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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CP shareholders back Kansas City Southern merger

Red, yellow, and black locomotive at grade crossing

CALGARY, Alberta — Canadian Pacific shareholders today overwhelmingly approved the railway’s proposed merger with Kansas City Southern. KCS shareholders will vote on the $31 billion deal on Friday. Some 99.9% of CP’s investors voted in favor of the issuance of 277 million CP common shares to Kansas City Southern’s common stockholders. CP shareholders also approved […]

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MBTA staffing shortages lead to trolley, bus service cuts

Yellow and white streetcar at station

BOSTON — The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority will cut service on its Mattapan trolley line, as well more than 30 bus routes, because of an operator shortage. Boston.com reports the agency announced Tuesday that the cuts will be effective Dec. 19. Employee attrition has outstripped the ability to find new employees, officials say, leading to […]

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Analysis: Infrastructure gets scaled back in coal country

Rail line at curve with only ties remaining from a removed siding.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Seldom-used rail sidings and excess segments of double track are under review in coal country as CSX Transportation assesses its needs to handle coal traffic. In the past few months, the railroad’s engineering forces have taken a close look at infrastructure in the central Appalachian coalfields served by its former Chesapeake & […]

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Rail unions seek to block BNSF, Metra vaccine mandates

Logos for BLET, SMART-TD unions

CLEVELAND — Two major rail unions are seeking preliminary injunctions against BNSF Railway and Chicago’s Metra to block vaccination mandates and require negotiations over the issue. The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen and the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail, and Transportation Workers (SMART-TD) announced the filings Dec. 3. In a joint statement, […]

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Canadian National, CSX named to environmental ‘A List’ (updated)

CDP logo

LONDON — Canadian National and CSX Corporation are among 200 companies worldwide to earn spots on the “A List” of global non-profit CDP, which describes its self as running a disclosure system allowing investors, companies, cities, states, and regions to manage their environmental impacts. Nearly 12,000 companies were scored, based on data reported through CDP’s […]

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Hasselman, former Conrail executive, dies at 95 (updated)

Black and white photo of man in coat and tie

Throughout much of its 23-year history as a Class I trunk carrier, Conrail made steady, some might even say historic, progress toward becoming the model of a profitable, efficient, customer-oriented railroad. Much of the credit for that transformation must go to Richard B. “Dick” Hasselman, former senior vice president-operations for the company’s first 13 years. […]

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CP train derails in Alberta

Derailed train cars visible across field

ENSIGN, Alberta — No injuries were reported when 39 cars of a Canadian Pacific train derailed early Monday morning near the community of Ensign. Global News reports the accident occurred about 1:35 a.m., according to the railroad. The Vulcan County, Alta., website reported that some cars involved carried residual amounts of anhydrous ammonia or liquid […]

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Caltrain electrification cost increases, but remains on schedule

Diesel power commuter train under overhead wire

SAN CARLOS, Calif. — Electrification of Caltrain’s line between San Francisco and San Jose, Calif. Is now estimated to cost $2.44 billion, some $462 million over the initial estimate and $129 million more than a Federal Transit Administration estimate from earlier this year, the commuter operator said in a news release. The 47-mile electrification project, […]

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Army Transportation Museum to host holiday train rides

JOINT BASE LANGLEY-EUSTIS, Va. — The U.S. Army Transportation Museum will host “Operation Sgt. Santa,” a holiday train ride around the Fort Eustis railroad for Department of Defense ID cardholders, this Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 11-12. Trains will depart hourly from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. each day, with each trip lasting approximately 45 minutes. […]

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Union Pacific targets net-zero emissions by 2050

Train with yellow locomotives, with visible exhaust

OMAHA, Neb. — Union Pacific aims to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 and is more than halfway toward its goal of reducing emissions 26% by 2030 compared to 2018 levels, the railroad said today while unveiling its climate action plan. UP reduced emissions by 20% from 2018 to 2020 thanks to a combination […]

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