BISMARCK, N.D. — The State of North Dakota will continue its 4-year-old rail safety inspection program for at least two more years, the Associated Press reports. The program was set to expire in July, but Gov. Doug Burgum signed a bill extending the program through 2021, and state Senate Majority Leader Rich Wardner said he […]
Train Topic: Railroad Operations
CSX CEO Foote expects industry to move slowly toward autonomous operations NEWSWIRE
NEW YORK — Railroads need to take advantage of their investments in positive train control, but the industry likely will move slowly toward one-person crews and autonomous operations, CSX Transportation CEO Jim Foote says. Foote likens PTC to the advent of wayside detectors and end-of-train devices that allowed railroads operate more safely, while eliminating cabooses. […]
Service improvements produce merchandise volume gains at CSX, CEO Foote says NEWSWIRE
James “Jim” Foote, CSX Transportation CEO CSX Transportation NEW YORK — CSX Transportation is leading the industry in merchandise traffic growth this year due to its faster and more reliable service, CEO Jim Foote says. “We are the leader in growing that business at about 2.5% so far this year,” Foote told an investor conference […]
AAR: US carload and intermodal traffic mostly down week of May 25 NEWSWIRE
Association of American Railroads WASHINGTON — The Association of American Railroads today reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending May 25. For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 527,966 carloads and intermodal units, down 6.7 percent compared with the same week last year. Total carloads for the week ending May 25 were […]
Canadian National eyes East Coast ports for new intermodal traffic NEWSWIRE
Jean-Jacques Ruest, Canadian National CEO Canadian National NEW YORK — Canadian National’s strategy to rely on the American consumer to help fill up its railroad east of Chicago just got bigger. CN has been aiming to turn the Port of Halifax, Nova Scotia, into the Port of Prince Rupert of the East, an uncongested gateway […]
Positive train control may open up railroads to new kinds of cyber attacks, expert says NEWSWIRE
A Union Pacific train passes under a signal bridge and past a positive train control installation on BNSF Railway track in Cajon Pass, Calif., in 2013. Trains: Steve Sweeney Even as railroads continue to roll out their positive train control solutions, one question remains front and center: Are the systems vulnerable to a cyber-attack? Can […]
Analyst: Penny-pinching is behind prolonged service problems at Class I railroads NEWSWIRE
Loop Capital Markets SAN ANTONIO, Texas – Rail service has been poor more often than it’s been good during the past five years because railroads run too lean and get caught short of crews, locomotives, or both and can’t recover quickly from the impact of unexpected events. So says Rick Paterson, a one-time Australian railroader […]
FRA withdraws proposed minimum crew size rule
WASHINGTON — The Federal Railroad Administration will not implement a rule requiring a certain number of people in the cab of freight trains, the agency announced this week. On Thursday, the FRA withdrew a notice of proposed rulemaking that dated back to 2016, when the federal agency was considering requiring at least two people aboard […]
Norfolk Southern lays off 50 at Altoona locomotive shop NEWSWIRE
ALTOONA, Pa. – Norfolk Southern has laid off about 50 workers at its former Conrail locomotive shop in Altoona, the Altoona Mirror reports. The employees will be offered positions elsewhere in the company. An unnamed employee at the facility, known as the Juniata Shops, attributes to the reduction to Norfolk Southern’s implementation of Precision Scheduled […]
Canadian National reaches outside of PSR world for next chief operating officer NEWSWIRE
New Canadian National Chief Operating Officer Rob Reilly speaks at his alma mater, Washburn University, in 2017. Reilly was a starting guard on Washburn’s 1987 NAIA men’s basketball national championship team. Washburn University CN Chief Operating Officer Mike Cory will retire at the end of June after 38 years with the railway. Canadian National MONTREAL […]
UP locomotive shop in eastern Oregon falls victim to PSR NEWSWIRE
HERMISTON, Ore. — Union Pacific announced this week that would be laying off nearly 200 people at its Hinkle rail yard in Hermiston, the latest example of cost reductions brought on by Precision Scheduled Railroading. About 195 people will lose their jobs as UP closes its Hinkle locomotive shop and warehouse over the next two […]
AAR: Carload traffic mixed for the week of May 18; crude oil still running high NEWSWIRE
Association of American Railroads WASHINGTON — The Association of American Railroads today reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending May 18. For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 536,358 carloads and intermodal units, down 1.8% compared with the same week last year. Total carloads for the week ending May 18 were 267,006 […]
