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Reactions to the Union Pacific-Norfolk Southern merger filing began collecting shortly after the 6,992-page, four-volume document was released early Friday, with most expressing skepticism about the benefits of the first transcontinental merger. Trade groups representing shippers, which had previously indicated concerns about the merger, have issued renewed statements of opposition. Chet Thompson, president and CEO […]
WASHINGTON — The Union Pacific-Norfolk Southern merger application filed with the Surface Transportation Board on Friday attempts to explain away adverse effects on passenger trains by vague promises of future “targeted infrastructure enhancements,” but generally doesn’t outline what those might be. In one case, a combined UP-NS proposes adding nine daily freights to a single-track […]
WASHINGTON — The Federal Railroad Administration has clarified and stepped up enforcement of requirements that cross-border train crews demonstrate English proficiency, the Department of Transportation announced today (Dec. 19). The actions come after inspectors encountered Mexican crews at Texas gateways who appeared to have difficulty interpreting track bulletins and communicating safety requirements in English. In […]
WASHINGTON — Union Pacific misused confidential materials from ongoing negotiations in its most recent Surface Transportation Board filing on the ongoing UP-Metra dispute, Metra claims in a new regulatory filing. Metra’s Dec. 18 filing is the latest action in the dispute over terms of Metra commuter operations on three Chicago-area routes. It is in response […]
Westinghouse and partner Baldwin fielded an experimental 4,000 h.p. B-B+B-B gas-turbine-electric in 1950. Dubbed the “Blue Goose” because of its paint scheme (and perhaps for its unusual appearance), No. 4000, pictured at Chicago on the Chicago & North Western, generated no orders. Wallace W. Abbey photo […]
FORT WORTH, Texas — BNSF CEO Katie Farmer says the railroad’s initial review of the Union Pacific-Norfolk Southern merger application filed today “does not change BNSF’s opposition to the proposed merger.” CPKC and Canadian National have also issued statements on the filing, with CN saying the application “falls well below both the 2001 and old […]
OMAHA, Neb. — Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern say their proposed transcontinental merger will take more than 2 million trucks off the road annually, boosting the combined system’s traffic by 1.4 million intermodal loads and 425,000 carloads. The nearly 12% growth projection is among the details included in the 6,692-page merger application the railroads filed […]
MONTREAL — Internal documents of the company developing Canada’s planned high-speed rail route say the planned line between Toronto and Quebec City could see up to 72 trains per day. A Canadian Press report says the figure comes from draft versions of a 2023 technical briefing, which the news organization obtained through an access-to-information request. […]
BOSTON — The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority will spend about $253 million to overhaul 40 commuter-rail diesel locomotives following approval of the expense Thursday, Dec. 18, by the agency’s board. The overhaul will cover HSP46 locomotives built by Motive Power Inc. of Boise, Idaho, in three orders placed between 2010 and 2013. The first of […]
PIERRE, S.D. — South Dakota’s governor is proposing legislation that would fold the state’s Railroad Board and two other commissions into a single organization addressing all transportation matters. KELO-TV reports state Transportation Secretary Joel Jundt outlined the proposal from Gov. Larry Rhoden’s administration at the Dec. 17 meeting of the Railroad Board. It would fold […]
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Senate today confirmed the nomination of Surface Transportation Board member Michelle Schultz for a second term, the board said in a brief press release. Schultz was re-nominated by President Donald Trump on Sept. 10. Her second term will expire on Nov. 30, 2030. Schultz joined the board for her first term […]
BOSTON — Three consortia have been shortlisted as the most qualified to submit proposals to operate the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority commuter rail system, the MBTA announced today. Current contract operator Keolis, whose contract expires on June 30, 2027, is part of one of the three teams selected, based on a Request for Qualifications issued […]
