PARIS — In an effort to encourage greener travel, Clément Beaune, France’s transport minister, announced a new reduced-price monthly rail pass to be introduced in summer 2024 across the country, according to a story in the Guardian. The pass, modeled after the similar and highly successful program offered in Germany, will cost around €49 (US […]
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – CSX Transportation today named Mike Cory as its chief operating officer, a role he held at Canadian National from 2016 until his retirement in 2019. “Mike Cory is one of the rail industry’s leading operations executives, respected for his wealth of operations knowledge and his success as a leader who understands the […]
SPARTA, Ga. – The Sandersville Railroad announced it has added Veal Farms Transload, LLC and Revive Milling, LLC as additional users of its planned rail spur in Hancock County, Georgia. Veal Farms Transload and Revive Milling will use the spur to transport refined grain ingredients and other agricultural products to food producers and biodegradable plastic manufactures. […]
Public rail travel AUSTRIA – When marketing public transportation to new patronage, especially when it comes to rail travel, sometimes promotions must include thinking outside the box. That’s exactly what happened during two summer festivals in Austria as free KlimaTicket passes were given to six participants in exchange for a specific tattoo. The promotion was […]
SILVIS, Ill. – Railroading Heritage of Midwest America (RRHMA) has restored two diesels to service and is continuing work on its two Union Pacific steam locomotives, 4-6-6-4 “Challenger” No. 3985 and 2-10-2 No. 5511 at its former Rock Island shop complex in Silvis. On Aug. 26 crews fired up Union Pacific “Centennial” No. 6936 for […]
Climate-friendly train travel BERLIN — People venturing between countries are not only interested in comfort and convenience, but they’re choosing climate-friendly train travel to help reduce their carbon footprint. After a 9-year hiatus, a night train from Berlin to Paris will be returning to service. Deutsche Bahn (DB) and Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB) are anticipating […]
SAVANNAH, Ga. – CSX Transportation and the Georgia Ports Authority have teamed up for daily international intermodal service between the Port of Savannah and Rocky Mount, N.C. The railroad and port authority said that the service would enable North Carolina importers and exporters to tap into a faster supply chain through the direct rail connection […]
Norfolk Southern has been fined $77,640 for violations of the Clean Water Act and other regulations stemming from an Oct. 9, 2019, derailment near Kathleen, Ga., according to a story in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The derailment, on a bridge, caused cars to accordion together with some breaking open. As a result, 50 gallons of diesel […]
WASHINGTON — U.S. rail traffic slumped 4.3% in August, with both carload and intermodal volume showing declines, according to the Association of American Railroads. “August was the third straight month in which total year-over-year U.S. rail carloads have fallen,” said AAR Senior Vice President John T. Gray. “A major reason why is that other than […]
WASHINGTON — Amtrak’s Office of Inspector General on Wednesday released a report detailing the steps the company says it is taking to use, account for, and report on the $22 billion it is slated to receive directly from Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) funding [see “Infrastructure bill addresses Amtrak priorities, congressional requirements,” News Wire, […]
CLEWISTON, Fla. — U.S. Sugar has released the schedule for its Sugar Express steam-powered excursion trains for the 2023-2024 season, which runs between October 2023 and January 2024. Trains will mainly be powered by U.S. Sugar’s former Florida East Coast 4-6-2 No. 148. The Pacific was built by American Locomotive Co. in 1920 for FEC. […]
WASHINGTON – Shippers who suffer from inadequate railroad service would be able to gain access to a second carrier under a new reciprocal switching rule that the Surface Transportation Board proposed today. The board unanimously voted to approve the 51-page notice of proposed rulemaking, which it said would provide a streamlined path for access to […]
