U.S. Supreme Court won’t hear Ohio blocked-crossing case

Car turning while train blocks street. House hearing explores highway crossing challenges

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Supreme Court has elected not to hear Ohio’s appeal of a decision overturning a state law regulating blocked railroad grade crossings, WFIN radio reports, leaving stand precedent that local regulation is preempted by federal regulation of interstate commerce. Ohio’s Supreme Court had struck down the law, which prohibited railroads from blocking […]

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Amtrak announces another round of weather cancellations (corrected)

Passenger train leaves rooster tail of snow as it runs on three-track main line

CHICAGO — Amtrak has announced a significant number of cancellations beginning Thursday, Jan. 11, for long-distance and state-supported trains serving Chicago in anticipation of a major winter storm expected to hit the Midwest Friday and Saturday. The majority of cancellations are Friday and Saturday. Also affected are St. Louis-Kansas City trains and, on the West […]

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NTSB releases final report on Texas switching fatality

Diagram of fatal accident at Beaumont, Texas, refinery

WASHINGTON — A conductor entered the “red zone” where there was an increased likelihood of being struck by equipment, and an engineer did not follow operating procedures to stop his train after failing to hear instructions from the conductor, the National Transportation Safety Board said in determining the probable cause of the fatal Oct. 28, […]

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Norfolk Southern industrial development efforts boost 62 projects in 2023

ATLANTA — Norfolk Southern partnered with 62 customers to complete industrial development projects worth $3.1 billion last year, the railroad said. “Norfolk Southern worked with customers and economic development partners to facilitate broad-based industrial development in 2023 and set the stage for growth in 2024,” NS Chief Marketing Officer Ed Elkins said in a statement […]

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Amtrak’s move to Miami airport station still in limbo

Blocked-off platform at passenger station

MIAMI—South Florida commuter operator Tri-Rail will begin expanding its ridership base by initiating service to Brightline’s center-city Miami terminal next Saturday, Jan. 13, but Amtrak continues to delay moving its long-distance Silver Star and Silver Meteor from an isolated facility 80 blocks north of downtown at Hialeah to a modern Miami International Airport station that […]

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Norfolk Southern’s first Climate Transition Plan sets targets for greenhouse gas reductions

ATLANTA — Norfolk Southern on Thursday released its inaugural Climate Transition Plan, which calls for significant improvements in fuel efficiency and increased use of renewable energy and biofuels. “Reducing the environmental impact of our operations is driven by our commitment to a cleaner and better planet for our employees, our customers, and our communities for […]

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Montana Rail Link folded back into BNSF Railway

Blue and white locomotives on train in mountains covered with snow under blue skies

FORT WORTH, Texas — Montana Rail Link officially became a fallen flag on Jan. 1 when the regional railroad ceased operations and became BNSF Railway’s MRL Subdivision. Burlington Northern leased the former Northern Pacific main line from Jones Junction, Mont., to Sandpoint, Idaho, in 1987. In January 2022 BNSF and MRL announced an agreement to […]

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