Thursday morning rail news: New website, study support second Transbay crossing for BART, Amtrak Bay Area Rapid Transit and the Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority have launched a new website outlining the proposal for a new Transbay rail crossing between Oakland, Calif., and San Francisco, at the same time a new report has been released on the […]
Digest: MTA survey finds near-total mask compliance
More Thursday morning rail news: MTA survey finds 97% compliance with mask rule on subways New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority says 97% of subway passengers were complying with the agency’s mask order during a survey conducted Jan. 11-22, while 99% of those on buses were complying during a survey Jan. 4-8. The figures were released […]
Digest: San Diego transit agency to increase trespassing enforcement
More Thursday morning rail news: Preparing for new, quieter locomotives, North County Transit District to step up trespassing enforcement The San Diego-area North County Transit District will significantly trespassing education and enforcement along its rail line between San Diego and Oceanside beginning Feb. 1 as a prelude to placing five new Siemens Charger locomotives into […]
Canadian Pacific reports record quarter and year, expects continued volume growth
CALGARY, Alberta — Canadian Pacific reported record fourth-quarter and full-year financial results on Wednesday alongside record operating and safety performance. “We had a phenomenal, exceptional 2020 set us up for an exceptional ’21, and we certainly expect to overachieve,” CEO Keith Creel told investors and analysts on the railway’s earnings call. CP expects to see […]
Norfolk Southern aims to further boost train length as volume rebounds
NORFOLK, Va. — After idling the humps at six yards over the past two years under its shift to a Precision Scheduled Railroading operating model, Norfolk Southern now is turning its focus to further boosting train length. The changes aim to help NS close the operating ratio gap with the rest of the industry by reducing […]
Digest: CP derailment knocks out power to Field, B.C.
More Wednesday morning rail news: CP derailment knocks out power in Field, B.C. The community of Field, B.C., was at risk of running out of electricity Tuesday night after a Canadian Pacific grain train derailed earlier in the day, knocking out power. The CBC reports the train derailed about 1:40 a.m., taking out a power line. CP […]
Norfolk Southern has positive outlook for 2021 as intermodal, merchandise momentum builds
NORFOLK, Va. — With intermodal and some merchandise volume turning positive in the fourth quarter, Norfolk Southern expects continued traffic growth this year as the economy recovers from the pandemic. NS expects revenue growth of about 9% this year, led by high single-digit growth in intermodal and merchandise volume excluding energy-related traffic. Coal volume will […]
Digest: Failure to secure cars, ice led to CN yard death, TSB of Canada says
Wednesday morning rail news: Transportation Safety Board of Canada issues report on 2018 CN yard death Failure to fully secure two unattended cars and ice contamination of those cars’ brakes led to a fatal accident in 2018 at Canadian National’s yard in Edmundston, New Brunswick, the Transportation Safety Board of Canada says in a report issued […]
Analysis: Amtrak CEO Flynn sets company priorities for legislation
WASHINGTON —Amtrak CEO William Flynn has outlined his company’s “top five priorities that we ask Congress to address” in a letter sent to legislators last week. The letter, released by Amtrak, says those priorities are: — Emergency funding: $1.541 billion of COVID relief this year “to sustain and restore operations and recall employees” through September 30 […]
Short line Winchester & Western grows through pandemic under OmniTRAX ownership
MARTINSBURG, W.Va. — Winchester & Western, the 100-mile short line with trackage in Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, and New Jersey, was able to grow last year despite the pandemic. Traffic on the railroad, which short line holding company OmniTRAX acquired in September 2019, was up a shade over 9% last year. That was below railroad […]
News Photo: Amtrak anniversary engine
P42DC No. 46 leads the westbound Capitol Limited out of Toledo on Jan. 21, displaying markings commemorating Amtrak’s 50th anniversary, which arrives in May. The locomotive was reportedly going to lead an Inauguration special for Joe Biden, the 46th president, but that was cancelled for security reasons following the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol. This edition […]
CN sees return to growth in 2021, with grain and intermodal leading the way
MONTREAL — After increasing momentum in the fourth quarter, Canadian National today expressed optimism for volume recovery in 2021 as intermodal, grain, and some carload segments are seeing strong growth. CN expects volume to grow by around 5% in 2021 amid record Canadian grain tonnage, demand for lumber and propane, and international and domestic intermodal gains […]