Rail Industry News
Montana emergency responders handle two oil train derailments in a week
(Source: Grand Forks Herald, July 17, 2015) CULBERTSON, Mont. — Emergency responders who handled two train derailments in a week in the same northeastern Montana county say they’re relieved no one was hurt and no fires resulted from either incident. Full story: Grand...
Natural gas overtakes coal as top U.S. electricity source
(Source: NBC News, July 14, 2015) NEW YORK — Call it a one-two punch against coal. As global demand for U.S. coal exports continues to sag, domestic demand at power plants has been sliding as well. For the first time ever, natural gas trumped coal as the top source of...
FRA launches safety review of New York & Atlantic Railway
(Source: Federal Railroad Administration press release, July 21, 2015) WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) today launched a comprehensive, focused safety review of the New York & Atlantic Railway’s (NY&A)...
FBI advisory: Oil trains at risk of attack from environmental extremists, but lacks specific information
(Source: DeSmog Blog, July 18, 2015) NEW YORK — A document marked “Confidential” and published last year by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (on July 18, 2014) concluded that “environmental extremists” could target oil-by-rail routes. But the Bureau also concedes...
Obama appoints PEB in NJ Transit labor dispute
(Source: www.nj.com, July 15, 2015) WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Obama on Wednesday named an emergency board to try to resolve the labor dispute between NJ Transit and its engineers. The action came after the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen...
CN reports Q2 2015 net income of C$866 million
(Source: CN press release, July 20, 2015) MONTREAL — CN reported its financial and operating results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2015. Second-quarter 2015 financial highlights: • Net income was C$886 million, or C$1.10 per diluted share, compared with net...
KCS reports 2Q 2015 financial results down 10 percent from same quarter of 2014
(Source: Kansas City Southern press release (PDF), July 17, 2015) KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kansas City Southern (KCS) reported second quarter 2015 revenues of $586 million, a decrease of 10% compared to second quarter 2014. Overall, carload volumes were 6% lower than in...
CSX warns it will be hard to hit profit goals for 2015
(Source: Associated Press, July 15, 2015) OMAHA, Neb. — CSX expects faltering demand for coal and crude oil to slow profit growth this year, but the railroad will limit expenses and work to raise rates to compensate. Full story: ABC News
CSX announces all-time record quarterly financial results in 2Q 2015
(Source: CSX press release, July 14, 2015) JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — CSX Corporation announced financial results for the second quarter of 2015, including net earnings of $553 million, or an all-time record $0.56 per share, an increase from $529 million, or $0.53 per...
New benefit year begins July 1 for Railroad Unemployment and Sickness benefits
(Source: Railroad Retirement Board press release, June 19, 2015) CHICAGO — A new benefit year under the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act begins July 1, 2015. The maximum daily benefit rate payable for claims under this Act increases to $72 in the new benefit year....
Railroad Retirement spouse and widow(er)s’ annuities and public service pensions
(Source: Railroad Retirement Board press release, June 18, 2015) CHICAGO — Railroad Retirement Act spouse and widow(er)s' annuities (including divorced spouse, surviving divorced spouse and remarried widow(er)s' annuities) are subject to reduction when social security...
Union Pacific may have jumped the gun, misjudged wind before halting Metra trains
(Source: CBS Chicago, July 13, 2015) CHICAGO — Trains on three busy Metra lines were halted for about 90 minutes Monday morning, out of fear of high winds from storms that swept through the area, but it appears to have been much ado about nothing. Full story: CBS...
More properties eyed for California high-speed rail
(Source: Fresno Bee, July 13, 2015) FRESNO, Calif. — More than a dozen pieces of land in the Valley have been targeted by the state for possible eminent domain for the first stretches of California’s high-speed train project. Full story: Fresno Bee
Man found guilty in Via Rail bomb plot motivated by drug addiction, court told
(Source: Canadian Press, July 13, 2015) TORONTO — A psychologist has described a man convicted of terrorism in a plot to derail a passenger train as a desperate drug addict who conned people to get high but wouldn't even kill a spider. Full story: www.ctvnews.ca
Grand Forks eyes second rail safety training center in the U.S.
(Source: Grand Forks Herald, July 14, 2015) GRAND FORKS, N.D. — With safety concerns surrounding increased rail traffic and Bakken crude oil, state and city officials are looking at Grand Forks for a possible new emergency response training center—the second of its...
Atlanta-area commuter rail quietly planning $8 billion expansion
(Source: Associated Press, July 12, 2015) ATLANTA — As Georgia begins billions of dollars’ worth of road and bridge projects, MARTA official are looking to build support for at least $8 billion in commuter rail expansion. Full story: Washington Times
Teamsters: Workers deserve a safe place to work
(Source: International Brotherhood of Teamsters press release, July 13, 2015) WASHINGTON, D.C. — These are not heady days for U.S. workers, given the shipping of tens of thousands of jobs overseas and the stagnation in wages. But those aren't the only concerns facing...
Obama renominates Coscia to Amtrak Board of Directors
(Source: The Record, July 13, 2015) WASHINGTON, D.C. — Anthony Coscia, the chairman of Amtrak and an attorney from New Jersey, was renominated by President Obama on Monday for another term on the railroad’s board of directors. Full story: www.northjersey.com
Judge rejects CP Rail’s challenge of Lac-Megantic lawsuit
(Source: CBC News, July 13, 2015) MONTREAL — A Quebec judge has rejected Canadian Pacific Railway's challenge of a court settlement aimed at compensating residents of Lac-Mégantic. Full story: CBC News
Buffett may benefit from lobby to weaken oil train safety rule
(Source: Reuters, July 14, 2015) WASHINGTON, D.C. — Billionaire investor Warren Buffett is set to be a chief beneficiary of a bid by Senate Republicans to weaken new regulations to improve train safety in the $2.8 billion crude-by-rail industry, a key cog in the...
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