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Thursday afternoon rail news in brief: — Fiona Murray of Canadian National has been named as board chairperson for the Railway Association of Canada, becoming the first female to hold that position in the organization’s 103-year history. Murray, vice-president of public and government affairs at CN, joined the railroad in 1992. “As a career railroader, […]
Still more Wednesday rail news: — Canada’s Transportation Safety Board is seeking a better way to test train air brakes as a result of the 2019 derailment of a Canadian Pacific train near Field, B.C., that killed three crew members. The crewmen were killed when the train ran away on Kicking Horse Pass, derailing two […]
Saturday Canadian rail and coronavirus news: — Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau views aid for Canada’s ailing transit systems as a responsibility of local and provincial governments rather than the federal government, he said during a Friday press conference. “Operation of transit is more of a municipal and provincial responsibility, and we hope to see […]
VIA Rail Canada is extending the suspension of the Canadian until November 2020. Bob Johnston Thursday morning rail news: — VIA Rail Canada has written off the summer travel season for its long-distance overnight trains, the Canadian and the Ocean, extending their suspension until at least Nov. 1, 2020, and has suspended Sleeper class on […]
More Friday morning rail news: — Canadian National has filed suit against protesters in British Columbia who blockaded its tracks in February, seeking damages, a permanent injunction against blockades, and an enforcement order by police. The CBC reports that the suit against unnamed individuals who blocked its main line between Smithers and Terrace, B.C., on […]
More Wednesday morning rail news: — It would take more than $700 million to restore the former Esquimalt & Nanaimo Railway line on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, to operating condition suitable for a proposed commuter rail service, and another $600 million to launch such a service, according to a government report issued Tuesday. The Vancouver […]
Still more Thursday rail news: — The Toronto Transit Commission will lay off 1,000 streetcar, subway, and bus operators as a result of falling revenue because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Some 200 non-union employees will also be cut, while salary increases will be put on hold, overtime will be reduced, and non-essential capital projects will […]
Saturday morning rail news: — New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority is seeking another $3.9 billion in federal aid to offset losses caused by the coronavirus pandemic. The MTA received $4 billion as part of the coronavirus relief act passed in March, but Newsday reports that MTA chairman Patrick Foye says the agency’s original estimates of […]
Thursday afternoon rail news: — In the latest in a series of efforts to stop construction of a high speed rail line between Dallas and Houton, a group of Texas state legislators have written the U.S. Department of Transportation, asking it to halt work on the Texas Central Railway project. The Bryan-College Station Eagle reports […]
More Thursday morning rail news: — The operator of the Ottawa, Ontario, light rail Confederation Line has outlined a plan to fix a length list of problems with the 7-month-old transit operation, but he city’s director of rail operations says the plan doesn’t meet the city requirements and does not include a timeline for fixing […]
A Sounder South commuter train arrives in Tacoma, Wash., in June 2018. Sound Transit will further reduce Sounder South service as of Wednesday. TRAINS: David Lassen Tuesday morning virus-related rail news: — Sound Transit has halted almost all construction because of the COVID-19 outbreak, stalling work on three light rail expansion projects. The Seattle Times […]
Canada’s Minister of Transport, Marc Garneau, has announced new orders restricting speeds of trains transporting hazardous materials, and updating rules regarding track safety and inspections. The first of the three ministerial orders issued Friday replaces temporary rules issued on Feb. 6 in response to a Canadian Pacific derailment and fire [see “Canadian government orders speed […]
