Surface Transportation Board now adding chemical and plastics traffic reporting requirements NEWSWIRE

Trains_Washington_Watch

WASHINGTON — The Surface Transportation Board announced today that it is adopting a final rule amending its railroad performance data reporting rules to include certain chemical and plastics traffic as a distinct reporting category to the Class I railroads’ weekly reporting for the “cars-held” metric. The cars-held metric tracks the average number of loaded and […]

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Analysis: Host railroads at odds with FRA proposal to measure Amtrak on-time performance

Adirondack_PortKent_Johnston

The southbound Adirondack arrives at Port Kent, N.Y., in 2016. In testimony on proposed new timekeeping measures for Amtrak trains, Canadian Pacific cited concernes it could be penalized for Adirondack delays resulting from late handoffs from another railroad. Bob Johnston WASHINGTON — Railroads hosting Amtrak trains have challenged the Federal Railroad Administration’s attempt to simplify […]

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Canadian safety agency seeks better air-brake test NEWSWIRE

TransportCanada

Still more Wednesday rail news: — Canada’s Transportation Safety Board is seeking a better way to test train air brakes as a result of the 2019 derailment of a Canadian Pacific train near Field, B.C., that killed three crew members. The crewmen were killed when the train ran away on Kicking Horse Pass, derailing two […]

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REMSA offering college scholarships for member-company workers and family members NEWSWIRE

REMSA logo

WASHINGTON — The Railway Engineering-Maintenance Suppliers Association is excited to announce its 2020 Undergraduate Scholarship Program. This year REMSA is awarding one President’s Scholarship in the amount of $7,500 as well as one $5,000 runner-up scholarship, and one individual scholarship at $2,500. The deadline for submitting applications is Friday, May 29, 2020. Please note due […]

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In a surprise, UP shuts down Cold Connect reefer service

Cold_Connect_Lassen

OMAHA, Neb. — Union Pacific has pulled the plug on its innovative Cold Connect reefer service, which the railroad had touted as a way to return long-lost perishables business to the rails. The service linked growers in California and the Pacific Northwest with consumers in the Northeast and New England via a mammoth refrigerated warehouse […]

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BNSF lays off workers in Glendive, Topeka NEWSWIRE

BNSF Railway logo

More Thursday morning rail news: — BNSF Railway will close its Glendive, Mont., diesel shop and is also laying off workers in Topeka, Kan. KXGN-TV is reporting that, in a letter to employees, BNSF’s Gary Grissum, vice president of mechanical, told affected shop employees in a letter that the closure reflected the current business environment […]

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