SANTA FE, N.M. — A committee of the New Mexico House of Representatives is slated to consider legislation that would require railroads to install wayside hot-bearing and dragging-equipment detectors at least every 10 miles. HB 146, introduced by Rep. Dayan Hochman-Vigil (D-Albuquerque), is one of three bills set for consideration today (Feb. 27, 2025) by […]
WASHINGTON — The Federal Transit Administration this week announced it would not enforce a safety regulation finalized last October until at least March, citing an executive order signed last month by President Donald Trump calling for a freeze of new regulations. The FTA rule in question allows state agencies with oversight of rail transit operations […]
SAN CARLOS, Calif. — A new poll shows strong general support for Caltrain, as well as support for funding for the commuter rail operation in the wake of its launch of electrified operation. The poll, presented on Wednesday, Feb. 26, to a meeting of Caltrain’s Advocacy and Major Projects Committee, shows 82% of likely voters […]
WASHINGTON — U.S. rail traffic fell below 2024 levels for the week ending Feb. 22, 2025, ending a string of three weeks where traffic was ahead of prior-year levels. According to statistics from the Association of American Railroads, total volume was 458,514 carloads and intermodal units, down 5.1% from the same week a year ago. […]
MONTREAL — Quebec’s Court of Appeals has upheld a lower-court ruling that found Canadian Pacific Railway was not legally responsible for the 2013 Lac-Mégantic disaster. The Canadian Press reports that in a ruling today (Feb. 26, 2025), a three-judge court panel denied three appeals that sought to require CPR to pay into a compensation fund […]
A pair of NJ Transit’s Arrow III electric multiple-unit are now wearing the logos of Penn Central and the New Jersey Department of Transportation as part of the agency’s heritage fleet. The new look reflects the design worn by the original Arrow I coaches upon their delivery in the 1960s. The cars are shown in […]
NEW YORK — Pittsburgh’s Railroad Development Corp. and British firm TDI Greenway have announced an investment partnership that will result in a merger between RDC’s Pop Up Metro venture and TDI’s light rail business. TDI Greenway, with more than 30 years in the rail industry, is involved in design and deployment of lightweight rail vehicles and […]
CALGARY, Alberta — The union representing CPKC mechanical workers in Canada has ratified a new four-year agreement. Unifor Local 101R represents more than 1,200 mechanics, laborers, diesel service attendants, and mechanical support workers. The ratification vote was announced Monday, Feb. 24; no details on the vote were released. “Our members worked so hard and stood […]
MICHIGAN CITY, Ind. — Short line company Anacostia Rail Holdings has become the newest member of RailPulse, the consortium working to bring telematics to the North American freight car fleet. The Chicago South Shore & South Bend Railroad will be the first of Anacostia’s six railroads to introduce the technology, adding telematic units supported by […]
NEW YORK — Metro-North Railroad plans to purchase 13 battery-electric locomotives from Siemens Mobility for service in and out of Penn Station when Metro-North’s New Haven Line starts serving that station through the Penn Access project. The battery-electric versions of the Siemens Charger locomotive will generally draw power from catenary, then switch to battery mode […]
ST. PAUL, Minn. — The chair of the transportation committee in Minnesota’s House of Representatives is leading a legislative effort to kill the Northstar commuter rail service — which could be destined for replacement with bus service anyway. HF 269, introduced by Rep. Jon Koznick (R-Lakeville, Minn.) — chair of the Transportation Finance and Policy […]
OMAHA, Neb. — BNSF Railway’s pre-tax profits increased slightly in 2024 as traffic-mix changes — more intermodal, less coal — and lower fuel-surcharge revenue offset an overall 6.5% increase in freight volume. For the year, BNSF’s pre-tax earnings increased 0.5%, to $6.64 billion, while revenue declined 0.5%, to $23.35 billion, the railway’s corporate parent, Berkshire […]
