WASHINGTON — The Federal Railroad Administration issued a safety advisory today (Thursday, April 27) that encourages railroads to take steps to address the complexities of operating long trains. The non-binding advisory — the second FRA has issued this month — comes in the wake of three recent derailments involving trains with more than 200 cars, […]
MOBILE, Ala. — The driver of a vehicle was killed Wednesday when an Amtrak train performing crew-qualification runs for the upcoming launch of Gulf Coast service struck his car at a Mobile grade crossing. The vehicle caught fire in the collision, damaging the front of one of the locomotives. Police say they believe the driver, […]
LANSING, Mich. — A Michigan legislator has introduced bills seeking to require two-person operating crews in the state, as well as limiting train size. Both bills introduced by State Sen. Erika Geiss (D-Taylor, Mich.) would amend the state railroad code of 1993. Senate Bill No. 100 would require freight trains to have two-person crews, while […]
Trains News Wire spoke with Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw after the railroad’s earnings call on Wednesday. Railroad safety has been in the spotlight since the Feb. 3 derailment of a Norfolk Southern train in East Palestine, Ohio, and subsequent hazardous materials release. The wreck has put the entire industry under scrutiny, including the Precision […]
GIBBSTOWN, N.J. — The U.S. Department of Transportation has turned down a request for a permit to transport liquefied natural gas by rail from Pennsylvania to a terminal on the Delaware River, NJ.com reports. DOT’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration on Monday turned down the special permit sought by Energy Transport Solutions, a subsidiary […]
RALEIGH, N.C. — North Carolina has joined the list of states introducing new railroad safety legislation in the wake of the East Palestine derailment and toxic chemical release, with a bill addressing train lengths, crew size, wayside detectors, and blocked crossings, among other features. The Railroad Safety Omnibus Act, HB639, was introduced earlier this month […]
CALGARY, Alberta — CPKC’s first new service — a pair of intermodal trains linking Chicago and Mexico — will launch on May 11, carrying containers from new customers Schneider and Knight-Swift. Daily hotshots 180 and 181 will link Chicago with Laredo, Texas; Monterrey, Mexico; and Mexico City. With third-day service to Laredo, fourth-day to Monterrey, […]
WASHINGTON — A simmering impasse over confirmation of nominees for Amtrak’s board of directors has reached a boil, with both Republican and Democratic senators objecting to the makeup of the group advanced by President Joe Biden. At issue is that only one of the six nominees — Normal, Ill., Mayor Chris Koos — represents an […]
ATLANTA — Norfolk Southern’s first quarter earnings tumbled due to expenses related to the disastrous Feb. 3 derailment and subsequent hazardous materials release in East Palestine, Ohio. The railroad’s operating income declined 34%, to $711 million, due in part to an initial $387 million charge associated with the derailment, the railroad reported today. NS CEO […]
WASHINGTON — The Surface Transportation Board will hold a hearing next month to consider a Powder River Basin coal producer’s request for an emergency service order that would require BNSF Railway to handle more volume from the Spring Creek Mine in Montana. The board will hold oral arguments on May 10 where Navajo Transitional Energy […]
DENVER — The operator of a Regional Transportation District light rail train that ran off the end of tracks at a station in Golden in March likely fell asleep, the Denver Post reports. The RTD disclosed findings of its investigation into the March 11 incident as it filed a corrective action plan with the Colorado […]
SPRINGFIELD, Va. — ENSCO Inc. will expand its railway inspection business with acquisition of KLD Labs Inc., a provider of automated wayside inspection technology and laser profiling products. ENSCO announced Tuesday it had entered into an equity purchase agreement to acquire KLD, which offers track inspection and assessment, fleet inspection and assessment, and asset management […]
