Teamsters vote on Canadian Pacific strike in Canada

Teamsters_Canada_logo

MONTREAL — The Teamsters Canada Rail Conference is holding a vote among its 3,000 Canadian Pacific employees over a potential strike against the railroad. The union, which represents engineers, conductors, crew members, and yardpersons, says it is in a dispute in which wages, benefits, and pensions are the main issues. Results of the strike vote […]

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Siemens lands maintenance contract for Sprinter commuter trains

Two-tone blue two-car passenger train

SAN DIEGO, Calif. — Siemens Mobility has received a 12-year contract to maintain North County Transit District’s Sprinter diesel multiple unit trainsets. The $80 million Technical Support Spares Supply Agreement also includes a 3-year option. The Sprinter equipment, in service since 2008, is used on the district’s 22-mile, 15-station line between Oceanside and Escondido. “NCTD […]

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Sound Transit steps up testing on East Link extension (video)

Light rail train enters station at night

SEATTLE — Testing is increasing on Sound Transit’s East Link light rail extension, with recent nighttime operations including trains operating at up to 35 mph between the Bellevue Downtown, Wilburton, and Spring District/120th stations as part of preparations to open the new trackage. A Sound Transit video of testing is below. Testing has focused on […]

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Congressional hearing decries DC Metro performance

WMATA (DC Metro) logo

WASHINGTON — Federal lawmakers were critical of Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority leadership at a Wednesday hearing, with one saying simply that “Metro needs to do better.” Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) said that Metro’s next general manager will need to work with the independent Washington Metrorail Safety Commission to restore public faith in the agency, […]

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Pere Marquette No. 1225 to undergo extensive running-gear work

black steam locomotive with large smoke plume on a clear blue sky day

OWOSSO, Mich. — The Steam Railroading Institute has retained FWM Solutions to perform the most extensive running-gear work on Pere Marquette 2-8-4 No. 1225 since prior to the steam locomotive’s retirement in 1951. In work underwritten by grants and donations, the locomotive will be lifted so 30 tons of drivers, axles, and wheel assemblies can […]

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BNSF employee killed in Denver yard accident

BNSF Railway logo

DENVER — A BNSF Railway employee has died following an accident at the railroad’s Globeville yard in downtown Denver on Wednesday. According to the Denver Post, Denver police reported they were responding to an accident involving a train and a pedestrian shortly before noon, and announced the man had died about 3:40 p.m. The victim’s […]

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Schroepfer to head California State Railroad Museum Foundation

Man in dark blue suit and tie

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The California State Railroad Museum Foundation has named Tim Schroepfer as its president and CEO, effective immediately. Schroepfer joined the foundation as director of events and marketing in 2019, then became interim chief operation officer last year before his latest promotion. He succeeds Cheryl Marcell, who left the foundation in 2021. “Tim […]

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Weekly U.S. rail traffic remains sluggish

Table showing carload freight traffic by commodity, plus intermodal totals

WASHINGTON — U.S. railroads’ traffic slump to begin 2022 extended to a fifth week, as railroads moved 458,152 carloads and intermodal units for the week ending Feb. 5, a 7.6% drop from the same week in 2021. Through five weeks of the new year, overall rail traffic is running 9.1% below 2021 levels, with intermodal traffic […]

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