NTSB expresses concerns about protective covers on tank cars

An "energetic pressure release" from a vinyl chloride tank car at East Palestine, Ohio, on Feb. 4, 2023. NTSB.

WASHINGTON — The National Transportation Safety Board says it is “looking closely” at aluminum protective covers on tank cars involved in the East Palestine, Ohio, derailment, over concerns those covers melted on three of the cars, which may have hampered the performance of pressure relief devices. The issue occurred on three of the five cars […]

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EMD F unit in local service

black and white photo of train with crew

EMD F unit in local service EMD F unit in local service: Back in the 1950s and ’60s, it was not unusual to see a freight cab unit switching an online yard or working a branch line, although they were built to run on main lines, not secondaries or as switchers. But when a local […]

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U.S. rail traffic down again in February

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

WASHINGTON — U.S. rail traffic was down again for the month of February, showing a 5.2% decline compared to figures for the same month in 2022. The overall drop included a 1.6% decrease in carload traffic and an 8.4% decline for intermodal volume, according to the Association of American Railroads. It followed a 3.2% drop […]

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Visiting the Monticello Railway Museum

Blue-and-gray diesel locomotive pulls train along fence line

If you are in the Midwest, visiting the Monticello Railway Museum is a great idea. The Midwest is often overlooked when it comes to railway preservation. The Monticello Railway Museum is located in central Illinois about 20 miles west of Champaign. Overlooked, it should not be. Here’s why. First off, at every turn are volunteers […]

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Ride the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad

A steam locomotive hauled train passes through a snowy landscape.

Riding the Cumbres & Toltec Ride the Cumbres and Toltec in the San Juan Mountains. And when you do, above the 9,500-foot level, the cold thin air nips at the skin on the edge of a breeze flavored with coal soot. In this scene, we have gathered to witness the ritual of a narrow gauge […]

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CP nominates former FRA administrator as KCS trustee

Batorymug

WASHINGTON – Canadian Pacific has asked federal regulators to approve the appointment of former Federal Railroad Administration administrator and longtime railroad executive Ron Batory as trustee of the CP-Kansas City Southern voting trust. The move comes after former KCS CEO Dave Starling, who had been serving as trustee, died last month. “Mr. Batory is eminently […]

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