Rail Industry News
Outlook for restored food service on Amtrak unclear
(Source: Albany Times Union, April 1, 2019) RENSSELAER, N.Y. — State and Amtrak officials were mum on Monday when asked whether the new state budget will restore food service on some Amtrak trains. Full story: Albany Times Union
Millennium bulk terminal dealt another blow in federal lawsuit
(Source: The Daily News, April 2, 2019) LONGVIEW, Wash. — In yet another blow to the proposed Longview coal export terminal, a federal judge Monday ruled that the state of Washington did not violate the foreign commerce clause of the U.S. Constitution when it denied...
Full steam ahead for more Alberta crude by rail despite looming election
(Source: Reuters, April 1, 2019) CALGARY — The Alberta government and oil transportation companies are pressing ahead with plans to move 120,000 barrels per day of crude by rail, ignoring threats to quash the deals from the man tipped to become the province’s next...
CN suspends practice of laying materials between railway tracks
(Source: Global News, March 29, 2019) TORONTO — CN Rail has confirmed to Global News that they have suspended the practice of laying out material between the rails in preparation for track work on railways with passenger traffic. Full story: www.globalnews.ca
North Dakota may sue Washington over oil train safety bill
(Source: Associated Press, April 1, 2019) BISMARCK, N.D. — North Dakota’s oil regulator is planning to sue the state of Washington if it goes ahead with a proposal to reduce the volatility of Bakken crude oil transported by rail, saying it is not supported by science...
Teen girl kicked off Amtrak train in Battle Creek
(Source: Radio station WKZO, April 2, 2019) BATTLE CREEK, Mich. — A Battle Creek Police official is critical of Amtrak for kicking a 13-year-old from Lapeer off a train because she was too young to travel alone. Full story: www.wkzo.com
Amtrak state of good repair backlog tops $33.3 billion
(Source: Railway Track & Structures, April 1, 2019) NEW YORK — There’s a lot of work to be done on Amtrak. The railroad said its state of good repair backlog (SOGR) has passed $33.3 billion, with $28.1 billion of that on the Northeast Corridor. Full story: Railway...
Q&A: Longevity of Railroad Retirement beneficiaries
(Source: Railroad Retirement Board press release, February 22, 2019) CHICAGO — Every three years, the Railroad Retirement Board's Chief Actuary conducts a study of the longevity of its annuitants, as part of a valuation of future revenues and benefit payments. The...
Norfolk Southern publishes 2018 annual report
(Source: Norfolk Southern press release, March 29, 2019) NORFOLK, Va. — Norfolk Southern today posted its 2018 Annual Report online, highlighting strong growth and best-ever results for operating ratio and income from railway operations. Full story: www.nscorp.com
High speed trains get set for Illinois, but not Peoria
(Source: Peoria Journal Star, March 31, 2019) PEORIA, Ill. — When high-speed rail finally takes off in Illinois, Peorians will watch from the sidelines. Full story: www.pjstar.com
NS: Flooding at Hannibal, Mo., to impact service through April 6
(Source: Norfolk Southern service alert, March 29, 2019) NORFOLK, Va. — Norfolk Southern continues to experience service interruptions due to flooding conditions at Hannibal, Missouri requiring NS traffic between Decatur, IL and Kansas City, MO to be diverted to...
Woman hit by stolen Amtrak truck in Boston
(Source: Boston Herald, March 28, 2019) BOSTON — Police are still searching for a driver who stole an Amtrak truck Friday and proceeded to hit a light pole, a parked car and a pedestrian in the city’s Seaport District. Boston police said the struck pedestrian was...
Opinion: Will rail freight service benefit from better technology?
(Source: Freight Waves opinion column by Jim Blaze, March 29, 2019) CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — Today, freight railroading has the opportunity to use two business processes to support better customer rail freight service, improve safety and generate higher returns for...
CN and Unifor reach tentative agreements
(Source: CN press release, March 31, 2019) MONTREAL — CN announced today that new tentative collective agreements have been reached between Unifor Council 4000 and CN. Three collective agreements cover over 2,150 CN employees in Canada including all clerks and...
Metro-North, NJ Transit fined hundreds of thousands of dollars for safety violations since 2013
(Source: NorthJersey.com, March 31, 2019) BERGEN COUNTY, N.J. — Metro-North paid 50 percent more in civil penalties to the federal government than NJ Transit from 2013 to 2018, and together they ranked as the top violators in the nation during that time, an analysis...
Union Pacific layoffs at Hinkle yard in Hermiston draw safety concerns
(Source: East Oregonian, March 29, 2019) HERMISTON, Ore. — Union Pacific is asking Hermiston employees to do more with less after recent layoffs, and some have expressed concern about safety. Full story: East Oregonian
Three crew members hurt in UP train collision in Round Rock, Texas
(Source: Television station KVUE, March 31, 2019) ROUND ROCK, Texas — Three people were injured Sunday when two construction trains collided in Round Rock. According to the Round Rock Fire Department, crews were called to the scene around 1 p.m. about 500 feet west of...
Midwest flooding continues to stall transportation
(Freight Waves, March 29, 2019) CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — As predicted by many meteorologists, and feared by the rest of us, flooding in the Midwest has claimed more victims this week. Most of the damage to homes, businesses, farms and ranches has been in eastern Nebraska...
Federal judge denies motion to dismiss Norfolk Southern case over blocked crossings in Ky.
(Source: Commonwealth Journal, March 28, 2019) SOMERSET, Ky. — A federal lawsuit between a group representing Norfolk Southern and officials from Pulaski and McCreary counties will continue, after the judge in the case denied county officials' request for a dismissal....
Reports say NY congestion pricing plan to allocate funds for LIRR, Metro-North
(Source: CBS New York, March 29, 2019) NEW YORK — The deal is said to allocate 10 percent of the revenue – about $1 billion – to the Long Island Rail Road and another 10 percent to Metro-North. The remaining 80 percent would go toward the city’s subways and buses....
BLET News
S. 697 up to 69 cosponsors; now is veto-proof
CLEVELAND -- As of June 21, 2001, S. 697, the Railroad Retirement and Survivors Improvement Act of 2001, is up to 69 cosponsors. This number of cosponsors means that the bill has enough Senators supporting it to override a Presidential veto. BLE members and their...
