NS to halt bulk moves by unit train on Thursday

Train passing grain facility

ATLANTA — Norfolk Southern has told customers it will halt bulk commodity movements by unit train on Thursday, Bloomberg is reporting, stepping up that railroad’s plans for a potential shutdown ahead of Friday’s end of the cooling-off period for labor negotiations. NS has previously announced it would stop accept accepting intermodal and automotive shipments on […]

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News photos: CSX unit marks 50th anniversary of Operation Lifesaver

Blue and white locomotive with gold roof

COVINGTON, Ky. — CSX Transportation has debuted SD70MAC No. 4568, wearing a special paint scheme to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Operation Lifesaver, the non-profit organization dedicated to grade crossing safety and education. The locomotive, painted at the CSX shops in Huntington, W.Va., was operating Tuesday morning (Sept. 13, 2022) on train Q303 to Cincinnati. […]

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Shippers ratchet up warnings about impact of potential rail strike

Man throwing switch as train with blue and yellow locomotive waits

WASHINGTON – The National Industrial Transportation League, the largest and oldest group of rail shippers, has asked congressional leaders to prevent a railroad strike or lockout that could begin as early as 12:01 a.m. on Friday. Meanwhile, the Class I railroads today reached a tentative agreement with the National Conference of Firemen & Oilers, SEIU, […]

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Union Pacific issues $600 million in green bonds for investments that will reduce emissions

Train with yellow locomotives, with visible exhaust

OMAHA, Neb. – Union Pacific has issued $600 million in green bonds to support investments that will reduce the railroad’s carbon footprint, including battery electric locomotives. The bond deal was finalized on Sept. 9, UP said on Monday. Proceeds will be directed to the purchase of battery electric locomotives, locomotive modernizations, expansion of intermodal terminals, […]

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Biden, other government officials try to avert rail work stoppage

Two men standing by train watch as another train goes by

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden called railroad and union leaders on Monday in a direct effort to avoid a potential railroad work stoppage, according to multiple media reports. The Washington Post reports Biden’s calls followed emergency meetings last week at the White House led by the National Economic Council, and that Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg […]

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Senators introduce legislation to impose rail labor settlement

Trains Washington Watch logo

WASHINGTON — Two U.S. senators have introduced a resolution that would require unions and railroads to accept recommendations made in August by the Presidential Emergency Board to settle their labor dispute and avert a strike or lockout. The news site Roll Call reports Sens. Richard Burr (R-N.C.) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) introduced the legislation on […]

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BNSF to shut gates to temperature-controlled intermodal traffic

BNSF Railway logo

FORT WORTH, Texas — BNSF Railway will stop accepting temperature-controlled intermodal traffic as of 12:01 a.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 13, as it prepares for a possible work stoppage, the railroad said in a notice to customers on Monday night. The BNSF notice says the railroad has now reached agreements with nine unions — which would […]

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Amtrak begins suspending service because of possible freight rail work stoppage

Amtrak logo.

CHICAGO — Amtrak will begin suspending service on some long-distance trains as of tomorrow (Tuesday, Sept. 13) in preparation for a possible railroad work stoppage later this week. Trains immediately affected will be the longest-duration trains — the Chicago-Los Angeles Southwest Chief; Chicago-Seattle/Portland Empire Builder; Chicago-Emeryville, Calif., California Zephyr; and the Los Angeles-San Antonio portion […]

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Short lines join call for congressional action to settle rail labor dispute (updated)

Blue and yellow locomotives switching

WASHINGTON — The American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association has joined the growing list of groups calling for Congress to intervene in the Class I rail labor dispute. Meanwhile, the Fertilizer Institute, which already had asked Congress to intervene, renewed its call after railroads announced they would begin embargoing hazardous or security-sensitive material, which […]

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