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 […]
Train Topic: Railroad Operations
Georgia Ports Authority credits railroads with intermodal container volume gains in 2019 NEWSWIRE
Port of Savannah Georgia Ports Authority SAVANNAH, Ga. — Rail intermodal is credited for record Port of Savannah container volume for its fiscal year ending June 30. The port moved 4.5 million 20-foot equivalent container units in fiscal 2019, a 7.3% increase, port officials say. Terminal employees “and our two Class I rail providers — […]
AAR: Total US carload and intermodal traffic slides, again NEWSWIRE
Association of American Railroads WASHINGTON — The Association of American Railroads today reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending July 27. For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 534,498 carloads and intermodal units, down 4.4% compared with the same week last year. Total carloads for the week ending July 27 were 261,706 […]
FRA has new safety chief NEWSWIRE
WASHINGTON — The Federal government has a new top safety executive. Karl Alexy is now serving as the Federal Railroad Administration’s Associate Administrator for Safety and is the agency’s chief safety officer. Alexy assumes the post from Robert C. Lauby, who retired from the agency earlier this year. According to the FRA’s website Alexy joined […]
West Virginia’s only intermodal terminal to close for lack of traffic, infrastructure upgrades NEWSWIRE
PRICHARD, W.Va. — After three and a half years, West Virginia wants out of its Heartland Intermodal Gateway in Wayne County. The West Virginia Port Authority board has authorized negotiating short-term leasing of the 100-acre facility with the intent of selling it at auction within a year, according to Transport Topics. Once touted as a […]
Shippers to Congress: Precision Scheduled Railroading is anything but NEWSWIRE
WASHINGTON — The Class I railroads adopting Precision Scheduled Railroading operating models say they are providing better service as they become more efficient. But disgruntled shippers tell a different story: They say they’re paying the price for cutbacks in people and motive power that make railroads more profitable as service suffers. Railroad customers and their […]
NS says new operating plan moves traffic faster, more reliably, and more efficiently NEWSWIRE
NORFOLK, Va. — Norfolk Southern’s new TOP21 operating plan, which went into effect systemwide on July 1, has overhauled the way the railroad moves nearly all of its merchandise and automotive traffic. The operational changes mean traffic is moving faster and more dependably, all while reducing costs by permitting NS to use fewer locomotives and […]
CN reports record quarterly results, maintains positive outlook for 2019 NEWSWIRE
MONTREAL — Canadian National reported record second quarter financial results on Tuesday and reaffirmed its positive volume outlook for the rest of the year thanks to expected growth in crude oil, coal, grain, propane, and intermodal traffic. “Looking to the balance of this year and next, we are cautiously optimistic,” CEO Jean-Jacques Ruest said on […]
Norfolk Southern reports record financial results despite traffic decline NEWSWIRE
NORFOLK, Va. — Norfolk Southern today reported record quarterly financial results as more efficient operations, cost control, and price increases were enough to offset broad volume declines. Despite signs of slowing economic growth, NS maintained its volume and financial outlooks for the year. The railroad is banking on landing more intermodal, automotive, crude oil, sand, […]
AAR: Carload and intermodal traffic sink again NEWSWIRE
Association of American Railroads WASHINGTON — The Association of American Railroads today reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending July 20. For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 526,010 carloads and intermodal units, down 4.9% compared with the same week last year. Total carloads for the week ending July 20 were 254,434 […]
GATX: Precision Scheduled Railroading dampening demand for freight cars NEWSWIRE
CHICAGO — Some portions of the North American railcar fleet of transportation leasing company GATX are being idled due to Precision Scheduled Railroading. PSR, which most Class I systems and certain short lines are using to maximize productivity of assets, is among the reasons utilization of GATX boxcars dropped in the second quarter of 2019 […]
Railroad Performance Measures website goes dark NEWSWIRE
Railroad Performance Measures website home page WASHINGTON — The Association of American Railroads pulled the plug on the Railroad Performance Measures website this month, saying it has outlived its usefulness. The railroadpm.org website — which reported weekly Class I figures for terminal dwell, average train speed, and cars online — was an outgrowth of the […]
