BOSTON — Precision Scheduled Railroad remains a “mixed bag” for trucking giant and intermodal pioneer J.B. Hunt, according to Darren Field, the company’s executive vice president for intermodal. “I’m a supporter of PSR as long as we can continue to communicate well with those railroads implementing that plan,” Field told attendees at the recent Cowan […]
Train Topic: Railroad Operations
Congress to return, attempts to avoid shutdown NEWSWIRE
WASHINGTON — Congress returns from its long summer recess Monday with just three weeks to hammer out funding and avoid another government shutdown. Absent appropriations, the U.S. Department of Transportation and most other federal branches would largely shutter operations, as they did for 35 days starting last December. While Congress and the White House grabbed headlines […]
The final chapter closes on Toledo’s Hallett Tower NEWSWIRE
A CSX local returning from the “back side” of the former Toledo Terminal passes Hallett Tower in August 2016. Brian Schmidt TOLEDO, Ohio – Watco Companies will close the final chapter on Toledo’s final interlocking tower this week with the transfer of dispatching duties from Hallett Tower to its Pittsburg, Kan., offices. The move, expected […]
Canadian National hits traffic speed bump, but remains confident in long-term growth NEWSWIRE
BOSTON — Canadian National’s traffic is growing more slowly than expected, and with volumes flat in the third quarter it will be difficult to reach its projected mid single-digit percentage increase in revenue ton miles this year, Chief Financial Officer Ghislain Houle says. “The volumes are much weaker than what we expected,” Houle told an […]
Hurricane’s passing enables railroads, ports, to resume certain operations in the Southeast NEWSWIRE
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 […]
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 […]
