CALGARY, Alberta — Canadian Pacific has announced a program it says will develop North America’s first line-haul hydrogen-powered locomotive, retrofitting a current locomotive with hydrogen fuel cells and batteries to drive the traction motors. “This is a globally significant project that positions CP at the leading edge of decarbonizing the freight transportation sector,” Keith Creel, […]
Still more Friday morning rail news: Wabtec, Keolis announce partnership Wabtec Corp. and Keolis Group have announced an international agreement to partner on commercial activities and product development, which will combine Wabtec’s products and Keolis’ transportation experience to address transit needs such as HVAC system, brakes, rolling stock monitoring, pantographs, and passenger information systems. “This […]
By: Steve Glischinski DULUTH, Minn. — It’s a cliché when a person passes away to say “they had a life well lived.” But the life of Frank W. Christopherson meets that definition. Christopherson, who died in Duluth on Dec. 15 at 93, was one of the last surviving engineers who ran steam locomotives on the […]
Canadian National is in the process of selling Ontario’s Algoma Central Railway, according to a published report. The Manitoulin Expositor reports the railroad has confirmed the company has initiated the sale process. “Interested parties have been contacted and the process is ongoing,” a company representative told the newspaper. “Since it’s a commercial process, we will […]
TACOMA, Wash. — Progress Rail will close its Tacoma locomotive rebuilding facility early in 2021. In a statement issued this morning, the company said it will move the work currently being performed at Tacoma to other rebuild facilities, including Mayfield, Ky., and Patterson, Ga. “This consolidation will help eliminate excess capacity and gain necessary efficiencies,” […]
Canadian National and Canadian Pacific, which are under investor pressure to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, are exploring the use of alternatives to the diesel-electric locomotive. The Canadian Class I railroads have been working with the Railway Association of Canada and Transport Canada on a range of ways to reduce emissions, including electrification and using […]
Thursday morning rail news: RCMP begins investigation of fatal Canadian Pacific derailment The major crimes unit of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police has opened a criminal investigation into the fatal derailment of a runaway Canadian Pacific train near Field, British Columbia, in February 2019. The CBC reports the investigation is being opened after consultation between […]
CHICAGO — Food service on Amtrak’s long-distance trains has become such an exercise in repetition that something as modest as the cold meal service on the Portland, Ore., section of the Empire Builder is both a notable and welcome respite. That’s one aspect of the current state of onboard dining, which suggests both immediate and […]
More Thursday morning rail news: CSX train hits boulder, derails in Kentucky A CSX Transportation train has derailed in Harlan County, Ky., after striking a boulder that fell from a cliff face across an adjacent highway, WKYT-TV reports. The rockfall and derailment has closed State Route 2007 between Wallins and Coldiron, Ky. The derailment occurred […]
More Thursday morning rail news: NS will furlough mechanical department employees, offers no details on number or locations Norfolk Southern will be furloughing mechanical department employees at multiple locations across its system, WSLS-TV reports. In a statement, the railroad did not indicate the locations or number of employees to be affected, but said the move […]
NJ Transit rail service remains suspended as a result of the winter storm currently hitting the Northeast, but other major commuter rail services continue to operate in some form as of Thursday morning. NJ Transit suspended all commuter rail operations as of 7:30 p.m. Wednesday and they remain halted, along with Newark and Hudson-Bergen light […]
WASHINGTON — The continued upswing in grain traffic is helping reduce the drop in U.S. carload rail traffic, while intermodal strength continues to lift overall volume above 2019 levels in the latest weekly statistics released by the Association of American Railroads. For the week ending Dec. 12, the total of 238,193 carloads was 2.2% below […]
