WASHINGTON — CSX Transportation executives touted their proposed acquisition of Pan Am Railways during a daylong Surface Transportation Board hearing Thursday, saying their deal to acquire the New England regional will significantly improve freight and passenger service. But board members questioned several aspects of the merger, including concerns surrounding the Pan Am Southern and CSX’s projections […]
OXNARD, Calif. — Two Sierra Northern genset locomotives near Oxnard, Calif., on Wednesday, Jan. 12, en route to their new home on the former Southern Pacific branch line that is now the Sierra Northern Ventura Division. The former Union Pacific locomotives were delivered dead-in-train by a Union Pacific local and were expected to be turned […]
MOUNT VERNON, N.Y. — Two bridges over the Metro-North Railroad in Mount Vernon have failed inspections, resulting in vehicles being banned from one of the structures. The problem comes after the fourth of four rebuilt bridges in the community was reopened last year. A Jan. 9 inspection of the Fulton Avenue Bridge “uncovered serious issues […]
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. — A federal appeals court has struck down a state law prohibiting railroads from blocking grade crossings for more than 10 minutes, the latest state effort to run afoul of the federal government’s authority to regulate rail carriers. The Oklahoman newspaper reports that the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled earlier […]
WASHINGTON — DC Metrorail’s 7000-series cars will remain sidelined for at least 90 days as experts seek the root cause of a problem with wheelsets that has kept the Kawasaki-built rapid transit equipment out of service since October. The website DCist reports Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority General Manager Paul Wiedefeld provided the update on […]
ATLANTA — By a narrow margin, riders have chosen a “minimalist” design as the exterior scheme for new railcars, the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority announced. CEO Jeffrey Parker announced the choice during this week’s “State of MARTA” event. In month-long voting, the narrow three-color band received 2,193 votes, edging the “Flowing Ribbons” design, with […]
WASHINGTON — NJ Transit will receive $1.6 billion in federal funding under the American Rescue Plan signed into law in spring 2021, U.S. Sens. Bob Menendez and Cory Booker (both D-N.J.) announced. The money will allow the transit agency to keep workers on the payroll and maintain bus and rail service. “I’m proud to have […]
LOMBARD, Ill. — Ian Jefferies, CEO of the Association of American Railroads, says he isn’t concerned by idea of a “dynamic” regulatory group at the U.S. Surface Transportation board. “The [STB] chairman, Marty Oberman, has made it clear that he has a new hearing room, and he wants to use it, and he likes open […]
CLEVELAND — Members of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen and the Transportation Division of the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail, and Transportation union, who work for the BNSF Railway, initiated steps to go on strike following the railroad’s announcement of its so-called “Hi-Viz” attendance policy. Collectively, the unions represent more than […]
WASHINGTON – BNSF Railway and Norfolk Southern may both seek trackage rights over Kansas City Southern routes in order to preserve competition as part of the proposed Canadian Pacific-KCS merger. The railroads disclosed their intentions in regulatory filings posted today on the Surface Transportation Board website. The board’s deadline for such responsive applications is Feb. […]
MONTREAL – Canadian National wants to acquire Kansas City Southern’s line linking Springfield, Ill., with Kansas City, Mo., and East St. Louis, Ill. CN today said it would ask the Surface Transportation Board to condition approval of the Canadian Pacific-Kansas City Southern merger on divestiture of KCS’s Springfield Line. CN promises to spend at least $250 […]
WASHINGTON – CSX Transportation agreed to Amtrak’s conditions regarding passenger service in New England on Wednesday, in advance of the start of a scheduled public hearing on CSX’s proposed acquisition of Pan Am Railways. Amtrak on Jan. 3 said it would oppose the CSX-Pan Am deal unless the Surface Transportation Board imposed seven conditions on […]
