BNSF urges regulators to reject Powder River Basin coal producer’s complaints

Full and empty coal trains stopped on adjacent tracks

WASHINGTON – BNSF Railway has urged federal regulators to reject Navajo Transitional Energy Co.’s requests for an emergency service order, arguing that the Powder River Basin mining company’s desire to take advantage of the hot export coal market does not constitute an emergency. “NTEC’s claim is not about failure of service, but instead about getting […]

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New United Kingdom passenger train named to mark coronation of King Charles

Red, yellow, and white high-speed train standing in station

LONDON – A London to Edinburgh passenger train is being named to mark the coronation of King Charles III. London North Eastern Railway’s (LNER) daily 11:00 a.m. train from London’s King’s Cross Station to Edinburgh will be known as the Carolean Express, the BBC reported. The reign of King Charles III will be known as the […]

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Brightline unveils Orlando terminal, fare structure

ORLANDO, Fla. — Although a firm start date for Brightline’s Miami-Orlando revenue service has yet to be firmed up, the company used a Thursday grand opening event at its Orlando International Airport station to release more details about fares and how trains will operate. Brightline says ticket sales will begin next month and revenue service […]

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Florida’s Tri-Rail to adopt new look

Tri-Rail_logo

MIAMI – The South Florida Regional Transportation Authority (SFRTA) has approved a new look for Tri-Rail trains, changing the “blue skies, white clouds and palm trees” design for the first time since its unveiling on Tri-Rail trains in 2001. “I am excited to announce that Tri-Rail trains will be refreshed with a new design that will […]

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Derailments down on Union Pacific despite use of longer trains

OMAHA, Neb. – Union Pacific’s reportable train derailment rate improved 10% during the first quarter, executives said today while defending the safety record of long trains. “We continue to make great strides on safety,” Eric Gehringer, executive vice president of operations, told investors and analysts on the railroad’s earnings call on Thursday. UP’s goal remains […]

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Union Pacific profits flat despite impact of harsh weather, volume decline

OMAHA, Neb. – Union Pacific’s net profit was flat in a first quarter marked by severe weather and a slowing economy that combined to drive traffic volumes lower. “The story of the past quarter for Union Pacific is one of resiliency,” CEO Lance Fritz told investors and analysts on the railroad’s earnings call on Thursday […]

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Amtrak to regulators: Ongoing tardiness of Sunset Limited demands urgent probe

Passenger train stopped at station platform under blue skies

WASHINGTON — Amtrak has urged federal regulators to investigate the ongoing tardiness of the Sunset Limited, saying the train’s on-time performance this year falls well short of minimum standards. The filing this week with the Surface Transportation Board does not mention Union Pacific, which handles the Sunset over nearly all of the train’s route between […]

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Carload volume up, intermodal way down for week ending April 15

Blue and yellow locomotives pulling a double-stack train

WASHINGTON – U.S. railroad traffic fell 4.4% for the week ending April 15, the Association of American Railroads reported today. Total carloads for the week ending April 15 were 234,066 carloads, up 5.8% compared with the same week in 2022, while U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 234,131 containers and trailers, down 12.8% compared to 2022. […]

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NTSB chides National Steel Car, removes company from derailment probe

New coil steel car

WASHINGTON – The National Transportation Safety Board today removed National Steel Car from its investigation into the March 4 derailment of a Norfolk Southern train in Ohio and was critical of the carmaker’s claims that its wheelsets had been ruled out as a potential cause of the wreck. “In a statement Friday, National Steel Car […]

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CN tool gives customers more information on greenhouse gas emissions

MONTREAL – Canadian National has launched a new sustainability tool, My Carbon Emissions, that allows customers to calculate the greenhouse gas emissions of all of their loaded shipments moving on the railway. CN’s initial Carbon Calculator, the first in the industry when it debuted 13 years ago, gave customers visibility into their estimated greenhouse gas […]

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BNSF and Montana Rail Link reach trackage rights deal for branch lines

A blue Montana Rail Link train works alongside a river with mountains in the background.

WASHINGTON – BNSF Railway and Montana Rail Link have reached a trackage rights agreement that will permit BNSF to operate three of the regional railroad’s branch lines. BNSF in March won Surface Transportation Board approval to resume operation of lines it leased to MRL in 1987. The branch lines that MRL acquired from Burlington Northern, […]

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Powder River Basin coal company files common carrier complaint against BNSF Railway

Two rows of coal hoppers

WASHINGTON – Navajo Transitional Energy Co. says BNSF Railway has violated its common carrier obligations by failing to provide adequate service for its Powder River Basin export coal trains. NTEC, in a complaint filed with the Surface Transportation Board on Friday, says BNSF has failed to provide adequate service from the Spring Creek Mine in […]

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