WASHINGTON — The federal government has committed $6.88 billion to the Hudson River Tunnel project, the long-discussed additional connection between New York and New Jersey that will eventually double capacity into and out of New York’s Penn Station. News of the funding commitment was tucked somewhat innocuously into a Federal Transportation Administration press release announcing […]
COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Association of American Railroads has filed suit to overturn an Ohio law requiring two-person crews for freight trains, saying federal law preempts the state action, the Associated Press reports. The suit, filed in U.S. District Court on June 29, argues that the state’s crew-size law “cannot be squared” with several federal […]
MONTREAL — The builder of Montreal’s light rail system says it will take measures to reduce operating noise following complaints from residents along the yet-to-open line. CTV News reports that CDPQ Infra, contractor for the Réseau express métropolitain system, says it will install noise barriers and “sound absorbers” along the tracks, as well as grinding […]
SKAGWAY, Alaska — Operating personnel on the White Pass & Yukon Route have voted to authorize a strike, according to their union’s website. Members of International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail, and Transportation Workers-Transportation Division (SMART-TD) Local 1626 authorized the strike in voting last week. The union says it has been negotiating with the […]
ATWATER, Calif. — The California State Transportation Agency, or CalSTA, has awarded Merced County a $49.6 million grant for buildout of an inland port at the Castle Commerce Center, a 1,900-acre freight transportation hub at the site of the former Castle Air Force Base. The grant, one of the largest in the history of the […]
WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The California State Transportation Authority will fund an initiative by Sierra Northern Railway to convert three additional diesel switchers to hydrogen power, the railroad has announced. The railroad will receive funding from the transportation authority’s Port and Freight Infrastructure Project through a public-private partnership with the Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management […]
The dockworker strike at Western Canadian ports has dragged into its sixth day today (Thursday, July 6), putting a dent in Canadian rail traffic. Canadian National and Canadian Pacific Kansas City have both issued embargoes for certain types of freight moving to Vancouver and, in the case of CN, Prince Rupert, British Columbia. “CPKC is […]
WASHINGTON — Federal regulators have set a procedural schedule for handling Navajo Transitional Energy Co.’s common carrier complaint against BNSF Railway. The Surface Transportation Board last month issued a preliminary injunction that ordered BNSF to handle a minimum of 4.2 million tons of coal from NTEC’s Spring Creek mine in Montana to export at the […]
ROCKFORD, Ill. — With an 1880s bridge over the Rock River supporting a Metra train as a backdrop, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and other officials announced Thursday that Chicago commuter operator Metra had been selected to partner with Union Pacific to provide two daily rail roundtrips between Rockford and Chicago by 2027. The estimated $275 […]
REESEVILLE, Wis. — CPKC tracks have reopened through the site of Tuesday’s derailment in Reeseville, with Amtrak’s Empire Builder returning to its normal route as of Wednesday evening. Plans had been for the westbound Builder to hold in Milwaukee until the derailment site on CPKC’s Watertown Subdivision reopened. But the train, which arrived in Milwaukee […]
NEW YORK — Amtrak service was restored between New York and Philadelphia by 10 a.m. EDT after overhead power issues at the Metropark station in Woodbridge, N.J., according to the Amtrak website. The problem was initially reported about 8 a.m. ET. At least some trains were cancelled as a result of the issue, according to […]
When my wife and I had another couple over for dinner back in April, the cork was barely out of the wine bottle when our friends popped the question: What on earth is going on with railroads? In the wake of the Feb. 3 Norfolk Southern derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, and intense media coverage […]
