July 19, 2024 | AAR Freight Trends, Headlines
(Source: Association of American Railroads press release, July 17, 2024) The Association of American Railroads (AAR) today reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending July 13, 2024. For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 483,806 carloads and intermodal...
July 19, 2024 | Amtrak, Commuter Rail, Headlines, Weather
(Source: Trains.com, July 18, 2024) Extreme heat is taking its toll on rail transportation along the Northeast Corridor, with transit agencies and Amtrak all feeling the impact and taking operational measures. Full story: Trains.com
July 18, 2024 | East Palestine-NS, Headlines, Legislation, Railroad Safety
(Source: Transport Topics, July 17, 2024) Transportation and Infrastructure’s Railroads, Pipelines and Hazardous Materials Subcommittee will convene July 23 for a hearing specific to train safety. Senior lawmakers intend to press stakeholders on industry best...
July 18, 2024 | East Palestine-NS, EPA, Headlines
(Source: Associated Press, July 17, 2024) The EPA’s Inspector General is investigating why the agency didn’t get its specialized plane loaded with advanced sensors into the air over East Palestine until four days after the disastrous Norfolk Southern derailment last...
July 17, 2024 | East Palestine-NS, FRA, Headlines, Railroad Safety
(Source: Trains.com, July 16, 2024) The Federal Railroad Administration has updated its 2023 safety advisory that encourages railroads to make better use of data from wayside hot-bearing detectors. The second supplement to the advisory, issued in draft form on Friday,...
July 17, 2024 | Headlines, PSR, Shippers, STB
(Source: The Load Star, July 16, 2024) Robert Primus, the new chairman of the US Surface Transportation Board (STB), has called in the CEOs of the North American Class I rail carriers to discuss the decline of rail traffic and how to revive it. Citing a 28% decline in...
July 16, 2024 | East Palestine-NS, Headlines, Legislation, Railroad Safety, Train Length
(Source: Progressive Railroading, July 15, 2024) U.S. Reps. Troy Nehls (R-Texas) and Seth Moulton (D-Mass.) on July 11 introduced a bill calling for enhanced safety requirements for trains transporting hazardous materials. H.R. 8996 would incorporate aspects of...
July 16, 2024 | Contract Agreement, Headlines, Short Line
(Source: Trains.com, July 15, 2024) Pacific Harbor Line and the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineer and Trainmen, Division 214, have ratified a three-year extension to their current labor agreement, extending that contract through Sept. 20, 2027. The extension covers...
July 16, 2024 | East Palestine-NS, Headlines, NS, NTSB
(Source: Associated Press, June 25, 2024) The head of the National Transportation Safety Board said Tuesday that Norfolk Southern repeatedly tried to interfere with the agency’s investigation into the East Palestine derailment and shape its conclusions about the...
July 16, 2024 | Headlines, Historic/Steam, UP
(Source: Cowboy State Daily, June 1, 2025) Four days after the golden spike was driven for America’s first transcontinental railway linking the nation’s coasts, the Cheyenne Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers received its charter May 14, 1869. Full story: Cowboy...
