Amtrak has released information on the measurements it will use to determine restoration of long-distance service after the service is cut to triweekly, which is currently planned for Oct. 1. The three metrics to be used are: — Public health: COVID-19 hospitalizations must be stable or declining as of Feb. 15, 2021. — Future demand: […]
Digest: High winds cause BNSF derailment in Oklahoma
More Tuesday morning rail news: Winds derail BNSF train in Oklahoma High winds derailed a BNSF Railway train near Gage, Okla., on Monday night. The community’s fire chief estimated as many as 25 cars were derailed by winds up to 70 mph, according to KWTV News in Oklahoma City. The train included three cars of […]
Digest: Maryland set to take over management of Purple Line construction
Monday morning rail news: Maryland set to take over Purple Line construction The state of Maryland will take over management of the troubled Purple Line light rail construction project if the current public-private partnership is dissolved, state transit officials said last week in a letter to subcontractors. The consortium that has been managing the project […]
Digest: Errors halt construction on bridge for California high speed project
Monday afternoon rail news: Work on bridge for high speed rail project stopped by errors Construction errors, along with possible design problems, have halted work on a major bridge for California’s high speed rail project in Central California, the Los Angeles Times reports. The bridge in Madera County, north of the town of Madera, will […]
Ben Anthony, a GE ‘Man of Erie,’ dies
ERIE, Pa. – General Electric engineer Benjamin F. Anthony Jr., age 92, died Aug. 4, 2020. He started his railroad career as a crew “call boy” in the summer of 1945 at a Pennsylvania Railroad enginehouse in Cleveland, Ohio. His railroad career included time as a signalman helper and brakeman on the Nickel Pate Road, […]
Digest: Brightline ends marketing agreement with Virgin Group
Saturday morning rail news: Brightline severs ties with Virgin, will retain current name, image Florida passenger operator Brightline says it has ended its agreement with Richard Branson’s Virgin Enterprises and will retain its Brightline name and image, although Virgin may challenge termination of the two companies’ licensing agreement. Forbes reports that Brightline reported the move […]
STB defers decision in Metra-Union Pacific dispute
CHICAGO – The Surface Transportation Board is declining to intervene in an ongoing dispute between Metra and Union Pacific – for now. In a decision published Wednesday, the STB is holding a decision on its jurisdiction in abeyance and has directed both parties to inform the agency of any rulings issued by the federal district […]
Canadian Pacific touts ‘generational growth opportunity’ in New Brunswick
CALGARY, Alberta – Canadian Pacific reaffirmed its commitment to grow traffic at the Port of Saint John and stimulate economic growth and investment in New Brunswick at a meeting with Premier Blaine Higgs on Thursday. With its purchase of the Central Maine & Quebec Railway, CP makes its return to Atlantic Canada with an exceptional […]
BNSF forges ahead with capacity expansion projects despite downturn
FORT WORTH, Texas – BNSF Railway takes a long-term view and will continue to invest in maintaining and expanding its network every year even during economic downturns, Chief Operating Officer Katie Farmer says. “As our volume fluctuates, our job is basically to match our resources with that demand,” Farmer says, in terms of the railroad’s […]
Union Pacific expects to reopen burned Arizona bridge end of next week
TEMPE, Ariz. – Union Pacific expects to reopen the derailment-damaged bridge, and thus its line to Phoenix, “late next week,” the railroad has told customers in a service update. “Our Engineering and Operating teams have been working around the clock. All debris and damaged rail equipment have been removed and repairs to the bridge are […]
Making the case for daily operation
Second in a series NEW ORLEANS – Centralized decision-making dominated Amtrak’s management philosophy both before and after Tom Downs’ stint as president between 1993 and 1998, but his belief that service, revenue, and expense managing choices had to be made close to the customer fueled the return to daily frequencies. To rectify the situation Downs […]
BNSF catches up with Southern California intermodal traffic surge
FORT WORTH, Texas – BNSF Railway is now able to handle a surge in domestic intermodal volume in Southern California that caught the entire supply chain by surprise starting in late June. “At BNSF we really saw our demand pick up about 30% in some of our key hubs – at Hobart in Southern California, […]