Analysis: Do railroad mergers match their rosy growth projections?

Red, yellow, and black locomotive at grade crossing

Do railroad mergers live up to the hype? It’s a question that’s been rattling around in my head as federal regulators review the Canadian Pacific-Kansas City Southern merger, the first between Class I railroads in two decades. First, the projections. Within three years of the merger, Canadian Pacific Kansas City expects to gain 80,000 carloads […]

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Tennessee man killed at NS project in Pennsylvania

DAUPHIN, Pa. — A 27-year-old Kingsport, Tenn., man has been identified as the victim of a fatal accident on a Norfolk Southern project earlier this month. The Kingsport Times-News reports Kolton Parker Helbert, an employee of National Salvage & Service Corp., was killed in the Dec. 8 accident. National Salvage provides demolition and dismantlement services. […]

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NS derailment damages Southern Railway heritage unit

Green, gold, and white locomotive on its side in darkness, headlight still illuminated

PITTSBURGH — Norfolk Southern’s Southern Railway heritage unit, ES44AC No. 8099, was among two locomotives damaged when a train hit a rock slide and derailed early Sunday in Pittsburgh’s Baldwin Borough. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports the derailment occurred about 4 a.m. along the Monongahela River paralleling State Route 837, with both locomotives overturning and five […]

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UP, BNSF, NS halt vaccine mandates

Union Pacific, BNSF Railway, and Norfolk Southern say they have suspended their COVID-19 vaccination mandate following a Tuesday ruling by a federal judge blocked the Biden Administration’s executive order requiring vaccination for federal contractors. Reuters reports that UP said 74% of its 31,000 employees were fully vaccinated as of Dec. 8, and that was still […]

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Canadian Pacific commits to New Orleans-Baton Rouge passenger train if KCS merger is approved (updated)

Amtrak train on track next to strip of grass

NEW ORLEANS — A senior Canadian Pacific official told New Orleans and Baton Rouge, La., civic leaders on Wednesday that the railroad will permit a single passenger round trip between the two cities, without any infrastructure improvements, if CP’s merger with Kansas City Southern is approved by the Surface Transportation Board. James Clements, Canadian Pacific’s […]

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Norfolk Southern’s Shaw to succeed Squires as CEO (updated)

Two men with city in background

ATLANTA – Norfolk Southern today named Alan Shaw as its chief executive officer, effective May 1, when current CEO Jim Squires will retire. Shaw, the railroad’s chief marketing officer, was promoted to president effective today. The NS management team now reports to Shaw, who has been with the railroad for 27 years and has served […]

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STB grants Amtrak access to CSX yard in Mobile, Ala.

Surface Transportation Board logo

WASHINGTON — Score one small win for Amtrak in its ongoing effort to launch service along the Gulf Coast. The Surface Transportation Board on Monday issued a decision honoring Amtrak’s request for an order allowing it access to CSX Transportation’s Choctaw Yard in Mobile, Ala., to conduct a survey to determine a possible site for […]

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