More Wednesday morning rail news: — The Alaska Railroad reported a $21.6 million profit in 2019, a 17% improvement over the previous year, thanks to improved freight business. The Anchorage Daily News reports the railroad generated $203.9 million in total revenue, an increase of 7.5%. Freight traffic increased by 9%, leading to $85.3 million in […]
Canada’s Minister of Transport, Marc Garneau, has announced new orders restricting speeds of trains transporting hazardous materials, and updating rules regarding track safety and inspections. The first of the three ministerial orders issued Friday replaces temporary rules issued on Feb. 6 in response to a Canadian Pacific derailment and fire [see “Canadian government orders speed […]
Set up to be transported like a trailer, a donated Black Mesa & Lake Powell hopper car prepares to leave the Navajo Generating Station in Page, Ariz., for its trip to the Arizona Railroad Heritage Park and Museum. Arizona State Railroad Museum Foundation More Saturday morning rail news: — Washington state Gov. Jay Inslee has […]
Bloomberg is reporting that oil companies may be looking for tank cars to store an excess of crude oil in the U.S. Companies are running out of convenient places to store crude oil while prices hover just over $22 a barrel in national markets and domestic supplies remain high amid a demand slowdown during the coronavirus pandemic. […]
MONTREAL – Canadian National continues to scale back its operations as traffic declines amid the coronavirus pandemic. The railroad furloughed several hundred people in the past week, on top of the 1,400 who were furloughed in the past couple of weeks, CEO JJ Ruest said on an investor webcast Thursday. CN’s traffic was down 13% […]
Class I railroads have begun closing some automotive ramps to inbound multilevel traffic due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, with BNSF Railway taking the unusual step of placing embargoes on all 23 of its auto distribution centers. “As a result of the quickly developing conditions related to COVID-19, some car dealers and distribution […]
Two Geeps (center left) bring a train into Chesapeake & Ohio’s sprawling coal storage yard at Newport News, Va. Cars are stored here until needed at the nearby port facilities where they are mixed with various other grades of coal while loading into oceangoing vessels. Chesapeake & Ohio, John B. Corns collection […]
A refrigerator car rolls into the bowl of Union Pacific’s North Platte, Nebr., hump yard. The box to the right contains a radar speed-monitoring device. Union Pacific photo […]
Santa Fe mechanical reefer No. 51164, built in 1966, is from the railroad’s largest group of mechanical cars, the 700 57-footers of class Rr-89. It wears the late all-orange scheme. J. David Ingles collection […]
A clear signal over track 2 beckons the Pennsylvania’s St. Louisan near Radebaugh, Pa. On track 1, a J1 2-10-4 pushes on an eastbound freight while a set of Baldwin Sharknose helpers approaches on track 3. Philip R. Hastings photo […]
New York Central’s Flexi-Van system, unveiled in spring 1956, employed truck trailers with detachable wheels that locked on special flat cars, saving time, weight, and height. Other railroads that bought into the concept included Illinois Central and Milwaukee Road. Jim Shaughnessy photo […]
Passengers pour from an NJ Transit commuter train with Arrow III equipment at Elizabeth, N.J. The 1970s-era equipment is subject to frequent breakdowns, according to a New York Times article. TRAINS: David Lassen Thursday morning rail news: — New Jersey State Senate President Stephen Sweeney is questioning the fitness of NJ Transit’s CEO to run […]
