Explosion damages CSX coal facility in Baltimore

Smoke rising from coal facility

BALTIMORE — No injuries have been reported after an explosion Thursday morning at a CSX coal silo in South Baltimore’s Curtis Bay. The facility sustained significant damage after the blast that residents reported feeling miles away. The explosion occurred about 11:30 a.m. The Baltimore Sun reports the explosion occurred on a conveyer belt and resulted […]

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DC Metrorail 7000-series cars again removed from service

WMATA (DC Metro) logo

WASHINGTON — The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority has again been ordered to remove Metrorail’s 7000-series railcars from service, after only a few had been restored to operation. The website DCist reports the independent Washington Metrorail Safety Commission ordered the cars to be sidelined after it found five cars that did not meet the inspection […]

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Metra plans significant hiring push in January

Electric commuter train arrives at station

CHICAGO — Commuter rail agency Metra says it is planning a “major hiring effort” in January in anticipation of schedule changes during the first quarter of 2022 as more workers return to downtown offices. Jobs to be posted will fill a variety of positions that have been left open during reduced pandemic operations, as well […]

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U.S. rail traffic sees slow week

Weekly table showing carload rail traffic by commodity, plus intermodal traffic

WASHINGTON — In a week when overall traffic dropped because of the Christmas holiday, U.S. railroads saw intermodal traffic approach 2020 levels for the first time in months. The latest statistics from the Association of American Railroads, for the week ending Dec. 25, U.S. rail traffic totaled 201,222 carloads — up 8.7% over the same […]

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Trains Magazine, Kalmbach Media to begin New Year’s holiday

Trains Magazine logo

WAUKESHA, Wis. — Trains, Trains.com, and the rest of Kalmbach Media will begin an extended New Year’s break at the close of normal business hours today (Wednesday, Dec. 29). Our offices will reopen on Monday, Jan. 3. Trains News Wire will continue featuring Trains’ Top 10 stories of 2021 through Dec. 31; otherwise, expect limited […]

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News Wire Top 10, No. 3: A snarled supply chain

Yellow locomotives moving double-stack cars with container crains in background

Pandemic-related economic upheaval tangled the global supply chain in 2021, leading to unprecedented congestion at ports and intermodal terminals. At the onset of the pandemic, imports were reduced to a trickle because Chinese factories shut down. American consumers shifted their spending from experiences to goods, which increased demand and depleted retail inventories to historically low […]

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Canadian Pacific extends contract with retailer Canadian Tire

Canadian Pacific Railway beaver logo

CALGARY — Canadian Pacific and Canadian Tire Corp Ltd. have signed a multi-year agreement for the railroad to continue moving the retailer’s goods in Canada. As part of the agreement, and to support Canadian Tires’ desire for efficient transportation and to reduce carbon emissions, CP will begin serving Ashcroft Terminal in Ashcroft, British Columbia. This […]

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STB sets details for hearing on reciprocal switching

Surface Transportation Board logo

WASHINGTON — The Surface Transportation Board has released details on its previously announced hearing on proposed reciprocal switching regulations, to be held March 15-16. The hearing will begin at 9:30 a.m. each day at the board’s headquarters in Washington, and will be streamed online on the board website. The board will announce no later than […]

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