WASHINGTON — Federal regulators today gave the green light to Watco’s acquisition of the 420-mile Michigan regional Great Lakes Central Railroad. Watco has been an equity investor in the GLC since 2013 and in March sought to have its acquisition of the railroad exempt from Surface Transportation Board review, which is common in straightforward shortline […]
What a week this was for unexpected twists and turns in the Class I railroad merger landscape. First, on Monday Berkshire Hathaway Chairman Warren Buffett said the company would not bid on CSX or Norfolk Southern, which had been viewed as potential merger partners for the Berkshire-owned BNSF Railway. A BNSF-CSX combination, in particular, had […]
PITTSBURGH — Wabtec this week introduced its EVO Advantage engine, which features eTurbo technology that improves fuel efficiency by as much as 7%. The EVO Advantage — which is currently undergoing extensive field testing — will be available for Evolution series Tier 3 and Tier 4 locomotive modernizations, the manufacturer said this week. “The heart […]
OMAHA, Neb. — Union Pacific has added 15 new Focus Sites in eight states, with a dozen of the large-scale development properties located on connecting short line railroads. UP’s 39 Focus Sites generally include 125 or more acres that are suited for custom-built warehouses or industrial facilities. “Our partnerships with short line railroads are helping […]
OMAHA, Neb. — Union Pacific has opened a nine-mile stretch of second main track in Southern California to support premium intermodal service out of its Inland Empire Intermodal Terminal at West Colton Yard. The work, between South Fontana and Bon View, Calif., on the Alhambra Subdivision, included installation of double track, rebuilding two bridges and […]
NEW HAVEN, Conn. — Let’s get something straight: Amtrak’s NextGen Acela trainsets that began revenue service with two Northeast Corridor round-trips between Washington and Boston on Thursday are shiny new objects worthy of the hype. The trains incorporate four decades of Alstom’s TGV technology and are destined to fully replace 25-year-old Acela equipment introduced in […]
WASHINGTON — The Justice Department yesterday urged the Surface Transportation Board to closely scrutinize Norfolk Southern’s bid for full control of the Norfolk & Portsmouth Belt Line, warning that the move could choke off competition at one of the Port of Virginia’s intermodal terminals. The Justice Department’s Antitrust Division said the 129-year-old Belt Line — […]
WASHINGTON — President Donald J. Trump on Wednesday (Aug. 27) fired Surface Transportation Board member Robert E. Primus, breaking a 2-2 partisan split at the rail regulator while leaving it two members short of full strength just months before it is expected to receive the Union Pacific-Norfolk Southern merger application. The Wall Street Journal first […]
WASHINGTON – The Short Line Safety Institute has promoted Julia Leone to assistant director of research and organizational development, an expanded role that includes leading efforts to improve delivery and outcome for the organization’s safety and research programs. “Our program expansion has come as a direct result of research led by Julia Leone. Improvements to […]
WASHINGTON — Union Pacific has urged federal regulators to take a closer look at the proposed Green Eagle Railroad, arguing that construction of a 19-mile cross-border line at the Eagle Pass, Texas, gateway is unnecessary and would snarl rail traffic. Green Eagle aims to build a new 19.12-mile secure cross-border corridor that includes 1.335 miles […]
CALGARY, Alberta — Canadian Pacific Kansas City said today that Class I railroad mergers are not necessary and that it isn’t interested in participating in an immediate round of consolidation. “We believe that a transcontinental merger would trigger permanent restructuring of the industry and result in a disproportionately large railway whose size and scope would […]
OMAHA, Neb. — BNSF Railway wants to date CSX — but has no interest in getting married. Five days after Union Pacific announced its $85 billion deal to acquire Norfolk Southern, Berkshire Hathaway Chairman Warren Buffett and CEO designate Greg Abel told CSX CEO Joe Hinrichs that they would not bid for the Eastern railroad. […]
