Rail Industry News
Chairman of House T&I Committee opposes CP-NS merger
(Source: Reuters, April 5, 2016) WASHINGTON, D.C. — Bill Shuster, the Republican chairman of the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, announced his opposition on Tuesday to a proposed railroad merger between Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd and Norfolk...
Our leaders thought fracking would save our climate, but they were very wrong
(Source: The Nation, March 23, 2016) WASHINGTON, D.C. — Global warming is, in the end, not about the noisy political battles here on the planet’s surface. It actually happens in constant, silent interactions in the atmosphere, where the molecular structure of certain...
AAR: Weekly rail traffic down 16.5 percent from 2015 for week ending March 26
(Source: Association of American Railroads press release, March 30, 2016) WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Association of American Railroads (AAR) today reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending Mar. 26, 2016. For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 470,271...
Is a recession on the horizon? Furloughs, freight shipments at UP, BNSF give snapshot of economy
(Source: Omaha World-Herald, April 4, 2016) OMAHA, Neb. — A low unemployment rate, a strong housing market, booming car sales: Some pictures of the U.S. economy are downright rosy. But there could be a storm brewing — a rumbler that has some people mentioning another...
FRA announces $25 million available for Positive Train Control implementation
(Source: Federal Railroad Administration press release, April 4, 2016) WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Department of Transporation’s Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) today announced that it is accepting applications for $25 million in competitive grant funding...
Norfolk Southern CEO urges employees to vote against CP merger motion
(Source: Canadian Press, March 30, 2016) MONTREAL — Norfolk Southern Railway’s CEO is urging its employees not to support a motion urging the railway’s board of directors to enter into merger talks with Canadian Pacific Railway. Full story: MM&D
Former Amtrak president appointed chair of Network Rail Consulting’s American branch
(Source: Rail Technology Magazine, March 22, 2016) LONDON — Network Rail Consulting has announced the appointment of a former Amtrak president and chief executive as chair of its North American business. Thomas Downs will join the body, which acts as an international...
Contractor settles Amtrak overbilling allegations for $580,000
(Source: Connecticut Law Tribune, March 22, 2016) HARTFORD, Conn. — A Rocky Hill-based construction company has agreed to pay $580,000 to settle allegations that it overbilled the federal government on a bridge reconstruction project in Niantic. Full story:...
BNSF idles locomotives in Oklahoma City as demand slows
(Source: The Oklahoman, March 23, 2016) OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. — BNSF Railway has parked dozens of its locomotives at a storage yard north of downtown Oklahoma City over the past several weeks as slowing traffic demand has left the units idle. Full story:...
Taking a stand for worker fairness on Capitol Hill
(Source: International Brotherhood of Teamsters press release, March 22, 2016) WASHINGTON, D.C. — Misclassification and wage theft can take place at any job. Just ask scores of U.S. Senate cafeteria workers serving some of the nation’s most powerful about how they...
Class I workforce shrinks across the board in February
(Source: Progressive Railroading, March 22, 2016) Class Is employed 154,212 workers in the United States as of mid-February, down 10.44 percent year-over-year and 1.53 percent compared with mid-January employment levels, according to the U.S. Surface Transportation...
SEPTA police step up patrols in wake of Brussels attacks
(Source: Philly Voice, March 22, 2016) PHILADELPHIA — Commuters will notice more SEPTA police patrolling the transportation authority's rail and bus lines in the wake of the terrorist attacks in Brussels, Belgium, SEPTA Police Chief Thomas Nestel III said during a...
Belgian air, train travel hobbled after bombings in Brussels
(Source: Bloomberg, March 22, 2016) BRUSSELS — Flights and train services in and out of Brussels were canceled and security precautions at travel hubs around Europe were stepped up after deadly bombings in the Belgian capital’s airport and subway system. Full story:...
Amtrak tightens security after Brussels terror attacks
(Source: The News Tribune, March 22, 2016) WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Homeland Security Department is stepping up security at major U.S. airports and rail and transit stations around the country. Amtrak was also tightening security Tuesday. In a statement, Amtrak...
Train-related fatalities on the rise in Ohio
(Source: Columbus Dispatch, March 21, 2016) COLUMBUS, Ohio — The number of people killed in Ohio from trains striking vehicles has tripled, from four in Ohio in 2014 to 12 last year, according to Ohio Operation Lifesaver, a nonprofit rail-safety education...
Metro-North overtime up 10% in 2015
(Source: The Journal News, March 17, 2016) NEW YORK — Metro-North overtime was up 10 percent in 2015, according to figures from the Empire Center for Public Policy. The Albany-based think tank found the railroad spent $105.3 million in overtime last year, an average...
MBTA’s Government Center station reopens after 2 years
(Source: Boston.com, March 21, 2016) BOSTON — After a grand opening ceremony in the new station’s entrance and a tour of the new facilities, Governor Charlie Baker took a radio in hand and gave the command Monday. Full story: www.boston.com
STB announces procedure to expedite rail rate cases
(Source: DTN/Progressive Farmer, March 21, 2016) WEST POINT, Neb. — Grain shippers will have the opportunity next month to share ideas with the U.S. Surface Transportation Board on how to improve the process for shippers to challenge railroad freight rates they...
Special delivery: Amtrak donates water to Flint residents
(Source: Television station ABC 12, March 21, 2016) FLINT, Mich. — A train rolled into Flint, carrying thousands of bottles of water donated to residents of Flint. Amtrak employees initiated the effort, providing bottled water to residents impacted by the water...
Teamsters: Carrier shutdown sheds new light on trade fight
(Source: International Brotherhood of Teamsters press release, March 21, 2016) WASHINGTON, D.C. — The discussion of lost jobs due to bad trade deals can often seem like an academic exercise, with statistics spewed about how agreements like NAFTA or the proposed...
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