News Wire Digest for Thursday, Feb. 20 NEWSWIRE

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Thursday morning rail news: — The Colorado Department of Transportation and Union Pacific have reached agreement on sale of 59 acres of the former Burnham Yard, UP’s ex-Rio Grande facility in downtown Denver. Colorado Public Radio says the non-binding agreement sets a price of $50 million for the land, which could be used for a […]

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Crew rescued from derailed, burning CSX ethanol train in Kentucky NEWSWIRE

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The wreckage of Thursday’s CSX ethanol train derailment in Kentucky burns after the train crashed into a landslide along CSX’s Kingsport Subdivision. The lead locomotive of a CSX ethanol train that derailed and burned Thursday sits partially submerged in the rain-swollen river adjacent to the rail line. ELKHORN CITY, Ky. – The crew members of […]

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Trains News Wire Digest for Thursday, Feb. 13 (updated) NEWSWIRE

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Part one of your rail news roundup for Thursday: — Two CSX employees have been hospitalized after a CSX train derailed and caught fire this morning near Elkhorn City, Ky. WYMT-TV reports the train was carrying ethanol. CSX reports this afternoon that the train consisted of three locomotives, 96 loaded ethanol cars and two cars […]

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BREAKING: CN issues embargo on hazardous materials NEWSWIRE

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MONTREAL — In response to Canada’s new speed restrictions on trains carrying hazardous material, Canadian National has issued an embargo on crude oil propane, and TIH (toxic inhalation hazard) materials. In a notice to customers, the railroad says it will “continue to move these commodities, but manage the flow through a permit process from our […]

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Virginia-CSX deal’s impact will extend to North Carolina NEWSWIRE

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Weeds have begun encroaching on remnants of the former Seaboard S Line at Norlina, N.C., in this 2007 view. Bob Johnston Third article in a series on Virginia’s rail plans. The first, on the impact near Washington, D.C., is available here. The second, on the statewide passenger rail impact, is here. NORLINA, N.C. — Nowhere […]

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Plans take shape for how Virginia-CSX agreement will reshape rail travel (updated) NEWSWIRE

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This map shows planned rail improvements under Virginia’s agreement with CSX Transportation. A full-size download is available here. Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation First of three parts ALEXANDRIA, Va. — The $3.7 billion agreement between the Commonwealth of Virginia and CSX Transportation will dramatically expand rail capacity for Virginia Railway Express (VRE) and […]

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Striking coal miners end protest on CSX tracks NEWSWIRE

A group of coal miners in Eastern Kentucky who had blocked a coal train in protest of unpaid wages has ended its protest and cleared the tracks. A half-dozen miners employed by Quest Energy near Pikeville, Kentucky, ended their protest against the company Wednesday evening after the company paid the miners in-full for work they’d […]

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Dependability and transparency keys to merchandise traffic growth, CSX says NEWSWIRE

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JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — CSX Transportation’s merchandise network will gradually regain market share from trucks as shippers begin to trust the railroad’s increasingly reliable service, CEO Jim Foote says. CSX has lost nearly a quarter of its merchandise traffic over the past two decades but has seen its carload traffic hold steady over the past three […]

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Wilmington, N.C., plans studies for possible $1 billion relocation of CSX line

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WILMINGTON, N.C. — The City of Wilmington is seeking consultants to conduct preliminary engineering, environmental, and historic preservation studies for a plan to relocate CSX rail lines across the Cape Fear River from the city and turn the existing rail line into a light rail route. The Port City Daily reports the city council will […]

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CSX Transportation reports lower quarterly profit and revenue NEWSWIRE

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Mark Wallace, CSX executive vice president of sales and marketing TRAINS: David Lassen JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — CSX Transportation’s fourth quarter profits fell amid a decline in traffic and revenue, but the railroad set a new operating ratio record. For the fourth quarter, CSX’s operating income fell 8%, to $1.1 billion, on revenue of $2.9 billion, […]

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Nationwide railroad labor talks start in February; CSX to negotiate wages separately NEWSWIRE

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WASHINGTON — Representatives of six Class I railroads and a coalition of labor unions representing more than 125,000 railroaders are set to begin the next round of contract negotiations on Feb. 26 and 27 in Washington. According to officials with SMART Transportation Division, one of the largest unions represented in the talks, negotiations are expected […]

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