JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — When CSX Transportation CEO Jim Foote ordered the hump bulldozed at Tilford Yard in December 2017, he proclaimed, “Atlanta hump yard today is flat. There is no turning back.” But there is moving forward: CSX is building a transload center on a portion of the former site of Tilford Yard, one of […]
Train Topic: Railroad Operations
CSX, CP named to Dow Jones Sustainability Index (updated)
CSX Transportation and Canadian Pacific Railway have been named to the Dow Jones Sustainability Index for North America, reflecting the railroads’ strong scores in environmental, social, governance, and economic measures. For CSX, the only U.S.-based railroad on the index, it is the 11th consecutive year of being so honored. Canadian Pacific is on the list […]
Norfolk Southern service deteriorates amid crew shortages
ATLANTA — Norfolk Southern’s service has deteriorated over the past six weeks amid crew shortages and operational changes, according to shippers and connecting railroads. Some expressed concern that the railroad is teetering on the brink of a meltdown as train speed falls, cars spend more time in yards, and a rising number of trains per day […]
Analysis: CSX, NS guard status quo in Gulf Coast filing
MOBILE, Ala. — In a filing with the Surface Transportation Board earlier this month, CSX Transportation and Norfolk Southern asserted the railroads’ freight operation will suffer a “catastrophic meltdown” if Amtrak is allowed to add two daily passenger round trips between New Orleans and Mobile. Yet the 277-page “opening evidence” document by the two carriers […]
Railroads’ use of long trains to go under the microscope
WASHINGTON – The $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill President Biden is slated to sign into law today (Monday, Nov. 15) contains funding for a study of Class I railroads’ use of ever-longer trains and their impact on safety, grade crossings, freight and passenger service, and the environment. The measure provides up to $2 million for the […]
Port of Savannah opens second part of Mason Mega Rail project
SAVANNAH, Ga. — The second portion of the Port of Savannah’s Mason Mega Rail Terminal is now in operation, increasing intermodal capacity at the port by more than 30%. The second phase of the project adds nine new tracks to nine that opened in 2020 as part of a project that, overall, has added more […]
STB sets hearings on three major issues
WASHINGTON — The Surface Transportation Board has scheduled hearings on three major issues: the CSX acquisition of Pan Am Railways; Amtrak’s bid to operate trains between New Orleans and Mobile, Ala., and its reciprocal switching proposal. All three hearings will be held in the hearing room at the STB’s Washington headquarters, with additional specifics to […]
BNSF and CN raise issues over CP-KCS merger
WASHINGTON — BNSF Railway and Canadian National have raised issues with federal regulators’ timeline for review of the proposed Canadian Pacific-Kansas City Southern merger. BNSF, in a filing posted today on the Surface Transportation Board’s website, said the 90-day comment period was insufficient given the ramifications of how the merger would affect traffic moving between […]
Canadian Pacific-Kansas City Southern merger to face environmental review
WASHINGTON – Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern will have to study the environmental impacts of their proposed merger, the Surface Transportation Board said today. The railways will have to prepare an environmental impact statement partly due to projected increases in rail traffic on several line segments, most notably on CP’s former Milwaukee Road line […]
CN pledges to achieve net-zero carbon operations by 2050
MONTREAL — Canadian National has committed to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, becoming the first North American railroad to do so by joining the Business Ambition for 1.5°C and United Nations Race to Zero campaigns. “CN’s pledge to net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 further builds upon our commitment to short-, medium- and long-term targets, […]
After 54 days, Ottawa light rail service resumes
OTTAWA, Ontario — Light rail service on the O-Train Confederation Line resumed Friday morning after a 54-day shutdown triggered by a Sept. 19 derailment. Operations resumed with just seven trainsets in operation, and with the bus route that had replaced the light rail service continuing to operate during the period of partial operation, CTV News […]
CSX CEO concerned about vaccine mandate impact on train crew levels (updated)
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – CSX Transportation will comply with federal COVID-19 vaccine regulations by the Jan. 4 deadline, CEO Jim Foote said today. Although CSX requires new hires and management employees to be vaccinated, the railroad has not yet decided whether it will issue a mandate for unionized employees, spokeswoman Cindy Schild says. CSX has offered financial […]