Produce packing

Packing houses along the Santa Fe

Several packing houses were located in close proximity to each other along the Santa Fe in Placentia, Calif. Styles varied from the frame building at left to the concrete structure at center. Note the semaphore signal installations at right. Photo by Tom Baxter […]

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Railroads face December deadline for plans to meet new TSA rules

WASHINGTON — A late 2020 deadline is approaching for railroads and transit systems to submit plans on how they plan to comply with new Transportation Security Administration rules on security training. The new regulations require freight railroads, passenger railroads and designated “higher risk” transit systems to submit plans on how they will comply by Dec. […]

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Digest: $3.3 billion plan would create Mexico-Canada rail corridor

Thursday morning rail news: Plan would create Canada-Mexico rail corridor Caxxor Group, a Mexican conglomerate dealing in infrastructure development, has initiated a $3.3 billion private-sector project for a rail connection between Mexico’s Sinaloa state and Winnipeg, Canada, via the United States. BNamericas.com reports the project would establish two logistics centers, one in Winnipeg and one near the […]

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Digest: Palm Beach port gets federal funds for rail expansion

Wednesday morning rail infrastructure news:   Port of Palm Beach receives $13.2 million grant for rail expansion The Port of Palm Beach, Fla., has received a $13.2 million federal grant to expand its rail infrastructure, more than doubling its intermodal capacity. In a press release, the Port says it will expand capacity from 44,000 20-foot […]

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Digest: Virginia port receives $20 million for rail expansion

Tuesday morning rail news: Norfolk, Va., port receives $20 million for rail expansion project The Virginia Port Authority will receive $20.2 million in Port Infrastructure Development funding from the U.S.Department of Transportation to complete rail expansion at its Norfolk International Terminals. The Suffolk News Herald reports the money will support building two new four-track sections for its […]

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Digest: North Dakota announces launch of intermodal service

intermodal train approaches curve with bluffs as backdrop

Thursday morning rail news: Governor announces BNSF intermodal service for North Dakota North Dakota will gain direct intermodal access to international markets for the first time through a BNSF Railway facility in Minot. Gov. Doug Burgum made the announcement Wednesday, saying that the service to begin next week will be the culmination of a more […]

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Paper trail

Paper grain door on a rail car

Signode introduced its first single-use paper grain door in 1948. Prior to that innovation, wooden boards were used. The remnants of paper grain doors could often be seen as empty cars returned home, as on this Gulf, Mobile & Ohio car. The cars had to be cleaned out before reloading. Photo by Bill Raia collection […]

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