Railway Association of Canada honors four operators with safety awards

Logo of Railway Association of Canada

OTTAWA, Ontario — Canadian National, Genesee & Wyoming Canada, Metrolinx, and VIA Rail Canada are recipients of the Railway Association of Canada’s 2024 Safety Awards, which honor innovations and proactive measures by the nation’s railways to maintain and improve safety. “Safety is at the heart of everything we do,” Marc Brazeau, president and CEO of […]

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STB misses its own deadline for issuing decision on CN’s acquisition of Iowa Northern

Freight train with seven red, gray, and yellow locomotives

WASHINGTON — One year ago this week Canadian National announced its $230 million deal to acquire the 218-mile Iowa Northern Railway. Today CN should be 100 days into integrating Iowa Northern into its 18,800-mile system, assuming regulatory approval of the acquisition. Or CN should be licking its wounds, in the unlikely event that the Surface […]

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Amtrak highlights ridership, revenue, infrastructure gains in fiscal 2024 results

WASHINGTON — Amtrak spent $4.5 billion on infrastructure projects in fiscal 2024, along with setting ridership and revenue records, the company said today. Trains News Wire previously provided analysis on the fiscal 2024 results (see “Amtrak notches ridership and revenue record …,” Trains News Wire, Nov. 25, 2024), but the company’s announcement highlights the overall […]

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Norfolk Southern debuts Tennessee, Alabama & Georgia heritage locomotive

ALTOONA, Pa. – Norfolk Southern has unveiled its Tennessee, Alabama & Georgia Railway heritage locomotive. The glossy blue unit, AC44C6M No. 4851, made its debut in a video that NS posed on its social media channels last night. The video shows Juniata Locomotive Paint Shop employees working on the locomotive. The Tennessee, Alabama & Georgia […]

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Stadler makes US operations a separate division

White factory building with blue doors

BUSSNANG, Switzerland — Rail equipment manufacturer Stadler will make its Stadler US operation a separate North American division as of Jan. 1, 2025, the company has announced. Current Stadler US CEO Martin Ritter will lead the division and become a member of the company’s management board. “We are now strengthening the location to underscore the […]

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Completion of shop expansion brings more contract work for Durango & Silverton

People in shop building with passenger car in the background

DURANGO, Colo. — The Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad has completed expansion of its shop facilities to accommodate contract work, and is seeing enough demand as a result that the railroad is looking to add five welders and machinists. The Durango Herald reports the $3.25 million, 10,000-square-foot shop expansion was completed at the end […]

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Mexico budgets $7.8 billion for passenger rail projects in 2025

Map showing planned passenger rail projects in Mexico

MEXICO CITY — Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said last week that the country will spend 157 billion pesos ($7.7 billion) in 2025 as part of its previously announced plan to develop new passenger rail lines, as well as to develop the Yucatán Peninsula’s Maya Train for freight operations. In a Nov. 28 announcement, Sheinbaum said […]

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UP train derails in Texas

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

RINGGOLD, Texas — Twenty-eight cars of a Union Pacific train derailed today near the Texas-Oklahoma state line, KFDX-TV reports. No injuries were reported and no hazardous materials were involved. The incident occurred about 1 p.m. north of the community of Ringgold, the Montague County Emergency Communications Team said in a post on Facebook. Cleanup is […]

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Agreement reached for new South Shore route to South Bend airport

South Shore commuter train on S curve

SOUTH BEND, Ind. — The Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District has reached an agreement that would allow it to build a new, shorter route into South Bend International Airport, a move that could cut up to 15 minutes off travel times for South Shore Line commuter trains serving the facility. Inside Indiana Business reports that […]

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Genesee & Wyoming launches Red Deer Railway, its first short line in Western Canada

BENTLEY, Alberta — Genesee & Wyoming Inc. today celebrated the launch of its first railroad in western Canada, the 43-mile Red Deer Railway Limited. RDR runs from Jackson, Alberta, to Homeglen, Alberta, and uses operating rights over Canadian Pacific Kansas City from Red Deer, Alberta, to Chigwell, Alberta, and to Prentiss, Alberta. A direct interchange […]

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Bevil joins board of Short Line Safety Institute

Woman in dark clothing

WASHINGTON — Kristin Bevil, general counsel and chief legal officer of Pinsly Railroad, has been named to the board of directors for the Short Line Safety Institute. Tom Murta, the institute’s executive director, said in a press release that Bevil’s “experience in guiding short line railroad management in issues as diverse as litigation, governance, regulatory […]

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Japanese railway considers bullet-train freight service

White high speed train in Japan

TOKYO — Japanese rail operator JR East is considering adding add freight cars to its Shinkansen trains, and may develop entire freight bullet trains, the Japan News reports. A host of issues remain before the launch of freight-only trains, however, among them facilities to handle the cargo and track space on some lines. But the […]

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