Weekly rail traffic again moves well ahead of 2020 figures

Weekly table showing U.S. rail traffic statistics

WASHINGTON — A week after U.S. rail volume took a rare dip toward 2020 levels, the latest statistics from the Association of American Railroads once again show a comfortable increase in 2021 traffic over the comparable week a year earlier. For the week ending July 17, overall rail traffic totaled 513,255 carloads and intermodal units, […]

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Influential congressman opposes CSX acquisition of Pan Am Railways

Congressman in dark suit in front of U.S. flag

WASHINGTON — U.S. Rep. Richard Neal, chairman of the powerful House Ways and Means Committee, has told federal regulators that he opposes CSX Transportation’s proposed acquisition of New England regional Pan Am Railways. “Considering the repercussions that would result from CSX Transportation’s purchase of Pan Am Railways and its impact on my district, along with my […]

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News photo: Rocky Mountainteer test run in Colorado

Two yellow locomotives leading blue, gold, and white passenger cars

ARVADA, Colo. — Two leased Union Pacific locomotives lead a Rocky Mountaineer trainset through Arvada on Tuesday as the train made the fourth of eight test trips for familiarizing crews and onboard employees before the launch of the company’s new “Rockies to Red Rocks” service between Denver and Moab, Utah. The locomotives have been leased […]

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CSX says service to chemical and fertilizer shippers is improving

Train with one engine under blue sky with white clouds

WASHINGTON — CSX Transportation has told federal regulators that it has improved service for chemical and fertilizer shippers, who had complained about widespread delays and congestion in a June letter to the Surface Transportation Board. The American Chemistry Council, the trade group representing chemical producers, had asked the board to put CSX under additional oversight […]

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Norfolk Southern to close Cresson, Pa., engine house

Norfolk Southern logo

CRESSON, Pa. — Norfolk Southern will close its engine house in Cresson, Pa., eliminating seven jobs, the Altoona Mirror reports. The closure will come at the end of July. A Norfolk Southern spokesman told the newspaper in an email that the move “is part of our long-term business plans to evolve our operations to best […]

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Canadian National earnings rebound amid broad traffic growth

Train with red and black locomotives on curve

MONTREAL — Canadian National’s second-quarter earnings bounced back from the pandemic amid growth in virtually every traffic segment, the railway said on Tuesday. “Our results reflect broad-based trends and forward momentum across all of our business, and also the enduring power of our vast and diversified CN network,” CEO JJ Ruest told investors and analysts on […]

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J.B. Hunt says intermodal demand exceeds capacity

containers

LOWELL, Ark. — Demand for domestic intermodal service exceeds J.B. Hunt’s capacity because of slow customer turn times and the reduced velocity of the railroad network. “Demand for our intermodal capacity remains robust. In fact, demand continues to significantly outpace our available capacity, which remains constrained by rail performance and restrictions in addition to customer detention […]

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Floods close rail lines in Europe for months or longer

Two trains partially submerged in flood waters

Portions of the rail network in Western Europe could be out of service for months or years after massive flooding that has left hundreds dead across a swath of western Germany and Belgium. Rail service has been suspended after the floods that saw rivers running 3 yards higher than previous records in some cases and […]

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