SEATTLE – Amazon’s recent establishment of a third-party logistics brokerage operation (“3PL” for short), the company continues to expand far beyond its primary business function as a retailer. Along with its previous licensing to be a non-vessel operating sea common carrier, establishment of an aircraft fleet, and purchase of thousands of truck trailers, Amazon raises […]
Type of Train: Freight
Canadian Pacific, Canadian National locked in Chicago interchange dispute
WASHINGTON – Canadian Pacific has asked federal regulators to intervene in an interchange dispute with Canadian National, which wants to shift where the railroads exchange traffic in Chicago. CN aims to move the interchange from Spaulding in Bartlett, Ill., not far from CP’s Bensenville Yard, to CN’s Kirk Yard in Gary, Ind., effective May 10. […]
Union Pacific to streamline Chicago-area intermodal terminals, close Global III
OMAHA, Neb. – Union Pacific is simplifying its intermodal terminal network to improve service in Chicago, which will result in idling the Global III terminal in Rochelle, Ill., along with the Canal Street Container Depot. UP currently operates six intermodal facilities in and around the Railroad Capital. “Many of our ramps handle a mix of […]
AAR: Overall carloads are down for April NEWSWIRE
Association of American Railoads WASHINGTON — The Association of American Railroads today reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending April 27, as well as volumes for April 2019. U.S. railroads originated 1,041,544 carloads in April 2019, down 0.9 percent, or 9,130 carloads, from April 2018. U.S. railroads also originated 1,056,146 containers and trailers in […]
Union Pacific moves ‘monster’ loaded coal train with two distributed power sets to Wisconsin power plant NEWSWIRE
OAK CREEK, Wis. — With Precision Scheduled Railroading in effect at Union Pacific, longer trains have become more frequent across its system. This loaded coal train is one such example. Loaded as two trains at North Antelope mine in Wyoming, Union Pacific consolidated both trains at South Morrill, Neb., for the trip to Oak Creek, […]
AAR: Only three commodity groups posted increases last week NEWSWIRE
Association of American Railroads WASHINGTON, D.C — The Association of American Railroads today reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending April 20. For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 526,141 carloads and intermodal units, down 2.4 percent compared with the same week last year. Total carloads for the week ending April 20 […]
Ethanol fire engulfs derailed cars from Union Pacific train in Texas
FORT WORTH, Texas — Investigators and railroad officials are looking into the cause of a derailment and tank car fire early Wednesday morning in Fort Worth. Union Pacific representative Kristen South tells Trains that about 25 tank cars hauling ethanol derailed near Echo Lake close to 12:30 a.m. The trains’ crew was not injured and […]
Pigs over Cuesta
A Southern Pacific piggyback train of modified conventional flatcars with company trailers negotiates Cuesta Grade above San Luis Obispo, Calif., in June 1957. Robert Hale photo […]
AAR: Automobiles, oil, and minerals are up — and nothing else NEWSWIRE
Association of American Railroads WASHINGTON — The Association of American Railroads reported U.S. rail traffic on Wednesday for the week ending April 6. For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 510,192 carloads and intermodal units, down 2.8 % compared with the same week last year. Total carloads for the week ending April 6 […]
Georgia-Pacific cites severed rail access as reason to close Oregon lumber mill NEWSWIRE
Coos Bay, Ore. Google Maps SEATTLE — Georgia-Pacific LLC is closing a 111-employee lumber mill in the Oregon coastal town of Coos Bay, citing as one of the reasons rail service that has been cut off by a bridge closure for close to a year. Instead of loading lumber at the mill, GP has had […]
Canadian development company renews push for rail line linking Alaska to the lower 48 states
SEATTLE — Linking Alaska to the 48 contiguous U.S. is an idea that is resurfacing again with heavier Canadian support. Canadian businessman Sean McCoshen told a recent meeting of the Alaska State Senate Transportation Committee that the company he co-founded and runs, Alberta-Alaska Railway Development Corp., has been working with consultants, the Alaska Railroad, Canadian […]
Wal-Mart, like Amazon, tests direct intermodal relationship with railroads; introduces purpose-built containers NEWSWIRE
Wal-Mart is testing a direct intermodal relationship with U.S. railroads and now rosters a fleet of purpose-built 53-foot containers. Wal-Mart BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Walmart is expanding its use of rail intermodal and doing it with new custom containers. Walmart launched a new rail strategy in 2018 when, with its own specially-designed containers, the big retailer […]
