WASHINGTON — The downward trend for U.S. rail traffic continued for the week ending Jan. 21, with overall traffic down 2.1% compared to the same week in 2022. Total traffic was 467,485 carloads and intermodal units. That included 230,545 carloads, up 3.3%, and 236,940 trailers and containers, down 6.7%. Traffic through three weeks of 2023 […]
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — CSX Transportation reported strong fourth-quarter earnings on Wednesday and, despite signs of an economic slowdown, said it expected to gain volume this year thanks to ongoing service improvements. “I’m particularly proud to report that our service metrics continued to show real improvement through the fourth quarter after starting a clear upward trend […]
WASHINGTON — No one from the Justice Department bothered to testify at the Surface Transportation Board’s September hearing on the proposed merger of Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern. But that absence doesn’t mean the Justice Department doesn’t have concerns about the first merger of Class I railroads in two decades. In a letter to […]
BLOOMFIELD, Conn. – Paul F. Cruikshank Jr., who served as Milwaukee Road’s vice president of operations during the critical years the railroad downsized and reorganized to a profitable core system, died Jan. 17 in Bloomfield. He was 93. Cruikshank had a long and varied railroad career. He started as a brakeman for the Great Northern Railway […]
MONTREAL — When it comes right down to it, railroading is not a complicated business, Canadian National Chief Operating Officer Ed Harris says. It’s all about sticking to a schedule, following the operating plan no matter what, and running safely. Harris, who served as CN’s operations boss from 2005 to 2007, was named COO on […]
ATLANTA — Norfolk Southern set fourth-quarter and annual records for revenue and profits, but expects a slowing economy and declining freight demand to produce flat revenue and earnings this year. The big unknown: Will the railroad’s ongoing service improvements allow NS to offset anticipated traffic volume declines as the economy weakens? CEO Alan Shaw, speaking […]
NEW YORK — The path to the opening of Grand Central Madison — the new Long Island Rail Road terminal in Midtown Manhattan, deep beneath Grand Central Terminal — has been long, arduous, and incredibly expensive. Now that it has arrived, officials at the Metropolitan Transportation Authority hope it will be viewed for its transformational […]
WASHINGTON — Genesee & Wyoming will spend up to $42 million to correct Clean Air Act violations regarding locomotives under an agreement announced Tuesday by the U.S. Department of Justice and Environmental Protection Agency. A complaint that was also filed Tuesday alleged that G&W and a number of its subsidiaries operated diesel locomotives with rebuilt […]
MONTREAL — Canadian National met all of its financial targets for 2022, but the railway issued a cautious outlook for this year with the expectation of a mild recession and soft traffic volumes. “Without a doubt we are in an uncertain economic time,” CEO Tracy Robinson told investors and analysts on CN’s earnings call on […]
OMAHA, Neb. — Union Pacific generated record revenue and profits last year despite the impact of crew shortages that snarled operations, hurt service, and limited traffic growth. “The fourth quarter and 2022 overall were challenging for Union Pacific and our employees. The lengthy labor negotiations tested our workforce, while customers felt the impact of our […]
WASHINGTON — Amtrak will award 11 scholarships to “advance the future of rail” through the Amtrak Scholarship Program, intended to help full-time undergraduate and graduate students who are passionate about rail. “As we continue to revolutionize the Amtrak experience, hiring to address significant demand is essential,” Amtrak Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer Qiana Spain […]
HOUGHTON, Mich. — Tracks to the Future, the summer railroad transportation and engineering program for high school students, has set the dates for two sessions of its program to be held at six college campuses across the country. The program is free to students thanks to sponsorship by the Federal Railroad Administration through a workforce […]
