Rail Industry News

(Source: International Brotherhood of Teamsters press release, December 12, 2017) WASHINGTON, D.C. — Teamsters Warehouse Division Director and International Vice President Steve Vairma announced that after seven months of negotiations the Kroger master agreement,...

(Source: Progressive Railroading, December 12, 2017) On December 12, 2017, Amtrak marked the fifth anniversary of the return of passenger-rail service to Norfolk, Virginia. Full story: Progressive Railroading

(Source: Japan Today, December 13, 2017) OSAKA, Japan — A crack and oil leak have been found underneath a running shinkansen bullet train in the first "serious incident" affecting the Japanese high-speed train system since the transport ministry's accident...

(Source: Bergen Record, December 12, 2017) BERGEN COUNTY, N.J. — A man reportedly defecating from a freight rail bridge in Paterson was forced into the Passaic River by an oncoming train Monday night, but emergency workers fished the screaming victim out of the cold...

(Source: Roanoke Times, December 12, 2017) ROANOKE, Va. — Amtrak said 2,770 people boarded in Roanoke during the first 30 days after the passenger railroad resumed running trains here, from Oct. 31 through Nov. 30. That equated to 92 riders a day. Full story: Roanoke...

(Source: International Brotherhood of Teamsters press release, December 12, 2017) OAKLAND, Calif. — Commuter shuttle drivers for Amazon chose Teamster representation today via card-check agreement. The approximately 40 drivers are employed by Amazon contractor...

(Source: Bloomberg, December 12, 2017) NEW YORK — Heavy Canadian crude fell to the lowest in almost four years against benchmark prices Tuesday as bottlenecks on pipelines and rail networks crimped exports. Full story: Bloomberg

(Source: Editorial in The Daily Herald, December 12, 2017) EVERETT, Wash. — In its zeal to roll back regulations — especially those established during President Obama’s eight years in office — the Trump administration decision to reverse a rail industry requirement...

(Source: CBC News, December 12, 2017) MONTREAL — The Superior Court justice presiding over the trial of the three former rail workers charged in connection with the 2013 Lac-Mégantic, Que. runaway train disaster sent the 14 jurors home for the holidays Tuesday,...

(Source: News Tribune, December 11, 2017) TACOMA, Wash. — For more than a century, train passengers have traveled along Tacoma's waterfront and through the Tacoma Narrows. Full story: www.sanluisobispo.com

(Source: Associated Press, December 11, 2017) CHICAGO — The sole suspect in a 2015 theft of guns off a Chicago train who chose to go to trial has changed his mind and pleaded guilty just as jury selection was to start. Full story: www.usnews.com

(Source: Forbes.com, December 11, 2017) NEW YORK — Historically, the chief information officer's primary reporting relationship has been to the chief financial officer of the enterprise. The initial rationale for this included the fact that much of the initial value...

(Source: The Ledger Gazette, December 9, 2017) NEW YORK — Kansas City Southern COO Jeffrey M. Songer sold 3,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, December 7. The stock was sold at an average price of $111.80, for a total transaction of $335,400.00....

(Source: Railway Age, December 11, 2017) NEW YORK — It took Conrail maintenance-of-way forces less than three days to repair heavy damage to its Lehigh Line, a busy main line used by New Jersey Transit Raritan Valley Line (RVL) passenger trains and CSX and Norfolk...

(Source: Norfolk Southern press release, December 11, 2017) CASTILE, N.Y. — After two years of construction across a 235-foot-deep river gorge in Letchworth State Park, Norfolk Southern has begun operating trains across the new Portageville Bridge on its Southern Tier...

(Source: Business Inside, December 10, 2017) NEW YORK — Someday soon, all our cars will be powered by electricity and drive themselves. Except not yet. Someday soon, airplanes will run on electricity and fly themselves. Except not yet. Full story: Business Insider

(Source: Maryville Daily Times, December 11, 2017) KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — A mechanical engineer who believes expired grease led to a Maryville train derailment and chemical fire over two years ago can testify at an upcoming trial on behalf of several residents suing the...

(Source: Fort Worth Star-Telegram, December 11, 2017) FORT WORTH, Texas — A man with strong Fort Worth ties has often been mentioned as an heir apparent to Warren Buffett, the legendary investor who runs the diversified holding company Berkshire Hathaway. Full story:...

(Source: Railway Age opinion column by Doug Riddell, December 11, 2017) NEW YORK — I read with interest Railway Age’s most recent reporting of the failure of Amtrak’s safety culture. From a retired employee’s perspective, let’s admit that the “S” in safety is a dollar...

(Source: Railway Age, December 12, 2017) NEW YORK — A bill reauthorizing the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) was introduced last week in the Senate and aims to enhance the board's safety investigations through added transparency. Full story: Railway Age