CN names Drysdale as interim chief commercial officer

Woman standing in front of window with office building in background

MONTREAL — Janet Drysdale will become Canadian National Railway’s chief commercial officer on an interim basis, the company announced today (July 21, 2025). The appointment is effective immediately. Drysdale, who has been at CN for nearly 30 years, fills the position vacated by the departure of Remi G. Lalonde. She spent her first decade with […]

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What it takes to become a locomotive engineer

Many of us have had that moment in our lives when we dream of becoming a locomotive engineer. It’s a fascinating career, but what does it take to get there in today’s high-demand world of modern railroading? The First Step: Getting Your Foot in the Door “We get a lot of inquiries from people wanting […]

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Wabtec marks 10 years of Tier 4 locomotive success

PITTSBURGH — Wabtec is marking the 10th anniversary of the delivery of its first batch of Evolution Series Tier 4 locomotives, which have gone on to become far and away the dominant new road power on Class I railroads. BNSF Railway was the first to receive the AC-traction locomotives that are designed to comply with […]

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U.S. DOT rescinds $327 million in funding for Boston road/rail project

Map of road and rail project in Boston's Allston neighborhood

BOSTON — The Trump administration has rescinded a $327 million grant awarded in 2023 or the Allston Multimodal Project, which calls for realignment of Interstate 90 and a new Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority commuter rail station and layover facility, among other features. The funding termination follows President Donald Trump’s signing of a bill that eliminated […]

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Coal, intermodal, grain boost U.S. rail traffic

High-angle view of coal train approaching curve

Three traffic segments have driven Class I railroad performance in 2025, according to Association of American Railroads data: intermodal, coal, and grain. Year-to-date, intermodal volume is up 5% compared to the same stretch in 2024; coal is up 6%, and grains are also up 6%. Union Pacific is moving the most coal: In the most […]

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Unifor members ratify new contract with VIA Rail Canada

MONTREAL — Members of the union representing about 2,500 VIA Rail Canada employees have ratified a new three-year contract with the passenger operator. Unifor announced Thursday (July 17, 2025) that members of its Council 4000 and Local 100 ratified the tentative agreement reached in June [see “VIA Rail Canada, Unifor announce …,” Trains News Wire, […]

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NJ Transit ratifies new deal with engineers

Commuter train at junction

NEWARK, N.J. — The NJ Transit board of directors has approved the agency’s contract with the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, after learning some of the key provisions of the deal. The board’s unanimous vote on Thursday, July 17, ends a years-long dispute between NJ Transit and its engineers that included a brief strike […]

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California sues over FRA cancellation of high speed funding

Man speaking at podium under banner marking California high speed rail construction

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The California High Speed Rail Authority is suing the Trump administration over its termination of $4 billion in previously awarded federal funding for the state’s high speed project. A press release from Gov. Gavin Newsom says the lawsuit alleges the Federal Railroad Administration’s termination of the funding is political retribution “motivated by […]

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Union Pacific floats transcon merger trial balloons: Analysis

Union Pacific appears to be using a familiar playbook that large, publicly traded companies trot out when considering mergers and acquisitions: Send up trial balloons and see how they fly. These trial balloons let management gauge market reaction, political sentiment, and how the media might spin the story, all without committing to a deal. They […]

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