LOWER SAUCON TOWNSHIP, Pa. — The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating a derailment involving three Norfolk Southern trains that occurred today (Saturday, March 2) near Allentown, Pa., the safety agency said on social media site X. The incident sent two locomotives partially into the adjacent Lehigh River; NS reported diesel fuel and a small […]
Type of Train: Freight
BNSF train derails in Nebraska after grade-crossing collision
EXETER, Neb. — One crew member was transported to a hospital with minor injuries after a BNSF intermodal train struck a semi-truck and derailed today (Friday, March 1) near Exeter, Neb., KOLN-TV reports. Fifteen to 20 railcars derailed, according to the Fillmore County Sheriff’s Office. The collision occurred about 10 a.m. , just west of […]
GIO Railway ends service to St. Catharines, Ontario
ST. CATHARINES, Ontario — The GIO Railway ended service to downtown St. Catherines today (Friday, March 1), effectively removing the north end of GIO’s Niagara network from service and halting nearly 150 years of rail service to the city’s downtown. GIO’s final train operated over two days because of mechanical issues, beginning its trip on […]
UP and BNSF shop worker layoffs prompt scrutiny from FRA and union leaders
WASHINGTON — The head of the Federal Railroad Administration has questioned Union Pacific’s commitment to safety after the furloughs of shop workers who maintain the railroad’s freight cars and locomotives. Meanwhile, the Transportation Trades Department of the AFL-CIO has asked the FRA to conduct random focused inspections at BNSF Railway in the wake of the […]
Activist investor questions NS decision to give CEO Alan Shaw a 37% raise (updated)
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 […]
Shipper groups sound alarm over Norfolk Southern proxy fight
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 […]
STB chairman rips activist investors for threatening viability of railroad industry
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 […]
Amid proxy battle, Norfolk Southern CEO defends railroad’s strategy and notes support from customers, regulators, and rail labor
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 […]
Norfolk Southern, RapidSOS introduce new digital incident information system for first responders
NEW YORK — Norfolk Southern and RapidSOS, which provides secure data information to first responders, have unveiled a rail safety system to increase availability of critical information at significant incidents. The collaborative effort announced today will be free to public safety agencies across the U.S. It will provide access to cargo and hazardous material information, […]
Union Pacific expands international intermodal offerings from Port Houston
OMAHA, Neb. — Union Pacific has added Dallas and Phoenix to the lanes it is serving with on-dock international intermodal service from Houston. “In cooperation with Port Houston, ocean carriers and Beneficial Cargo Owners (BCO) have access to rail service between Barbours Cut Container Terminal at Port Houston and 11 key Union Pacific-served markets. The […]
Regulators accept CN-Iowa Northern merger application, set review timeline
WASHINGTON — The Surface Transportation Board today accepted Canadian National’s application to acquire short line Iowa Northern Railway, said the $230 million deal qualifies as a minor transaction, and set a schedule for a review of the merger. The STB must approve minor transactions unless it finds a merger would harm competition. CN says acquisition […]
New Orleans Public Belt awards contract for new transload facility
NEW ORLEANS — The New Orleans Public Belt Railroad’s board of commissioners has awarded a $2.2 million contract for construction of a new transload facility. The contract was awarded on Tuesday to Cycle Construction Co. LLC for construction of the NOPB Transloading Industrial Park in New Orleans East. The $3 million project will be funded […]