HARRISBURG, Pa. – Now in its eighth season, Norfolk Southern’s First Responders Train continues its mission of training 5,000 firefighters, emergency medical technicians, police and dispatchers each year at cities around NS’s 19,000-route-mile, 22-state system. From March to October, the eight-car train circulates among 12 to 15 cities, offering free training in emergency procedures to […]
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Railways take over grain exports from Ukraine
Ukrainian Railways (UZ or Ukrzaliznytsia) and rail operators in neighboring European countries are stepping up efforts to move thousands of tons of grain from Ukraine to ports in Poland, Romania, and Germany for export around the world. The increase in rail transport has followed Russia’s decision to end a deal, previously brokered by the United […]
Montreal’s REM experiences bumpy first day
MONTREAL — Montreal’s Réseau express métropolitain light rail line experienced a problematic start to regular operations on Monday, as service was halted for more than an hour during the morning rush hour because of a pair of issues. The line was shut down from 8 a.m. until about 9:15 a.m. because of a track issue […]
FTA funds address disaster recovery for transit agencies
WASHINGTON — The Federal Transit Administration will provide $102.3 million in funding to help transit agencies, cities, and councils recover from recent natural disasters, the agency announced Monday. The funding, to entities in eight states and territories, comes from the FTA’s Public Transportation Emergency Relief program. It helps fund replacement of equipment and facilities damaged […]
Missouri governor set to approve funding for grade-crossing improvements
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — Missouri Gov. Mike Parsons will sign legislation this week including $50 million in funding for grade-crossing improvements, and will announce a crossing safety plan with the Missouri Department of Transportation, WDAF-TV reports. Parsons will sign House Bill 4, an appropriations bill governing the Department of Revenue and Department of Transportation passed […]
Imbleau to head VIA’s high frequency rail affiliate
MONTREAL — Martin Imbleau, CEO of the Montreal Port Authority, has been named as the first CEO of VIA HFR, the VIA Rail Canada project office for the construction of the passenger-only High Frequency Rail corridor between Toronto, Montreal, and Quebec City. VIA HFR, which operates as an “arms-length” affiliate of VIA Rail to co-manage […]
NTSB names McMurry, Czech to new positions
WASHINGTON — The National Transportation Safety Board has named William Thomas (Tom) McMurry Jr. as its general counsel and Barbara A. Czech as director of the Office of Research and Engineering, the board announced Monday. McMurry was previously deputy general counsel for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and chief counsel and deputy chief counsel […]
Indiana’s Railroad Open House welcomes over 2,500 visitors
HUDSON, Ind. — The locomotive maintenance facility of the Indiana Northeastern Railroad Co. in Hudson was a beehive of activity over the weekend as historic steam locomotives, vintage diesels, and over 2,500 attendees swarmed around what was the first Railroad Open House. The July 29-30 event headlined the summer for the 2023 Indiana Rail Experience, […]
NTSB issues preliminary report on NS hot-bearing coal train derailment
WASHINGTON — The National Transportation Safety Board today released its preliminary report about a Norfolk Southern coal train that derailed in Virginia on July 6 after a wheel bearing failure. The railroad’s response to hot bearing alerts has been under scrutiny since the disastrous Feb. 3 hazardous materials wreck in East Palestine, Ohio. In this […]
Unions criticize Union Pacific’s selection of Jim Vena as CEO
OMAHA, Neb. — Incoming Union Pacific CEO Jim Vena will not get a honeymoon with rail labor when he begins leading the railroad on Aug. 14. Local SMART-TD leaders and the Transportation Trades Department of the AFL-CIO were critical of the company’s selection of Vena, who served as UP’s chief operating officer in 2019 and […]
Scenic fall foliage train rides & events
Fall foliage train rides & events Growing up in New England and spending my college years in western New York, I was accustomed to the seasonal joys of autumn. For me the scent of autumn air will carry me back in time, while the soft rich sunlight on bright days and the misty mornings of […]
CSX, SMART-TD agree to extend conductor training period
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — CSX Transportation’s conductor trainees will spend an additional week learning the ropes before beginning on-the-job training under an agreement announced today by the railroad and the SMART-TD union. The fifth week of training at the CSX Training Center in Atlanta will focus on performing tasks in a field setting to increase trainees’ […]