OTTAWA, Ontario — The Confederation Line, a 7.8-mile, 13-station light rail operation in Canada’s capital city — shut down since a Sept. 19 derailment — faces an extended closure as repairs from that derailment are made, investigations continue into the cause, and an independent consultant is brought in to develop a return-to-service strategy. The Ottawa […]
Train Topic: Railroad Operations
Two suffer burns when container on UP train catches fire
PALM DESERT, Calif. — Two people suffered what were described as “critical burn injuries” after a container on a Union Pacific train caught fire Friday, leading to a temporary halt to traffic on the rail line as well as closure of one direction of adjacent Interstate 10 for about two hours. The Desert Sun newspaper […]
Unions begin legal action against Norfolk Southern
CLEVELAND — Two major rail unions have begun legal action against Norfolk Southern, saying the railroad has been forcing locomotive engineers to work conductor positions, which is prohibited by their labor agreements with the railroad. The Transportation Division of the International Association of Sheet Metal, Art, Rail, and Transportation Workers (SMART-TD) and Brotherhood of Locomotive […]
CN defends record, fires back at activist investor’s ‘misleading claims’
MONTREAL – Canadian National has fired back at activist investor TCI Fund Management, which has called for a management shakeup at the railway. CN today said TCI has made numerous “false or misleading” claims about CN’s financial performance and the risks related to the railway’s failed pursuit of Kansas City Southern. CN says TCI has not […]
Analysis: STB chairman flags railroad growth problem
Surface Transportation Board Chairman Martin J. Oberman ruffled some feathers this month when he said railroads’ drive for ever-increasing profits resulted in a loss of market share to trucks over the past 15 years and continues to restrain growth today. Oberman cited STB figures that show a decline in rail traffic between 2006 and 2019 […]
NTSB calls on FRA, Amtrak to take advantage of PTC safety features (updated)
WASHINGTON — The National Transportation Safety Board is renewing a call for Amtrak and the Federal Railroad Administration to end the practice of using watchmen to notify track worker of approaching trains in areas where positive train control offers additional safety features. The recommendation comes in a report issued Thursday on the NTSB’s investigation of […]
Progress Rail, Norfolk Southern unveil first GP34ECO
Progress Rail and Norfolk Southern have unveiled the first GP34ECO locomotive, built for yard and intermediate operations to meet Environmental Protection Agency Tier 4 emission standards. The locomotive, intended to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions by 90% compared to older locomotives, is currently undergoing testing for EPA certification. It is powered by a 3,000-hp 12-710 EMD […]
Amtrak San Joaquins to add special service to event at historic site
ALLENSWORTH, Calif. — Amtrak will offer special train service on Oct. 9 for a celebration at Col. Allensworth State Historic Park, site of a former Black settlement in the San Joaquin Valley. Four Amtrak San Joaquin trains in each direction will stop that day at the site of the former station in Allensworth, located near […]
Weekly U.S. rail traffic remains below 2020 levels
WASHINGTON — Reduced intermodal traffic continued to drop weekly U.S. rail volume below 2020 levels, despite an increase in carloads, according to the latest statistics from the Association of American Railroads. For the week ending Sept. 25, U.S. railroads moved 511,713 carloads and intermodal units, down 1.3% from the corresponding week in 2020. That included […]
Norfolk Southern to reopen Louisville intermodal terminal it closed this summer
NORFOLK, Va. – Norfolk Southern will reopen its Louisville intermodal terminal to handle international containers from Virginia ports. “With continued strong growth in the Louisville intermodal market, Norfolk Southern is pleased to announce that we will be adding terminal capacity to this growing market through the reopening of our intermodal terminal in Louisville, Ky.,” NS […]
Toronto prepares to open new light rail line in 2022 (corrected)
TORONTO — The next generation of transit in Canada’s largest city is expected to debut in 2022 when the Eglinton Crosstown light rail line begins service. The 19-kilometer (11.8-mile) east-west line will traverse the mid-section of Toronto along Eglinton Avenue, through densely packed residential and commercial neighborhoods both at grade and with 10 kilometers (6.2 […]
Widow of Empire Builder derailment victim sues Amtrak, BNSF
CHICAGO — The widow of a man killed in Saturday’s Empire Builder derailment in Montana has filed suit against Amtrak and BNSF railway for their alleged role in her husband’s death. Courthouse News Service reports Rebecca Schneider, wife of 28-year-old victim Zach Schneider, filed suit Tuesday in federal court in Chicago for unspecified damages. Zach […]