U.S. rail traffic continues strong finish to 2023

Weekly table showing U.S. carload traffic by commodity type, plus overall intermodal traffic

WASHINGTON — U.S. rail traffic continued its year-end surge, with traffic for the week ending Dec. 23 up 24.2% over the same week in 2022. According to statistics from the Association of American Railroads, traffic for the week was 486,787 carloads and intermodal units. That included 230,946 carloads, up 23.7%, and 255,841 containers and trailers, […]

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Wabtec to close Wilmerding, Pa., plant

Large brick factory building with "Westinghouse Air Brake" sign built into the structure

WILMERDING, Pa. — Wabtec Corp. will close its plant in Wilmerding in 2024, with layoffs beginning in February or March, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports. The plant is expected to close by July 1. The website Tube City Almanac reports the 13.1-acre facility was sold earlier this month to Wilmerding Warehouse LLC of Zelienople, Pa., for […]

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Top 10 stories of 2023, No. 9: Amtrak leadership and governance issues

Passenger train in rural area

WASHINGTON — Second-guessing Amtrak management’s compensation and lack of investment outside the Northeast Corridor became a spectator sport for Congress in 2023. But lawmakers’ inaction in advancing new Amtrak board of directors nominees has contributed to the status quo over which they and their constituents express concern. Lack of capacity to accommodate surging post-COVID-19 ridership […]

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Fort Pierce, Stuart enter bids for new Brightline station

Illustration of proposed passenger station

FORT PIERCE, Fla. — At least three locations — including competing proposals in Fort Pierce — have applied to become home of Brightline’s planned intermediate “Treasure Coast” station on its route between West Palm Beach and Orlando, the TC Palm newspaper reports. Brightline announced in October that it was accepting proposals for a new station […]

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CPKC Holiday Train, Holiday Express raise $2 million

Train decorated with Christmas lights

CALGARY — The CPKC Holiday train raised a record C$1.8 milion and collected more than 160,000 pounds of food for local food banks during four weeks of travel across the United States and Canada, the railroad has announced. The Holiday Train program, which has completed its 25th year, raised more than $24.3 million and collected […]

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Mexico launches Interoceanic Train service

Man speaking at podium with train in background

SALINA CRUZ, Mexico — For the second straight week, Mexico has inaugurated passenger service on a new rail line. On Friday, operations began for the Interoceanic Railroad, a 188-mile route connecting Coatzacoalcos, on the Gulf of Mexico, with Salina Cruz, on the Pacific Coast. It is the key piece of the Interoceanic Corridor of the […]

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