Rail Industry News
Opinion: Improving railroad cyber-threat resilience
(Source: Railway Age column by Dr. Mark W. Hartong, April 11, 2019) NEW YORK — Railroads are a critical component of America’s transportation infrastructure, and have been making significant investments in advanced networked computer control systems and information...
BNSF receives FAA exemption to advance drone operations
(Source: Progressive Railroading, April 12, 2019) BNSF Railway Co. last week was granted exemptions from the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Extension, Safety, and Security Act of 2016, which will help lay the foundation for expanded drone operations,...
24-year CSX employee killed in accident at Wauhatchie Yards
(Source: The Chattanoogan, April 14, 2019) CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — A 24-year employee of CSX Transportation has been killed in an accident at the Wauhatchie Yards. Allen Lowe was struck by a train. He was the father of two children. Full story: The Chattanoogan
Union Pacific announces 150th anniversary celebration commemorating transcontinental railroad’s completion
(Source: Union Pacific press release, April 10, 2019) OMAHA, Neb. — Union Pacific will host a celebration marking the 150th anniversary of the transcontinental railroad's completion Thursday, May 9, at 10:30 a.m. MDT. The ceremony will be held at Ogden Union Station a...
Update on California bullet train
(Source: Streetsblog San Francisco, April 11, 2019) SAN FRANCISCO — As Mark Twain might have said had he witnessed the past couple of months, the reports of the death of California’s statewide high-speed rail system are greatly exaggerated. Full story: Streetsblog San...
Canadian farmers want assurances on crude-by-rail plan
(Source: Western Producer, April 11, 2019) SASKATOON — Farm leaders are still wary of Alberta’s plans to move more oil by rail, hoping whoever wins the election will be able to prove grain movement won’t be affected. The deal, which would see the province move 120,000...
RAC, Transport Canada agree to cut locomotive emissions
(Source: Progressive Railroading, April 10, 2019) The Railway Association of Canada (RAC) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Transport Canada to establish voluntary reduction targets for locomotive-produced emissions. Full story: Progressive...
Operation Lifesaver notes mixed results in 2018 for crossing, trespass casualties
(Source: Operation Lifesaver press release, April 10, 2019) WASHINGTON, D.C. — Recently-released U.S. government statistics reveal that railroad grade crossing collisions and rail trespass deaths increased in 2018, according to rail safety education nonprofit...
Should the rail industry look beyond operating ratio?
(Source: Freight Waves, April 11, 2019) CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — With almost all of the Class I railroads transitioning to precision scheduling railroading (PSR), an operational model that emphasizes running railcars on a fixed schedule, a question surfacing within the...
Plan to ship natural gas by rail raises alarm
(Source: Fortune, April 11, 2019) WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Donald Trump wants to allow natural gas to be shipped in railroad cars, a move that would open new markets hungry for the fuel but could risk catastrophic accidents if one were to derail. Trump on...
Lawmakers seek to mandate two-person crews on freight trains
(Source: Safety and Health Magazine, April 10, 2019) WASHINGTON, D.C. — Legislation reintroduced by Rep. Don Young (R-AK) on March 13 would require at least two certified crew members on all freight trains operated in the United States. “Requiring a second crew member...
AAR reports rail traffic for the week ending April 6, 2019
(Source: Association of American Railroads press release, April 10, 2019) WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Association of American Railroads (AAR) today reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending April 6, 2019. For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 510,192...
Supreme Court finds injury award for lost wages is taxable compensation under Railroad Retirement Tax Act
(Source: Railroad Retirement Board press release, March 22, 2019) CHICAGO — A recent decision by the U.S. Supreme Court found that the portion of a damages award attributable to lost wages for a workplace injury is considered to be taxable compensation under the...
Amtrak halts post-July reservations for imperiled Hoosier State line
(Source: Associated Press, April 10, 2019) LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Amtrak has stopped taking reservations beyond July 1 for an Indianapolis-to-Chicago passenger line that could soon lose funding from the state of Indiana. Full story: Houston Chronicle
Bush library wants to exhibit Air Force One, UP funeral train locomotive
(Source: KWTX, April 9, 2019) COLLEGE STATION, Texas — The George and Barbara Bush Foundation wants both a locomotive and a plane to exhibit at the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum in College Station, but not just any locomotive and not just any plane....
CSX set to begin work on new rail teriminal near Rocky Mount
(Source: Rocky Mount Telegram, April 10, 2019) ROCKY MOUNT, N.C. — A groundbreaking for CSX’s proposed intermodal rail facility is going to be in a couple of weeks. Full story: Rocky Mount Telegram
Launch of PTC causes some delays for VRE
(Source: WTOP, April 10, 2019) CHEVY CHASE, Md. — Virginia Railway Express partially blames the roll out of a new safety system for a number of recent delays. Positive Train Control — a system that can slow or stop trains going too fast or approaching another train on...
Louisville & Indiana named 2019 Short Line of the Year
(Source: Anacostia Rail Holdings press release, April 9, 2019) JEFFERSONVILLE, Ind. — The Louisville & Indiana Railroad (LIRC) was honored Tuesday, April 9 as 2019 Short Line of the Year at the American Short Line and Regional Railroad’s “Connections Convention” in...
Trucking and rail industries to advise regulators on national security
(Source: Freight Waves, April 9, 2019) CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — Security officials in Washington, D.C., will be seeking the advice from trucking and rail groups on formulating regulatory policy that protects surface transportation infrastructure. The U.S. Transportation...
NTSB: CSX workers were walking on Amtrak tracks when struck, killed in 2017 accident
(Source: National Transportation Safety Board press release, April 9, 2019) WASHINGTON, D.C. — The 2017 deaths of two CSX Transportation workers were the result of their decision to walk on an active Amtrak train track in Washington, D.C., the National Transportation...
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