U.S. weekly rail traffic again up, thanks to intermodal

Weekly table showing U.S. carload rail traffic by commodity type, plus overall intermodal volume

WASHINGTON — U.S. rail traffic continued its pattern for most of 2024 in the week ending Nov. 9, with strong intermodal growth leading to an overall gain compared to 2023. According to statistics from the Association of American Railroads, the week saw total volume of 519,115 carloads and intermodal units, a 4.5% increase from the […]

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Rail industry bargaining group announces tentative agreements with two unions

National Railway Labor Conference logo

ARLINGTON, Va. — The National Carriers Conference Committee — the bargaining group for most U.S. Class I railroads — has reached tentative agreements with two unions, the organization has announced. The agreements with the Transportation Communications Union and Brotherhood of Railway Carmen are on behalf of NCCC railroads that had not already reached agreements with […]

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CSX aims to boost throughput at its largest and busiest hump yard

View from control tower of hump yard

WAYCROSS, Ga. — If there’s one dot on the CSX system map that’s more important than any other, it’s Waycross, Ga., the home of Rice Yard. CSX’s largest and busiest hump yard sits at the junction of the railroad’s main corridors to Chicago, New York, Florida, and New Orleans. And with CSX expecting a wave […]

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D.C. suburb settles with CSX over 2023 derailment

CSX logo

HYATTSVILLE, Md. — The city of Hyattsville and CSX have reached a $310,000 settlement agreement over costs stemming from a 2023 derailment that spilled plastic pellets in the community, the Hyattsville Life & Times reports. A locomotive and 16 cars derailed in the Sept. 23, 2023, incident near the intersection of U.S. Route 1 and […]

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BNSF marks milestone in second phase of Cicero intermodal terminal expansion

FORT WORTH, Texas — BNSF Railway has completed the second phase of its expansion project at its intermodal terminal in Cicero, Ill. Last month, work was completed on a new 4,530-foot production track; the reconfiguration of 43,000 feet of receiving yard trackage; a new 100-foot-diameter turntable; 470 new parking spots; and a new hostler repair […]

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Ottawa puts end to lockouts at ports in British Columbia and Quebec

Intermodal train with one red and black locomotive on curve

OTTAWA — Canada’s labor minister has ordered port employees back to work in British Columbia and Quebec after negotiations between unions and terminal operators reach an impasse. “I have directed the Canada Industrial Relations Board to order that all operations and duties at the ports resume and to assist the parties to settle their collective […]

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CSX chief legal officer to retire

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — CSX Chief Legal Officer Nathan Goldman will retire on Jan. 1, 2025, and will be replaced by Michael Burns, who will be promoted to senior vice president and chief legal officer effective January 2, 2025, the railroad announced today. Goldman has had a 21-year tenure with the railroad. CSX said Goldman’s leadership […]

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ASLRRA president discusses CRISI’s short line transformation

Green and yellow locomotive with short string of cars on straight track in snow.

WASHINGTON — Thousands of miles of railroad right-of-way have been upgraded, new rail has been built, and emerging technologies have been explored since the Federal Railroad Administration’s Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvement (CRISI) grant program began injecting federal dollars into the rail industry seven years ago. CRISI has awarded more than $5.2 billion to […]

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News & Products for the week of November 11th 2024

A black model caboose

News & Products for the week of November 11th 2024   Model railroad operators and builders can get the latest information about locomotives, freight cars, passenger cars, tools, track, and more by reading Model Railroader’s frequent product updates. The following are the products Model Railroader editors have news on for the week of November 11th […]

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Cumberland Yard improvements will enable CSX to reroute traffic to the former B&O main line

AMELIA ISLAND, Fla.— CSX is wrapping up work at Cumberland Yard in Maryland that will enable the former Baltimore & Ohio main line to handle merchandise traffic moving between the Mid-Atlantic and Midwest that’s currently routed the long way around via Selkirk, N.Y., on the former New York Central Water Level Route. CSX has been […]

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