CHICAGO — The Illinois Commerce Commission found violations on just 1.3% of the 8,549 railcars inspected in 2022, the commission said in its annual report on accidents and hazardous-material incidents, released last week. When the inspections began in 1981, violations exceeded 12%. “The disaster in East Palestine has rightfully turned attention to our nation’s rail […]
ANACORTES, Wash. — BNSF Railway violated terms of an easement agreement with the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community by running 100-car trains of crude oil across the Swinomish reservation in Anacortes for years, a federal judge ruled Monday. The Seattle Times reports that U.S. District Court Judge Robert Lasnik said in a written order Monday that […]
CALGARY — Canadian National, logistics firm Kaptan and Montship Inc., Canada’s largest steamship agency, have announced plans for an intermodal transload facility to be built in CN’s Calgary Logistics Park. The facility, announced Monday, is expected to be operational in the third quarter of 2024. It will provide a location to transload imports into 53-foot […]
OTTAWA — A report from Canada’s auditor general says VIA Rail Canada and federal agencies have taken steps to address barriers by travelers with disabilities, but additional work will be required to achieve the government’s goal of barrier-free travel. “While we found progress in some areas, many barriers remained,” Auditor General Karen said in a […]
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Gulf & Atlantic Railways will acquire three railroads operating in Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio — the Chesapeake & Indiana, Vermilion Valley and Camp Chase — from Midwest & Bluegrass rail, the company announced Monday. The railroads involved are: — The Chesapeake & Indiana (CKIN), a 28-mile line in northwest Indiana, with connections […]
WYNDMERE, N.D. — Thirty-one cars of a 70-car Canadian Pacific train derailed late Sunday in rural North Dakota, spilling liquid asphalt, KVRR-TV reports. Richland County Emergency Manager Brett Lambrecht told the station 31 cars derailed and that while the liquid asphalt is flammable, it cools and solidifies in the snow at the derailment scene, decreasing […]
KELSO, Calif. — Two locomotives and 55 cars of a runaway Union Pacific train carrying iron ore derailed near the Mojave Desert community of Kelso today (Monday, March 27), officials from the San Bernardino County Fire Protection District reported. Union Pacific spokesman Mike Jaixen has confirmed that there was “uncontrolled train movement” of the southbound […]
Conrail locomotive Locomotives fascinate us, amaze us, and move us across landscapes — and our imaginations. A railroad selects locomotives based on factors that include operational need, affordability, maintenance cost, applicability for a certain service, and what models might be available at the time. Stories are woven throughout the industry’s history of locomotive models that […]
BOSTON — Former Long Island Rail Road President Phillip Eng will become the new general manager of the problem-plagued Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey announced Eng’s selection in a statement today, saying Eng “is the proven leader the MBTA needs to improve safety and reliability across the system and restore the public’s […]
MONTREAL — A coalition opposed to construction of the Lac-Mégantic rail bypass has delivered almost 1,500 letters contesting the Canadian government’s expropriation of land for the project to the agency in charge of the process. The French-language newspaper La Presse Canadienne initially reported the protest in an article published in English by the Montreal Gazette. […]
WASHINGTON — The independent body which oversees safety matters for the DC Metrorail system is investigating an incident in which a train operator improperly used Metrorail’s automated operating system, and is working to determine if other operators have done so, as well. The Washington Post reports the Washington Metrorail Safety Commission is looking into a […]
CHICAGO — Amtrak departures from Chicago began at mid-morning today (Sunday, March 26) following two days of widespread cancellations because engineers couldn’t register, or initialize, trains in the interoperable positive train control system shared with host railroads. The impact of those cancellations will reverberate for days because equipment isn’t available to return to Chicago. Today’s […]
