Alberta government turns down Calgary-Banff rail proposal

Rendering of three-car passenger train at station in mountains

CALGARY, Alberta — The Alberta government is not willing to support a proposed Calgary-Banff passenger rail operation in its current form, saying it presents too great a financial risk. The Globe and Mail reports that Alberta Transportation Minister Prasad Panda says the plan underestimates the capital costs and the annual financial contribution from the province, […]

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VIA Rail Canada workers vote to authorize strike

Logo of Canadian union Unifor

MONTREAL — VIA Rail Canada workers have voted overwhelmingly to authorize a strike, according to the Unifor union. In voting by workers across Canada from June 20 to July 1, members of Unifor Council 4000 were 99.3% in favor of a strike, while Unifor Local 100 members voted 99.4% in favor. “The strike vote result […]

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Alstom opens Montreal facility to develop sustainable products

Alstom logo

MONTREAL — Rail equipment manufacturer Alstom will open an innovation center to develop sustainable products at its headquarters for the America in St-Bruno-de-Montarville, Quebec, the company has announced. Alstom committed to creation of the center as part of its acquisition of Bombardier Transportation in January 2021. Its primary mission will be to develop hybrid, battery, […]

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IBEW members accept arbitration, end strike against CN in Canada

Canadian National logo

MONTREAL — The strike in Canada by members of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers against Canadian National Railway has ended. CN announced Monday that the union, which represents about 750 signal and communications workers, has agreed to binding arbitration, bringing an end to the strike at 12:01 a.m. EDT today (July 5, 2022). Those […]

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Transportation Safety Board of Canada finds action remains necessary on rail safety issues

Transportation Safety Board of Canada logo

GATINEAU, Quebec — A Transportation Safety Board of Canada review of outstanding safety recommendations found that none of the nine recommendations regarding rail transportation could be considered have been addressed in Fully Satisfactory fashion, the highest rating available. A Fully Satisfactory rating means a course of action has seen the issue eliminated or substantially reduced. […]

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New York-Toronto ‘Maple Leaf’ resumes operation

Amtrak logo.

NEW YORK — Amtrak’s Maple Leaf has resumed service to and from Toronto, marking the first cross-border rail service to be resumed since pandemic-related cuts in 2020. Amtrak announced this morning that the northbound Maple Leaf, operated in conjunction with VIA Rail Canada, would operate to Toronto today (Monday, June 27) with the first southbound […]

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CN announces plans for almost C$2 billion in Canadian capital projects

Canadian National logo

MONTREAL — Canadian National has released Canadian capital spending plans on a province-by-province basis, with total spending projected at C$1.92 billion. “We continue to make significant investments in our network and technology,” Sean Finn, CN executive vice-president, Corporate Services, and chief legal officer, said in each press release announcing the provincial plans. “We are building […]

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Canadian National launches second train pair serving Port of Halifax

Locomotive moving cars of containers with ship and dock in background

MONTREAL – Canadian National has added a second pair of intermodal trains linking the Port of Halifax, Nova Scotia, with points in Eastern Canada and the U.S. Midwest. The railway launched trains Q122 and Q123 this month, joining existing trains Q120 and Q121 that serve Atlantic Canada’s busiest containerport. “Working with our partner PSA, this […]

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Canadian National says operations are normal despite strike

Canadian National logo

MONTREAL — Canadian National says it has “met or exceeded” the demands of striking Canadian signal and communications workers in negotiations, while the chief negotiator for those workers said that claim was technically correct but misleading. Some 750 workers represented by the International Brotherhood of Electrical workers walked out across Canada on Saturday. The railroad […]

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