WASHINGTON — The Surface Transportation Board has granted a request by the parties in the Amtrak Gulf Coast dispute to extend board-sponsored mediation for an additional 30 days.
Amtrak, CSX Transportation, Norfolk Southern, and the Alabama State Port Authority and Terminal Railway Alabama State Docks had filed the request on Aug. 24, saying they agreed an additional 30 days would be productive [see “Freight railroads, Amtrak ask for more time …,” Trains News Wire, Aug. 25, 2022].
The board’s Office of Proceedings informed the parties the motion, extending mediation to Sept. 26, had been granted on Aug. 26. There was no additional comment.
Amtrak had previously opposed the request for mediation, saying NS and CSX would not provide the information that it sought [see “CSX, NS again ask for mediation …,” News Wire, May 26, 2022]. The board granted the mediation request in June — but at the same time granted a limited number of Amtrak personnel access to the freight railroads’ raw train data [see “STB grants Amtrak access …,” News Wire, June 11, 2022].
Yes, it does …..
And the saga of the “Gulf Coast” dispute doesn’t augur well for the prospects of new proposed Amtrak corridor services.
The saga continues.