Shut down by Hurricane Dorian since Saturday, Florida East Coast Railway officials say limited operations were to begin today, Sept. 5. Pending the approval from maintenance and signal crews, operations would be underway at the north and south ends of the railroad with full restoration of service expected on Friday. By Wednesday, FEC’s Fort Lauderdale […]
Train Topic: Railroad Operations
Norfolk Southern begins moving more bulk traffic into merchandise network NEWSWIRE
BOSTON — Norfolk Southern is working to shift some bulk traffic into its merchandise network as a second phase of its Precision Scheduled Railroading operating plan kicks in. The TOP21 plan, which was implemented across the railroad on July 1, reduced the number of through trains by more than 10% as tonnage moves on fewer […]
PSR helps Kansas City Southern boost grain volume to Mexico NEWSWIRE
BOSTON — Kansas City Southern’s performance metrics continue to improve amid its shift to Precision Scheduled Railroading. Train speeds improved 12%, terminal dwell improved 11%, and the number of miles freight cars traveled per day increased 9% in August compared to a year ago, Chief Marketing Officer Mike Naatz told an investor conference on Wednesday. […]
AAR: ‘…manufacturing and goods trading — has weakened significantly’ NEWSWIRE
Association of American Railroads WASHINGTON — The Association of American Railroads today reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending Aug. 31, 2019, as well as volumes for August 2019. U.S. railroads originated 1,055,386 carloads in August 2019, down 4.6%, or 50,672 carloads, from August 2018. U.S. railroads also originated 1,089,849 containers and trailers in […]
Georgia, South Carolina ports closing ahead of Hurricane Dorian’s approach NEWSWIRE
As Hurricane Dorian brushes the East Coast, railroads continue to modify operations in anticipation of serious problems if the storm makes landfall. With Florida East Coast Railway shut down since Saturday, Norfolk Southern has embargoed intermodal traffic destined for FEC, along with Savannah, Ga., and Charleston, S.C., where ports are closed. NS officials are advising […]
Union Pacific lowers volume outlook for rest of the year NEWSWIRE
BOSTON — Union Pacific today lowered its volume outlook for the rest of the year as tougher truck competition, reduced demand for coal, and uncertainty over global trade continued to weigh on rail traffic. UP’s volumes are down 7% for the third quarter to date, Chief Financial Officer Rob Knight told an investor conference today. […]
Ask Trains: Is that Talgo’s tilt normal?
A Series 6 Talgo trainset is examined after 125-mph operation at the Transportation Test Center in Pueblo, Colo., in 1998. Bob Johnston Q: In the Sept. 2019 Passenger column on Page 18, I see that a Series 6 Talgo locomotive is leaning while being inspected. Was that tilt normal? — Robert Muckey, Williamson, N.Y. A: […]
Ask Trains: What were Providence & Worcester Railroad’s colors in 2000?
Providence & Worcester GE “Super 7” B23-7R No. 2215 leads Connecticut Southern train CSO-4 on Amtrak rails at Windsor, Conn., June 3, 2019. Scott A. Hartley Q: What were the Providence & Worcester Railroad’s colors in 2000? — Chris Carlson, Ottawa, Ont. A: In 2015, the year before Providence & Worcester was purchased by Genesee […]
Norfolk Southern axes about 230 workers in Pennsylvania and Virginia NEWSWIRE
ALTOONA, Pa. — At least 230 Norfolk Southern railroaders are out of work this afternoon after they’ve been told they’ve been furloughed, media outlets in Altoona, and Roanoke, Va., report. Norfolk Southern media officials confirmed a statement published by WTAJ-TV, central Pennsylvania’s CBS-affiliate, that says, in part: “In today’s rapidly changing environment, Norfolk Southern continues […]
Railroads hunker down ahead of Hurricane Dorian’s advance NEWSWIRE
Railroads and others made preparations last week in the event of a Hurricane Dorian landfall in the southeastern U.S. Suspending service at 11:59 p.m. Friday, Florida East Coast Railway officials report they are continuing to monitor the hurricane’s path and are “taking necessary precautions to protect employees, rail traffic, and infrastructure.” As a result of […]
AAR: Carloads and intermodal traffic, down and down NEWSWIRE
Association of American Railroads WASHINGTON — The Association of American Railroads today reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending Aug. 24, 2019. For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 532,483 carloads and intermodal units, down 5.9% compared with the same week last year. Total carloads for the week ending Aug. 24 were […]
Scientists say freight trains could help detect earthquakes before they happen NEWSWIRE
Scientists now say that noisy freight trains could be used to help predict future earthquakes. According to information published by Physicsworld.com scientists from France, Belgium, and the U.S., say they’ve shown that the noise of a freight train — thrumming motors, squeaks, squeals, and other rolling noises — is sufficient to measure the condition of underlying […]
