CHICAGO — Six former railroad employees face charges carrying prison sentences up to 20 years, as well as cash penalties ranging from $10,000 to more than $270,000, after being indicted for alleged disability-benefits fraud, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois has announced. The six are accused of working other jobs while […]
WASHINGTON — It’s back to the drawing board for CSX Transportation’s proposed acquisition of New England regional Pan Am Railways. The Surface Transportation Board today rejected as incomplete CSX’s application to acquire control of Pan Am. “The Board finds that the application fails to include all of the information needed to satisfy the Market Analysis […]
WASHINGTON — Canadian National and Kansas City Southern today asked federal regulators to approve a voting trust that is the initial step in their plans to merge into the first railroad linking Canada, the U.S., and Mexico. To address competition concerns in the one area where the railroads’ systems overlap, CN said it will sell the […]
Pacific Surfliners to require reservations on four weekends; more could be added Amtrak’s Pacific Surfliner will require reservations for travel on peak weekends this suffer, a move to manage capacity when more travelers are anticipated. Four weekends have been designated for the reservation requirement — Memorial Day weekend (May 28-June 1), Fourth of July weekend […]
Agracel Rail Holdings launches with agreement at Ohio industrial park A company providing industrial development services to rural communities is launching a rail affiliate. Agracel Rail Holdings, a subsidiary of Agracel, Inc., will begin operations by redeveloping and operating rail infrastructure at The Point Industrial Park in South Point, Ohio. “Our goal in becoming a […]
No. 2 official departs from California high speed agency The No. 2 official at the California High-Speed Rail Authority has left the agency as the result of an investigation, the Los Angeles Times reports. Chief Operating Officer Joe Hedges left the agency as of Tuesday following an investigation that began last year with an anonymous […]
Freight car evolution Auto parts trains were a mixed bag in the mid-1960s. This Wabash train in May 1964 shows an old 50-foot parts car with only the code and car numbers visible, new 60- and 85-foot cars, and an open auto rack. J. David Ingles collection […]
UP train derails near Lordsburg, N.M., disrupting Sunset Limited No injuries were reported when about 50 cars of a Union Pacific intermodal train derailed Monday afternoon near Lordsburg, N.M. The Grant County Beat website reports the accident occurred about 3:30 p.m. local time. Sunset Limited service in both directions was disrupted, with trains holding in […]
Iron mule An unseen “iron mule” between the rails propels a coal car, with a brakeman aboard, toward a dumper at Newport News, Va. The C&O, along with rivals Norfolk & Western and Virginian, moved millions of tons of coal to be transloaded to ships in the Hampton Roads region of Virginia. Chesapeake & Ohio […]
BNSF asks to use eminent domain to complete land acquisition for Denver-area intermodal terminal BNSF Railway is asking officials in Colorado’s Weld County for eminent-domain authority to obtain land for a new intermodal facility. BizWest reports the railroad has submitted 10 requests at Weld County District Court in Greeley to acquire land to build a […]
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Kansas City Southern has officially terminated its merger agreement with Canadian Pacific and chosen to partner with Canadian National in a $33.6 billion deal to create the first railroad linking Canada, the U.S., and Mexico. “We are thrilled that KCS has agreed to combine with CN to create the premier railway for […]
Illinois steam survivor Wabash 2-6-0 576 creeps west across the Illinois River at Meredosia, Ill., in September 1954. The bridge famously limited the use of diesel locomotives on the railroad’s branch to Keokuk, making this operation a late era Midwest steam outpost. Philip R. Hastings photo […]
