Grand Trunk Western owned and operated a small yard and ferry slip in Milwaukee into the 1970s. Here, 1926 Brill boxcab No. 73 works ferry Grand Rapids at Milwaukee in December 1955. Russ Porter photo […]
Train Topic: Railroad Operations
FRA issues notice for rail infrastructure grants NEWSWIRE
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Transportation’s (USDOT) Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) recently issued a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) Program. The NOFO includes more than $244 million in grant funding. “The Consolidated Rail Infrastructure & Safety Improvements grant program is an important resource for railroads […]
Intermodal volumes expected to remain soft for rest of the year NEWSWIRE
North American intermodal volumes are expected to remain in the doldrums for the rest of the year amid a complicated brew of factors that will keep railroading’s growth engine stuck in low gear. That’s the view of a trio of TTX intermodal experts, who shared their outlooks during an Intermodal Association of North America webcast […]
Ask Trains: Does Norfolk Southern own the yards along its CNO&TP route?
Cincinnati Southern Railway website Q: The city of Cincinnati owns the CNO&TP line running from Cincinnati to Chattanooga, Tenn., which Norfolk Southern leases from the city. Does the city of Cincinnati also own and lease yards along the line to NS, or does NS own these yards outright? — Doug Lathrem, Bowling Green, Ky. A: […]
Ask Train: Why did railroads use rotary beacons on locomotives?
Various Santa Fe SF30C units are seen in storage at Argentine Yard, in Argentine, Kan., in 1983. Several of these locomotives have rotary or flashing beacons on their cab roofs for safety. TEH-14212-34 Ivan Abrams Q: Why did some railroads use flashing or rotary beacons atop their diesels? And do any railroads use them anymore? […]
Ask Trains: Why did a railroad remove a connection with another, nearby railroad?
EDITOR’S NOTE: Trains readers aren’t the only ones to wonder about happenings in the railroad world. Trains editors and friends recently shared an email discussion about why two Class I railroads near Trains’ headquarters removed a connection at a diamond crossover. Here’s a condensed, edited version of the best explanation we’ve seen: A: I would […]
Ask Trains: Why do EOTs only flash at night?
EOTs — end-of-train device Q: In track side watching and in videos, I note that end-of-train devices only flash at night. Why is this? — William Carpenter West Chester Township, Ohio The Northeast Operating Rules Advisory Committee (NORAC) rulebook used by most northeastern railroads states that each train occupying a main track or controlled siding […]
CN and CSX team up for new interline intermodal service linking Canada and Northeast NEWSWIRE
CSX Transportation, from a service advisory NEW YORK CITY — Canadian National and CSX Transportation will launch joint intermodal service this fall linking Toronto and Montreal with New York, New Jersey, and Philadelphia. The service, announced on Thursday and set to begin in October, is unusual because it’s a short haul for both railroads, which […]
Genesee & Wyoming earnings dragged down by international operations NEWSWIRE
DARIEN, Conn. — Genesee & Wyoming’s second quarter revenue and operating income declined, dragged down by slumping international operations that more than offset improved North American results. The shortline holding company’s operating income declined 9%, to $4.2 million, as revenue sank 4%, to $571.5 million, G&W said in a regulatory filing late Wednesday. Earnings per […]
AAR: Carload and intermodal traffic down nearly 5% and 6%, respectively NEWSWIRE
Association of American Railroads WASHINGTON — The Association of American Railroads today reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending Aug. 3, as well as volumes for July 2019. U.S. railroads originated 1,264,100 carloads in July 2019, down 4.8%, or 64,406 carloads, from July 2018. U.S. railroads also originated 1,314,333 containers and trailers in July […]
BNSF Railway’s quarterly revenue and profit rise despite traffic slump NEWSWIRE
FORT WORTH, Texas — BNSF Railway reported higher second quarter profits on Friday despite a traffic slump and disruptive Midwestern flooding. BNSF’s pre-tax profit rose 7%, to $1.8 billion, as revenue rose 0.3%, to $5.9 billion, corporate parent Berkshire Hathaway reported in a regulatory filing. The railroad’s operating ratio improved 2.1 points to 65.4% for […]
Coal exports decline, railroad impacts starting to surface NEWSWIRE
NEW YORK CITY — Considered a stopgap a few years ago for declining U.S. coal production and its effects on transportation providers, the export market — especially that in Europe — is fading. Lower natural gas prices are hastening European conversion of power generation away from coal, says an analysis released by investment bank Morgan […]