Rail safety bill introduced in U.S. House

Trains Washington Watch logo

WASHINGTON — Two U.S. representatives from Ohio — Bill Johnson (R) and Emilia Sykes (D) — today introduced the Reducing Accidents in Locomotives Act, or RAIL Act, the latest legislative response to the East Palestine, Ohio, derailment. The companion bill to the Rail Safety Act introduced earlier this month in the Senate [see “Senators propose […]

Read More…

Canadian Pacific Kansas City eyes April 14 start date

CALGARY, Alberta — Canadian Pacific will waste no time officially combining with Kansas City Southern. CP said today that it will create Canadian Pacific Kansas City on April 14, the earliest date CP could take control of KCS under the Surface Transportation Board’s approval of the $31 billion merger. “Under the leadership of the exceptional […]

Read More…

NJ Transit joins partnership to bring transportation training center to Rutgers

NJ Transit trains meet at Elizabeth, N.J., in August 2019

NEWARK, N.J. — NJ Transit, the Rutgers Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation, and the International Association of Public Transportation, or UITP, on Thursday announced a partnership to establish UITP’s first North American Regional Training Center at Rutgers. New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy said state residents “will reap massive benefits” from the partnership. “By hosting […]

Read More…

Norfolk Southern to sell Saluda Grade for conversion to trail

Green and white diesels at crest of mountain pass

LANDRUM, S.C. — Norfolk Southern has agreed to sell 31 miles of right-of-way for its dormant Saluda Grade — formerly the steepest main line in America — to the Saluda Grade Trail Conservancy for conversion to a trail, the Spartanburg Post and Courier reports. Three non-profit groups — Conserving Carolina, Upstate Forever, and PAL: Play, […]

Read More…

Reading & Northern makes marketing changes

Reading and Northern logo

PORT CLINTON, Pa. — Reading & Northern has announced two changes in its marketing department, promoting James Raffa to senior vice president-petrochemicals and minerals, and naming Rian Nemeroff senior vice president-consumer products. Raffa, who rejoined R&N two years ago, was instrumental in developing a Marcellus Shale transload terminal in Tunkhannock, Pa. The railroad handled more […]

Read More…

U.S. rail traffic slump continues

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

WASHINGTON — U.S. railroads experienced their biggest single-week traffic drop of the year, compared to the comparable week in 2022, with overall traffic down 7.6% for the week ending March 11, according to statistics from the Association of American Railroads. Intermodal traffic — at 229,383 containers and trailers, down 13% from the corresponding week in […]

Read More…

Canadian government to help fund Winnipeg-area rail industrial park

Aerial illustration of planned rail-served industrial park near Winnipeg, Canada

ROSSER, Manitoba — The Canadian government will contribute up to C$18 million toward development of a rail-served industrial park near Winnipeg, Transport Minister Omar Alghabra announced Wednesday. Funds for the CentrePort Canada project will help pay for an additional switch connecting to the adjacent Canadian Pacific main line, several kilometers of track within the park, […]

Read More…