DES MOINES, Iowa — Legislation seeking to limit the length of freight trains in the state of Iowa passed its first legislative hurdle Thursday, moving through a subcommittee to the state House Transportation Committee. The Cedar Rapids Gazette reports a three-member subcommittee voted unanimously to advance House Study Bill 88, which would limit freight trains […]
Tag: Railroader
Greenbrier affiliate Gunderson to close railcar plant, laying off 101
PORTLAND, Ore. — Railcar manufacturer The Greenbrier Cos. will close its Gunderson plant this spring, laying off 101 workers as it shifts production to other factories, the Oregonian newspaper reports. Layoffs will begin in March; some production at the plant will continue until May, at which time the company expects to complete the plant closure […]
U.S. weekly rail traffic remains down in third week of 2023
WASHINGTON — The downward trend for U.S. rail traffic continued for the week ending Jan. 21, with overall traffic down 2.1% compared to the same week in 2022. Total traffic was 467,485 carloads and intermodal units. That included 230,545 carloads, up 3.3%, and 236,940 trailers and containers, down 6.7%. Traffic through three weeks of 2023 […]
CSX expects volume to increase this year as service continues to improve
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — CSX Transportation reported strong fourth-quarter earnings on Wednesday and, despite signs of an economic slowdown, said it expected to gain volume this year thanks to ongoing service improvements. “I’m particularly proud to report that our service metrics continued to show real improvement through the fourth quarter after starting a clear upward trend […]
Justice Department chimes in, again, with concerns about CP-KCS merger
WASHINGTON — No one from the Justice Department bothered to testify at the Surface Transportation Board’s September hearing on the proposed merger of Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern. But that absence doesn’t mean the Justice Department doesn’t have concerns about the first merger of Class I railroads in two decades. In a letter to […]
Former Milwaukee Road VP Paul Cruikshank Jr. dies
BLOOMFIELD, Conn. – Paul F. Cruikshank Jr., who served as Milwaukee Road’s vice president of operations during the critical years the railroad downsized and reorganized to a profitable core system, died Jan. 17 in Bloomfield. He was 93. Cruikshank had a long and varied railroad career. He started as a brakeman for the Great Northern Railway […]
CN operations chief Ed Harris: ‘Tighter schedule adherence … is near and dear to my heart’
MONTREAL — When it comes right down to it, railroading is not a complicated business, Canadian National Chief Operating Officer Ed Harris says. It’s all about sticking to a schedule, following the operating plan no matter what, and running safely. Harris, who served as CN’s operations boss from 2005 to 2007, was named COO on […]
Norfolk Southern reports record financial results but issues cautious outlook
ATLANTA — Norfolk Southern set fourth-quarter and annual records for revenue and profits, but expects a slowing economy and declining freight demand to produce flat revenue and earnings this year. The big unknown: Will the railroad’s ongoing service improvements allow NS to offset anticipated traffic volume declines as the economy weakens? CEO Alan Shaw, speaking […]
Grand Central Madison, terminal for MTA’s East Side Access, debuts
NEW YORK — The path to the opening of Grand Central Madison — the new Long Island Rail Road terminal in Midtown Manhattan, deep beneath Grand Central Terminal — has been long, arduous, and incredibly expensive. Now that it has arrived, officials at the Metropolitan Transportation Authority hope it will be viewed for its transformational […]
Genesee & Wyoming agrees to settlement over Clean Air Act violations (updated)
WASHINGTON — Genesee & Wyoming will spend up to $42 million to correct Clean Air Act violations regarding locomotives under an agreement announced Tuesday by the U.S. Department of Justice and Environmental Protection Agency. A complaint that was also filed Tuesday alleged that G&W and a number of its subsidiaries operated diesel locomotives with rebuilt […]
Canadian National expects recession to put a dent in traffic volume
MONTREAL — Canadian National met all of its financial targets for 2022, but the railway issued a cautious outlook for this year with the expectation of a mild recession and soft traffic volumes. “Without a doubt we are in an uncertain economic time,” CEO Tracy Robinson told investors and analysts on CN’s earnings call on […]
Union Pacific reports record revenue and profits for 2022
OMAHA, Neb. — Union Pacific generated record revenue and profits last year despite the impact of crew shortages that snarled operations, hurt service, and limited traffic growth. “The fourth quarter and 2022 overall were challenging for Union Pacific and our employees. The lengthy labor negotiations tested our workforce, while customers felt the impact of our […]
