Rail Industry News
Crash report says school bus driver stopped for train crossing prior to fatal accident in Texas
(Source: Tyler Morning Telegraph, February 12, 2019) TYLER, Texas — Athens police have released a report on the Jan. 25 fatal crash involving a school bus and a train that killed one middle school student and left the bus driver and another student injured. Full...
Transit Worker and Pedestrian Protection Act enters House
(Source: Progressive Railroading, February 12, 2019) U.S. Reps. Grace Napolitano (D-Calif.) and John Katko (R-N.Y.), and U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) have introduced the Transit Worker and Pedestrian Protection Act (H.R. 1139). Full story: Progressive...
“Shocking” cut to California’s high-speed rail project solves some problems, creates others
(Source: Los Angeles Times, February 12, 2019) LOS ANGELES — Gov. Gavin Newsom’s announcement that he intends to scale back California’s $77-billion bullet train project stunned many officials close to the project while also raising many questions about what it...
Editorial: Abandoning high-speed rail would be a mistake for California, the country and the planet
(Source: Editorial in the Los Angeles Times, February 13, 2019) LOS ANGELES — Gov. Gavin Newsom distressed some people and delighted others Tuesday when he announced that he was putting on hold California’s ambitious plans to build a bullet train from San Francisco to...
New California Gov. Gavin Newsom slams brakes on San Francisco-Los Angeles bullet train
(Source: NBC News, February 13, 2019) LOS ANGELES — California's new governor, Gavin Newsom, sharply scaled back plans to build a high-speed train from San Francisco to Los Angeles on Tuesday, saying the program had been botched and cost too much. Full story: NBC...
Opinion: Pushing the envelope with autonomous freight trains?
(Source: Railway Age opinion column by Robert L. Peterson, SMART TD Local 303 and 951, February 12, 2019) NEW YORK — According to the most recent earnings reports, North American Class I railroads are producing record-low operating ratios and posting record-setting...
UP cuts 250 employees; Another 450 are furloughed
(Source: Omaha World-Herald, February 12, 2019) OMAHA, Neb. — Union Pacific on Tuesday said it cut its workforce by about 250 people, according to a memo sent to employees and obtained by the Omaha World-Herald. The company also said it had furloughed about 450...
Passenger rail advocates meet in Dubuque to discuss Chicago service
(Source: Television station KCRG, February 11, 2019) DUBUQUE, Iowa — A group gathered in Dubuque on Monday to discuss the future of passenger rail between Chicago and the Key City. People at the meeting included representatives from Amtrak, Loras College, Travel...
City of Del Mar considers moving train tracks away from bluffs
(Source: CBS San Diego, February 12, 2019) DEL MAR, Calif. — Possibly as loud as an Amtrak train itself are the calls to move the tracks away from the edges of the bluffs in Del Mar. Recent cliff collapses have only highlighted how pressing the issue is, but such...
Opponents of Houston-Dallas bullet train herald judge’s ruling that company is not a railroad
(Source: Houston Chronicle, February 11, 2019) HOUSTON — The planned high-speed rail project from Houston to Dallas hit a big obstacle last week in rural Leon County when a judge there declared the project’s backers did not have authority to force landowners to sell...
FRA issues infrastructure grants for 18 rail projects
(Source: Progressive Railroading, February 11, 2019) The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) last week announced the award of $56 million in grant funding for 18 rail projects in 16 states. Issued under the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements...
NJ Transit gave $1.4 million in raises following new pay-equity law
(Source: www.nj.com, February 12, 2019) NEWARK, N.J. — About 200 NJ Transit employees got a raise totaling $1.4 million last year, thanks to a pay equity law signed by Gov. Phil Murphy last year. Full story: www.nj.com
NTSB issues preliminary report on 2018 accident where CSX track welder was killed in South Carolina
(Source: National Transportation Safety Board preliminary report, February 11, 2019) WASHINGTON, D.C. — On November 30, 2018, at 10:20 a.m. eastern standard time, CSX Transportation (CSX) northbound freight train F-794-30, traveling about 50 mph, struck and killed a...
Genesee & Wyoming eyes plan to implement precision railroading
(Source: The Hour, February 6, 2019) DARIEN, Conn. — After throttling up its growth with a string of acquisitions the past several years, the nation’s largest operator of short-line railroads hopes to capitalize on the expertise in its far-flung operations by...
Ninth Circuit rejects “honest belief” defense in whistleblower retaliation case
(Source: National Law Review, February 12, 2019) WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Ninth Circuit’s recent opinion in Frost v. BNSF Railway Co. is an important win for whistleblowers in that it rejects employers’ attempts to impose a heightened causation burden on whistleblowers...
Railway workers mourn for colleagues who died in CP derailment
(Source: Red Dee Advocate, February 11, 2019) RED DEER, Alberta — Those who work on the rails for a living are mourning the loss of three of their colleagues in a derailment near Field, B.C., last week. Full story: Red Deer Advocate
NS details plan to cut 3,000 jobs, shelve 500 locomotives
(Source: Associated Press, February 11, 2019) NORFOLK, Va. — Norfolk Southern railroad expects to become significantly more efficient by 2021, and operate with 3,000 fewer employees and 500 fewer locomotives. Full story: News & Observer
Widow of Wyoming train crash victim sues Union Pacific
(Source: Associated Press, February 10, 2019) CHEYENNE, Wyo. — The widow of a Union Pacific engineer who died in a train crash in southern Wyoming has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the company. Full story: www.kansas.com
Talks continue for Duluth-Minneapolis passenger rail line
(Source: Television station Fox 21, February 10, 2019) DULUTH, Minn. — Talks are continuing to move forward for a passenger rail line between Duluth and the Twin Cities. Full story: www.fox21online.com
BNSF police officer accidentally shoots, kills K-9 officer
(Source: Bakersfield Now, February 8, 2019) BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — A railroad police officer accidentally shot and killed his K-9 partner while on patrol in Kern County. Full story: www.kmph.com
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