Rail Industry News
NS derailment in Ohio blamed on broken rail
(Source: The Tiffin Advertiser-Tribune, July 8, 2011) ARCADIA, Ohio — A Norfolk Southern derailment in rural Ohio has been blamed on a broken rail. The February 6, 2011, derailment of 33 NS cars was caused by head and web separation, according to the Federal Railroad...
UP boosted PRB coal train loadings in June
(Source: Progressive Railroading) Despite Missouri River floods, Union Pacific Railroad in June loaded 982 coal trains in the Southern Powder River Basin (SPRB) compared with 921 trains in June 2010. Full story: Progressive Railroading
AAR: Steady growth in weekly rail traffic
(Source: Association of American Railroads press release, July 7, 2011) WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Association of American Railroads (AAR) today reported solid weekly rail traffic, with U.S. railroads originating 285,943 carloads for the week ending July 2, 2011, up 0.3...
Lawyer defends Nevada truck firm in Amtrak crash
(Source: The Associated Press, July 7, 2011) RENO, Nevada — A lawyer is defending the Nevada trucking company whose tractor-trailer slammed into an Amtrak train and killed six people on June 24. He said the company had a respectable safety record and was not at fault...
Editorial: Gov. Rick Scott’s plutocratic Florida
(Source: Miami Herald column by Joy-Ann Reid, July 6, 2011) MIAMI — "Meanwhile, his trip to Colorado for a secretive meeting, hosted by David Republican governors, seemed like creepy confirmation that this guy isn’t so much the governor of Florida as he is one of...
Video: The end of the American Dream?
(Source: Change to Win coalition press release, July 7, 2011) WASHINGTON, D.C. — The middle class is, and always has been, the backbone of this country. But people should be moving into the middle class, not falling out of it. As a part of Change to Win’s effort to...
House GOP proposes deep cuts to highway, Amtrak funding
(Source: Miami Herald, July 8, 2011) WASHINGTON, D.C. — A six-year transportation funding bill that Republicans in the House of Representatives outlined Thursday would sharply cut highway and transit funding and seek to curb Amtrak and high-speed rail projects that...
Indiana Southern, IAM reach tentative agreement
(Source: National Mediation Board press release, July 6, 2011) WASHINGTON, D.C. — The National Mediation Board (NMB) announced on July 6 that the Indiana Southern Railroad and the International Association of Machinists (IAM) reached a tentative collective-bargaining...
Steel interstate idea gains steam in Knoxville
(Source: Knoxville News Sentinel, July 7, 2011) KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The former director of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory is heading a group hoping to develop a Steel Interstate System, a rail alternative to the interstate highways that would move people and freight...
Flooding forces Amtrak to extend suspension of St. Louis-KC train
(Source: The Associated Press, July 6, 2011) ST. LOUIS — Amtrak is extending the suspension of one its two daily round trips between St. Louis and Kansas City because of continued flooding along the Missouri River. Full story: The Republic
Cancelled trains hurt tourist industry around Glacier National Park
(Source: Flathead Beacon, July 7, 2011) KALISPELL, Mont. — Flooding around Minot, N.D., which has shut down BNSF Railway tracks and forced the cancellation of Amtrak trains, has hurt the tourist industry around Glacier national Park, which relies heavily on the influx...
Amtrak sues Nevada truck firm for $10 million
(Source: Associated Press, July 6, 2011) RENO, Nevada — Amtrak is suing a Nevada trucking company for at least $10 million for negligence in the hiring and training of a driver who slammed a semi-trailer truck into the side of its California Zephyr train on June 24....
Hoffa condemns Mexican truck pilot program
(Source: International Brotherhood of Teamsters press release, July 6, 2011) WASHINGTON, D.C. — Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa today castigated the U.S. Department of Transportation for agreeing to open the border to long-haul Mexican trucks. Opening the border...
Republicans, Democrats blast GOP transport plan
(Source: Journal of Commerce, July 7, 2011) WASHINGTON, D.C. — Representatives from both sides of the fence blasted a proposed transportation spending plan by Rep. John Mica (R-Fla.), who serves as Chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee....
Florida Democrats to Gov. Scott: Apologize for rejecting high-speed rail
(Source: The Hill, July 6, 2011) WASHINGTON, D.C. — Florida Democrats circulated a petition online yesterday, demanding that Gov. Rick Scott (R) apologize for rejecting $2.4 billion in federal money for a high-speed rail plan but allowing another railway there to go...
Lawsuit claims NS fires employees to cover up accidents
(Source: Beaver County Times, July 6, 2011) BEAVER, Pa. — New details are emerging in a lawsuit filed against Norfolk Southern, which accuses the railroad of an ongoing pattern of covering up work-related injuries by falsely accusing employees of lying and then firing...
Two CSX crew members hurt jumping from locomotive
(Source: Syracuse Post Standard, July 7, 2011) DeWITT, N.Y. — Two CSX train workers were injured after they jumped out of a moving locomotive moments before it rear-ended another train in DeWitt, N.Y. Both crew members were taken to local hospitals. The rear-end...
New benefit year begins July 1 for railroad unemployment and sickness benefits
(The U.S. Railroad Retirement Board issued the following on June 7, 2011.) WASHINGTON, D.C. — A new benefit year under the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act begins July 1, 2011. The maximum daily benefit rate payable for claims under this Act remains at $66 in the...
KCS celebrates 14th anniversary since concession to operate Mexican railroad
(Source: Kansas City Southern press release, July 1, 2011) KANSAS CITY, Mo. — On June 24, KCS celebrated the 14th anniversary since the concession to operate the railroad in Mexico. As a tribute, the First Lady of Mexico, Margarita Zavala sent a video congratulating...
Flooding forces rerouted BNSF coal trains to roll through Dodge City
(Source: Dodge City Daily Globe, July 5, 2011) DODGE CITY, Kan. — Dodge City residents are noticing more BNSF coal trains rolling through their city. It is due to flooding on the railroad's St. Joseph Subdivision, and traffic is being rerouted to supply power plants...
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