STB requires BNSF, NS, and UP to continue to provide detailed service progress reports

Container train passing under bridge

WASHINGTON — Federal regulators will require BNSF Railway, Norfolk Southern, and Union Pacific to continue to provide biweekly service progress reports through the end of the year. The Surface Transportation Board, in a decision released today, said the three systems had not yet made enough progress toward the operations, service, and employment goals they had […]

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Amtrak hopes to resolve Pennsylvania freight customer complaint about track project

Amtrak640

WASHINGTON — Amtrak has told federal regulators that it wants to find a way to resolve a complaint from freight customers who will lose access to Norfolk Southern service for several weeks during trackwork on the Philadelphia-Harrisburg main line. Amtrak plans to shut one track to all traffic starting this month, which would prevent NS […]

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Norfolk Southern seeks regulatory approval for purchase of CNO&TP

Southern Railway history: Black locomotives pulling a freight train.

WASHINGTON — Norfolk Southern yesterday sought regulatory approval for its acquisition of the Cincinnati Southern Railway, the municipally owned railroad that forms the 338.2-mile Chattanooga-Cincinnati backbone of NS’s key corridor linking Chicago with Atlanta and the Southeast. NS asked the Surface Transportation Board to approve the $1.62 billion acquisition as a minor transaction. Norfolk Southern […]

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Regulators turn down Metra, BNSF requests to participate in conference on CPKC reporting of metrics

Unit tank-car train and commuter train meet

WASHINGTON — The Surface Transportation Board has denied requests by Metra and BNSF Railway to participate in an upcoming technical conference to determine details of metrics reported by Canadian Pacific Kansas City to the board, as required as part of the board decision approving the CP-KCS merger. In a decision reached Sunday, April 30, and […]

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Landfill receives 2.5 million pounds of debris from BNSF derailment

Tractor moves debris at landfill

LA CROSSE, Wis. — As cleanup from last week’s BNSF derailment near De Soto, Wis., continues, the La Crosse County landfill is processing some 2.5 million pounds of debris from the incident. The county says in a press release that the railroad asked La Crosse County for support as it had the nearest facility with […]

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Metrolink board approves union agreement

Commuter train led by white locomotive with blue stripe on curve

LOS ANGELES — Metrolink’s board of directors last week approved a collective bargaining agreement with members of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1277. Union members had ratified the agreement earlier in April. The agreement covers the commuter rail operator’s rail traffic coordinators, rail traffic controllers, communications coordinators, and customer relations representatives. The 47 employees involved represent […]

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Businesses sue to block drawbridge plan to accommodate Brightline service

Cranes on barge in river next to railroad drawbridge.

STUART, Fla. — A group of marine businesses in Martin County, Fla., are suing to block a request to alter operating plans for a drawbridge over the St. Lucie River to allow for operation of Brightline passenger trains between Orlando and Miami. The TC Palm newspaper reports the 13 businesses filed suit Friday in federal […]

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Maine agencies inform CPKC of environmental violation in derailment cleanup

Derailed locomotives and freight cars

AUGUSTA, Maine — Canadian Pacific Kansas City has been cited by Maine agencies for violating anti-pollution rules because of “a large release of sediment” into streams during its clean-up of derailment in northern Maine, while another agency is saying the railroad must repair the roads it is using and prevent further releases. The Portland Press-Herald […]

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BNSF reopens track at site of Wisconsin derailment (updated)

BNSF Railway logo

DE SOTO, Wis. — BNSF Railway operations resumed today (Saturday, April 29) past the site of a Thursday derailment that injured four crew members and sent some cars into the Mississippi River. Clean-up at the site is continuing. The derailment occurred about 12:15 p.m. Thursday between the towns of De Soto and Ferryville, Wis., blocking […]

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Unifor ratifies contract with Canadian National

Logo of Canadian union Unifor

MONTREAL — Members of the Canadian union Unifor have ratified a two-year contract with Canadian National Railway, the union announced Friday. The union and railway had announced an agreement March 20. The deal covers more than 3,000 mechanical, intermodal, facility management, and clerical positions represented by Unifor’s Local 100 and Council 4000 [see “Canadian National, […]

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Driver of truck in accident that killed NS conductor pleads not guilty

Diagram of grade-crossing accident

CLEVELAND — The driver of a dump truck involved in a Cleveland grade-crossing accident that killed a Norfolk Southern conductor has pleaded not guilty to vehicular manslaughter. WOIO-TV reports driver Ryan Hundley entered the plea Thursday in an appearance in Cleveland Municipal Court. Bond was set at $10,000. The March 7 accident occurred shortly after […]

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Conductors ratify CSX sick-time agreement

Logo of SMART-TD union

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Conductors and trainmen on CSX Transportation’s northern lines have ratified an agreement for paid sick time reached earlier this month, their union announced Friday. Members of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers-Transportation Division GO-049 ratified the agreement on a majority of ballots returned, SMART General Chairperson Richard Lee announced. Exact ballot […]

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