From the Cab: I saw the light

A silver Amtrak locomotive at the head of passenger cars under a dark stormy sky

I saw the light, but changing the light was a whole different matter — and that’s why I’m skeptical when a locomotive builder claims to have consulted engineers when designing a new and improved model. And with good reason. They’re usually looking for product endorsement rather than any input intended for product development. A seasoned […]

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Green Line extension could see two weeks of night closures to repair track-gauge issues

Man in bucket-lift truck working on sound wall

BOSTON — The contractor responsible for out-of-gauge construction on the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority’s Green Line extension is proposing a series of overnight shutdowns to rectify the problem, WBZ-TV reports. MBTA CEO Phillip Eng told a meeting of the agency’s advisory board that the contractor is proposing a shutdown of the 4.7-mile extension from 9 […]

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U.S. rail traffic remains above 2022 levels

Weekly table showing U.S. carload rail traffic by commodity, plus overall intermodal volume.

WASHINGTON — Weekly U.S. rail traffic was once again above 2022 figures for the week ending Oct. 21, with total volume up 1.8%, according to figures from the Association of American Railroads. Traffic for the week was 505,985 carloads and intermodal units. That included 234,893 carloads, an increase of 1.5% from the corresponding week a […]

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CPKC revenue and earnings decline amid soft volume

Train with red locomotive passing station

CALGARY, Alberta — Canadian Pacific Kansas City today lowered its outlook for the year after a third quarter that saw broad-based volume declines. “No doubt a challenging quarter as we dealt with a softer demand environment and supply-chain impacts from the strike at the Port of Vancouver,” CEO Keith Creel told investors and analysts on […]

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CSX, Signalmen’s union complete second agreement on paid sick time

Logo of the Brotherhood of Railway Signalmen

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. —  CSX Corp. has announced ratification of a second agreement covering paid sick leave with members of the Brotherood of Railroad Signalmen, this time with approximately 200 workers on the company’s L&N property. The agreement announced today (Oct. 25) follows a similar deal last with 400 members of the same union on CSX’s […]

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Norfolk Southern earnings take hit from East Palestine, volume decline, and higher costs

Crew member walks across front of locomotive as another train passes on adjacent track

ATLANTA — Norfolk Southern’s third-quarter earnings fell sharply due to the mounting toll of the East Palestine, Ohio, derailment, lower volume, and higher costs related to carrying more train crews as part of the railroad’s service resilience strategy. “We are making smart investments in safe, reliable, and resilient service,” CEO Alan Shaw told investors and […]

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LA’s Taylor Yard: Always something different

Steam engine next to SW1500 switcher

Always something different at LA’s Taylor Yard A wise man once said, “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” It’s a nice thought. But he never met a train fan. For decades, whenever I had a few free minutes, I’d drive down to Southern Pacific’s […]

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