Rail shipper groups say the poor on-time performance of all 15 Amtrak long-distance trains — which prompted the Justice Department to file a lawsuit last week against Norfolk Southern for its handling of the Crescent — is merely a reflection of Class I railroad freight operations. “This is a symptom of freight rail network capacity […]
Type of Train: Freight
Carload Considerations: It’s okay to lower freight rates
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Railroads’ success is often defined by service metrics like car dwell, velocity, or the operating ratio. These measurements are snapshots documenting how long railcars idle or how quickly trains move between points. Better velocity means more profitability. These subjects have been a growing part of the conversation since Precision Scheduled Railroading was […]
Norfolk Southern names chief technology officer
ATLANTA — Norfolk Southern has named Anil Bhatt to lead its technology endeavors. Bhatt will become executive vice president and chief information and digital officer, reporting to CEO Alan Shaw, when he joins the railroad on Aug. 19, NS announced today. “Anil has a successful track record and reputation for working across teams to deploy […]
NS and train dispatchers’ union agree to join FRA’s close call reporting program
ATLANTA — Norfolk Southern and the American Train Dispatchers Association today agreed to join the Federal Railroad Administration’s Confidential Close Call Reporting System. Under the one-year C3RS pilot, NS dispatches can report safety concerns with the certainty that such reports will not result in discipline. Submitted safety concerns are made anonymous by NASA and provided […]
Indiana Rail Road names Gioe as CEO
INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana Rail Road has named Joseph Gioe as its new president and CEO, replacing Dewayne Swindall, who left the company in May after three years. Gioe will begin the new position on Aug. 12. Gioe most recently was vice president of transportation at Norfolk Southern. Prior to joining NS in 2022, he […]
CSX reports flat earnings amid freight doldrums
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — CSX reported second-quarter financial results that were flat compared to a year ago as gains in intermodal and merchandise volume were not enough to offset declines in domestic coal shipments. “Overall this was a good quarter that was right in line with our expectations,” CEO Joe Hinrichs told investors and analysts on […]
News & Products for the week of August 5th 2024
News & Products for the week of August 5th 2024 Model railroad operators and builders can get the latest information about locomotives, freight cars, passenger cars, tools, track, and more by reading Model Railroader’s frequent product updates. The following are the products Model Railroader editors have news on for the week of August 5th […]
CN, CPKC to resume negotiations with Teamsters Canada
GATINEAU, Quebec — With the threat of a national strike looming, Canadian National, Canadian Pacific Kansas City, and the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference will resume negotiations on Wednesday, Aug. 8, with the assistance of federal mediators, Labor Minister Steven MacKinnon said today. MacKinnon and Transport Minister Pablo Rodriguez today met with CN, CPKC, and Teamsters […]
Exclusive Layout Extra | Final ride along the Milwaukee, Racine & Troy in HO scale
Final ride along the Milwaukee, Racine & Troy | In this salute to Model Railroader magazine’s renowned MR&T (a.k.a “Myrt”) 28 x 54-foot model railroad in HO (1:87) scale, Trains.com cameras capture the final run over the entire +200-ft mainline route. Enjoy this first-ever, on-track perspective video of the storied layout that thrilled MR staff […]
Norfolk Southern, CSX monitor east’s first tropical storm (updated)
LAKE CITY, Fla. — Eastern railroads have marked the beginning of another hurricane season, as Hurricane Debby hit the made landfall between Tallahassee and Jacksonville, Fla., today (Monday, Aug. 5) and subsequently was downgraded to a strong tropical storm. The storm brought 70-mph winds and heavy rains across Pinsley Railroad Corp.’s Florida Gulf & Atlantic […]
Union Pacific coal train derails in Iowa
MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa — Thirty-eight cars of a Union Pacific coal train derailed about 2 miles east of Marshalltown on Sunday evening, Aug. 4, KCCI-TV reports. The derailment occurred about 5:30 p.m. No injuries were reported. Marshalltown is about 148 miles west of Clinton, Iowa, on UP’s Clinton Subdivision. It is about 70 miles west of […]
Petroleum products a bright spot for North American carload traffic: Analysis
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Traffic in petroleum products is on the rise across North America’s Class I rail networks, as five of the six Class I railroads see an uptick in petroleum product carloads compared to last year. Association of American Railroads data shows shipments of petroleum products are up 8.6% for the year, the biggest […]