Intermodal issues continue for railroads in October

Table showing weekly rail traffic by commodity with intermodal volume

WASHINGTON — Intermodal issues continued to weigh on U.S. rail volume in October, as a 7.9% drop in intermodal traffic led to an overall decline of 2.8%, according to the latest figures from the Association of American Railroads. The overall drop came despite a 3.8% increase in carload volume. “For railroads, the supply chain challenges […]

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White River Junction

Steam and diesel locomotives with trains in curved yard

White River Junction A steam-powered, heavyweight passenger train passes freight JS4 departing the Boston & Maine’s White River Junction, Vt., yard with an A-B set of F units in 1947. Philip R. Hastings photo […]

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CN, Progress Rail to work together on renewable fuels testing

Canadian National logo

MONTREAL — Canadian National and Progress Rail are joining with a renewable fuels company to test biodiesel and renewable diesel fuels in locomotives. The companies have announced they will work with Renewable Energy Group to better understand the long-term impacts of renewable fuels on locomotives, especially in cold weather, and determine any modifications necessary to […]

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STB allows Minnesota shipper’s complaint against Union Pacific to proceed

Surface Transportation Board logo

WASHINGTON — The Surface Transportation Board will allow a Minnesota company to proceed with its complaint against Union Pacific that alleges service reductions by the railroad violate UP’s common carrier obligation and constitute unreasonable practices. In a decision issued Tuesday, the board granted a request by Sanimax USA to partially revoke commodity exemptions and allow […]

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O’Hare peoplemover system set to resume operation

Blue peoplemover train with white ORD lettering

CHICAGO — A long-delayed peoplemover rail system at O’Hare Airport is set to begin operation today (Nov. 3, 2021), almost three years late and four years after a predecessor system shut down. The Chicago Sun-Times reports the new system will be able to carry 4,800 riders per hour, almost twice the number of the previous […]

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Train 447

Three diesel locomotives in yard

Train 477 Train 477 out of Chicago holds the westward main track at Butler, Chicago & North Western’s principal Milwaukee-area yard and site of the Wisconsin Division headquarters, in spring 1984. Chris Burger photo […]

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STB issues proposed schedule for CP-KCS merger proceeding

Surface Transportation Board logo

WASHINGTON — The Surface Transportation Board has laid out a 245-day schedule for submission of evidence and arguments on the merger application for Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern under a proposal released Tuesday afternoon — envisioning a longer process than the railroads had hoped for. The 245-day plan would proceed from last Friday, Oct. […]

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CP and KCS project dramatic rise in daily train counts

Map of Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern systems with details from merger document

WASHINGTON – Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern say their proposed merger will generate significant traffic growth, with daily train counts on the combined system’s north-south spine projected to more than double within three years. The traffic details were among those included in the railways’ 4,342-page, 1-gigabyte merger application filed with U.S. regulators late Friday. […]

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Dad was a closet railfan

Black-and-white photo of front end of steam locomotive emerging from enginehouse doorway

My father was a closet railfan. He didn’t hang around the tracks or take pictures of trains. On the other hand, he was always more than happy to take us kids to almost any railroad yard or station if we asked. And he never told us to stay away from the tracks, perhaps swayed by […]

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