News photos: Flooding along the Mississippi

A BNSF train tiptoes through high water at Savanna, Ill., on April 29, 2023. Jeremy J. Schrader.

Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers said high water and flooding may have been a factor in last week’s derailment of a BNSF derailment near De Soto, Wis., although investigation is continuing. That incident sent some cars into the Mississippi River [see “BNSF reopens track at site of Wisconsin derailment,” Trains News Wire,” April 29, 2023]. But […]

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Maine agencies inform CPKC of environmental violation in derailment cleanup

Derailed locomotives and freight cars

AUGUSTA, Maine — Canadian Pacific Kansas City has been cited by Maine agencies for violating anti-pollution rules because of “a large release of sediment” into streams during its clean-up of derailment in northern Maine, while another agency is saying the railroad must repair the roads it is using and prevent further releases. The Portland Press-Herald […]

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New CPKC Chicago-Mexico intermodal service to debut May 11

Red locomotive with single intermodal car

CALGARY, Alberta — CPKC’s first new service — a pair of intermodal trains linking Chicago and Mexico — will launch on May 11, carrying containers from new customers Schneider and Knight-Swift. Daily hotshots 180 and 181 will link Chicago with Laredo, Texas; Monterrey, Mexico; and Mexico City. With third-day service to Laredo, fourth-day to Monterrey, […]

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CPKC adds second major intermodal customer for new Chicago-Mexico service

KCS3947Laredo

CALGARY, Alberta — Knight-Swift will shift its U.S.-Mexico intermodal traffic from Union Pacific to CPKC’s new single-line route beginning in May. CPKC and Knight-Swift announced their multi-year agreement today, just four days after Schneider said it would move its U.S.-Mexico intermodal business from UP to CPKC in May under a similar agreement. “This agreement creates […]

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Management incentives at CSX, NS, and UP shift toward service and growth

Train passing grain facility

The publicly traded U.S. Class I railroads are putting more of an emphasis on service and volume growth in the annual incentive plans they offer to their executives. It’s a clear sign, analysts say, that the railroads are shifting into growth mode after years spent concentrating on reducing their operating ratios in a quest for […]

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Two escape injury when light plane crashes on CPKC main line in Iowa

Single-engine aircraft crashed on railroad track

BUFFALO, Iowa — Two people suffered minor injuries early Saturday morning when their single-engine airplane crashed onto CPKC railroad tracks in Buffalo, WQAD-TV reports. Responding to a report of a vehicle accident about 1:40 a.m. on State Route 22, officers from the Buffalo Police Department found a single-engine aircraft had crashed. The pilot was attempting […]

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Maine agency unhappy with CPKC derailment cleanup (updated)

View of damaged track and derailed train

SANDWICH ACADEMY GRANT TOWNSHIP, Maine — The Maine Department of Environmental Protection has notified CPKC of its dissatisfaction with clean-up efforts following last week’s derailment and fire involving a CPKC train in northern Maine, and warned it could step in to take over that cleanup at the railroad’s expense. CPKC says it is fully cooperating […]

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CPKC derailment closes major Winnipeg street (updated)

CPKC logo

WINNIPEG, Manitoba — A major Winnipeg street has been reopened after being closed by the derailment Friday of a CPKC train. Global News reports Winnipeg police announced the reopening of McPhillips Street with a Twitter post at 2:02 a.m. Saturday, after previously saying the street could be closed for several days. The CBC reported the […]

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CPKC to handle Schneider’s cross-border intermodal shipments between the Midwest and Mexico

CALGARY, Alberta – CPKC has landed a multi-year contract to handle Schneider National’s intermodal traffic between the U.S. and Mexico. The announcement today – which comes just a week after the Canadian Pacific-Kansas City Southern combination became effective – backs up pre-merger projections that CPKC’s single-line service would enable it to compete in the Chicago-Mexico […]

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Fire chief calls it a ‘miracle’ crew in Maine derailment wasn’t more seriously injured

View of damaged track and derailed train

ROCKWOOD, Maine — A fire chief involved in the response of Saturday’s CPKC derailment in a remote area of northern Maine says it was an ‘absolute miracle’ the three crew members were not more seriously injured. The three crew members were reported to have suffered minor injuries in a derailment and fire involving three locomotives […]

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Three hurt as CPKC train derails in Maine

Aerial view of derailment in Maine

ROCKWOOD, Maine — Three crew members were reported to have suffered minor injuries after a CPKC freight train derailed and caught fire early today (Saturday, April 15) apparently as a result of a track washout, Reuters reports. Maine’s Forest Service said three locomotives and six railcars carrying lumber and electrical wiring derailed north of Rockwood, […]

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CPKC unveils new logo on first day as a merged system

Canadian Pacific Kansas City, the first railroad to link Canada, the U.S., and Mexico, made its debut today and unveiled its new logo and website. Officials from Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern will celebrate the historic merger at a final spike ceremony scheduled for 10 a.m. today at Knoche Yard in Kansas City, Mo., […]

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