U.S. rail traffic dips in September

Weekly table showing U.S. railroad traffic by carload type plus intermodal totals

WASHINGTON — After a brief climb into positive territory in August, U.S. rail traffic once again declined in September, the sixth time in seven months volume has been below 2021 levels. The September figures saw overall traffic drop 3.1%, or 61,678 carloads and intermodal units, compared to September 2021. Carload traffic was down 1.1% while […]

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Montana Rail Link’s BLET employees ratify contract with BNSF Railway

A blue Montana Rail Link train works alongside a river with mountains in the background.

Montana Rail Link employees represented by the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen have ratified a contract agreement with BNSF Railway, a key step in BNSF taking over operations of the regional railroad. The union announced Tuesday that “an overwhelming majority of participating BLET members ratified an implementing agreement and Oregon Short Line Protective Agreement […]

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Athearn Genesis General Electric Dash 9-44CW diesel locomotive

Orange and dark green diesel locomotive with no logos

General Electric Dash 9-44CW diesel locomotive Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: Direct-current model with 21-pin NEM connector, $259.99; with dual-mode SoundTraxx Tsunami2 sound decoder, $359.99. Add $10 for Primed for Grime models. Era: 1994+ to present (varies depending on scheme) Manufacturer: Athearn Trains, 2904 Research Rd., Champaign, IL 61822; 800-338-4639; athearn.com General Electric Dash 9-44CW diesel locomotive features: Trainline and […]

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Seminole Gulf Railway faces lengthy closure after hurricane

Map of railroad in southwest Florida

FORT MYERS, Fla. — Florida’s Seminole Gulf Railway could be shut down for up to six months because of damage suffered from Hurricane Ian, the Tampa Bay Business Journal reports. Executive Vice President Robert Fay told the Business Journal the railroad had lost six bridges as a result of the storm, including three totaling 1,300 linear […]

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Registration opens for WRI ’23

Logo of WRI 2023

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. — Registration has opened for WRI 2023, the 28th annual Wheel Rail Interaction Conference, to be held June 6-9, 2023, at the Renaissance Minneapolis Hotel, The Depot. Trains Magazine is a presenting sponsor for the event. The conference consists of three events: a one-day Rail Transit seminar on June 6, a one-day Principles […]

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CN releases 2022-23 Winter Plan

Canadian National logo

MONTREAL — Canadian National has published its 2022-23 Winter Plan, which outlines measures by the railroad to meet operating needs during winter weather as required by the Canada Transportation Act. The railroad says those measures include an increase of 850 employees between the start of 2022 and the end of June, with 500 additional conductors […]

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C&IM coal drag

Chicago and Illinois Midland Railway 2-10-2

Chicago & Illinois Midland 2-10-2 No. 701, built new for the road by Lima in 1931, works up Petersburg Hill near Havana Ill., in May 1952. Ed Theisinger photo […]

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STB gets an earful about KCS-NS Meridian Speedway joint venture

NS9656

WASHINGTON – Surface Transportation Board members appear skeptical about CSX Transportation’s bid to force its way on to the Kansas City Southern-Norfolk Southern Meridian Speedway. The Meridian Speedway — which runs from Meridian, Miss., to Shreveport, La., — is the shortest, fastest route between the Southeast and Southwest. NS and KCS formed the Meridian Speedway […]

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J.B. Hunt adding transload locations in Laredo, Pacific Northwest

LOWELL, Ark. — J.B. Hunt Transport Services will open new transload facilities to transfer cargo between international and domestic 53-foot containers in Seattle and Laredo, Texas, giving it facilities at four of the nation’s largest ocean ports as well as the largest land port of entry into the U.S. “The complexities of international shipping continue to […]

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