CSX rekindles its relationship with venerable Dash-8 locomotives

Blue standard-cab locomotive operating as second of two units on freight trainFre

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — After selling or retiring its roster of more than 100 General Electric C40-8 locomotives, CSX Transportation once again owns the late-1980s era Dash-8 standard cab locomotive through its June 1 acquisition of Pan Am Railways. The Class I railroad began divesting the 4,000-horsepower six-axle GE several years ago, retiring and selling most […]

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CSX refutes union allegations of problems at Selkirk Yard

Cars moving over hump in yard

WASHINGTON — CSX Transportation is pushing back against allegations a local union official has made regarding operations and safety at the railroad’s hump yard in Selkirk, N.Y. A combination of layoffs, crew shortages, changes to remote-control switching jobs, and CSX’s takeover of New England regional Pan Am Railways has created congestion at the yard near […]

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MBTA to again launch commuter rail service to Foxboro station

Portion of MBTA map showing location of Foxboro station

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — For the second time, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority will launch a pilot program offering extensive weekday commuter rail service to the Foxboro station, which generally has only seen service for events at the adjacent Gillette Stadium, home of the New England Patriots. The one-year pilot will offer 11 inbound trips and […]

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Work to resume shortly on Maryland’s Purple Line project

Schematic diagram showing route of Maryland's purple line and connections with DC Metrorail and MARC commuter trains

BETHESDA, Md. — Work on Maryland’s long-delayed Purple Line light rail project should resume in earnest after Labor Day, WTOP radio reports. Laborers’ International Union of North America has signed a collective bargaining agreement with Maryland Transit Solutions, the new contractor set to finish the line, with the union’s business manager, Steve Lanning, telling the […]

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Paragraph in Presidential Emergency Board report stokes controversy

Men holding picket signs

WASHINGTON – Rank-and-file members of rail labor are critical of a paragraph in the Presidential Emergency Board report that says railroads believe their workers have not contributed in any way to the industry’s record profits. The Presidential Emergency Board, whose duty was to help settle the contract impasse between unionized workers and the U.S. railroads, […]

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Canadian Pacific, Teamsters Canada Rail Conference reach two-year agreement

Canadian Pacific Railway beaver logo

CALGARY — Canadian Pacific has reached a new two-year agreement with Teamsters Canada Rail Conference-Train and Engine employees through binding arbitration, the railroad announced. The union represents about 3,000 engineers, conductors, train and yard workers in Canada. The agreement, which runs through 2023, includes 3.5% wage increases in 2022 and 2023, as well as increased […]

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Two Mississippi rail projects receive federal grants

YAZOO CITY, Miss. — Two rail-related projects are among three Mississippi awards under the RAISE (Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity) grant program announced by U.S. Sens. Roger Wicker and Cindy Hyde-Smith. In all, three projects in the state will receive a total of $15.4 million in funding. Yazoo City will receive $12.6 million […]

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O-Train western extension could be a year behind schedule

Map of Ottawa light rail system

OTTAWA — An extension to the problem-plagued O-Train light rail Confederation Line could be up to a year behind schedule, according to a memo sent to the Ottawa city council last week. Meanwhile, the existing portion of the Confederation Line is preparing for two extended maintenance shutdowns this month. The CBC reports the western extension […]

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