PHILADELPHIA — The defense suffered a significant setback in the trial of Amtrak engineer Brandon Bostian on Tuesday, with Common Pleas Court Judge Barbara McDermott ruling the jury would not be allowed to hear any testimony regarding automatic train control. KYW-TV reports the defense had planned to argue that Amtrak was at fault in the […]
Section: News Wire
Utah bill aimed at Union Pacific switch engines placed on hold
SALT LAKE CITY — A Utah bill which would require Union Pacific to use less-polluting locomotives in a Salt Lake City yard has been placed on hold at the request of the legislation’s sponsor, who says there have been “productive” conversations with the railroad. The Deseret News reports state Rep. Mike Schultz, the House majority […]
Montana Rail Link says it plans to keep, but not operate, branch lines
MISSOULA, Mont. — Montana Rail Link plans to retain several branch lines that are not part of the lease agreement with BNSF Railway that it is ending, but has no plans to operate those lines, a company spokesman said recently. KPAX-TV reports that spokeman Jon Bennion told a recent meeting of the Big Sky Passenger […]
Del Mar, Calif., turns down deal over trackside fencing
DEL MAR, Calif. — The City of Del Mar’s opposition to safety fencing along the rail line traversing the Del Mar Bluffs is likely to result in a larger fence than might otherwise have been the case. The San Diego Reader reports that on Monday, Feb. 28 — the deadline for the city to reach […]
St. Louis-area short line launches operations
JOPLIN, Mo. — The Missouri Eastern Railway, a new subsidiary of transportation company Jaguar Transport Holdings, began operation Tuesday, March 1, in the St. Louis area. In January, the company acquired 42 miles of track between St. Louis and Union, Mo., previously operated by Progressive Rail’s Central Midland Railway. In February, it acquired leasehold rights […]
STB’s reciprocal switching hearing to be held online
WASHINGTON — The Surface Transportation Board has announced its upcoming hearing on proposed reciprocal switching regulations will be held online, via Zoom, and will be available for public viewing on YouTube. The hearing is set to be held March 15-16, with proceedings beginning at 9:30 a.m. EST each day. It will be shown on the […]
Union Pacific: CP-KCS merger could harm competition at Laredo gateway
WASHINGTON — Union Pacific has asked federal regulators to ensure that a merger of Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern does not undermine competition at the Laredo, Texas, gateway. Laredo, the most important Mexico border crossing, is where UP interchanges with KCS de Mexico and stands to lose traffic to the combined Canadian Pacific Kansas […]
Canadian National questions foundation of CP-KCS merger application
WASHINGTON — Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern have vastly overestimated traffic and revenue growth that would flow from their proposed combination, making the rest of their merger application a house of cards, Canadian National claims in a regulatory filing. The CP-KCS merger application is so “riddled with errors” that the Surface Transportation Board should not […]
STB grants delay in next phase of Amtrak Gulf Coast hearing
WASHINGTON — The Surface Transportation Board has granted CSX Transportation’s request to delay the hearing on Amtrak Gulf Coast service, which was unopposed by Amtrak and the other parties to the case. The evidentiary hearing, which had been scheduled to begin March 9, will now be held April 4-5, with April 6 and April 8 […]
Chicago suburbs seek $9.5 billion to mitigate potential impact of CP-KCS merger (updated)
WASHINGTON — A coalition of Chicago suburbs says it would cost between $5.5 billion and $9.5 billion to mitigate the impact of the Canadian Pacific-Kansas City Southern merger on their communities. That’s more than the entire price tag of the CREATE program, which aims to spend $4.6 billion on 70 rail improvement projects across the […]
Unions ask for end to mediation over national contract
WASHINGTON — Two unions involved in the negotiations for a new national rail labor contract have asked to be released from mediation with the coalition representing railroads, instead requesting to move to arbitration. In a letter dated Feb. 23, the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Division of the Teamsters Rail Conference, and the […]
BNSF plans capital spending increase in 2022
FORT WORTH, Texas — BNSF will increase capital spending to $3.55 billion in 2022, after a spend of $2.97 billion in 2021, the railroad reported in its fourth-quarter financial summary. Of that $3.55 billion, $2.71 billion is budgeted for maintenance and replacement, including 14,000 miles of track surfacing or undercutting; replacement of 381 miles of […]
