Rail Industry News
Editorial: Amtrak’s Philadelphia crash is a warning to Congress
(Source: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, June 19, 2015) PITTSBURGH, Pa. — Despite the need for critical investment in railway infrastructure, the Republican-controlled U.S. House has passed legislation that would cut Amtrak’s budget by $242 million. The schism between...
Union Pacific furloughing some train crew employees
(Source: Television station KOTA, June 19, 2015) OMAHA, Neb. — UP spokesman Mark Davis tells KOTA Territory News about 900 employees throughout the company will be furloughed or placed in alternative work status. Davis said the company is not releasing any figures...
BNSF must reinstate injured conductor and pay $536,000 in damages for retaliation
(Source: U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) press release, June 17, 2015) SEATTLE — North America's second-largest freight railroad, Burlington Northern Santa Fe LLC, must reinstate a train conductor and pay the man $536,063 in...
RRB issuing statements of service, Form BA-6
(Source: U.S. Railroad Retirement Board press release, May 29, 2015) CHICAGO — Each year, the U.S. Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) prepares a "Certificate of Service Months and Compensation" (Form BA-6) for every railroad employee who had creditable railroad...
CP Rail denies responsibility in Lac-Megantic tragedy
(Source: Globe and Mail, June 11, 2015) TORONTO — Canadian Pacific Railway will go before a Quebec Superior Court judge on Monday in Sherbrooke and argue it played no role in the fiery derailment of a Montreal, Maine and Atlantic Railway train that killed 47 people....
Oil companies pay into compensation fund for Lac-Megantic victims
(Source: The Hill, June 11, 2015) WASHINGTON, D.C. — Companies like Royal Dutch Shell PLC, Marathon Oil Corp., ConocoPhillips Co. and Irving Oil Ltd. have paid into the $345 million fund, though they deny that having had oil on the train that crashed makes them...
New report recommends railroad rate reform
(Source: Lincoln Journal Star, June 10, 2015) LINCOLN, Neb. — A new report recommends overhauling some of the regulations governing freight railroads and the rates they charge, especially for coal and grain, but the rail industry doesn't see a need for major changes....
Norfolk Southern stock hit 52-week low on June 9
(Source: Zacks, June 10, 2015) NEW YORK — Shares of leading U.S. railroad company, Norfolk Southern Corporation fell to a 52-week low of $90.39 on June 9, 2015. However, the company’s shares ended a trifle higher at $90.44, declining nearly 10% over the past one...
AAR: Combined weekly rail traffic down 2.2 percent from 2014 for week ending June 6
(Source: Association of American Railroads press release, June 10, 2015) WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Association of American Railroads (AAR) today reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending June 6, 2015. For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 550,037...
House Republican backs amendment to de-fund California high-speed rail
(Source: Los Angeles Times, June 10, 2015) LOS ANGELES — One of the financial lifelines of California's bullet train project has been $3.2 billion in federal grants. But a provision included in a key transportation funding bill passed by the House of Representatives...
Amtrak to test PTC on Northeast Corridor, but problems persist
(Source: Reuters, June 10, 2015) WASHINGTON, D.C. — Amtrak said on Wednesday that it has won government approval to test a new rail safety system between New York and Washington that federal inspectors say would have prevented the deadly May 12 derailment in...
Radio-interference from freight rails may hamper Amtrak’s PTC efforts
(Source: Bloomberg, June 10, 2015) NEW YORK — Radio interference from freight railroads may disable the automated solution Amtrak is finalizing to prevent high-speed derailments like last month’s fatal accident in Philadelphia. The system that commands trains to slow...
Opinion: House Republicans’ safety plan for Amtrak: videotape the next derailment rather than prevent it
(Source: New Republic opinion column by Tim Starks, June 10, 2015) WASHINGTON, D.C. — The cameras might have bipartisan support, but what they won’t do is prevent the next train accident. They are only useful when a crash has already happened. “Inward-facing cameras...
Senator discusses daily fines for railroads that don’t meet PTC installation deadline
(Source: Philadelphia Inquirer, June 10, 2015) WASHINGTON, D.C. — At a hearing of the Senate Commerce committee on June 10, Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D., Conn.) pressed the Federal Railroad Administration to impose fines of up to $105,000 per day for railroads that...
Senate hearing: FRA says most railroads will miss Positive Train Control deadline
(Source: The Hill, June 10, 2015) WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) warned lawmakers on Wednesday that most of the nation’s railways will fail to meet a deadline for implementing an automated train control system that investigators have said...
House votes to cut Amtrak budget by $242 million, but approves $9 million for inward facing cameras
(Source: Associated Press, June 10, 2015) WASHINGTON, D.C. — The GOP-controlled House passed legislation Tuesday to cut Amtrak's budget by $242 million, though lawmakers added $9 million in new funding for video cameras inside locomotive cabs to record engineers. Full...
Tribal members, ranchers tell regulators to spike Tongue River railroad project
(Source: Billings Gazette, June 9, 2015) BILLINGS, Mont. — Those who would be neighbors of what could become the country’s largest coal mine near Ashland gave an earful Monday to federal regulators who are reviewing plans for the railroad tied to it. Full story:...
Section of UP grain train derails near St. Louis
(Source: Associated Press, June 9, 2015) EUREKA, Mo. — Authorities say two dozen rail cars of a Union Pacific grain-hauling freight train derailed outside St. Louis, dumping much of the load but causing no injuries. Full story: www.sfgate.com
Three Iowa train derailments in less than 24 hours
(Source: Television station KWWL, June 9, 2015) WATERLOO, Iowa — Three trains derailed in Iowa in less than 24 hours this week. On Monday night, a Union Pacific train derailed in Sioux City. Then, on Tuesday, around 1 a.m., a train derailed in both Mason City and...
BNSF unveils expedited, standard intermodal service on key Northern Region corridor
(Source: DC Velocity, June 9, 2015) WASHINGTON, D.C. — In a move to recover from disappointing financial results in 2014, BNSF Railway Co. (BNSF) will launch expedited and standard intermodal services in September on its critical "Northern Region" linking the Midwest...
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