ST. LOUIS — One of the largest coal companies operating in the Powder River Basin of Wyoming says it will wind down production in the next few years if it can’t find a buyer for its mines that are served by BNSF Railway and Union Pacific. Arch Resources is moving away from the thermal coal that […]
Type of Train: Freight
Digest: MARS Winter Meeting moves online, will feature two Class I CEOs
Thursday afternoon rail news: MARS to hold winter meeting online, will feature CP, BNSF CEOs The annual winter meeting of the Midwest Association of Rail Shippers — which traditionally draws an exceptional lineup of speakers — will move online this January and be condensed to a half-day, but still will feature notable guests. “Our highest […]
Intermodal still lifting overall U.S. rail traffic
WASHINGTON — Continuing recent trends, U.S. rail traffic for the week ending Oct. 24, 2020, showed an overall increase over the corresponding week in 2019 thanks to increased intermodal volume, while year-to-date traffic remains well below 2019 levels. Total traffic for the week was 522,653 carloads and intermodal units, a 1.9% increase over previous-year levels. […]
Digest: BNSF to resume taconite payments in Superior, Wis.
Still more Wednesday morning rail news: BNSF to resume taconite payments to Superior, Wis., homeowners BNSF Railway will resume taconite-dust cleaning payments to homeowners near its taconite loading facility in Superior, Wis., after having stopped some of the payments earlier this year. Wisconsin Public Radio reports the payments, which the company has paid out for almost 50 […]
News Photo: Big load, short haul
The third of 32 steam generators built by BWXT of Cambridge, Ontario, destined to the Bruce Nuclear Generating Station on the shore of Lake Huron, rounds a curve on the Canadian Pacific Waterloo Subdivision, formerly the Grand River Railway, during its Oct. 24, 2020, move on CP. The generator requires three railroads for a line haul of […]
News report: Transport Canada finds CP failed to identify hazards in mountain operation
Investigating the fatal February 2019 runaway train incident in the Canadian Rockies, Transport Canada says Canadian Pacific failed to properly identify safety hazards involved in operations on Kicking Horse Pass — a finding CP disputes — and given the railroad until today to fix the problems. The CBC reports that if the problems are not addressed, […]
Union Pacific posts record operating ratio despite traffic, revenue declines
OMAHA, Neb. — Union Pacific’s third-quarter revenue and earnings declined, but cost-cutting and efficiency gains — particularly from running longer trains — helped the railroad produce a new record-low operating ratio. Operating income fell 9%, to $2 billion, as revenue declined 11%, to $4.9 billion, UP announced on Thursday morning. Earnings per share declined 9%, to $2.01. […]
Intermodal traffic remains up, carloads still down, AAR statistics show
WASHINGTON — Overall U.S. rail traffic continues to show an increase over 2019 thanks to intermodal volume, while carload traffic remains down, according to figures released Wednesday by the Association of American Railroads. For the week ending Oct. 17, combined traffic was 518,763 carloads and intermodal units, up 2.2% compared to the same week in 2019. There […]
CSX earnings fall, but executives praise railroad’s handling of historic swings in volume
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — CSX Transportation’s third-quarter earnings sagged under the weight of pandemic-related traffic and revenue declines. The railroad’s operating income fell 11%, to $1.1 billion, as revenue declined 11%, to $2.6 billion. Earnings per share slumped 11%, to 96 cents. The railroad’s operating ratio was 56.9%, a 0.1-point increase compared to the quarterly record […]
Canadian Pacific executives upbeat despite down quarter
CALGARY, Alberta — Canadian Pacific’s earnings slumped in the third quarter due to pandemic-related volume declines, but the railway boosted its outlook for the year and expects to set a fourth-quarter operating ratio record as traffic growth accelerates. CP on Tuesday morning reported its operating income decreased 10%, to $779 million, as revenue fell 6%, to […]
Digest: NRC announces series of webcasts in place of January convention
Tuesday afternoon rail news: NRC to hold ‘First Look’ webcasts in place of annual convention The National Railroad Construction and Maintenance Association will hold a series of webcasts in January to replace its annual NRC Conference, which had been scheduled for January 2021 in Hollywood, Fla., scrapped because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The “NRC First […]
Photo of the Day
Editor and 2-8-0 From behind the wheel of his car, Trains magazine Editor David P. Morgan watches Baltimore & Ohio 2-8-0 3127 on freight train 160 at a grade crossing near Genesee, Pa., in September 1955. Philip R. Hastings photo […]
