Rail Industry News
AAR: Railroads report mixed weekly and July monthly rail traffic
(Source: Association of American Railroads press release, August 2, 2012) WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Association of American Railroads (AAR) today reported U.S. rail carloads originated in July 2012 totaled 1,103,733, down 7,787 carloads or 0.7 percent, compared with July...
Union Pacific making infrastructure improvements in Iowa, Illinois
(Source: Union Pacific press releases, August 6, 2012) OMAHA, Neb. — Union Pacific Railroad is making infrastructure improvements in Iowa by investing about $13 million in the rail line that runs between Boone and Westside. The project is in progress and is scheduled...
Railroad stocks mixed at close of August 6 trading
(Source: Associated Press, August 6, 2012) NEW YORK — Shares of some top railroad companies were mixed at the close of trading on August 6, including CSX, which fell 0.9 percent, and Canadian Pacific, which rose 0.9 percent. Full story: CBS News
BNSF train carrying denatured alcohol derails, catches fire in eastern Montana
(Source: Billings Gazette, August 6, 2012) BILLINGS, Mont. — A train west of Plevna has derailed and eight cars carrying alcohol are on fire. Burlington Northern Santa Fe reports that 15 rail cars went off track around 2:45 p.m. Sunday. Fourteen of the cars were...
70 train passengers, 3 workers evacuated from NJ Transit train over diesel fumes
(Source: The Record, August 6, 2012) SEACAUCUS, N.J. — About 70 passengers were evacuated from a train at the Wood-Ridge rail station Monday afternoon and three NJ Transit workers were taken to a nearby hospital because of strong diesel fumes on a Pascack Valley line...
PATH ridership up this year, projected to break annual record
(Source: Star-Ledger, July 25, 2012) NEWARK, N.J. — PATH ridership is up during the first half of the year, with 2012 projected to surpass the system’s annual record set last year, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey said. The 39 million riders from January...
Straight from the elephant’s mouth
(Source: Teamster Nation, August 7, 2012) WASHINGTON, D.C. — Longtime congressional staffer Mike Lofgren says the main function of today’s Republic Party is to make the party’s super-rich supporters even richer. All that other culture war saber-rattling is just the...
Opinion: Union bashing frauds and the fools they convince
(Source: Column by Frank P. Arcoleo Jr., The Courier Times, July 23, 2012) PHILADELPHIA — I am not in a union, public or private, nor have I ever been. However, after fighting for this country in World War II as a Marine at Guadalcanal, Okinawa, and other bloody...
BNSF plans track improvements in Washington state
(Source: BNSF press release, August 2, 2012) FORT WORTH, Texas — BNSF Railway Company plans to invest an estimated $106 million on maintenance and rail capacity improvement and expansion projects in Washington this year. BNSF’s 2012 capacity enhancement projects in...
California high-speed rail board OKs plan for Caltrans to shift part of Highway 99
(Source: Fresno Bee, August 2, 2012) FRESNO, Calif. — It's still not determined when shovels will start digging, but some of the first real construction on California's proposed high-speed train project could be done by the state's highway department. The California...
BSNF, UP beat coal slump with big gains in fracking service
(Source: Bloomberg News, August 4, 2012) NEW YORK — Union Pacific and Warren Buffett's BNSF Railway are combating a drop in coal cargoes by catering to the industry responsible: the hydraulic fracturing of shale formations to release oil and gas. BNSF, Union Pacific...
Rahall defends Amtrak food service
(Source: West Virginia Gazette, August 4, 2012) CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Rep. Nick J. Rahall is defending Amtrak against critics who want to privatize the railroad or at least some of its services. Congressional opponents are stepping up their arguments to promote the...
Only two bidders for Massachusetts passenger rail project
(Source: Boston Globe, August 6, 2012) BOSTON — Only two companies have committed to bid for the $1 billion-plus contract to operate the state’s sprawling commuter rail system, disappointing MBTA officials and raising concerns that the lack of competition could...
OSHA orders Union Pacific Railroad to pay more than $38,000 to employee in Topeka, Kan., following whistleblower investigation
(Source: U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) press release, July 25, 2012) KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has ordered Omaha, Neb.-headquartered Union Pacific...
New NS rail yard opens near Memphis
(Source: Memphis Daily News, July 26, 2012) MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Those in the logistics industry have known since the end of June, but Norfolk Southern Corp.’s Memphis Regional Intermodal Facility at Rossville had its soft opening earlier this month. Full story: Memphis...
California’s Governor Brown bets on thinking big
(Source: Reuters, July 27, 2012) SAN FRANCISCO — California may be struggling to make ends meet, but Governor Jerry Brown is still thinking big. The 74-year-old governor is championing major public works projects, including a statewide bullet train network and giant...
Union Station upgrade: Now comes tough task of turning vision into reality
(Source: Washington Post, July 25, 2012) WASHINGTON, D.C. — For the political and business leaders applauding a new vision for Union Station, now comes the hard part. Now that the vision is public, stakeholders have begun to discuss the difficult task of turning the...
SEPTA named best large transit system in North America
(Source: Philadelphia Inquirer, July 27, 2012) PHILADELPHIA — SEPTA was named the best large transit system in North America on Thursday by the American Public Transportation Association. Full story: www.philly.com
AAR: Railroads report weekly intermodal volume up 6.2 percent over 2011
(Source: Association of American Railroads press release, July 26, 2012) WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Association of American Railroads (AAR) today reported mixed weekly rail traffic for the week ending July 21, 2012, with U.S. railroads originating 286,254 carloads, down...
Smashed window injures Metrolink engineer, stops train
(Source: San Clemente Patch, July 24, 2012) LOS ANGELES — A Metrolink engineer stopped his northbound train near Bart Spendlove Park in Mission Viejo on Tuesday around 2:20 p.m. after someone threw a rock and sent broken glass flying, officials said. The engineer, who...
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