Opponents sue FRA over decisions on Texas Central high speed project Texans Against High Speed Rail, six Texas counties, and 10 individual landowners have filed suit against the U.S. Department of Transportation and Federal Railroad Administration over the proposed Texas Central high speed project between Dallas and Houston, seeking to void the FRA’s Rule of […]
Zone & Region: Plains & Texas
Amtrak’s money mystery
From January 2019 Trains When the Southwest Chief rumbles across New Mexico’s Raton Pass, with sleeping-car passengers paying as much as $1,058 to ride in a roomette, what is the train’s revenue-versus-cost effect on Amtrak’s bottom line? According to the “route level results” of the fiscal 2017 performance report, the Chicago-Los Angeles train generated $49.9 […]
Digest: Metrorail Safety Commission sees ‘troubling’ DC Metro safety issues
Metrorail Commission says DC Metro moving the wrong way on safety issues The Washington Metrorail Safety Commission, the independent agency created by Congress to oversee DC Metro safety issues, says the transit agency is moving the wrong way in terms of such basics as making sure trains stop for red signals and following worker safety […]
Canadian Pacific, Kansas City Southern respond to Justice Department merger concerns
WASHINGTON — Canadian Pacific has rebutted Justice Department criticism of its proposed acquisition of Kansas City Southern, telling the Surface Transportation Board that the $29 billion merger can’t happen without a voting trust. The Justice Department on Monday raised concerns about CP’s plan to place KCS into a voting trust while the STB reviews the […]
Digest: Seattle monorail shut down for renovation
Seattle monorail shut down through April 30 Seattle’s monorail has shut down for the remainder of April as part of a renovation to prepare for the arrival of the city’s new National Hockey League team, the Kraken, which will debut this fall. KNKX Radio reports the work on the 1-mile line, connecting downtown’s Westlake Center […]
Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern deal gains early support
CALGARY, Alberta — Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern have rounded up broad support for their proposed merger, which would create the first railroad to operate in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. The railways announced yesterday that they have received support statements from 259 shippers, other railroads, economic development authorities, and ports. Shipper sentiment will […]
Shippers group to challenge easier path for CP-KCS merger (second update)
WASHINGTON — A major shipper group plans to challenge the waiver that would permit Canadian Pacific’s proposed acquisition of Kansas City Southern to be reviewed under the Surface Transportation Board’s old, less restrictive merger rules. The National Industrial Transportation League said today that the CP-KCS deal would ultimately harm rail competition. “Based on the significant loss […]
Digest: Dallas council approves light rail subway project
Dallas City Council approves $1.7 billion ‘D2’ subway project The Dallas City Council has approved building a new light rail route through downtown including a subway section with three underground stations. WFAA-TV reports the council also said it would support Dallas Area Rapid Transit’s effort to obtain an $800 million Federal Transit Administration grant to […]
Canadian Pacific, Kansas City Southern seek regulatory approval of merger within 10 months
WASHINGTON — Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern plan to file their merger application with U.S. regulators on or around June 28 and have proposed a 10-month review of the deal that would create the first railroad to link the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. The railroads told the Surface Transportation Board that their proposed review timetable […]
Union Pacific No. 4141 arrives in College Station for move to Bush Library and Museum
COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Union Pacific No. 4141, the SD70ACe locomotive painted in an Air Force One-like scheme to honor President George H.W. Bush, has arrived in College Station and was scheduled to be trucked on Sunday afternoon from the UP tracks to the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum on the campus of […]
Analysts see growth potential, but CP-KCS merger may face skepticism from shippers, regulators
The Canadian Pacific acquisition of Kansas City Southern should help the railroads develop new business — including diverting truck traffic to rail — but the $29 billion deal announced on Sunday could face regulatory hurdles and opposition from shippers and other Class I systems. CP and KCS executives touted the potential for traffic growth that would […]
Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern say merger is all about growth
CALGARY, Alberta — Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern executives say combining their railroads into the first system linking Canada, the U.S., and Mexico will generate significant traffic growth across all commodities. “What a historic day,” CP CEO Keith Creel said during a Sunday afternoon investor webcast where executives touted the $29 billion deal to create […]