WASHINGTON — The House of Representatives is set to vote Wednesday on an appropriations bill that would cut Amtrak funding by more than 60% and block federal support for the California high speed rail program. H.R. 4820, which funds the Department of Transportation and Department of Housing and Urban Development, includes in the budget for […]
Type of Train: Freight
Republicans push bill to limit Amtrak’s right of preference: Analysis
WASHINGTON — Legislation that aims to reverse Amtrak’s statutory right of preference over host railroad freight trains “within 50 miles of a port or rail yard” has been introduced by a U.S. Congressman representing a rural district without any passenger service. Among its co-sponsors is the head of the U.S. House subcommittee with jurisdiction over […]
Norfolk Southern to install more than a dozen high-tech train inspection portals by end of 2024
ATLANTA — Norfolk Southern will install more than a dozen digital train inspection portals across its network by the end of 2024 as part of its drive to improve safety. The first portal – developed by NS and the Georgia Tech Research Institution – was activated Sept. 25 on the Fort Wayne Line in Leetonia, […]
Norfolk Southern concludes removal of contaminated soil from East Palestine
EAST PALESTINE, Ohio — The last loads of contaminated soil have been removed from the site of February’s East Palestine derailment, according to local news reports. WKBN-TV reports the final excavation at the derailment site was completed Sunday evening. More than 175,000 tons of soil have been removed from the site, with Bob Scoble, Norfolk […]
Short line train derails in Oklahoma
RAMONA, Okla. — At least 10 cars were reported to have derailed on Sunday in an incident involving a South Kansas & Oklahoma train near Ramona. KWON Radio reports the derailment occurred shortly after noon, according to the Ramona Volunteer Fire Department, and that officials with Washington County Emergency Management say that County Road 3500 […]
CPKC asks federal regulators to settle dispute over Wisconsin bridge repair
WASHINGTON — Canadian Pacific Kansas City has asked federal regulators to wade into a dispute with Wisconsin officials regarding emergency repairs the railway made to a bridge over the Menomonee River in Milwaukee. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is threatening to sue CPKC for its 2017 bridge work, arguing that it was performed without […]
News & Products for the week of October 30th 2023
News & Products for the week of October 30th 2023 Model railroad operators and builders can get the latest information about locomotives, freight cars, passenger cars, tools, track, and more by reading Model Railroader’s frequent product updates. The following are the products Model Railroader editors have news on for the week of October 30th […]
Analysis: Norfolk Southern stands behind its long-term growth strategy despite Wall Street concerns over poor quarter
When Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw outlined the railroad’s long-term growth strategy in December, he couldn’t have been more clear: Keeping train crews on the payroll during freight downturns would hurt the operating ratio over the short term. But not furloughing crews would pay off over the long term by enabling NS to maintain service […]
Fort Lauderdale, county officials at odds over replacement for downtown rail drawbridge
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — The mayor of Fort Lauderdale and officials in Broward County are at odds over the best way to handle expanded rail operation by Brightline — and proposed future commuter rail service — across the New River in the middle of town. The South Florida Sun Sentinel reports Mayor Dean Trantalis wants […]
Attorneys General call for additions to federal proposal on hazardous-material information (corrected)
HARRISBURG, Pa. — Pennsylvania Attorney General Michelle Henry and 12 of her counterparts have indicated their support for a rule requiring railroads to make hazardous-material information available to first responders, and are calling for the rule to be expanded to strengthen aspects of its communications requirements. Henry said in a Friday press release that the […]
CPKC and CSX urge regulators to reject NS request for pause in review of Meridian & Bigbee transactions
WASHINGTON – Canadian Pacific Kansas City and CSX Transportation told the Surface Transportation Board today that there’s no reason to grant Norfolk Southern’s request for a delay in review of their proposals to create a new through route linking the Southeast and Mexico via Myrtlewood, Ala. Earlier this month CPKC and CSX filed separate applications […]
CN, CPKC say U.S.-bound container traffic has not returned since July strike at British Columbia ports
For more than a decade, British Columbia ports have won market share from U.S. West Coast ports for containers bound to Chicago and the Midwest — but that long-term trend has reversed in a matter of months due to the two-week dockworkers strike at Vancouver and Prince Rupert. The July strike prompted U.S. importers to […]