Parent agencies of Virginia Railway Express approve funding to purchase Manassas Line

Map of the rail lines of Virginia Railway Express

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — The parent agencies of Virginia Railway Express have approved a $155 million agreement to help purchase the commuter operator’s Manassas Line from Norfolk Southern. The nonprofit news site Virginia Mercury reports the boards of the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission and the Potomac and Rappahannock River Transportation Commission approved the agreement in separate […]

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BNSF train derails in Iowa (updated)

BNSF Railway logo

TEMPLETON, Iowa — Cleanup continues after a BNSF train derailed Thursday, March 6, in west-central Iowa, WOI and KCWI-TV report. The derailment occurred about 3:24 p.m. near Templeton. Video on the stations’ website shows heavy equipment working in deep snow around three locomotives; no information was available on the number of railcars involved, but BNSF […]

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Justice Department probing antitrust concerns involving Norfolk Southern and Norfolk & Portsmouth Belt Line

WASHINGTON — The Justice Department’s Antitrust Division is investigating Norfolk Southern and Virginia terminal railroad Norfolk & Portsmouth Belt Line for alleged anticompetitive conduct against CSX at a major Norfolk container terminal. CSX, which says NPBL operates like an alter ego of NS, disclosed the investigation in a filing with the Surface Transportation Board last […]

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San Jose-area transit agency faces strike on March 10

Light rail train at station platform

SAN JOSE, Calif. — The union representing workers at the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority has informed the agency of an intent to strike as of 12:01 a.m. on Monday, March 10. The VTA was informed of the strike plan by Amalgamated Transit Union Local 265 at a board meeting on Thursday, March 6, KNTV […]

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Traffic Club of Chicago sets 117th annual dinner

Logo of Traffic Club of Chicago

CHICAGO — The registration deadline is approaching for the 117th annual dinner of the Traffic Club of Chicago, one of the nation’s oldest associations for the transportation and logistics industry. The event will be held May 15 at the Aon Grand Ballroom at Chicago’s Navy Pier. It will be preceded on May 14 by the […]

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Amtrak adds color coding to railcar paint scheme

BEAR, Delaware — Amtrak is adding color coding at the entries to its railcars to guide passengers to the correct location to board its trains. The first cars introducing this system — which uses green near the doors to denote coach, blue for business class, and red for first class — were to be released […]

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MBTA faces scrutiny over contracts with commuter operator Keolis

BOSTON — Massachusetts’ inspector general has called for the MBTA to improve fare collection on its commuter trains, saying it does not happen “dependably or consistently,” while the state’s auditor has issued a report critical of the transit agency’s administration of its contract with commuter operator Keolis. The scrutiny comes as the MBTA approaches the […]

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Watco to acquire Great Lakes Central Railroad

Man working on logo on nose of blue locomotive

PITTSBURG, Kan. — Short line holding company Watco is adding another railroad to its stable: Great Lakes Central, the operator of 420 miles of state-owned trackage in Michigan. Watco already knows the railroad well. It has been an equity investor in the GLC since 2013. “The Great Lakes Central Railroad has been a vital part […]

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Wabtec becomes RailPulse vendor

Illustration of tank car and information that can be gathered by telematics sensors

PITTSBURGH — Wabtec Corp. has gained approval to become a certified telematics vendor for RailPulse, the manufacturer has announced. The RailPulse coalition of railroads, railcar builders and leasing firms, and related parties is developing industry-wide standards for real-time railcar location tracking and data regarding car condition — such as whether doors or hatches are open […]

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