January rail traffic down 9.5% from 2021 levels

Weekly table showing rail traffic by commodity type, plus intermodal totals

WASHINGTON — U.S. rail traffic was down 9.5% in January compared to January 2021, mostly because of a significant drop in intermodal traffic, according to Association of American Railroads statistics. Intermodal traffic was down 14.6%, while carload traffic was down 3%, with 14 of 20 carload categories tracked by the AAR showing declines. “For most […]

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Autonomous truck firm to move freight for Union Pacific

Semi truck on highway

SAN DIEGO — Autonomous-truck technology firm TuSimple will begin moving freight for Union Pacific between Phoenix and Tucson, Ariz., on a fully automated route developed by TuSimple. Union Pacific’s wholly owned subsidiary, Loup Logistics, will coordinate movement between rail and truck when the program starts this spring. “Partnering with TuSimple allows us to extend our […]

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Colorado county plans to challenge approval of Utah rail line

Logo of Eagle County, Colo.

EAGLE, Colo. — Officials in a Colorado county plan to challenge the Surface Transportation Board’s approval of a new rail line in Utah over concerns about resulting crude-oil shipments that will pass through their area. The Vail Daily News reports commissioners in Eagle County have approved pursuing action in U.S. District Court, in either Denver […]

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STB sets details for hearing on Amtrak Gulf Coast case

Surface Transportation Board logo

WASHINGTON — The Surface Transportation Board has set details for its upcoming hearing on Amtrak’s effort to launch passenger service on the Gulf Coast. The initial phase, public comments, is set for Feb. 15, with the hearing on Amtrak’s request to begin on March 9. Public comment will begin at 9:30 a.m. on Feb. 15. […]

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How to rerail a freight car on a short line

Covered hopper wheel on top of wheel ramp

How to rerail a freight car: When things go bang that shouldn’t on the railroad, it usually means trouble and most likely a derailment. Derailments are a fact of life, and when one occurs on a main line of a Class I railroad, it usually results in many cars on the ground with extensive media […]

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Norfolk Southern intermodal train derails in Virginia

Norfolk Southern logo

BLUEFIELD, Va. — An estimated 30 cars of a Norfolk Southern intermodal train derailed Monday in Bluefield, leading to a response by hazmat teams. The Bluefield Daily Telegraph reports the derailment occurred Monday morning, and no injuries were reported. Railroad spokesman Connor Spielmaker told the newspaper that a small number of the cars were categorized […]

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