MONTREAL — Canadian National will make donations totaling C$1.1 million to two organizations — the Canada-Ukraine Foundation, and U.S. non-profit Razom — to support Ukrainians displayed by the war in Ukraine. The railroad will also match donations made through the CN Employees’ and Pensioners’ Community Fund. “Our Company’s history is tied to the settlement of […]
Magazine: Trains Magazine
Weekly U.S. rail traffic again below 2021 levels
WASHINGTON — Overall U.S. rail traffic remained below levels of a year earlier for the week ending March 12, 2022, according to Association of American Railroads statistics. Weekly traffic included 496,134 carloads and intermodal unites, down 4.7% from the corresponding week in 2021. That included 232,388 carloads, a 0.9% increase, and 263,746 containers and trailers, […]
Traffic density data issue snags regulatory review of CP-KCS merger
WASHINGTON – Federal regulators have asked Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern to explain a discrepancy in the baseline traffic figures they use as part of their merger application. The railroads provided one set of traffic density data for the merger application itself and another set for the Surface Transportation Board’s environmental analysis. CP and […]
BNSF, J.B. Hunt to expand intermodal capacity
FORT WORTH, Tex. — Longtime partners BNSF Railway and J.B. Hunt today said they will significantly boost intermodal capacity in the next few years by adding containers, chassis, and well cars while expanding terminals and their capabilities. “Over the past few years, intermodal has been disrupted by increased demand and tight capacity, resulting in poor […]
Railroads and shippers argue over reciprocal switching proposal
WASHINGTON — Railroads and shipper groups squared off over a proposed reciprocal switching rule during a daylong Surface Transportation Board hearing on Tuesday, with railroads warning of dire operational consequences and sole-served shippers saying they needed relief from high rates and poor service. Federal regulators seemed sympathetic to shippers’ concerns but grappled with how they […]
Trains, May 2022
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Venice Simplon Orient Express journey: two Australian’s adventure
Join Jess and Stephen (or Stephen and Jess?!) for a full-review experience of the luxury Venice Simplon Orient Express journey by train from Venice, Italy, to London, U.K. The Australian family maintains a travel blog, Flying The Nest, where they detail their globe-trotting experiences, mostly out of a converted van. They’ve traveled throughout North America, […]
Carload Considerations: Oil’s sudden rise creates new demand, challenges for frac sand
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Texas Intermediate oil has eclipsed $100 a barrel in recent days, a substantial comeback from the record-low, negative-$37.00-per-barrel price during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in April 2020. Oil’s rally, driven by a recovering economy and exacerbated by the Russian-Ukraine War is pressuring U.S. oil companies to increase shale production. […]
BART to award eight retired cars for reuse
OAKLAND, Calif. — Bay Area Rapid Transit has selected eight finalists to receive and repurpose retired BART railcars for uses ranging from a beer garden to firefighter training. While those selected will not pay for the cars, they will have to pay for transporting and installing them at their new locations, which the transit agency estimates […]
Metro-North sets schedules for service increases
NEW YORK — Commuter railroad Metro-North has released schedules for increased service to begin March 27. The schedule includes the addition of 66 trains on the three East of Hudson lines, bringing frequencies to 89% of pre-pandemic levels and restoring express service at several stations. The schedules will see Hudson Line weekday service increase from 142 […]
Michigan court reinstates case of youth struck by train
WYANDOTTE, Mich. — The Michigan Court of Appeals has reinstated a lawsuit against the Grand Trunk Western Railroad involving a teen who was struck by a train in 2012. The Associated Press reports Jacob Marion, who was 14 at the time, was stuck by a train and severely injured while walking down the tracks while […]
President of Washington heritage rail operation resigns
CHEHALIS, Wash. — The president of the Chehalis-Central Railroad and Museum has resigned as the railroad deals with its shutdown because of a lack of insurance, saying in an email that the “organization is doomed to fail and I will not be a part of that failure.” The Centralia Chronicle reports that James Folk, who […]