BNSF bridge at Fort Madison, Iowa, reopens after barge strike

Train with orange locomotives rounds curve

FORT MADISON, Iowa — BNSF Railway’s bridge across the Mississippi River between Fort Madison and Niota, Ill., was briefly closed today after having been struck by a barge, but has been reopened, according to authorities. The Hancock County (Ill.) Sheriff’s Office reported the closure at about 1:40 p.m.; police in Fort Madison posted on Facebook […]

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Norfolk Southern shareholders back CEO Alan Shaw but give activist investors three board seats (updated)

ATLANTA — Norfolk Southern shareholders delivered a split verdict today, sparing CEO Alan Shaw while electing three of activist investor Ancora Holdings’ insurgent director candidates and ousting its independent chair, Amy Miles. Investors sent a clear message that ends the bitter proxy fight. They backed Ancora’s desire for change but sought to give Shaw & […]

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Maersk begins planning for possible Canadian rail strike

Logo for container shipping company Maersk

COPENHAGEN, Denmark — Shipping and logistics company Maersk has begun developing contingency plans for a possible strike by Canadian National and CPKC crews in Canada, including having ships call at Tacoma, Wash., rather than Vancouver, British Columbia. In a customer advisory, Maersk said it is working with CN, CPKC, and terminal operator DP world to […]

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U.S. weekly rail traffic flat for week ending May 4

Weekly table showing U.S. carload traffic by commodity types, plus intermodal totals

WASHINGTON — U.S. rail traffic was even with 2023 levels for the week ending May 4, according to the Association of American Railroads, ending a streak of 14 straight weeks showing gains over previous-year levels. Traffic for the week was 463,106 carloads and intermodal units. That included 213,410 carloads, down 5.1% from the corresponding week in […]

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Transtar’s East Ohio Valley Railway to grow

Map of East Ohio Valley Railway

PITTSBURGH — East Ohio Valley Railway, one of the seven railroads of Transtar LLC, will more than double its operating mileage through a long-term lease of rail lines in the Powhatan Point, Ohio, area, Transtar has announced. The East Ohio Valley, currently 12.2 miles, will add a total of 18 miles through lease from Norfolk […]

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Shippers express disappointment with STB reciprocal switching rule

Crew member on ground next to locomotive

DUNKIRK, Md. – The Surface Transportation Board’s reciprocal switching rule for inadequate rail service is a “missed opportunity,” the National Industrial Transportation League says. The final rule, adopted last week, is designed to incentivize Class I railroads to maintain service levels or face the possibility that a sole-served shipper in a terminal area will seek […]

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