Coal’s comeback perseveres through mid-2022: Analysis

Train in the midst of green hills

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — American coal prices in the aftermath of the coronavirus have reached unprecedented highs and world events are notching prices even higher [see “Russia-Ukraine war likely to bolster U.S. coal imports,” Trains News Wire, March 28, 2022]. While coal supply remains tight, continued favorable pricing may increase mining-company confidence to tap into reserves […]

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Frisco freight trains remembered

Man prepares to catch papers hung out by man on passing freight train caboose

Frisco freight trains: Classic Trains editors are celebrating the history and heritage of the St. Louis-San Francisco Railroad all through May 2022. Please enjoy this photo gallery of Frisco freight trains selected from the archives of Kalmbach Media’s David P. Morgan Library. At its heart, the Frisco was a regional Class I railroad, an X-shaped system with lines from […]

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Foundation releases new proposal for Vancouver Island rail service

ENRDCsJohnston

VICTORIA, British Columbia — The Island Corridor Foundation, the non-profit organization which owns the former Esquimalt & Nanaimo rail line on Vancouver Island, has proposed a C$431 plan to for a commuter and freight rail service between Victoria and Courtenay, B.C. The Victoria Times Colonist reports the foundation is seeking government support for a business […]

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U.S. rail traffic decline continues in weekly statistics

Table showing weekly U.S. carload rail traffic by commodity, plus overall intermodal traffic

WASHINGTON — Weekly U.S. rail traffic figures remain below 2021 levels, although the degree of decline continues to vary significantly from week to week. Statistics from the Association of American Railroads, for the week ending May 14, show overall traffic down 5.4% compared to the corresponding week a year earlier. This follows a 3.5% decline […]

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Canadian National launches new focus on operations

Train with red locomotive approaching curve

BOSTON — Canadian National is taking a back-to-basics approach under new CEO Tracy Robinson. The first order of business is to improve the railway’s velocity, which since last fall has generally been running below 2020 and 2021 levels when measured by the average number of miles cars travel per day. “As we bring the schedule […]

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NP stock train being loaded

Northern Pacific Railroad

In 1936, this Northern Pacific stock train is loading at the cattle pens at Medora, N.Dak. When the drovers are done loading the car, the train will move additional cars into position. Library of Congress photo […]

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Oberman: Gulf Coast litigants still need to fill in the blanks

Man speaking from seat in hearing room

WASHINGTON — Host railroads and Amtrak have not presented enough information to allow the Surface Transportation Board to determine whether two daily passenger round trips between New Orleans and Mobile, Ala., would “unreasonably” impair freight operations, board chairman Martin Oberman said Thursday. Oberman made the statement as part of a wide-ranging commentary at the conclusion […]

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