WASHINGTON — Two local shipper groups have dropped their challenge to Canadian National’s proposed sale of former Wisconsin Central branches to short line operator Watco. Wisconsin Central Group and the Lake States Shippers Association met with Watco’s leadership team last week in Green Bay, Wis., and have decided to support the transaction involving 650 miles […]
Train Topic: Railroad Operations
News and Analysis: Colorado commission advances Front Range plans
DENVER – The last vestige of north-south passenger trains serving the Mile-High City disappeared 50 years ago when Santa Fe’s ragamuffin round trip to the east-west main line at La Junta, Colo., didn’t transition to Amtrak. But work is well under way to change that. The Southwest Chief and Front Range Passenger Rail Commission is […]
Could Canadian Pacific and Canadian National split Kansas City Southern?
As Canadian Pacific and Canadian National continue their duel for control of Kansas City Southern, one topic keeps coming up: Why don’t the Canadian railways jointly acquire KCS and split it up? With so much bad blood between CP and CN it’s not a likely scenario, as their war of words has escalated this week. […]
Metra seeks to convert three diesels to battery power
CHICAGO — The Metra board of directors has approved a Request for Proposals to convert three of Metra’s F40PH-3 diesels into battery-powered, zero-emission diesels, with the aim of awarding a contract this fall and having the first locomotive delivered 30 months later. “This proposal could be game-changing,” Metra Executive Director/CEO Jim Derwinski said in a […]
Union Pacific warily watching CP-CN battle for Kansas City Southern
OMAHA, Neb. — Union Pacific is closely watching the battle for Kansas City Southern and how an acquisition by either Canadian Pacific or Canadian National could affect its cross-border traffic. UP CEO Lance Fritz notes that U.S. regulations require that mergers between Class I railroads must enhance competition and improve service for all shippers. “For […]
Weather impacts Union Pacific’s first quarter earnings, service levels
OMAHA, Neb. — Union Pacific reported lower quarterly earnings on Thursday as harsh winter weather took a toll on volume and revenue. UP’s quarterly operating income declined 7%, to $1.99 billion, as revenue sank 4%, to $5 billion. Earnings per share declined 7%, to $2. UP’s operating ratio rose 1.1 points to 60.1% due to […]
Canadian Pacific’s quarterly revenue declines, but railway sets volume record in March
CALGARY, Alberta — Canadian Pacific’s operating profit and revenue declined in the first quarter, but executives said the railway was gaining momentum as volume reached an all-time high in March. Quarterly operating income declined 6%, to $780 million, as revenue declined 4%, to %1.95 billion, CP reported on Wednesday. Earnings per share, adjusted for the impact […]
Weekly rail traffic continues to show huge increase over 2020 levels
WASHINGTON — U.S. rail traffic for the week ending April 17 remains far ahead of pandemic-depressed figures for the same week in 2020, and also shows a slight increase over figures for the week ending April 10 of this year. Statistics from the Association of American Railroads show U.S. railroads moved 237,607 carloads for the […]
Automobile unloading
Automobile unloading Ramps at many early auto-handling facilities were permanently mounted. This Buck ramp on the Louisville & Nashville in 1962 has a full-width platform and can be adjusted to any deck height. Photo by Louisville & Nashville […]
Canadian Pacific won’t boost offer for KCS, says CN’s dueling bid is ‘fool’s gold’
CALGARY, Alberta — Canadian Pacific CEO Keith Creel says there’s no reason to sweeten his railroad’s $29 billion offer for Kansas City Southern because Canadian National’s dueling $33.7 billion bid is so anti-competitive that it would never make it out of the starting gate. Kansas City Southern’s board is considering CN’s unsolicited offer, which was announced […]
Analysis: Canadian Pacific must go all-in on pursuit of Kansas City Southern
Canadian Pacific today finds itself in the same uncomfortable – and threatened – position that Norfolk Southern was in 25 years ago. Back in October 1996, CSX Transportation utterly shocked NS when it announced it had a deal to acquire Conrail. The $8.1 billion merger would give CSX access to the New York […]
CN-KCS merger would prompt final round of industry consolidation, Canadian Pacific warns (updated)
WASHINGTON — If Canadian National’s rival bid to acquire Kansas City Southern succeeds, Canadian Pacific would be forced to set off the final wave of railroad consolidation by seeking a merger partner. CP provided this warning in a letter to the U.S. Surface Transportation Board on Wednesday, a day after CN announced that it, too, […]