WASHINGTON — U.S. weekly rail traffic continues to run ahead of 2023 levels, thanks to intermodal volume, according to statistics from the Association of American Railroads. For the week ending July 13, total U.S. volume was 483,806 carloads and intermodal units, an increase of 1.3% over the same week in a year ago. That includes […]
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General Electric AC6000CW The modern horsepower race between builders culminated in the 1990s with both General Electric and EMD producing six-axle locomotives with 6,000-hp prime movers. Unfortunately, the concept never caught on, with only two domestic railroads, Union Pacific and CSX, purchasing General Electric’s design. In the race to get the locomotives on the road, […]
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PORT CLINTON, Pa. — Reflecting the railroad’s 60% increase in coal business over the last two years, the Reading & Northern Railroad announced it has made changes to its management structure to better deal with that growth. Eric Peters, currently vice president, transportation, will also manage the railroad’s coal fleet. The 2,000 cars, including aluminum […]
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IOWA CITY, Iowa — Officials in Johnson County, Iowa, will consider the Pop Up Metro rail transit system for a proposed service between North Liberty and Iowa City, the Cedar Rapids Gazette reports. A group of elected and other officials will make a trip in August to Rockhill Furnace, Pa., where Pop Up Metro has […]
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DEL MAR, Calif. — The organization that oversees the Del Mar Fairgrounds on Monday formalized its opposition to a proposal to build a rail tunnel beneath the fairgrounds, saying the plan could end a proposal to build affordable housing on the property. The San Diego Union-Tribune reports the 22nd District Agricultural Association board voted unanimously […]
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Extreme heat is taking its toll on rail transportation along the Northeast Corridor, with transit agencies and Amtrak all feeling the impact and taking operational measures. Here’s a rundown as of this evening (Tuesday, July 16): — NJ Transit says it is experiencing heat-related equipment issues affecting air condition and other electronic components, which could […]
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WASHINGTON — Class I railroads say they’re looking forward to explaining their growth strategies to federal regulators during a two-day hearing set for September. Independent rail analyst Anthony B. Hatch says the unprecedented Surface Transportation Board hearing will be political theater that will allow board members to use their bully pulpit. The STB has jurisdiction […]
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CHICAGO — The lack of stand-by operational Superliners at Amtrak’s Chicago maintenance facility led to the cancellation of the westbound Southwest Chief on Monday, July 15, less than five hours before it was to depart, Trains News Wire has learned. With additional equipment unavailable on the West Coast, the eastbound Chief scheduled to leave Los […]
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Look closely anywhere a road or pedestrian walkway crosses railroad tracks in the U.S. and you’ll see a small rectangular blue and white sign attached to the nearest warning device. Officially dubbed an Emergency Notification System, or ENS, sign, it has two vital pieces of information: a U.S. Department of Transportation “National Inventory Number” unique […]
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WASHINGTON – The Federal Railroad Administration has updated its 2023 safety advisory that encourages railroads to make better use of data from wayside hot-bearing detectors. The second supplement to the advisory, issued in draft form on Friday, emphasizes the need for railroads to collect, analyze, and respond to data from hot-bearing detectors. The advisory initially […]
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WASHINGTON — The Southeastern Pennyslvania Transportation Authority faces a series of deadlines to address issues regarding its “deteriorating safety record” after the Federal Transit Administration on Monday released its report on a six-month safety assessment of SEPTA practices, and issued a series of directives to both SEPTA and the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. The assessment […]
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