position
OMAHA, Neb. — Union Pacific today named longtime CSX Transportation executive Brian Barr as its senior vice president of transportation. Barr, who is currently senior vice president of network planning and services at CSX, will join UP on April 15. He will report to Eric Gehringer, UP’s executive vice president of operations. “Union Pacific has […]
STB names two members to railroad-shipper advisory council
WASHINGTON — The Surface Transportation Board has named Richard Erstad and James (Leggett) Kitchin to the board’s Railroad-Shipper Transportation Advisory Council, the board announced Friday. Erstad, the vice president, general counsel, and secretary of Hawkins Inc., a chemical and ingredients company, joins the board representing small shippers. Kitchin, vice president for industrial products and coal […]
Norfolk Southern reaches paid sick time agreements with two more unions
ATLANTA — Norfolk Southern has reached agreements with two more of its labor unions to provide their members with up to seven paid sick days per year. These agreements provide four new days of paid sick leave while also offering flexibility to use up to three additional days of existing paid time off as sick […]
Brightline West, construction unions in California, Nevada reach agreement
LAS VEGAS, Nev. — Brightline West, the planned high speed rail service between Las Vegas and Southern California, has announced agreements with buildings trades groups in California and Southern Nevada to ensure the rail project is built with union labor. The memorandum of understanding with the State Building and Construction Trades Council of California and […]
STB names nine members to Rail Energy Transportation Advisory Committee
WASHINGTON — The Surface Transportation Board has named nine new members to its Rail Energy Transportation Advisory Committee, which advises the board on issues regarding rail movement of coal, ethanol and other biofuels, and other energy resources. Newly appointed are: — Adam Anderson, CEO of Western Fuels Association, appointed as a representative of private railcar […]
AAR urges railroads to sideline new cars that may have caused NS derailment in Springfield, Ohio
WASHINGTON — In the wake of a Norfolk Southern derailment in Springfield, Ohio, railroads should take certain new steel coil cars out of service until their wheelsets can be replaced, the Association of American Railroads says. “Yesterday, Norfolk Southern identified loose wheels on a series of cars that presents an increased risk of an out […]
Norfolk Southern train derails in Alabama
PIEDMONT, Ala. — Thirty-seven cars of a Norfolk Southern train derailed this morning (Thursday, March 9) in rural Calhoun County near the town of Piedmont, shortly before the railroad’s CEO began testimony before Congress on the railroad’s derailment in East Palestine, Ohio. No hazardous materials were involved in the Alabama incident, which occurred about 6:50 […]
BNSF Railway reaches paid sick time agreements with three more unions
FORT WORTH, Texas — BNSF Railway has reached paid sick time agreements with three more unions. The railway said today that it reached agreements with the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAMAW); the Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen (BRS); and the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers-Mechanical and Engineering Department […]
Senate committee grills Norfolk Southern CEO about East Palestine derailment
WASHINGTON — Members of a Senate committee today grilled Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw and environmental officials over the response to the Feb. 3 toxic derailment in East Palestine, Ohio. Shaw repeated his promise that the railroad will do whatever it takes to make things right in East Palestine, now and over the long term. […]