Rail Industry News
More work needed to shore up bridge used by oil trains near NJ reservoir
(Source: Bergen Record, June 3, 2015) BERGEN COUNTY, N.J. — A small bridge over the Oradell Reservoir used by trains hauling millions of gallons of crude oil has deteriorated to the point that the rail company will soon replace the 86-year-old span’s entire deck,...
Train-car fatalities up 300% in Michigan
(Source: WZZM, June 3, 2015) DETROIT — Nationwide, railroad crossing collisions were up 8.8 percent from 2013 and fatalities grew more than 16 percent. 270 people died in the U.S. but in Michigan, the story is even more concerning. Michigan saw 12 fatalities in 2014,...
The railroad with better profit margins than Google
(Source: Fortune, June 4, 2015) NEW YORK — Indeed, the 153-year-old Union Pacific—often referred to as “UP” within the rail industry—is not only outpacing Buffett’s BNSF railroad but also beating almost every other industrial company in the Fortune 500. The...
CSX updates volume expectations and reaffirms second quarter, full-year 2015 earnings guidance
(Source: CSX press release, June 3, 2015) JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — CSX Chief Financial Officer Fredrik Eliasson today reviewed the company’s quarter-to-date volume and service performance and reaffirmed second quarter and full-year 2015 earnings expectations at the...
Three former rail workers file asbestos suit against BNSF
(Source: Associated Press, June 3, 2015) PORTLAND, Ore. — Three former employees have sued BNSF Railway, claiming they suffer from lung disease caused by job-related exposure to asbestos. Full story: www.koin.com
Gaps in the system: Is rail safety on the right track?
(Source: Globe and Mail, June 4, 2015) TORONTO — New rail safety rules are still coming into effect two years after the disaster in Lac-Mégantic. Meanwhile, serious crude derailments have continued despite a recent dip in the volume of oil-by-rail shipments. Full...
Plan for Richmond-D.C. high speed rail slowly moves ahead
(Source: Richmond Times-Dispatch, June 3, 2015) RICHMOND, Va. — The push for high-speed rail between Richmond and Washington continued its slow roll forward Wednesday as state and federal rail officials presented their latest plans at a town hall meeting on Broad...
Opinion: Is there a plot against passenger trains?
(Source: Railway Age column by William C. Vantuono, June 2, 2015) NEW YORK — Conventional wisdom in our industry tends to focus on ignorance on the part of politicians and passenger train opponents as the main reason why Amtrak is forced to exist on a starvation diet,...
Why America is betting big on bullet trains
(Source: Fortune, June 4, 2015) NEW YORK — Compared with China, Europe, and Japan, the U.S. lags badly when it comes to high-speed rail. Can new projects proposed in California, Florida, and Texas get the nation back on track? Full story: Fortune
Understanding Amtrak and the importance of passenger rail in the Untied States
(Source: Center for American Progress, June 4, 2015) WASHINGTON, D.C. — Passenger rail is an essential element of America’s surface transportation system. The main provider of intercity passenger rail service is the National Railroad Passenger Corporation, also known...
CN rail line back in service after bridge fire
(Source: Duluth News Tribune, June 2, 2015) DULUTH, Minn. — Canadian National Railway crews have restored service to a railroad line that was disrupted when a timber bridge burned and collapsed near International Falls on May 27. Full story: Duluth News Tribune
Oklahoma railroad lines damaged by flooding
(Source: McAlester News-Capital, June 3, 2015) OKLAHOMA CITY — Southeastern Oklahoma’s A-OK Railroad and other rail lines across the state suffered damage to some of its infrastructure due to flooding, according to the Oklahoma Department of Transportation. Full...
Canadian crude by rail exports in 1Q 2015 down 28 percent from 1Q 2014
(Source: Reuters, June 2, 2015) CALGARY, Alberta — Canadian crude oil exports by rail in the first quarter plunged 28 percent year-on-year, the National Energy Board said on Tuesday, as shippers moved more crude by pipeline, which was cheaper. Full story: Reuters
Railroad, oil refineries sign mutual aid agreement to respond to accidents
(Source: Radio station KPLU, June 3, 2015) SEATTLE — BNSF Railway and oil refineries in Washington are teaming up to better respond to accidents. The railroad and BP Cherry Point, Phillips 66, Shell Oil Products US, Tesoro Companies and U.S. Oil Refining Company have...
Operation Lifesaver releases new video public service campaign to target driver behavior near rail crossings
(Source: Operation Lifesaver press release, June 3, 2015) WASHINGTON, D.C. — Operation Lifesaver, the national nonprofit rail safety education organization, launches a new video public service announcement (VPSA) to combat dangerous driver behavior at railroad...
Damages estimated to be $9.2 million in May 12 crash of Amtrak train
(Source: Bloomberg, June 2, 2015) WASHINGTON, D.C. — Investigators probing a fatal Amtrak crash in Philadelphia last month pointed to human error after finding no defects in the brakes or signals as a cause for the wreck estimated to have cost the railroad more than...
FRA says it will enforce December 31 deadline for Positive Train Control
(Source: Reuters, June 2, 2015) WASHINGTON, D.C. — Railroad companies that fail to meet a Dec. 31 deadline for installing new safety equipment could face U.S. government penalties, the head of the Federal Railroad Administration told Congress at a hearing on June 2,...
Legislators question engineer’s cell phone use at hearing about May 12 Amtrak fatality
(Source: Washington Post, June 2, 2015) WASHINGTON, D.C. — Federal investigators looking into the Amtrak derailment that killed eight people and injured scores of others in Philadelphia last month are trying to determine whether the engineer was using his cellphone...
At hearing, CEO Boardman vows Amtrak will put PTC into operation by the end of 2015
(Source: CBS New York, June 2, 2015) WASHINGTON, D.C. — An emotional Amtrak CEO pledged to lawmakers Tuesday that safety technology that could have prevented a deadly derailment last month in Philadelphia will be put into operation, while Democrats and Republicans...
Cameras don’t slow or stop trains, BLET President testifies
(Source: Los Angeles Times, June 2, 2015) WASHINGTON, D.C. — NTSB Chairman Christopher A. Hart called for railways to install inward-facing cameras in locomotives to help in crash investigations, but Dennis Pierce, the national president of the union representing...
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