Part one of your rail news roundup for Thursday:
— Two CSX employees have been hospitalized after a CSX train derailed and caught fire this morning near Elkhorn City, Ky. WYMT-TV reports the train was carrying ethanol. CSX reports this afternoon that the train consisted of three locomotives, 96 loaded ethanol cars and two cars of sand, with four ethanol cars and one sand car derailing. The railroad also says that emergency responders determined an evacuation was not necessary, contrary to an earlier report. The crew members are reported to be safe but were hospitalized for observation. CSX says it is deploying environmental monitoring to minimize impacts of the accident.
— VIA Rail Canada has extended its cancellation of service between Toronto and Montreal and Toronto and Ottawa through at least Friday. The passenger carrier says it will need at least 36 hours to resume service after the blockade of its route through Belleville, Ontario, ends, CTV reports. The blockade of the Canadian National Railway line, part of a protest over a pipeline in British Columbia, has entered its second week.
— Business groups and the Canadian government expressed increasing concern over the ongoing blockades, saying they are beginning to take a toll on the Canadian economy, Bloomberg reports. Oil refiners and grain producers are among those speaking against the disruptions to rail service, while the Canadian Chamber of Commerce said it is “deeply concerned about the damage to the Canadian economy.”
— The Metropolitan Council, which oversees transit in Minneapolis-St. Paul, says it will spend $1.8 million in police overtime this year to address safety concerns on bus and light rail lines, the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports. The system saw a significant increase in crime last year, and two Metro Transit operators said in recent testimony before a legislative committee that they fear for their safety while at work.
Blockades = What is the matter with US Canadians.The houdlums seem to the power to do this because of their penalty to blockade is meaningless. Is this who the bill of rights protects ? Put them ion jail and throw the key away !
Uhh, Sammy. Read the article. A slide caused the derailment and diesel from the engine was on fire,not ethonal
I don’t like the new format either
NTSB is going to investigate the CSX derailment. Makes sense. Even though it is a different company, this is the third crude oil derailment here in like 3 months in North America. I am glad the NTSB is going to investigate this.
Yes John St John spelled John Stjohn by Trains not me.
Maybe they have drank the PSR koolaid …. cut service until the customer goes elsewhere
John Stjohn…??
I don’t like your new format. Hastily done and, have you heard of spellcheck?
The CSX video is some pretty wild stuff. A lot like that BNSF derailment out in Idaho, but worse since the CSX loco is going up in flames while the crew is trying to find a way to shore. Looks like it could have been a lot worse.
Don’t like the new format either. If it ain’t broke don’t fix it.
I’m a long time subscriber also. I like newswire because I could go to one source and get train news and comment on it, see other comments and get answers. If I have to reference another story why start here. It’s ok for additional information but not the whole story.
Well said Mr. Scott
Gerald, thank you for straightening us out. Fortunately you do not determine what I purchase or read, I do. I have been a subscriber to Trains for decades and access to Newswire is part of that paid subscription. Trains is a product and I am a paid consumer of that product by choice. If there is a change to the product that I don’t particularly like I will comment on it, as any good business would want their customers to do. I can also choose to spend my dollars elsewhere if the product is no longer to my liking. I respect your opinion and would ask that you also respect the opinion of those that don’t necessarily agree with you.
The time and the place to express our like/dislike is while the ink is wet. I personally like to browse and read the articles that I’m interested in. I don’the want to sit, sort, and deseminate a blog.
Some of you might like it. I accept changes do occur. If what I say bothers read my name and just move on.
So it’ll just break everyone’s back that you have to reference the story you’re commenting on with this new format? It’s no wonder American’s are so overweight when a little extra work even on an online news digest related to a specific industry. Let’s see how much trouble this really is, and I do hope Trains allows this because the readers below, though offering valid criticism, need to step back a moment and realize the world does no revolve around them all the time.
Regarding the CSX derailment and fire: it’s prohibitively expensive to inspect the rail line every single time there’s weather when most weather events don’t cause issues. Now it’s a different story if extreme weather is involved, and as far as I know most rail lines are inspected in the case of extreme weather.
Regarding Canadian line blockages: I’m not from Canada, but I am aware they handle issues that involve the First Nations(indigenous) people a lot differently than we would in the U.S., so unless someone with more knowledge wants to comment on how the Canadian Government is currently handling the blockade issue I will not say one way or the other what should be done about it.
Wow, that was so hard, I guess this new format is real bad(sarcasm). Either get used to it, or just stop commenting, most of the stories listed in the digest format don’t warrant anymore wordage than is being used, there isn’t enough news to warrant an entirely separate article.
Add my vote to those that say “No” to this new format. Throwing all comments into a single bag makes absolutely no sense.
I found a good use for the comment section now. Because you really don’t know which parcel your commenting on.
Milk
Hamburger
Bread
Eggs
……..grocery list
This format does suck
I was on vacation for two weeks, and never had a chance to log on; when I returned on Monday I was a bit confused as to what was going on. As a longtime reader/subscriber, I totally agree; this format is the pits.
Count me among the “no” votes for this digest format. The comment section with this format will quickly become a tower of babble with random comments that require the reader to ascertain to which story the comment applies.
God knows I find enough things in everyday life to be confusing – I don’t need Trains Newswire adding to that confusion.
I myself like the old format. I also can see the writing on the wall with popup advertisements on the horizon. Why does Trains Magazine not ask it’s readers what format they want ? I have received the magazine for over 40 plus years now. I don’t like or accept change very well. Guess it is time to accept it or move on. Since is all about me moving on is what
I shall do….lol. Gone are the days of reading a good magazine . Tried watching the camera yesterday in Rochelle but my new phone won’t work. Anyhow old Newswire in or John is out.
News DIGEST should go…….
Agreed, I’m not a fan of this “Digest” format. Once or twice in the past a source link has had a subscription requirement which makes reading the article impossible.
Yeah, I don’t like the new format at all. I’d rather comment on one story at a time and not let others try to figure out which one I’m talking about.
Another example of failure to perform track inspection for weather events and a hazardous product train.
These blockades coming so soon after those mysterious derail events by a refinery last month.