Wabtec and Progress Rail settle antitrust case

Two yellow diesel locomotives pulling a coal train. Progress Rail files antitrust suit against Wabtec

Wabtec and Progress Rail said today that they have reached a settlement in the antitrust case that Progress Rail brought against Wabtec in 2023. In the suit, Progress Rail argued that its larger rival engaged in anticompetitive behavior and should have to divest its acquisition of GE Transportation. The 2019 GE acquisition, Progress Rail said […]

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Amtrak’s single-level plan the result of flawed procurement process: Analysis

Passenger car under construction

WASHINGTON — There were plenty of signposts warning that building Superliner replacements would be a tall order. The decision to throw in the towel on that procurement [see “Amtrak ends plans for new bi-level cars,” Trains.com, Feb. 26, 2026] could have been made years earlier if candid discussions had taken place with potential manufacturers before […]

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Judge to decide venue for Georgia city’s suit claiming ownership of NS rail yard

Aerial view of rail yard in Columbus, Ga.

COLUMBUS, Ga. — A Georgia city’s lawsuit claiming ownership of most of a Norfolk Southern rail yard landed in federal court on Wednesday (Feb. 25), where a judge will now determine if that is the proper venue for the dispute. Neither the railroad nor the City of Columbus believe it is. WRBL-TV reports Judge Clay […]

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State holds hearing on bill to provide tax incentives to keep Union Pacific in Nebraska

Glass-sided office building

LINCOLN, Neb. — Legislation designed to provide tax incentives to keep Union Pacific’s headquarters in Omaha faced no opposition during a hearing in the Nebraska Legislature on Wednesday, Feb. 25. While Legislative Bill 1165 does not mention UP, its sponsor, state Sen. Brad von Gillern (R-Elkhorn), told the Revenue Committee hearing that it’s no secret […]

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Amtrak ends plans for new bi-level cars

Men working on passenger car in shop

WASHINGTON — Amtrak is scrapping plans for a new generation of bi-level passenger equipment to replace its aging Superliner fleet, announcing that it will instead move ahead with developing a single-level fleet for use across its system. The company said in a press release that the move reflects “extensive analysis of the challenges associated with […]

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OmniTRAX opens new logistics hub in Blue Island, Ill.

Containers in lot

BLUE ISLAND, Ill. — OmniTRAX has signed a long-term lease to operate a new multimodal logistics hub in the city of Blue Island, the company announced today (Feb. 26). The 90-acre parcel is just southwest of Chicago, bordering 119th and Division streets within the Blue Island Commercial Center. Operation of the new hub will begin […]

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UP and NS ask regulators to waive cab-signal requirements for Big Boy trip in the east

Big Boy train passing feed mill on track

WASHINGTON — Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern have asked the Federal Railroad Administration to waive cab-signal requirements that otherwise would restrict where UP’s 4-8-8-4 Big Boy No. 4014 could operate on its historic eastern swing this summer. In Feb. 10 letters to the FRA, the railroads sought permission to operate the Big Boy in cab-signal […]

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House members introduce rail safety bill

Trains Washington Watch logo

WASHINGTON — U.S. Reps. Troy Nehls (R-Texas) and Seth Moulton (D-Mass.) have introduced the Railroad Safety Enhancement Act, which includes components of the never-passed Railway Safety Act of 2024. Many elements of the bill introduced on Wednesday, Feb. 25, parallel those in the Railway Safety Act of 2026, introduced in the Senate on Tuesday [see […]

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U.S. weekly rail traffic shows double-digit gain

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

WASHINGTON — Led by a major increase in carload volume, U.S. rail traffic showed a big jump for the week ending Feb. 25, gaining 10.7% from the same week last year. According to statistics from the Association of American Railroads, traffic for the week was 507,712 carloads and intermodal units. That included 227,124 carloads, an […]

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CSX completes data modernization program

CSX logo

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Technology firm Infosys announced it has completed a data modernization program for CSX, consolidating the railroad’s fragmented data systems into a unified cloud-based platform. Infosys says the program is one of the largest deployments of its kind in the field of transportation and logistics. It uses Infosys Topaz, a set of services, […]

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UK government moves to revive freight traffic through Channel Tunnel

Aerial view of British rail freight terminal

LONDON — Freight service through the Channel Tunnel, which ended in 2024, is set to resume after the British government announced it would take control of the only intermodal facility in the United Kingdom able to handle freight cars with European dimensions. The government announced today (Wednesday, Feb. 25) that national rail infrastructure company Network […]

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Senators introduce new version of Railway Safety Act

Unit train of tank cars at commuter rail station

WASHINGTON — A bipartisan group of U.S. senators led by Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) and Jon Husted (R-Ohio) introduced a new version of the Railway Safety Act today (Feb. 24). The new legislation includes a mandate for wayside defect detectors, an expanded list of hazardous materials subject to higher safety standards, and a two-person crew requirement. […]

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