WASHINGTON — U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg will ask Congress to increase the maximum fine for railroad safety violations, Buttigieg said Sunday in a letter to Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw. In another development stemming from the Feb. 3 derailment and fire of a NS train in East Palestine, Ohio, the chair of the Senate […]
Train Topic: Rail Industry
Arizona bill to limit trains to 8,500 feet advances in state legislature
PHOENIX — A bill to limit the length of freight trains in the state of Arizona has cleared its first legislative hurdle, advancing through the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure on Friday by a 10-0 vote with one abstention. HB 2531 would limit trains to 8,500 feet. Capitol Media Services reports that Rep. Consuelo […]
Medical clinic to open this week in East Palestine
EAST PALESTINE, Ohio — The state of Ohio will open a medical clinic this week in the village of East Palestine to evaluate those concerned about symptoms or otherwise worried about the aftereffects of the Feb. 3 Norfolk Southern derailment, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine announced on Friday. The Associated Press reports that DeWine also said […]
Illinois legislators again ask STB to delay decision on CP-KCS merger
WASHINGTON — Four federal legislators from Illinois have repeated a call for the Surface Transportation Board to delay a decision on the Canadian Pacific-Kansas City Southern merger until the STB undertakes a separate assessment of the merger’s impact on the Chicago area. That decision could come as soon as the end of this month. The […]
Norfolk Southern CEO Shaw visits East Palestine
EAST PALESTINE, Ohio — Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw made his second visit to East Palestine today (Saturday, Feb. 18), visiting the ongoing cleanup from the Feb. 3 derailment and chemical release, as well as meeting with Mayor Trent Conaway, U.S. Rep. Bill Johnson, and other officials. WBKN-TV reports Shaw said the controlled release of […]
EPA administrator tries to reassure residents during East Palestine visit
EAST PALESTINE, Ohio — U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan tried to reassure residents during a Thursday visit to the area concerned about the aftereffects of the Feb. 3 derailment of a Norfolk Southern train, saying he would feel comfortable returning to the area based on results of ongoing air and water testing. “I […]
Amtrak named to Forbes list of America’s Best Large Employers
WASHINGTON — Amtrak has been named as one of America’s Best Large Employers in a Forbes survey, which identifies the top 500 companies with 5,000 or more employees. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology, with 15,722 employees, topped the Forbes list. The ranking is based on a survey of about 45,000 workers at such companies, who […]
TransmetriQ introduces Asset Manager software
CARY, N.C. — TransmetriQ, the rail software brand of data and information firm Railinc, has introduced Asset Manager, designed to provide railcar fleet owners with single-source information on location, status, and health of their equipment. “Asset Manager helps car owners get to the insights they need faster than any other product on the market,” TransmetriQ […]
Intermodal, railroading’s growth engine, could use a tune-up: Analysis
Intermodal has long been the rail industry’s growth engine. But it hasn’t been firing on all cylinders in recent years. Yes, 2018 was a record-setting year for volume, and 2021 was intermodal’s second-best year ever. That’s all well and good — except that intermodal hasn’t been keeping pace with economic growth and has lost market […]
Public expresses frustration at East Palestine meeting
EAST PALESTINE, Ohio — Large crowds, changes of format, and public frustration marked Wednesday night’s public meeting over the aftermath of the Feb. 3 derailment and chemical spill in East Palestine. The town hall meeting at the East Palestine High had been switched beforehand to an informational session featuring a series of tables with officials […]
Sluggish intermodal traffic drags US rail volume lower
WASHINGTON — With a significant drop in intermodal traffic dragging down the overall number, U.S. rail traffic for the week ending Feb. 11 showed the biggest decline for any week so far this year, according to statistics from the Association of American Railroads. The overall traffic of 473,972 carloads and intermodal units represented a 6.2% […]
Stadler, Utah research facility to bring battery-powered passenger train to North America
BUSSNANG, Switzerland — Rail equipment manufacturer Stadler, Utah State University, and the ASPIRE Engineering Center have signed a contract to develop and test a battery-powered passenger train, the first such multiple-unit train in North America. The project will develop a two-car train based on Stadler’s FLIRT Akku train tailored for the American market. Stadler has […]