Rail Industry News
Low U.S. rail spending leads to poor safety, experts say
(Source: New York Times, May 20, 2015) PARIS — If there’s one lesson from abroad for preventing accidents like last week’s Amtrak derailment in Philadelphia, which killed eight and injured more than 200, it is this: You get what you pay for. By a global standard, the...
Amtrak has radio spectrum it needs for PTC upgrades, but more work remains
(Source: Philadelphia Inquirer, May 19, 2015) WASHINGTON, D.C. — On April 15, less than a month before eight people were killed in last week's train derailment in Philadelphia, Amtrak closed on a deal to acquire the radio spectrum it needs to upgrade its rail safety...
Amtrak: Positive Train Control coming to Northeast Corridor by year’s end
(Source: USA Today, May 19, 2015) WASHINGTON, D.C. — Amtrak officials said Tuesday that automatic braking widely adopted after a Boston crash in 1990 wasn't flexible enough to install across the entire system, including the northbound Philadelphia track where eight...
BLET, SMART-TD want more crew members on trains
(Source: Associated Press, May 19, 2015) PHILADELPHIA — The union for Amtrak's locomotive engineers urged the railroad on Tuesday to put a second crew member at the controls of trains on the busy Northeast Corridor, where a derailment killed eight people and injured...
NTSB says Amtrak engineer was new to Northeast Corridor
(Source: CBS News, May 19, 2015) PHILADELPHIA — CBS News has learned Engineer Brandon Bostian had only been working on the Northeast Corridor for fewer than three weeks. An NTSB spokesman says "it was two weeks, give or take a few days." On Friday, NTSB Boardmember...
CP’s Harrison takes aim at new U.S. electronic braking rules
(Source: Canadian Press, May 14, 2015) CALGARY — U.S. requirements for new braking systems on trains carrying flammable liquids would mean additional costs without any guarantee of improved safety, top executives at Canadian Pacific Railway said Thursday. Full story:...
Canadian National, Canadian Pacific stocks stumble
(Source: Financial Post, May 14, 2015) OTTAWA — Canadian rail stocks have been one of the best trades this decade, but recent weakness in the shares of both Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd. and Canadian National Railway Co. has some investors wondering whether the good...
Opinion: New oil train safety rules spell delay, leaving citizens at risk
(Source: Opinion column by Jayni Hein in The Hill, May 18, 2015) WASHINGTON, D.C. — Chicago, Philadelphia and Sacramento, Calif.: These are just a few of the cities within the "blast zones" of mile-long trains carrying flammable crude oil across the country....
Opinion: Cut crude’s volatility to prevent oil train disasters
(Source: Opinion column by Marcus Stern, New York Times, May 19, 2015) NEW YORK — The Obama administration recently issued new safety rules for oil trains, to take effect in October. But it didn’t do the one thing many independent petroleum engineers say could...
BNSF confirms furlough of workers
(Source: Daily Inter Lake, May 18, 2015) KALISPELL, Mont. — BNSF Railway Co. confirmed Monday that the company is in the process of placing workers on furlough and reducing its hiring plans. Full story: Daily Inter Lake
Sen. Nelson introduces bill to raise Amtrak liability cap
(Source: Politico, May 18, 2015) WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Senate’s top Democrat on transportation issues wants Congress to raise the cap on Amtrak’s victim compensation fund — betting that pent up pressure from last week’s deadly crash will spur a call to action on...
Conductor files suit against Amtrak over derailment
(Source: WABC, May 18, 2015) NEW YORK — One of the conductors aboard the Amtrak train that derailed last week in Philadelphia has sued the rail carrier. Full story: www.7online.com
Amtrak hit with lawsuits from four passengers in Philly derail
(Source: Philadelphia Inquirer, May 18, 2015) PHILADELPHIA — Four Amtrak passengers sued the railroad company Monday in federal court in Philadelphia for injuries suffered in Tuesday's crash of Train 188, alleging the rail line failed to install an automatic-braking...
NTSB: Amtrak train shows no evidence of gunshot
(Source: NBC News, May 19, 2015) NEW YORK — The National Transportation Safety Board said evidence does not suggest that the doomed train was struck by a bullet, but investigators haven't ruled out that the locomotive might have been hit by another object before...
Amtrak seeks fast U.S. approval for automated braking feature
(Source: Reuters, May 18, 2015) NEW YORK — Amtrak is seeking expedited approval to equip the Philadelphia site of last week's high-speed derailment with an automated braking system that could have prevented the fatal mishap, according to a federal regulatory document...
BNSF cuts back grain car delays
(Source: Forum News Service, May 17, 2015) BISMARCK, N.D. — More cars and less cargo means fewer delays. That’s what officials said last week, referring to the most recent grain by rail numbers. BNSF Railway had 144 outstanding grain cars from May 9-12 in North...
Railroads required to plan for worst-case oil train spill in Washington state
(Source: Bellingham Herald, may 17, 2015) BELLINGHAM, Wash. — Under a new state law signed by Gov. Jay Inslee on Thursday, May 14, large railroads will be required to plan with the state for “worst-case spills” from crude oil unit trains, but exactly what that...
BNSF drops plan to buy tank cars on customer concerns
(Source: Reuters, May 15, 2015) NEW YORK — BNSF Railway Co this week told customers it had dropped a plan announced last year to buy 5,000 stronger crude oil tank cars after customers were concerned about the company moving into railcar ownership. Full story:...
STB approves purchase of D&H line by Norfolk Southern
(Source: Albany Times Union, May 15, 2015) ALBANY, N.Y. — The U.S. Surface Transportation Board this afternoon approved the $217 million purchase of 282 miles of track owned by Canadian Pacific Railway’s Delaware & Hudson unit by Norfolk Southern Railway. Norfolk...
Amtrak faces maximum $200 million payout to crash victims
(Source: Associated Press, May 17, 2015) PHILADELPHIA — For the first time, Amtrak could face a $200 million payout to train crash victims — the limit set by Congress. But that may be too low to cover the costs of the eight lives lost and more than 200 people injured...
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