WASHINGTON — Led by a significant decline in carload volume, U.S. rail traffic experienced a hefty drop for the week ending Dec. 20. Figures from the Association of American Railroads show a total of 487,138 carloads and intermodal units for the week, down 7% from the same week a year earlier. That includes 206,674 carloads, […]
TRENTON, N.J. — New Jersey’s legislature has passed a rail regulation bill including a two-person crew requirement for trains carrying hazardous materials, as well as a limit on the length of such trains. The bill is now on the desk of Gov. Phil Murphy to sign or veto. The legislation — A4460 in the Assembly […]
Amtrak intercity trains carried more travelers at higher prices in 2025 than in previous years, but the company managed to set those records with a depleted, aging passenger car fleet, accompanied by numerous mechanical failures that caused lengthy delays and train cancellations. Here’s a review of key passenger news. Some topics will be examined in […]
WASHINGTON — In a move with the potential for significant impact in the rail industry — and one certain to be felt by railfan photographers — the Federal Communications Commission this week announced a blanket ban on new foreign-made unmanned aircraft systems, or drones. The ban also covers foreign-made drone components, but does not affect […]
KEARNY, N.J. — NJ Transit has joined the growing number of railroads and transit agencies with locomotives decorated to mark the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence. ALP45DP No. 4526 was introduced today (Dec. 23) and will be in service “soon,” according to a social media post. The dual-mode Bombardier locomotive joins NJ Transit’s Stadler light […]
FRONT ROYAL, Va. — The Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen has joined the list of unions opposed to the Union Pacific-Norfolk Southern merger. In an announcement today (Dec. 22), the union cited concerns about rail safety, impacts on workers, and “the concentration of market power” the merger would create. The union urged the STB to reject […]
OMAHA, Neb. — The 6,692-page merger application that Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern submitted to federal regulators last week underscores the benefits of the first U.S. transcontinental merger, UP CEO Jim Vena says. Vena came to Union Pacific as CEO in August 2023 with a transcon merger on his to-do list — and has touted […]
CHICAGO — Railcar manufacturer FreightCar America has acquired parts distributor Carly Railcar Components, the companies announced today. Family-owned Carly Railcar Components, founded in 1995, distributes original-equipment components and operates a core-exchange program for remanufactured parts. Headquartered in Irwin, Pa., it also has a location in Orange, Texas. FreightCar America says the acquisition strengthens its aftermarket […]
Rail transit had quite a year in the U.S. … and not in a particularly good way. Financial, equipment, and labor issues all played a part in making at a stressful year for transit operators. The combination of reduced ridership with the post-pandemic shift to more work-at-home opportunities, along with political divisions over funding, make […]
Trains’ annual review of the year’s top stories begins today, in a new, slightly abridged format. After several years of addressing the top 10 stories of the year, we’ve trimmed the list slightly. This year, we’ll be counting down the top five stories starting later this week; before then, we’ll take a look at significant […]
Reactions to the Union Pacific-Norfolk Southern merger filing began collecting shortly after the 6,992-page, four-volume document was released early Friday, with most expressing skepticism about the benefits of the first transcontinental merger. Trade groups representing shippers, which had previously indicated concerns about the merger, have issued renewed statements of opposition. Chet Thompson, president and CEO […]
WASHINGTON — Union Pacific misused confidential materials from ongoing negotiations in its most recent Surface Transportation Board filing on the ongoing UP-Metra dispute, Metra claims in a new regulatory filing. Metra’s Dec. 18 filing is the latest action in the dispute over terms of Metra commuter operations on three Chicago-area routes. It is in response […]
