Sunday morning rail news:
— Vermont Rail System will acquire “certain assets and operating rights” from New England Southern Railroad of Canterbury, N.H., to expand its operations, the company, which operates four short lines in Vermont and one in New York, announced on its Facebook page. New England Southern, a 39-year-old, 22-mile short line, operates in the Concord, N.H., area. It is the second time a sale of the railroad has been announced in little more than a year; a purchase in February 2019 by United Rail Inc. [see “Short Line Group buys New England Southern,” Trains News Wire, Feb. 25, 2019] was announced but never completed. The acquisition is subject to approval by the Surface Transportation Board and the New Hampshire Department of Transportation.
— New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy has withdrawn the names of two nominees for the NJ Transit Board of Directors, days before they were to appear before the state Senate judiciary committee. NorthJersey.com reports letters withdrawing the nominations of Mike Beson and Janna Chernetz were sent and received on Friday. Both were to appear before the committee on Monday. A spokesman for the governor declined comment. State Sen. Loretta Weinberg said Beson’s nomination was withdrawn because he was not a user of NJ Transit bus service, while the nomination of Chernetz was withdrawn until a new second candidate could be advanced.
— BNSF Railway has laid off seven employees in Mandan, N.D., and six in Minot, N.D., as part of its recent round of job cuts, the Minot Daily News reports. The affected employees have the opportunity to transfer to open positions elsewhere, BNSF spokeswoman Amy McBeth told the newspaper, with some able to exercise seniority under collective bargaining agreements.
— Corrects item on New England Southern to note earlier sale was not completed.
Mr. Parker, Yes, it has been fascinating to watch the former Green Mountain RR rutland-Bellows Falls line change from 5-10 car trains pulled by a single GP-9 ( (now working on the “Granite Division Montpelier-Barre) to 45-80 car trains pulled by 4 and 5 units, over a period of around 15 years. Then, the amazing (to me) revival of the long-dormant line from Newport, VT to White River, often now with 30-car trains. They have assembled quite an operation.
CHRISTOPHE – If as you say Vermont Rail System has a history of rescuing failing railroads maybe it could take a look at acquiring CSX, UPRR and NS.
Vermont Rail System has a long track record of reviving nearly dormant lines. This is good news. I expect great things.
Ban Paul Marynowych.
Paul Marynowych go away. Nobody cares about your comments. You are a hemorrhoid.
Direct to customer meat sales?Virus Body Suits?