WASHINGTON — Karen J. Hedlund has been sworn in as the newest member of the Surface Transportation Board, the board announced, allowing the board to maintain to its full complement of five members. Hedland, confirmed by the Senate on Dec. 16, served as chief counsel and deputy administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration from 2010 […]
The Battle for Kansas City Southern, culminating in Canadian Pacific’s triumph over Canadian National, is Trains’ top railroading story of the year. (Editor’s note: This may have seemed like a foregone conclusion, but balloting was close, with this story receiving just one more first-place vote and nine more points than the No. 2 story.) Stage […]
WASHINGTON — In a week when overall traffic dropped because of the Christmas holiday, U.S. railroads saw intermodal traffic approach 2020 levels for the first time in months. The latest statistics from the Association of American Railroads, for the week ending Dec. 25, U.S. rail traffic totaled 201,222 carloads — up 8.7% over the same […]
What has been railroading’s top story in 2021? Today, we begin the process of answering that question, as determined in balloting by the Trains editorial staff, Classic Trains editor Brian Schmidt (who spent most of the year on our staff), and key News Wire contributors. Balloting concluded on Dec. 10. We’ll be recapping stories each […]
HOUSTON — Union Pacific will continue work on upgrading Englewood Yard in Houston in early 2022, with two projects in January and February. The railroad informed customers it will install a new signal system throughout the yard Jan. 9-13. While UP says it will have additional staff on hand to mitigate delays, it says some […]
Precision Scheduled Railroading has become a target for members of Congress, federal regulators, shippers, and rail labor. Hunter Harrison’s low-cost operating model — in place on all of the Class I railroads except BNSF Railway — has come under criticism as rail traffic has rebounded from pandemic lows. Intermodal terminals faced monumental congestion this summer. […]
Do railroad mergers live up to the hype? It’s a question that’s been rattling around in my head as federal regulators review the Canadian Pacific-Kansas City Southern merger, the first between Class I railroads in two decades. First, the projections. Within three years of the merger, Canadian Pacific Kansas City expects to gain 80,000 carloads […]
MAYFIELD, Ky. — With all employees safe and accounted for, Progress Rail resumed operations at its Mayfield, Ky., plant earlier this week, according to a company spokeswoman. Mayfield was one of the Western Kentucky communities heavily damaged during last week’s series of tornadoes that struck a six-state area. Eight people were killed at a candle […]
EL RENO, Okla. — Jaguar Transport Holdings has entered into an agreement with Haskell Lemon Construction to operate the Oklahoma Central Rail Park in El Reno, Okla. The 200-acre facility just west of Oklahoma City will be fully operational on Jan. 1, 2022. Less than 2 miles from I-40, the Rail Park connects with the Union Pacific Railroad and […]
LOS ANGELES — Darren Kettle, currently executive director of the Ventura County Transportation Commission, has been named as new CEO of LA-area commuter rail operator Metrolink. Kettle succeeds Stephanie Wiggins, who in June became CEO of L.A. Metro, which oversees bus and light rail operations in the LA area and is one of the five […]
KENNETT SQUARE, Pa. — Shortline holding company Regional Rail will expand its operations through acquisition of three Florida short lines currently owned by Pinsly Railroad Co. Regional Rail announced this morning (Oct. 29, 2019) that it had reached agreement to acquire the Florida Central, Florida Midland, and Florida Northern railroads, which operate a combined 208 […]
WASHINGTON — The Federal Railroad Administration will not implement a rule requiring a certain number of people in the cab of freight trains, the agency announced this week. On Thursday, the FRA withdrew a notice of proposed rulemaking that dated back to 2016, when the federal agency was considering requiring at least two people aboard […]
