Top 10 stories of 2022, No. 5: Gulf Coast passenger conflict

Passenger train crossing long bridge at dusk

Continuing our countdown of the Trains News Wire Top 10 stories of 2022, as determined by a vote of Trains editors, columnists, and masthead correspondents: A lengthy and acrimonious process finally produced a settlement between Amtrak, Norfolk Southern, CSX Transportation, and Alabama State Port Authority late in the year, providing a framework to bring passenger […]

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Union Pacific, CSX tell shippers delays continue in wake of storm

Union Pacific logo without slogan. UP Bailey Yard explosion appear to be accidental.

Union Pacific and CSX Transportation have notified customers to expect shipment delays as a result of the recent storms that swept across much of the country, with CSX indicating those delays could last through the New Year’s weekend. In a Tuesday, Dec. 27, customer advisory on its website, Union Pacific says parts of northern Iowa […]

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Gulf Coast grant application details planned infrastructure projects

View of railyard from passenger car

WASHINGTON — A new 13,500-foot bypass around CSX Transportation’s Gentilly Yard in New Orleans and four siding extensions — three in Mississippi and one in Alabama — are among the 12 projects that would be funded under a grant sought by Amtrak to upgrade the route between New Orleans and Mobile, Ala., for Gulf Coast […]

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Year in review: CP-KCS merger bid navigates regulatory process

Train with red, yellow, and black locomotives

Trains News Wire continues our review of the top stories of 2022. We’ll count down the Top 10 stories of the year, as voted on by Trains editors, columnists, and correspondents, beginning Dec. 26. As a prelude, we’ll be looking at major stories that didn’t make that list. Today: The freight rail industry. How the […]

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Grant seeks almost $179 million for Amtrak Gulf Coast route improvements

aerial view of land along railroad tracks near water

RIDGELAND, Miss. — A federal grant seeks almost $179 million to fund improvements for Amtrak Gulf Coast service between New Orleans and Mobile, Ala., while CSX Transportation will pay almost $10 million toward the matching funds for those improvements, according to a news report. The non-profit news site Mississippi Today reports the Alabama State Port […]

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Class I railroads split on taking conductors out of the locomotive cab

Intermodal train passes between two stopped trains

The big six Class I railroads are not of one mind regarding taking conductors out of the locomotive cab and redeploying them to pickup trucks. Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern told the Federal Railroad Administration this week that they are negotiating with unions about testing the concept, which would involve having conductors assist trains in […]

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Hamilton, Ohio, station nears move

Boarded-up two-story building lifted off ground

HAMILTON, Ohio — The much-discussed, long-delayed move of the first portion of the Hamilton, Ohio, railroad station is at hand. As of Wednesday, Dec. 14, the two-story station building — one of two structures involved in the city preservation effort to move the station from CSX Transportation property to city-owned land — had been jacked […]

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CN, CP, CSX, UP earn environmental recognition (updated)

CDP logo

Canadian National and Canadian Pacific have both received places on the “A List” of global environmental non-profit CDP for corporate transparency and performance on climate change. Both were among a small number of companies receiving that score among almost 15,000 companies scored. CSX Transportation and Union Pacific, meanwhile, have been included in the Dow Jones […]

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CSX Santa Train returns to the rails

It began as a simple act of generosity to the folks of the Appalachian coalmining region. Now, 80 years later, the CSX Santa Train continues the tradition of distributing upward of 15 tons of toys and treats to delighted children and parents along a 110-mile railroad run. From onboard and trackside perspectives, follow the route […]

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Gulf Coast service to begin sometime in 2023, Amtrak says

Amtrak logo.

MOBILE, Ala. — Amtrak expects to begin operating passenger service between New Orleans and Mobile, Ala., sometime in 2023, but virtually all other details of the operation remain undisclosed after a meeting of the Southern Rail Commission, the Al.com news site reports. The commission held its quarterly meeting Friday in Mobile. The news site notes […]

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CSX and UP adopt kinder, gentler attendance policies for rail labor

Man throwing switch as train with blue and yellow locomotive waits

CSX Transportation and Union Pacific have relaxed their attendance policies in response to labor concerns. “Today we announced changes to the company’s attendance policy in order to provide CSX employees more flexibility and to respond to concerns expressed by craft employees and labor organizations. The new policy is applicable to all craft employees and is […]

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Big four U.S. railroads report progress on service recovery goals (corrected)

Train with orange locomotives rounds curve

WASHINGTON – The big four U.S. Class I railroads have told federal regulators that their service is at or near pre-pandemic levels thanks to improved train crew staffing levels. BNSF Railway, CSX Transportation, Norfolk Southern, and Union Pacific each pointed to improvements in their key operating metrics in updated reports filed on Friday with the […]

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