BNSF announces 2023 capital plan

Woman standing in front of projector screen

FORT WORTH, Texas — BNSF Railway plans to spend $3.96 billion on capital investments in 2023, the railroad announced Thursday — an increase of more than $400 million from its plan in 2022. “Our capital plan reflects our growth mindset and commitment to having the capacity and equipment we need to support our customers,” Katie […]

Read More…

Metra hauls in competitive Federal grants

Commuter train on gentle curve

CHICAGO – The Chicago area’s congressional delegation delivered for commuter rail agency Metra in 2022, helping secure $204.1 million in competitive federal grants for Metra projects – the most by far in Metra’s history. The amount includes the largest discretionary grant Metra ever received – $117 million for the next phase of the Union Pacific North […]

Read More…

Honolulu rail project may finally see trains this year (corrected)

Aerial view of light rail train

HONOLULU — Honolulu’s long-delayed, multi-billion dollar rail rapid transit project is expected to see its first riders this spring. The Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation will hand over a 10.8-mile route from East Kapolei station to the Halawa/Aloha Stadium station to the City and County of Honolulu Department of Transportation Services in March or April, […]

Read More…

UP, embargoes still in crosshairs of STB chairman

Man gesturing while talking

LOMBARD, Ill. — It is safe to say we have not heard the last from the Surface Transportation Board on Union Pacific’s use of embargoes to address congestion. That was made fairly obvious during a wide-ranging and engaging Q&A with STB Chairman Martin J. Oberman on Thursday’s second and concluding day of the Midwest Association […]

Read More…

Mudslides cause cancellation of Altamont Corridor Express

TRNHS0615_03

  FREMONT, Calif. – All Altamont Corridor Express trains were canceled until Jan. 23 after a second ACE train in two days was halted by a mudslide Wednesday while traveling between Pleasanton and Fremont, the commuter agency announced. On its website ACE said: “Due to the conditions of the mudslide location and for the safety […]

Read More…

Brightline service restored after bridge issue (updated)

Train crossing bridge

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Brightline operations were restored this morning  (Thursday, Jan. 19) after about a four-hour interruption between Fort Lauderdale, Aventura, and Miami because of issues with the New River Bridge in Fort Lauderdale. Limited operations continued between West Palm Beach, Boca Raton, and Fort Lauderdale during the outage on the southernmost portion of […]

Read More…

Hiring, retaining workers a recurring theme at MARS meeting

Man with bow tie speaking at microphone with photo of train in background

LOMBARD, Ill. — Attendees at the Midwest Association of Rail Shippers Winter Meeting could be excused on Wednesday if they occasionally thought they had wandered into a job fair. Attracting and retaining workers was one of the recurring themes of the first day of the two-day meeting. It’s been a huge issue for railroads, of […]

Read More…

CN, NS CEOs tell shippers service will continue to improve

Man and woman talking while seated on stage

LOMBARD, Ill. — The two Class I CEOs who addressed the Midwest Association of Rail Shippers on Wednesday took different approaches to the same addressing the same concerns for the audience filling a hotel ballroom, which is to say providing assurances that railroad service is improving and will continue to do so after the rail […]

Read More…