BERLIN — Much of Germany’s rail system has been shut down by a two-day strike expected to leave only about a quarter of the nation’s long-distance trains in operation Wednesday and Thursday. The Associated Press reports national operator Deutsche Bahn is asking passengers to avoid unnecessary travel and will suspend COVID-19 related restrictions, allowing every […]
WASHINGTON — The Senate’s passage of a $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill drew praise from a variety of rail observers and other interested parties Tuesday. The bill includes $66 billion for rail-related spending, including $58 billion for Amtrak. Amtrak board chairman Tony Coscia said in a statement that the bill represents more than just this country’s […]
NORFOLK, Va. — The company’s first issuance of green bonds and plans to address greenhouse gas emissions highlight Norfolk Southern’s Environmental, Social, and Governance Report, the new name for its 14th annual corporate responsibility report. “From environmental stewardship to the safety and development of our entire team, we are in the business of a better […]
OTTAWA, Ontario — Service on the O-Train light rail Confederation Line will remain suspended until at least Friday following Sunday night’s minor derailment of an out-of service train. CTV News reports OC Transpo, the city’s transit agency, is focusing on axle bearings as it investigates the single-axle derailment. In a memo, OC Transpo General Manager […]
Independent analyst Anthony B. Hatch is fond of saying that one of freight railroads’ enduring advantages is owning and maintaining their own infrastructure. Nothing could drive that point home better than the repair blitz that Union Pacific launched after its 1,200-foot Dry Canyon Bridge sustained heavy damage from a wildfire. The 150-foot-tall span in Hotlum, […]
MIAMI — Brightline President Patrick Goddard announced Tuesday the company will resume hourly West Palm Beach-Miami trains in “the first half” of November, with the exact date still to be determined. When service returns, Brightline plans a major innovation designed to create a seamless experience for passengers. The company is collaborating with software company lomob […]
BRIDGEPORT, N.J. — A well-known 1960s and 1970s short line and tourist railroad steam locomotive is back. SMS Rail 0-6-0 No. 9, an Army brat built by Alco in 1942, test-fired Saturday for the first time following a 12-year restoration, just two days shy of when it was taken out of service in 1981. The […]
CALGARY, Alberta — Canadian Pacific on Tuesday sweetened its offer for Kansas City Southern in the hopes that regulatory uncertainty would unravel Canadian National’s merger agreement with KCS. CP boosted its bid by $2 billion, which values KCS at $300 per share. That’s $25 per share higher than CP’s previous offer but still $25 below […]
MONTREAL — The first trains are expected to start rolling next summer on Montreal’s new Réseau express métropolitain (REM) light rail commuter system, at $6.5 billion the biggest transit project since the city’s underground Metro 50 years ago. The four-line, 67-kilometer (41.6-mile), 26-station network will connect the island city’s burgeoning south shore suburbs along the […]
OTTAWA, Ontario — The Transportation Safety Board is deploying a team of investigators following a incident that saw the derailment of one axle of a train on Ottawa’s light rail Confederation line, shutting down the line on Monday. The CBC reports the incident occurred about 8:30 p.m. Sunday when an out-of-service train was changing tracks […]
PLYMOUTH, Mich. — The Plymouth Historical Museum has signed an agreement to bring the Pere Marquette Historical Society, Inc., archives to the museum. The agreement was signed Aug. 6. “As someone who has been a member of the society since the very beginning and was fortunate enough to know several of the founders of the […]
CALGARY, Alberta — Is Canadian Pacific preparing a higher offer for Kansas City Southern? The Wall Street Journal is reporting (paywalled) that CP’s board met today to authorize a new offer worth about $300 per share. That’s up about $25 from CP’s final offer to KCS, but still short of Canadian National’s offer that’s valued […]
