Rail Industry News
Crucial rail yard project near ports of LA, Long Beach at crossroads
(Source: Long Beach Press Telegram, July 9, 2016) LOS ANGELES — Warren Buffett’s Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway Co. has been in a decade-long fight to build a massive railyard where cargo containers from Long Beach and Los Angeles ports could be loaded onto rail...
Money allocated to repair East River train tunnels
(Source: Times Ledger, July 10, 2016) QUEENS, N.Y. — U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY) said the federal Department of Transportation has agreed to provide $432 million for repairs to the East River tunnels heavily damaged by Superstorm Sandy despite a federal court...
Marshalling issues, fatigue cited as risk factors in CP Rail Stoney Creek Bridge derailment
(Source: Revelstoke Mountaineer, July 8, 2016) REVELSTOKE, B.C. — The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) investigation into the Jan. 13, 2015 CP Rail derailment on the Stoney Creek Bridge near Rogers Pass has found that marshalling issues and fatigue...
Coal’s hard slide felt at port of Hampton Roads
(Source: Virginian-Pilot, July 9, 2016) NORFOLK, Va. — Coal exports from the port continued to tank in the first six months of 2016, following a port-wide, year-over-year drop of about 35 percent in 2015. Full story: Virginian-Pilot
Teamsters mourn the loss of Local 320 member Philando Castile
(Source: International Brotherhood of Teamsters press release, July 9, 2016) WASHINGTON, D.C. — The International Brotherhood of Teamsters is saddened by the loss of Teamster brother Philando Castile in this week's tragic shooting in Minnesota. Brother Castile was a...
As another oil train derails, regulators and lawmakers say progress is being made
(Source: www.inforum.com, July 9, 2016) GRAND FORKS, N.D. — While less black gold is moved on trains out of North Dakota today than just a couple of years ago, lawmakers and regulators don’t expect oil trains to go away completely. Trains had become a go-to mode of...
SEPTA foresees more train delays at least through August
(Source: Philadelphia Inquirer, July 9, 2016) PHILADELPHIA — It's increasingly likely SEPTA is facing the worst-case scenario for its diminished rail fleet. As a result, riders will see depleted service at least through Labor Day. Full story: Philadelphia Inquirer
SEPTA: New commuter schedule promises relief thanks to leased cars from other transit agencies
(Source: Philadelphia Inquirer, July 11, 2016) PHILADELPHIA — With leased railcars finally on hand, SEPTA announced a new schedule Sunday night to improve service that has been rocky since a third of its rail fleet was pulled from service more than a week ago. Full...
Metrolink approves $1.5 million to repair defective cab cars
(Source: Los Angeles Times, July 8, 2016) LOS ANGELES — The board of the Metrolink commuter railroad on Friday unanimously approved $1.5 million to repair dozens of passenger cars with defective parts that were discovered in the wake of last year’s fatal Oxnard crash...
Chugging west on Amtrak, family-style
(Source: Washington Post, July 7, 2016) WASHINGTON, D.C. — Shortly before Memorial Day, my husband, Matt, and I pulled our three children out of elementary school a week early and boarded Amtrak’s Empire Builder, which loosely follows the trail of explorers Meriwether...
NTSB launches Twitter account
(Source: National Transportation Safety Board press release, July 5, 2016) WASHINGTON, D.C. — The National Transportation Safety Board will launch its second Twitter account, @NTSB_Newsroom, the morning of July 11, 2016. @NTSB_Newsroom will be used in in conjunction...
Questioning the ethics of unpaid internships
(Source: International Brotherhood of Teamsters press release, July 7, 2016) WASHINGTON, D.C. — Unpaid internships have become almost a rite of passage for college students trying to get a foothold in a career. But that free labor is hurting both workers-to-be and...
Coos Bay Rail to receive $11 million in federal funds
(Source: Public Radio station KLCC, July 7, 2016) PORTLAND, Ore. — The Coos Bay Rail Line will receive $11 million in federal funds. The Department of Transportation is awarding a grant to fix tunnels along the tracks linking Eugene and Coquille. KLCC spoke with...
MBTA’s Chinese train supplier faulted for shoddy work in Singapore
(Source: Boston Business Journal, July 7, 2016) BOSTON — A Chinese train manufacturer that's building 284 subway cars for the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority is running into problems with one of its customers in Asia. Full story: Boston Business Journal
Despite railroad slump, GE makes 1,000th locomotive in Fort Worth
(Source: Fort Worth Star-Telegram, July 7, 2016) FORT WORTH, Texas — The railroad industry may be in a slump, but orders for new locomotives at the General Electric plant in far north Fort Worth keep chugging along. Full story: Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Amtrak may add southern Colorado service on Southwest Chief route
(Source: USA Today, July 7, 2016) DENVER — Amtrak’s storied Southwest Chief train may begin making stops in a major southern Colorado city. Full story: USA Today
NTSB releases agenda for rail tank car safety roundtable discussion
(Source: National Transportation Safety Board press release, July 7, 2016) WASHINGTON, D.C. — The National Transportation Safety Board released the final agenda for next week’s, “Roundtable Discussion on Next Steps in Rail Tank Car Safety,” scheduled for Wednesday,...
Are oil trains just too heavy? No regulations, no way to know
(Source: DeSmog Blog, July 7, 2016) VANCOUVER, B.C. — The cause of the most recent oil train derailment and fire in Mosier, Oregon, has been determined to be lag bolts that had sheared off resulting in the derailment. This once again raises concerns that the unit...
NTSB explains why it did not investigate Mosier oil train derailment
(Source: Oregon Public Broadcasting, July 7, 2016) MOSIER, Ore. — The National Transportation Safety Board has responded to letter from Oregon’s senators about why it did not investigate last month’s oil train derailment in the Columbia River Gorge, saying its limited...
Editorial: Quick fixes needed to help SEPTA riders
(Source: Editorial in the Philadelphia Inquirer, July 7, 2016) PHILADELPHIA — What car owner would take it in stride if cracks showed up in his vehicle's axle or frame only a few years into its expected road life? Similar circumstances face SEPTA, which has had to...
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