Rail Industry News
FRA, NJ Transit invite public to learn about recommended route for Hudson tunnel project
(Source: Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) press release, October 31, 2016) WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) and NJ TRANSIT today invited the public to learn more about their recommendation for the Hudson Tunnel Project at two upcoming...
Japan repeats history with record-breaking maglev train
(Source: CNN, November 1, 2016) NEW YORK — The new Japanese maglev became the fastest train in the world after traveling at 374 miles per hour (603 kilometers per hour) on a test run near Mount Fuji last year, breaking its own world record of 366 miles per hour (590...
NJ Transit leads commuter railroads with most mechanical breakdowns
(Source: Bloomberg, October 31, 2016) NEW YORK — New Jersey Transit, under state and federal investigation amid slipping performance and a fatal train wreck, posted the most mechanical failures among 24 peer railroads in 2015, federal data show. Full story:...
Teamsters GST Ken Hall files complaint against WV ‘Right to Work’ committee
(Source: International Brotherhood of Teamsters press release, October 31, 2016) CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Teamsters General Secretary-Treasurer Ken Hall, who also serves as President of Teamsters Local 175 in South Charleston, filed a formal complaint today against the...
TCRC pleased that TSB recognized train crew fatigue
(Source: Teamsters Canada Rail Conference press release, October 31, 2016) OTTAWA — The Transportation Safety Board released their Watchlist today. The Watchlist identifies key safety issues aimed at improving safety in Canada’s transportation system. The ten-item...
Canada’s safety watchdog says action needed on train crew fatigue
(Source: Reuters, October 31, 2016) MONTREAL — Too many Canadian train crews, particularly on freight lines, are not getting sufficient rest and railroads need to do more to apply fatigue science to scheduling, the country's transport safety watchdog said on Monday....
SEPTA subway, trolley and bus workers go on strike
(Source: Philadelphia Inquirer, November 1, 2016) PHILADELPHIA — Despite last minute negotiations and a visit from Democratic heavy-hitter Congressman Bob Brady, 4,738 SEPTA workers walked off the job Monday night, beginning a strike that halted subways, trolleys and...
Feds charge 24 with transporting drugs to Chicago via Amtrak
(Source: Associated Press, October 30, 2016) CHICAGO — Two dozen people are facing federal drug charges after prosecutors say they used Amtrak trains to transport cocaine and heroin from California to Chicago. Full story: ABC 7 Chicago
TPP could cause another forced migration to U.S.
(Source: International Brotherhood of Teamsters press release, October 28, 2016) WASHINGTON, D.C. — The enactment of past trade deals like NAFTA and the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) caused tens of thousands of people, many children, to seek refuge in...
North Dakota works on safety of crude oil transported by rail
(Source: Associated Press, October 30, 2016) WILLISTON, N.D. — North Dakota has added another step to help ensure the safety of crude transported by rail with the addition of two inspectors. Full story: Bismarck Tribune
AAR: STB’s proposed competitive switching rules are ‘unlawful’
(Source: Progressive Railroading, October 28, 2016) The Surface Transportation Board's (STB) proposed new reciprocal or "competitive" switching rules are unlawful, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) said in comments submitted to the federal agency this week....
High-speed rail station opens in Dwight, Ill.
(Source: Daily Journal, October 29, 2016) KANKAKEE, Ill. — Illinois Transportation Secretary Randy Blankenhorn was in Dwight on Thursday to announce the completion of the new high-speed rail passenger station in the village's downtown district. Full story:...
CSX freight trains collide head-on, injuring two workers
(Source: Associated Press, October 28, 2016) CHESTER, Pa. — Two CSX freight trains crashed head-on Friday morning outside Philadelphia, knocking one locomotive off the tracks and injuring two crew members. Full story: Santa Cruz Sentinel
Farmers not shedding many tears for CP Rail
(Source: The Western Producer, October 27, 2016) CALGARY — Canadian Pacific Railway says its third quarter revenues are down, and one of the main reasons cited by chief executive officer Hunter Harrison is slower than expected grain movement this fall. Interestingly,...
Partnership aims to bring high-speed rail corridor to New England
(Source: MuniNet Guide, October 31, 2016) HARTFORD, Conn. — Part I of this series on high speed rail projects looks at the New Haven-Hartford-Springfield Rail Program (NHHS). NHHS seeks to construct a high speed line, the CTrail Hartford Line (Hartford Line), between...
The state of intermodal
(Source: Railway Age, October 28, 2016) NEW YORK — Coal is no longer king and will not return to the position it once held as the industry’s largest revenue stream. Crude oil might bounce back, a little. Motor vehicles are cyclical. Grain is profitable but seasonal....
California hazmat tax on railroads blocked
(Source: Courthouse News, October 31, 2016) SAN FRANCISCO — A federal judge has blocked a California law that would tax trains — but not trucks — that carry hazardous materials, to pay for training and emergency responses to accidents involving the dangerous...
Still no resolution in SEPTA contract negotiations as deadline looms
(Source: Philly Voice, October 30, 2016) PHILADELPHIA — Talks resumed Sunday with a little more than 24 hours to iron out contract negotiations that might avoid a strike that would otherwise disrupt commuters who depend on SEPTA's buses, trolleys and subway system...
Short line rail worker killed after being struck by train
(Source: Television station WCBI, October 30, 2016) ARTESIA, Miss. — Christopher Ross Hobbard of Cottondale, Ala., was struck by a train while he was apparently guiding it into reverse. A conductor with the Alabama Southern Railroad, he was 36 years old. Full story:...
Amtrak opponents fear high-speed rail plans
(Source: Associated Press, October 26, 2016) OLD LYME, Conn. — This quaint shoreline community, proud of its role as a nursery of American Impressionist art, fears the destruction of its heritage if a federal proposal to someday run an East Coast high-speed rail line...
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