Regulators scold railroads over recovery plans, order improvements

WASHINGTON — The Surface Transportation Board, making clear its unhappiness with service recovery plans filed by the four largest U.S. Class I railroads, will require those railroads to correct deficiencies in service recovery plans submitted to the board, and to provide additional information on how they plan to improve service and communication with customers. At […]

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House subcommittee sets Tuesday hearing on rail safety

WASHINGTON — The House Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials will hold a hearing on freight rail safety on Tuesday, June 14. The hearing, announced by Rep. Peter Defazio (D-Ore.), chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and Rep. Donald M. Payne (D-N.J.), chair of the subcommittee, is set for 10 a.m. […]

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STB grants Amtrak access to NS, CSX data, orders mediation

WASHINGTON — The Surface Transportation Board will allow a limited number of Amtrak personnel access to raw train data used by CSX Transportation and Norfolk Southern so the passenger operator can run its own Rail Traffic Controller capacity modeling study. In a decision issued Friday, the STB also ordered board-sponsored mediation to address the differences […]

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Union Pacific joins RailPulse freight car location monitoring joint venture

OMAHA, Neb. – Union Pacific has joined the RailPulse joint venture that will provide customers with real-time location information for freight cars wherever they are on the North American rail network. UP becomes the second Class I railroad to participate in RailPulse, alongside founding member Norfolk Southern. The company’s other partners include shortline holding companies […]

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Railroads’ automotive carloads show signs of improvement: Analysis

CHARLESTON, W.VA. — Class I railroads are hauling more automotive carloads, a possible sign that the auto sector’s supply chain is improving. Association of American Railroads’ weekly carload report reveals in recent weeks that shipments of motor vehicles and parts are exceeding 2020 and 2021 weekly volumes. This could ease a multi-year carload deficit dragged […]

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U.S. rail traffic declines in May

WASHINGTON – U.S. rail traffic dipped 3.7% in May as both intermodal and carloads slumped compared to last year. U.S. railroads originated 928,742 carloads in May 2022, down 35,821 carloads from May 2021, the Association of American Railroads reported on June 1. U.S. railroads also originated 1,102,558 containers and trailers in May 2022, down 4.3%, […]

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CSX begins operating New England regional Pan Am Railways

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Pan Am Railways is now a fallen flag. The New England regional officially became part of CSX Transportation on Wednesday, six weeks after the Surface Transportation Board approved the acquisition. “We are excited to welcome Pan Am’s experienced railroaders into the CSX family and look forward to the improvements we will make […]

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NS gets final approval for double-stack clearance projects in Pittsburgh

PITTSBURGH — Norfolk Southern has received final approval for clearance projects that will allow double-track container traffic to move on one of its routes through Pittsburgh. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports the Pittsburgh City Council on Tuesday accepted the final portion of an agreement reached by a mediator in December 2019. That agreement will allow three […]

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