MONTREAL, Quebec — Derailment investigation expert Gary Wolf speaks with Trains Associate Editor Steve Sweeney at the 2017 Wheel Rail Interaction conference in Montreal about his career in railroading and how he came to be part of a group that investigated double-stack container wrecks in the western United States. Wolf is the primary source for […]
Train Topic: Railroad Operations
Railroad business trains
On June 8, 2015, Montana Rail Link’s business train soars high over the white waters of Fish Creek, near Rivulet, Mont. During this trip, the railroad’s owner, Dennis Washington, hosted business partners aboard the train. Steven Welch Q What is the purpose of railroad business and inspection trains, and who would use them? – Dennis […]
CSX begins scaling back operations at key Ohio intermodal terminal NEWSWIRE
CSX Transportation’s North Baltimore Yard, near North Baltimore, Ohio. Brian Schmidt JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — CSX Transportation is preparing to scale back operations at its intermodal hub in North Baltimore, Ohio, which opened in 2011 as the $175-million centerpiece of a new intermodal strategy. The Northwest Ohio Intermodal Terminal was designed to support CSX’s hub-and-spoke approach […]
Electronically controlled pneumatic brakes study ‘inconclusive’ NEWSWIRE
Crude oil loads from the Bakken oilfields of North Dakota roll through St. Albans, W.Va., enroute to Yorktown, Va., in April 2014. Chase Gunnoe WASHINGTON — A Transportation Research Board committee on Oct. 5 reported that results were “inconclusive” in a year-long study of the effectiveness of electronically controlled pneumatic brakes to reduce the risk […]
Rio Tinto train completes first crewless trip
PERTH, Australia — Officials with Australian mining corporation Rio Tinto say they’ve successfully operated a driverless train on a 60-mile stretch of tracks in western Australia. In previous tests, Rio Tinto locomotives operated across the route in “autopilot mode,” but with a crew still present in the cab. This is the first test in which […]
Drone pilot weaves through freight train on video NEWSWIRE
RENO, Nev. — Flying low, through a truss bridge, under a Union Pacific train, and even in a boxcar are just a few of the stunts a drone pilot shows off in a YouTube video while a UP mixed freight is in motion. The video, embedded above, went live on Sept. 20 and has already […]
Forecast: Intermodal growth trend to continue next year NEWSWIRE
Crews work to place trailers on flatcars in Denver in March 2017. Trailers, or TOFC, made an unexpected rebound in volume so far in 2017. TRAINS: Steve Sweeney INDIANAPOLIS – Intermodal traffic, which has come back nicely after a rare down year in 2016, likely will continue to gain ground in 2018 as truck capacity […]
House arrest for man accused of using railroad radio frequencies NEWSWIRE
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — A federal judge has ordered a man accused of making unauthorized transmissions on railroad radio frequencies to wear an ankle monitor and be confined to his home until his trial begins, according to The Gazette in Cedar Rapids. U.S. Chief Magistrate C.J. Williams made the decision Sept. 11 after the magistrate […]
FRA, trucking regulator, withdraw sleep apnea rules NEWSWIRE
WASHINGTON — Two transportation agencies are withdrawing a proposed rule that would have been the first step in regulations that could lead to mandatory treatment of obstructive sleep apnea for railroad operating personnel and truck drivers. The timing of the withdrawal on Aug. 5 is consistent with the Trump administration’s initiative to reduce regulatory burden […]
Captive or forced switching leads list of suggested STB regulatory changes NEWSWIRE
WASHINGTON — No surprise, railroads and shippers are sharply divided on the issue of allowing railroad customers with connections to only one railroad to choose an alternative carrier. Shippers call it “captive switching.” “Forced switching” is the term the railroads uses. Both sides shared their views on July 25 before an informal Surface Transportation Board […]
CSX wants to end locomotive pusher operations NEWSWIRE
A Morley, Tenn., based pusher has just exited a helper pocket in Morley and will soon assist a 100-car train across Duff Mountain on CSX’s former L&N KD Subdivision in rural Tennessee. Chase Gunnoe JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — CSX Transportation is in the early stages of getting rid of locomotive pusher operations systemwide. The news was […]
Frac (sand) is back NEWSWIRE
Canadian National unit sand train U75081-18 passes by the Metra station in Antioch, Ill. Powering the train is rebuilt AC44C6M No. 4016, formerly Norfolk Southern C40-9 No. 8849. Trailing the rebuilt locomotive is C44-9W No. 8276, and SD70M-2s Nos. 2661 and 8942. Video by Chris Guss TRAINS: Rick Johnson Railroads are enjoying a resurgence in […]
