TSB urges Transport Canada to take steps to prevent train collisions

OTTAWA, Ontario — The Transportation Safety Board of Canada yesterday urged Transport Canada to immediately implement interim measures to prevent train collisions while an enhanced train control system is being developed. The recommendation was made as part of the TSB’s report on a November 2023 collision between Canadian National locomotives and an Exo commuter train […]

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Norfolk Southern’s quiet milestone: Ohio site restored

Aerial view of burning freight cars

EAST PALESTINE, Ohio — A recent, brief update on the Norfolk Southern website — nsmakingitright.com — announced that the railroad has completed efforts to cleanup and restore the site of the Feb. 3, 2023, train derailment and chemical release. Norfolk Southern did not issue a press release regarding the milestone, nor were any additional statements […]

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R.J. Corman completes leadership transitions with promotion of two officials

NICHOLASVILLE, Ky. — R.J. Corman Railroad Group has promoted Korey Colyer to chief strategy officer and John Tudor to chief administrative officer and chief of staff. The appointments, announced on Tuesday, mark the culmination of senior leadership transitions that R.J. Corman says positions the company for continued growth and innovation. Colyer has been the driving […]

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Proxy details Union Pacific-Norfolk Southern merger talks timeline, trims synergies

OMAHA, Neb. — Union Pacific CEO Jim Vena and Norfolk Southern CEO Mark George first broached the possibility of a transcontinental merger during an otherwise routine phone call on Dec. 18, the railroads disclosed in a preliminary shareholder proxy filed on Tuesday. The proxy form provides a detailed timeline for their merger discussions, including the […]

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Proposed cross-border short line urges regulators to dismiss UP concerns

WASHINGTON — Green Eagle Railroad, which aims to build a cross-border rail and truck corridor through the Eagle Pass, Texas, gateway, has urged the Surface Transportation Board to reject Union Pacific’s request that the project face a full regulatory review. Last month, UP argued that construction of the 19-mile cross-border line is unnecessary and would […]

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Richard Jay Solomon, innovator and rail enthusiast, dies at 85

Man standing in front of railroad tracks and a passenger shelter

Richard Jay Solomon, of Monson, Mass., passed away suddenly on Sept. 10, 2025, following several months of illness. He was 85 years old. Born in New York City to Alfred P. and Bessie Solomon, Richard was an only child and grew up in the Bronx. As a child, he traveled by train with his parents, […]

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Rail Customer Coalition warns regulators of potential impacts of UP-NS merger

Freight train passes under bridge as it rounds gentle curve on three-track main line.

WASHINGTON — The Rail Customer Coalition, which represents the manufacturing, agriculture, and energy industries, has told federal regulators that Union Pacific’s proposed acquisition of Norfolk Southern will stifle rail competition and drive up costs. “Past rail mergers have shown what happens when consolidation goes unchecked: service suffers, costs increase, and jobs disappear,” the coalition wrote […]

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Parallel Systems shifts into second phase of testing on G&W in Georgia

Parallel Systems has begun the second phase of testing its autonomous, battery-electric railcars on Genesee & Wyoming short line Heart of Georgia Railroad. The first phase of testing was performed on a 2-mile section of track on the Heart of Georgia. The Parallel vehicle was operated for a total of 90 miles and passed all […]

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Intramotev announces commercial agreement with Watco to deploy TugVolt technology

ST. LOUIS — Intramotev, the technology company building autonomous battery-electric freight cars, announced on Tuesday that Watco will begin using Intramotev’s TugVolt system, starting at its transload terminal in Wood River, Ill., in January. “At Watco, we’re always exploring new ways to support our customers,” Aaron Jensen, Watco’s senior vice president of operations solutions and […]

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Former Michigan Central coaling tower demolished

Construction equipment demolishes a concrete structure over a set of railroad tracks

MICHIGAN CITY, INDIANA — Demolition experts wasted little time in dismantling the top of the former Michigan Central coaling tower that straddles Amtrak’s Michigan line, which normally hosts Wolverine and Blue Water trains. The process of crushing this fortress and another one on Michigan-owned track west of Augusta, Mich., between Kalamazoo and Battle Creek, has […]

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‘See Tracks? Think Train’ Week aims to raise safety awareness

People walking on railroad tracks as train approaches

WASHINGTON — “See Tracks? Think Train Week,” which runs Sept. 15–21, is dedicated to raising awareness about the importance of staying safe around railroad tracks. The campaign highlights Federal Railroad Administration statistics showing that more than 95% of rail-related deaths involve drivers going through grade crossings or pedestrians trespassing on tracks. “Every three hours in […]

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SMART-TD reaches national tentative agreement with railroads

Crewman in hi-visibility vest flagging at grade crossing

ARLINGTON, Va. — The National Carriers Conference Committee today announced it has reached a national tentative agreement with SMART-TD, the nation’s largest rail union. “This tentative national agreement with SMART-TD will extend the benefits established by the industrywide pattern — including wage increases and improved benefits — to thousands more freight rail employees,” Jeff Rodgers, […]

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