Broken coupler led to CP yard derailment, TSB report finds

Aerial photo of derailment, with notations identifying each car

CALGARY, Alberta — A coupler failure led to a string of cars rolling uncontrolled in a Canadian Pacific yard in Calgary and hitting a group of stationary cars, causing a 22-car derailment, the Transportation Safety Board of Canada determined in its investigation of the January 2019 incident. According to the TSB’s summary of the incident, […]

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Canadian government to provide $1.3 billion for SkyTrain extension

Rapid transit train stops at station

VANCOUVER, British Columbia — Canada’s federal government will provide $C1.3 billion in funding toward extension of the SkyTrain Expo Line from Surrey to Langley, B.C., Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced during a Friday visit to Surrey. The Vancouver Sun reports the federal funding represents 40% of the 9.9-mile extension, which will include eight new stations […]

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Norfolk Southern furloughs 86 at Altoona locomotive shops

Norfolk Southern logo

ALTOONA, Pa. — Norfolk Southern furloughed 86 workers at its Juaniata Locomotive Shop in Altoona on Friday, while eliminating another 14 jobs through attrition, the Altoona Mirror reports. The moves leave the shop with approximately 400 workers. Workers learned of the layoffs Friday morning when they arrived for their shift and were prohibited from entering […]

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Chairman of Honolulu transit agency board suddenly resigns

Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation logo

HONOLULU, Hawaii — The Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation’s board chairman has resigned suddenly, two years before the end of his term. Honolulu Civil Beat reports Toby Martyn resigned Friday, with HART saying the move was for personal reasons, and that Martyn refused to discuss the move when reached by phone. Martyn joined the board […]

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Oregon excursion operator to add steam locomotive

Logo for Santiam Excursion Trains

LEBANON, Ore. — Santiam Excursion Trains, which operates on the Albany & Eastern Railroad in Oregon’s Willamette Valley, has announced it will begin operating with a steam locomotive this fall. Coming to the tourist operation will be Santa Maria Valley No. 205, a 2-6-2 built by Baldwin in 1924. Retired and placed on display in […]

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Biden executive order prods STB to examine rail access, competition

Surface Transportation Board logo

WASHINGTON – President Joe Biden signed an executive order Friday afternoon that encourages the Surface Transportation Board to adopt rail regulatory reforms that shippers have long sought to promote competition. Among the potential changes sure to rile freight railroads: Rules that would permit reciprocal switching for captive shippers and removal of so-called bottleneck restrictions that […]

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Canadian government stops train operations through area of B.C. fire

Transport Canada logo

OTTAWA, Ontario — The Canadian government has shut down Canadian National and Canadian Pacific operations through the area hit by a wildfire that devastated the town of Lytton, British Columbia. An order issued by Transportation Minister Omar Alghabra, effective as of 12:01 a.m. PDT today, required both railroads to halt train movements except for emergency […]

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Judge again blocks closure of UP car shop in Palestine, Texas

Union Pacific logo with Building America slogan

PALESTINE, Texas — A Texas judge has again ruled that Union Pacific must continue employment of workers at its Palestine, Texas, car shop, which the railroad had planned to close last month. The Palestine Herald-Press reports Judge Michael Davis of the 369th Judicial District Court in Rusk, Texas, must continue to observe a 1955 judgment […]

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Kansas City Southern discloses other merger suitors

Logos for Canadian National, Canadian Pacific, and Kansas City Southern

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kansas City Southern was indeed the pretty girl at the dance. KCS was pursued by at least two other suitors besides Canadian Pacific and Canadian National – including an unnamed Class I system that was interested in acquiring only part of the cross-border railroad — during the lengthy process leading to […]

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