Wednesday morning rail news: — The California High Speed Rail Authority has reached agreement with LA Metro on a preliminary funding plan for the Link Union Station project, which will make the landmark facility a through station for passenger trains rather than the current stub-end terminal. The memorandum of understanding reached on Tuesday to secure […]
Section: News & Reviews
Canadian Pacific posts strong quarter but lowers outlook amid pandemic NEWSWIRE
Canadian Pacific’s earnings presentation included a photo of this sign Ontario residents placed along the railway’s right of way during the pandemic. Canadian Pacific CALGARY, Alberta — Strong traffic growth propelled Canadian Pacific to record revenue and its lowest first-quarter operating ratio ever. But CP lowered its outlook for the year due to the economic […]
Coal slump, pandemic contribute to CSX earnings decline NEWSWIRE
CSX GP40-2 No. 6498 leads a train eastbound at Vale on the Union Pacific in River Forest, Ill., in November 2019. CSX has cut its locomotive fleet in half in the last three years. TRAINS: David Lassen JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — CSX Transportation on Wednesday reported lower quarterly revenue and earnings as coal volume sank and […]
Former CP chairman, CEO Ian Scott dies NEWSWIRE
MONTREAL – Ian Barry Scott, former Chairman and CEO of Canadian Pacific Railway, died in Montreal April 17. He was 90. Born Feb. 2, 1930, Scott had a 45-year career with CP, culminating in being named chairman and CEO in 1985. He retired on Feb. 28, 1995, and was succeeded by Robert J. Ritchie. In retirement […]
InnoTrans trade show postponed NEWSWIRE
More Wednesday morning rail news: — InnoTrans, the massive international rail trade fair held every other year in Berlin, has postponed its 2020 edition, which had been set for Sept. 22-25. The decision follows a decree on Tuesday by the Berlin Senate banning events with more than 5,000 people before Oct. 24 because of the […]
Crash in oil prices could mean Canadian Pacific crude-by-rail traffic falls to zero NEWSWIRE
An empty Canadian Pacific oil train arrives at Bensenville Yard in suburban Chicago on March 8, 2020. CP could see crude by rail traffic drop to zero in light of the crash in oil prices. TRAINS: David Lassen CALGARY, Alberta — Canadian Pacific is bracing for the possibility that crude by rail volumes could drop to […]
Midwest Association of Rail Shippers cancels summer meeting NEWSWIRE
LAKE GENEVA, Wis. — The Midwest Association of Rail Shippers has cancelled its summer meeting, which had been scheduled for July 20-21 at Lake Geneva. “This was not an easy decision,” MARS president Stefan Loeb said in a message to association members. “We understand our members enjoy and appreciate the education and networking opportunities the […]
UP announces pay cuts for executives, unpaid time off for employees NEWSWIRE
OMAHA, Neb. — Union Pacific executives, including the board of directors, will take a 25% pay cut and non-union employees will be required to take one week per month of unpaid leave as the railroad deals with the financial impact of the COVID-19 virus. Both moves are effective May through August. “I recognize this is […]
Vancouver’s TransLink cuts service, staff, executive salaries NEWSWIRE
Tuesday morning rail news: — Vancouver, British Columbia, transit agency Translink is laying off 1,500 workers, cutting executive pay and reducing services as it attempts to deal with losses of $2.5 million a day because of the coronavirus pandemic. Executives and members of the board of directors will take 10% pay cuts, the Vancouver Sun […]
Wilmington, N.C., to vote on engineering contract for CSX line relocation NEWSWIRE
More Tuesday morning rail news: — The Wilmington, N.C., City Council is scheduled to vote today on a $2.5 million contract for engineering work on a plan to relocate a CSX Transportation rail line out of the city and turn the existing right-of-way into a light rail system, a concept which could cost $1 billion. […]
Review: Accucraft’s ‘Sabrina’ British outline 0-4-0t live steam locomotive
A right-front angled view of Accucraft’s Sabrina locomotive. Garden Railways file photo A version of this article appears in the Summer 2020 issue. Sabrina is one of a pair of new freelance live-steam locomotives from Accucraft. Our review sample is painted an attractive dark-green. The British-style engines are built to 1:19 scale (16mm to the […]
Book review: ’50 Beautiful Deer-Resistant Plants’
50 Beautiful Deer-Resistant Plants Garden Railways file image Was Elmer Fudd, Looney Tunes’ little rifle-toting hunter of Bugs Bunny fame, justified in shooting at Bugs Bunny? Remember how the “waskily wabbit” tunneled under Elmer’s garden yanking down one juicy carrot after another? In cartoons, we cheer for the bunny, but what if he had […]