Machinists reject tentative contract deal and authorize a strike

WASHINGTON – Members of the union representing machinists have rejected the tentative agreement that union leaders had reached with the Class I railroads and have voted to authorize a strike. The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) District 19 said today that its 4,900 members had voted to reject the deal that had […]

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Ontario Northland releases ‘Every Child Matters’ unit

Orange locomotive with words "Every Child Matters" on black feather painted on long hood

NORTH BAY, Ontario — Ontario Northland Railway unveiled its “Every Child Matters” locomotive, GP38-2 No. 1808, on Monday, Sept. 12, at its North Bay shop facility, in a ceremony attended by local First Nations representatives and government officials. The “Every Child Matters” initiative is part of Canada’s National Day of Truth and Reconciliation, also known […]

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Residents speak out against CP-KCS merger at Iowa meeting

Freight train with red locomotives on tracks near river

DAVENPORT, Iowa — The second in a series of comment sessions on the draft environmental report for the proposed Canadian Pacific-Kansas City Southern merger was held Tuesday evening in Davenport, with Iowa residents questioning whether the report from the Surface Transportation Board’s Office of Environmental Assessment accurately reflected the impact on their communities. The Quad […]

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NS to halt bulk moves by unit train on Thursday

Train passing grain facility

ATLANTA — Norfolk Southern has told customers it will halt bulk commodity movements by unit train on Thursday, Bloomberg is reporting, stepping up that railroad’s plans for a potential shutdown ahead of Friday’s end of the cooling-off period for labor negotiations. NS has previously announced it would stop accept accepting intermodal and automotive shipments on […]

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More Amtrak services set to be suspended

Passenger train runs on single track with Chicago skyline in the background

Amtrak will suspend seven more long-distance trains as of today (Wednesday, Sept. 14) as it prepares for a possible interruption of national freight rail service. Also, the three regional operations in California — the San Joaquins, Capitol Corridor, and Pacific Surfliner — are preparing for service disruptions to begin Thursday and take full effect on […]

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Former Metro-North official sentenced in kickback scheme

Logo for MTA Metro-North Railroad

NEW YORK — A former Metro-North official has been sentenced to at least a year in prison in a kickback scheme, amNY.com reports. James Berlangero, 64, was a contract manager at the Metropolitan Transportation Authority commuter railroad. He received $70,000 from Long Island firm WRS Environmental Services for providing the company with inside information and […]

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Metra says some lines will be halted by freight rail strike

Commuter trains meet on curve

CHICAGO —Metra expects it will be unable to operate on at least some of its 11 Chicago-area commuter rail lines in the event of a work stoppage on Class I freight rail lines, the agency said in a statement today (Tuesday, Sept. 13). Commuter operators elsewhere are also beginning to assess their situations in light […]

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News photos: CSX unit marks 50th anniversary of Operation Lifesaver

Blue and white locomotive with gold roof

COVINGTON, Ky. — CSX Transportation has debuted SD70MAC No. 4568, wearing a special paint scheme to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Operation Lifesaver, the non-profit organization dedicated to grade crossing safety and education. The locomotive, painted at the CSX shops in Huntington, W.Va., was operating Tuesday morning (Sept. 13, 2022) on train Q303 to Cincinnati. […]

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Shippers ratchet up warnings about impact of potential rail strike

Man throwing switch as train with blue and yellow locomotive waits

WASHINGTON – The National Industrial Transportation League, the largest and oldest group of rail shippers, has asked congressional leaders to prevent a railroad strike or lockout that could begin as early as 12:01 a.m. on Friday. Meanwhile, the Class I railroads today reached a tentative agreement with the National Conference of Firemen & Oilers, SEIU, […]

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Union Pacific issues $600 million in green bonds for investments that will reduce emissions

Train with yellow locomotives, with visible exhaust

OMAHA, Neb. – Union Pacific has issued $600 million in green bonds to support investments that will reduce the railroad’s carbon footprint, including battery electric locomotives. The bond deal was finalized on Sept. 9, UP said on Monday. Proceeds will be directed to the purchase of battery electric locomotives, locomotive modernizations, expansion of intermodal terminals, […]

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