MADISON, Wis. — The University of Wisconsin-Madison’s College of Engineering will offer three rail courses as part of its Interdisciplinary Professional Programs. The upcoming courses are: — Fundamentals of Railroad Bridge Inspection, April 18-20, offered in person or online. Those taking part will learn about the inspector’s responsibilities, compliance with regulations, training requirements, and types […]
Magazine: Trains Magazine
Former Kansas City Southern CEO David Starling dies
Former Kansas City Southern CEO David Starling, who returned to the railway as its independent trustee as part of its proposed merger with Canadian Pacific, died on Feb. 24. Starling was 73. “On behalf of the entire Kansas City Southern family, we feel shock and profound sadness for the sudden loss of our former leader […]
LIRR launches expanded schedules, full service to Grand Central Madison
NEW YORK — Full Long Island Rail Road service to Grand Central Madison began this morning (Monday, Feb. 27) as part of the introduction of schedules that bring a 41% increase in weekday LIRR service systemwide. The shift to the new schedule and introduction of service to the new station from all LIRR branches — […]
Ukraine’s railways mark one year of war
KYIV, Ukraine — Memorial stones and plaques are common at railway stations around the world, commemorating rail history, anniversaries, or rail employees who died in service. On Feb. 24, at the central station in Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital, a new memorial was unveiled to the 353 Ukrainian railway workers who had been killed during the first […]
Derailment cleanup to resume after EPA-ordered pause over disposal of contaminated material
EAST PALESTINE, Ohio — Removal of hazardous waste from the site of a Norfolk Southern derailment in East Palestine is slated to resume today (Monday, Feb. 27), after being paused Saturday by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency over concerns regarding the moves by residents, as well as those in locations that were receiving the waste. […]
New coal company begins shipments in West Virginia
VOLGA, W.Va. — Allegheny Metallurgical Coal, a new company to be served by both CSX Transportation and Appalachian & Ohio, moved its first train of high-grade metallurgical coal earlier this month. The company, located along U.S. Route 119 between Buckhannon, in Upshur County, and Philippi, in Barbour County, moved the first train Feb. 8. Its […]
Lack of clearance markers likely led to fatal BNSF accident, NTSB says
WASHINGTON — A lack of markers warning of a close-clearance situation was the probable cause of a fatal accident involving a BNSF Railway conductor in La Mirada, Calif., on March 3, 2021, the National Transportation Safety Board said in a final accident report issued late last week. The conductor was killed during a shoving move […]
West Virginia legislature advances bill allowing state agency to investigate and fine railroads
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The West Virginia legislature on Saturday advanced a bill that would allow the state’s Public Service Commission, its regulatory agency for utilities, to investigate and fine Class I railroads for safety and operational violations. On an 89-3 vote, the legislature’s House of Delegates passed HB 3059, sending it to the state Senate. […]
MBTA launches ‘safety dashboard,’ releases information on track speed restrictions
BOSTON — The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority on Friday introduced an “online safety dashboard,” allowing the public to track the agency’s progress in responding to Federal Transit Administration safety directives, as well as providing information on speed restrictions across the MBTA’s rail transit system. The dashboard, available here, shows that as of Feb. 12, the […]
Uinta Basin Railway to seek funding through private activity bonds
SALT LAKE CITY — The company planning to build Uinta Basin Railway will seek $1.9 billion in private activity bonds to help finance construction of the 88-mile railroad in Utah, with the help of the government agency supporting the project, the Colorado Sun news site reports. Those funds would cover 70% of the cost of […]
Union Pacific to seek new CEO after hedge fund prods board of directors
OMAHA, Neb. — A hedge fund, arguing that Union Pacific ranks dead last in every important operating metric, has asked the railroad’s board of directors to replace current CEO Lance Fritz with former Chief Operating Officer Jim Vena. Soroban Capital, which has a $1.6 billion stake in UP and ranks among its top 10 investors, […]
BNSF line in North Dakota reopened after derailment
DES LACS, N.D. — BNSF’s main line across North Dakota was fully reopened Saturday evening after a Friday morning derailment, the railroad says in a customer advisory. One track of the main line near Des Lacs, about 14 miles west of Minot, N.D., reopened on Saturday at 5:25 a.m. CST; the second track reopened at […]
