MONTREAL — Canadian National will be the first North American buyer of Wabtec’s FLXdrive battery-electric locomotive, for its Bessemer & Lake Erie Railroad. The railroad calls the locomotive’s technology key to transitioning to a lower-carbon future, and says Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection is providing financial support under the Marine and Rail Freight Movers Grant […]
WASHINGTON, D.C. — While Greyhound announced last week that it will resume cross-border intercity bus service between U.S. and Canadian destinations Nov. 8, no firm date has been finalized for restoring Amtrak trains serving Vancouver, B.C., Toronto, and Montreal. U.S. citizens have been able to visit Canada since Aug. 9, but Canadians won’t be able […]
WASHINGTON — Intermodal issues continued to weigh on U.S. rail volume in October, as a 7.9% drop in intermodal traffic led to an overall decline of 2.8%, according to the latest figures from the Association of American Railroads. The overall drop came despite a 3.8% increase in carload volume. “For railroads, the supply chain challenges […]
MONTREAL — Canadian National and Progress Rail are joining with a renewable fuels company to test biodiesel and renewable diesel fuels in locomotives. The companies have announced they will work with Renewable Energy Group to better understand the long-term impacts of renewable fuels on locomotives, especially in cold weather, and determine any modifications necessary to […]
WASHINGTON — The Surface Transportation Board will allow a Minnesota company to proceed with its complaint against Union Pacific that alleges service reductions by the railroad violate UP’s common carrier obligation and constitute unreasonable practices. In a decision issued Tuesday, the board granted a request by Sanimax USA to partially revoke commodity exemptions and allow […]
WASHINGTON — The Surface Transportation Board has laid out a 245-day schedule for submission of evidence and arguments on the merger application for Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern under a proposal released Tuesday afternoon — envisioning a longer process than the railroads had hoped for. The 245-day plan would proceed from last Friday, Oct. […]
WASHINGTON – Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern say their proposed merger will generate significant traffic growth, with daily train counts on the combined system’s north-south spine projected to more than double within three years. The traffic details were among those included in the railways’ 4,342-page, 1-gigabyte merger application filed with U.S. regulators late Friday. […]
MONTREAL — Canadian National has issued a seven-page document regarding the proxy fight led by activist investor TCI Fund Management in which it says TCI’s “motives are highly suspect and its approach to railroading is outdated, myopic, and destructive to longer-term value.” The “Letter to Stockholders” issued Tuesday morning by the CN board of directors […]
CALTZONTZIN, Mexico — The latest blockade of Kansas City Southern de Mexico tracks by a Mexican teachers’ union has ended after 91 days, Mexico Daily News reports. National Guard troops cleared the tracks in the state of Michoacán on Sunday afternoon, and KCSM trains were expected to begin running the same day. An industry association […]
MINNEAPOLIS — One of the counties that helps fund Minnesota’s Northstar commuter rail service is seeking to reduce its share of payments to keep the line running, and joining in questions whether the operation should continue in the wake of a massive loss of ridership because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Minneapolis Star Tribune reports […]
CALGARY, Alberta — Canadian Pacific will expand its hydrogen locomotive development program from one locomotive to three after receiving a $15 million grant from Emissions Reduction Alberta. The grant, announced Monday, will also allow the railroad to develop hydrogen production and fueling facilities. It matches the $15 million CP had already planned to invest in […]
WASHINGTON — Citing a string of recent train-service employee accidents involving injury or maiming, the Federal Railroad Administration last week again warned Norfolk Southern about deficiencies in its conductor-certification program. In an Oct. 28 letter to CEO James Squires, FRA Deputy Administrator Amit Bose wrote that “NS has had five conductors/brakemen suffer amputations and crushing […]
