Canaan Union Depot The past The story of this historic building traces back to the 1870s, a busy time for American railroads. Across the nation new lines were being built between cities and towns, often crossing over one another. One of these crossings happened in the small town of North Canaan. Located in the northwest […]
WASHINGTON — When the Surface Transportation Board names the members of its first Rail Passenger Advisory Committee, it will be worth remembering that the competition for places among the panels 18 voting members was fiercer for some seats than for others. As outlined in the January call for nominations, the panel has a very specific […]
A General Electric AC4400CW diesel locomotive has joined the Athearn Genesis lineup. And no, this isn’t just an upgraded version of the “blue box” kit from the 1990s. The newly tooled six-axle road locomotive is offered with railroad-specific details, a full cab interior, and light-emitting-diode lighting, among other features. The prototype The sample we received […]
WASHINGTON — The Transportation Trades Division of the AFL-CIO today urged Norfolk Southern shareholders to reject an activist investor’s bid to gain control of the railroad. Ancora Holdings, which has been critical of Norfolk Southern’s response to the Feb. 3, 2023, hazardous materials derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, as well as the railroad’s lagging financial […]
WASHINGTON — U.S. rail traffic was up 4.9% in February compared to the same month a year ago, according to statistics from the Association of American Railroads, while volume for the week ending March 2 was also up, the sixth straight week of gains compared to 2023. The February gains came after January’s traffic levels […]
Transfer locomotives Transfer runs are trains that move cars from one freight yard usually to a nearby yard of another railroad (but not always). Early in dieselization, three of the major builders marketed locomotives built specifically for such service, called transfer locomotives, which demanded a lot of pulling power but not much speed. Transfer units […]
TORONTO — EdgePoint Investment Group, which has a $960 million stake in Norfolk Southern, today praised the proxy battle that activist partner Ancora Holdings is waging against the railroad. “EdgePoint supports the changes proposed by Ancora to NSC’s board of directors and management team,” EdgePoint said in a statement. Ancora has proposed a majority slate […]
CLEVELAND – Activist investor Ancora Holdings has asked the Norfolk Southern board to explain why it gave CEO Alan Shaw a 37% raise last year despite presiding over the industry’s worst financial results, poor stock performance, and the railroad’s “ineffective and tone-deaf response” to the hazardous materials derailment in East Palestine, Ohio. “It is astonishing […]
Associations representing railroad shippers say they’re concerned about Ancora Holdings’ proxy battle at Norfolk Southern, fearing that the activist investors will put an emphasis on boosting short-term profits at the expense of service. “Seems as if NS is making strides on improving service which, to a certain degree, means abandoning some of the Precision Scheduled […]
Locomotives and rolling stock Burlington Northern (1991 scheme), Montana Rail Link (blue 2009 scheme), TTX (gray patchout with TOFX reporting marks, yellow-and-black as-delivered scheme, and yellow-and-black with Forward Thinking patch), and York Rail (brown) are the new paint schemes on the Atlas O Premier line Gunderson 50-foot high-cube boxcar. The paper-hauling boxcar, priced at $79.95, […]
ATLANTA — The activist investors targeting Norfolk Southern pose a threat to the railroad industry and the U.S. economy and may prompt new regulations, outgoing Surface Transportation Board Chairman Martin J. Oberman told a shipper conference today. Oberman was highly critical of Ancora Holdings’ proxy battle against NS, along with its efforts to replace current […]
ATLANTA — Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw, who has been a punching bag for the activist investors who are trying to oust him, defended the railroad’s growth strategy at a shipper conference today. “I am fighting. I am fighting for what’s right and I am fighting for the industry,” Shaw told the Southeast Association of […]
