US carload and container shipments decline more than 7% NEWSWIRE

U.S. Rail Traffic1 Week 11, 2020 – Ended March 14, 2020 This Week Year-To-Date Cars vs 2019 Cumulative Avg/wk2 vs 2019 Total Carloads 226,039 -5.9% 2,549,159 231,742 -6.2% Chemicals 33,012 3.6% 360,417 32,765 2.9% Coal 55,542 -23.0% 716,466 65,133 -18.1% Farm Products excl. Grain, and Food 15,854 1.6% 174,000 15,818 2.0% Forest Products 9,842 -1.7% 107,399 9,764 -2.9% Grain 19,911 6.9% 217,778 19,798 -6.5% Metallic Ores and Metals 19,975 -4.7% 228,660 20,787 0.1% Motor Vehicles and Parts 19,104 6.6% 175,314 15,938 -0.4% Nonmetallic Minerals 30,254 -7.5% 316,940 28,813 -5.6% Petroleum and Petroleum Products 13,294 9.6% 145,168 13,197 5.4% Other 9,251 12.4% 107,017 9,729 6.6% Total Intermodal Units 236,978 -9.1% 2,712,444 246,586 -7.8% Total Traffic 463,017 -7.6% 5,261,603 478,328 -7.0% 1 Excludes U.S. operations of Canadian Pacific, CN and GMXT. 2 Average per week figures may not sum to totals as a result of independent rounding.

Association of American Railroads WASHINGTON — The Association of American Railroads today reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending March 14, 2020. For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 463,017 carloads and intermodal units, down 7.6% compared with the same week last year. Total carloads for the week ending March 14 were […]

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Trains News Wire Digest for Tuesday, March 17 NEWSWIRE

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Intercity, commuter, and local passenger rail systems contine to adjust to the COVID-19 outbreak. Here are the latest service changes as of Tuesday morning: — Amtrak has announced further reductions. Because Amtrak continues to adjust schedules, check Amtrak.com or Amtrak smartphone apps for the latest status. Here are changes as of Monday evening: – Effective […]

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WRI 2020 postponed; now set for Aug. 31-Sept. 3 NEWSWIRE

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VANCOUVER, British Columbia — In light of the coronavirus situation, Wheel Rail Interaction 2020, scheduled for April 28-May 1 in Vancouver, has been rescheduled to Aug. 31-Sept. 3, presenter Wheel Rail Seminars has announced. Trains Magazine is the presenting sponsor for the event, which will remain at its original site, the Hyatt Regency Vancouver. Those […]

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Class I railroads update pandemic response (updated) NEWSWIRE

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Class I railroads have been updating customers on their response to the COVID-19 outbreak, with four offering information through their company websites. Here’s the most recent information: — Norfolk Southern, in a March 14 note from Alan Shaw, executive vice president and chief marketing officer, said it is allowing remote work for employees whose jobs […]

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CRP&A cancels ‘Conversations 2020’ conference NEWSWIRE

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LAKE FOREST, Ill. — The Center for Railroad Photography & Art has cancelled its “Conversations 2020” annual conference, which had been set for April 17-19 at Lake Forest College. In an email to conference registrants and a message on the center’s website, the center says the cancellation reflects the rapidly evolving situation involving the COVID-19 […]

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MBTA, VRE to reduce service beginning Tuesday (updated) NEWSWIRE

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Responding to the coronavirus outbreak, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority and Virginia Railway Express have announced service reductions effective Tuesday, March 17. MBTA subway and trolley lines, along with most buses, will operate on Saturday schedule. Commuter trains will also operate on reduced schedules. Ferrys will not operate. Details are available here. In a news […]

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Trains News Wire Digest for Monday, March 16 NEWSWIRE

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Monday morning news on passenger and commuter rail systems affected by the coronavirus outbreak: — Amtrak has further reduced operations on the Northeast Corridor, leaving about 40% of the normal weekday schedule in operation, the passenger railroad said Sunday afternoon. Also, in its first schedule change outside of the eastern U.S., Amtrak has cancelled the […]

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Locomotive profile: Alco’s C630 diesel electric locomotive

Norfolk & Western C630 No. 1134 at Roanoke, Virginia.

Norfolk & Western C630 No. 1134 at Roanoke, Virginia. Rick Johnson C630 •YEARS BUILT: 1965-1969 •MANUFACTURERS: Alco, Montreal •OPERATED ON: Atlantic Coast Line, Canadian National, Canadian Pacific, Chesapeake & Ohio, Louisville & Nashville, Norfolk & Western, Pacific Great Eastern, Pennsylvania Railroad, Reading, Southern Pacific, others •NAMES: C630, M630 •QUANTITY: 133 •HORSEPOWER: 3,000 •KNOWN FOR: The […]

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Trains News Wire Digest for Sunday, March 15 NEWSWIRE

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A northbound Amtrak Hartford Line train arrives in Wallingford, Conn., in August 2019. The Hartford Line is one of those which will see service reductions effective Monday. TRAINS: David Lassen — Amtrak has made more adjustments to its schedules in the Northeast. In addition to the previously announced Northeast Corridor changes  [see “Trains News Wire […]

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