WASHINGTON — The Surface Transportation board has ruled Metra must pay Amtrak $10.7 million annually for use of Chicago Union Station — virtually splitting the difference between the figures suggested by the two parities — while declining to address a number of key operating issues which remain in dispute. In a decision reached Monday and […]
Train Topic: Railroad Operations
Indiana museum, short line sign new operating agreement
NORTH JUDSON, Ind. — The Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum has signed a new agreement with the Chesapeake & Indiana Railroad, allowing the museum to lease and continue to operate on 5 miles of track between North Judson and English Lake, Ind. The agreement simplifies operation protocols between the two organizations and gives the museum greater […]
Metro-North announces Aug. 29 service increase
NEW YORK — Metro-North Railroad will introduce significant service increases late this month, returning operations to 82% of pre-pandemic levels, including the full restoration of weekend service. The changes, beginning Sunday, Aug. 29, also include the return of direct service between Grand Central Termainl and Wassaic and New Canaan. The new schedule reflects the fact […]
News photo: Norfolk Southern derailment in Georgia
OCONEE, Ga. — An estimated 32 cars of a westbound Norfolk Southern freight train derailed early Monday morning in downtown Oconee, blocking a main street until further notice. The Washington County Sheriff’s Office reports the derailment occurred about 1 a.m., blocking Central Drive in Oconee, a community of 280 about 60 miles southwest of Augusta, […]
Rocky Mountaineer debuts excursions out of Denver
DENVER — Canada’s Rocky Mountaineer launched its first all-U.S. route Sunday with the first departure from Denver of the “Rockies to the Red Rocks” daytime excursion to Moab, Utah. The train utilizes leased Union Pacific SD70 locomotives pulling SilverLeaf coaches, former Canadian National cars from the 1950s which have been remanufactured with larger windows and […]
Union Pacific hit by washouts in Southwest
OMAHA, Neb. — The weather-related service disruptions just keep mounting for Union Pacific. Already hit hard this summer by fire-related closures, the railroad on Saturday informed customers of a series of washouts caused by torrential rains in Arizona, New Mexico, and west Texas. “Our engineering teams are actively working to restore service to areas which […]
New York subway operator in trouble after allowing woman to run train
NEW YORK — A New York City Transit subway operator has been removed from his position after allegedly allowing a female friend to operate a D Train subway for several stops in Brooklyn — which came to the attention of a transit supervisor after the woman posted video on social media. The New York Post […]
Coast Starlight to resume full-route operation Aug. 23 (corrected)
OAKLAND, Calif. — Amtrak will resume operation of the Coast Starlight over its full Seattle-Los Angeles route, beginning with departures from both endpoints on Monday, Aug. 23, following completion of bridge work between Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo, Calif. However, the train’s sleeping-car inventory currently remains limited for more than a month after its […]
Norfolk Southern to reopen Pennsylvania intermodal terminal
NORFOLK, Va. — Norfolk Southern will reopen an intermodal facility in Greencastle, Pa., to increase terminal capacity and address the supply-chain congestion that is leading to container delays across the U.S. rail system, the railroad has announced. The Franklin County Regional Intermodal Facility, about 65 miles southwest of Harrisburg and 11 miles north of Hagerstown, […]
Railroads warn STB to stay away from intermodal regulations
WASHINGTON – Any attempt to regulate intermodal traffic would not fix current congestion issues and would clash with congressional intent to keep railroads largely deregulated, the Association of American Railroads has told the Surface Transportation Board. Last month STB Chairman Martin J. Oberman expressed concern about the impact of congestion on intermodal shippers, some […]
Weekly U.S. rail traffic stats show mixed results
WASHINGTON — U.S. rail traffic for the week ending Aug. 7 offered mixed results compared to the same week in 2020, with carload traffic running ahead of 2020 figures while intermodal volume slipped slightly below 2020 levels. Statistics from the Association of American Railroads show a total volume of 509,607 carloads and intermodal units, 2.4% […]
CP and CN take steps to limit intermodal terminal bottlenecks
WASHINGTON — Canadian Pacific and Canadian National have taken steps to limit congestion at their U.S. intermodal terminals as shippers have been slow to pick up containers due to the impact of the pandemic. The Canadian railways outlined their responses in letters to Surface Transportation Board Chairman Martin J. Oberman, who on July 22 requested information […]