WASHINGTON — In their latest bid to delay the Canadian Pacific-Kansas City Southern merger, four members of the Illinois congressional delegation have cited the East Palestine, Ohio, derailment as a reason the Surface Transportation Board should subject the merger to further review. In a letter to STB Chairman Martin J. Oberman dated Thursday, Feb. 23, […]
Train Topic: Rail Industry
CSX CEO Joe Hinrichs says railroad must focus on volume growth
MIAMI, Fla. — CSX Transportation must rely on volume growth – not cost cutting – to boost profits and earnings over the long term, CEO Joe Hinrichs told an investor conference this week. “There’s only so much more you can squeeze out of the operating side of this business,” Hinrichs says. The CSX CEO’s remarks […]
Managers and minister resign in Spain over trains too big for tunnels
MADRID — Spain’s transportation secretary and the head of national rail operator RENFE have resigned following an order for new regional trains that has become a national scandal. Transportation Secretary Isabel Pardo de Vera and RENFE President Isaías Táboas quit their jobs Feb. 20 in the wake of public and political criticism of a delayed […]
BNSF announces paid sick leave agreement with two unions
FORT WORTH, Texas — BNSF Railway has become the fourth of the seven Class I railroads to announce an agreement for paid sick leave with some unionized workers, reaching agreement with the Transportation Communications Union and the National Conference of Firemen and Oilers. The TCU agreement applies to insourced intermodal equipment operators, which represent a […]
Wayside detectors in spotlight after Norfolk Southern derailment in Ohio
Norfolk Southern is inspecting all of its nearly 1,000 wayside hotbox detectors in the wake of the Feb. 3 derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, that safety investigators say was caused by a wheel bearing failure. NS also has confirmed that detectors in the East Palestine area were all operating properly when merchandise train 32N rolled […]
Hot box warning came too late for Norfolk Southern train that derailed in Ohio (updated)
WASHINGTON — Norfolk Southern hot box detectors recorded increasing wheel bearing temperatures on the car suspected of causing the disastrous derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, the National Transportation Board said today in its preliminary report on the Feb. 3 wreck. But the temperature readings never reached the critical threshold that would have tripped an alarm […]
New York county to consider transfer of rail lines used by Ontario Midland
LYONS, N.Y. — The board of supervisors in Wayne County, N.Y., is set to consider potential transfer of ownership of the county-owned rail lines operated by the Ontario Midland Railroad at a meeting today (Thursday, Feb. 23), the Finger Lakes Times reports. The county owns 52 miles of rail line in two segments that are […]
Once again, US rail traffic shows largest weekly decline of year
WASHINGTON — For the second straight week, U.S. rail traffic showed its biggest decline of the young year, with overall volume down 6.5% compared to the same week in 2022. That topped the 6.2% decline of the week ending Feb. 11 [see “Sluggish intermodal traffic drags US rail volume lower,” Trains News Wire, Feb. 16, […]
Norfolk Southern reaches agreement with maintenance-of-way workers on paid sick leave
ATLANTA — Norfolk Southern has become the third railroad to reach an agreement with some union workers for paid sick leave, announcing a deal with members of the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Division of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. The agreement will cover about 3,000 workers. The agreement provides for four days of […]
STB ‘applauds’ sick-leave agreements between CSX, UP, and unions
WASHINGTON — The Surface Transportation Board says it welcomes moves by CSX Transportation and Union Pacific to provide paid sick leave for union workers, according to a statement issued today (Wednesday, Feb. 22). “The Board applauds the efforts of CSX and UP in taking the lead to work with the unions to address this critical […]
Truck bolster corrosion said to be main concern with VIA’s stainless steel fleet: Analysis
MONTREAL — Tests to determine the structural soundness of VIA Rail Canada cars manufactured by the Budd Co. from the late 1940s to mid-1950s are ongoing and formal reports have yet to be issued. However, preliminary information shared with Trains News Wire indicates that the while the cars remain fundamentally sound, corrosion may need to […]
Washington state legislature considers train-length bill
OLYMPIA, Wash. — The state of Washington has joined the list of those considering legislation to limit the length of freight trains. The Columbia Basin Herald reports that state’s House Transportation Committee heard testimony Tuesday on House Bill 1839, by Rep. Sharon Tomiko Santos (D-Seattle), that would limit the length of trains operating within the […]