Bull Sheet Newswire
TEXAMERICAS CENTER ADDS TWO LOCOMOTIVES TO SWITCHING FLEET: TexAmericas Center in Texarkana has commissioned two locomotives that expand on-site switching, transload and yard capabilities across its campus. The center is a Union Pacific Focus Site. [Railway Age, 11-20-25]
SHORT LINE, REGIONAL R.R. ASSN. TO PARTICIPATE IN STB'S UP-NS MERGER REVIEW: The American Short Line & Regional Railroad Assn. has filed a notice of intent to participate in the Surface Transportation Board's review of the forthcoming Union Pacific-Norfolk Southern merger application. [Railway Age, 11-20-25]
COMET CERTIFIED TO PERFORM INCREASED FREIGHT-CAR COMPONENT INSPECTIONS: Comet Industries, which provides freight-car component reconditioning, has been certified by the Assn. of American Railroads to performed increased component life inspections. The certification enables eligible bolsters and side frames to remain in service for up to 67 years, an extension beyond the standard 52-year limit. [Progressive Railroading, 11-20-25]
WEEKLY U.S. RAIL FREIGHT TRAFFIC REPORT: U.S. railroads originated 493,880 carloads and intermodal units in the week ending Nov. 15, 2025, down 4.5 pct compared with the corresponding week last year. Calculated separately, carloads were down 0.2 pct, and intermodal was down 7.7 pct. [Assn. of American Railroads, 11-19-25]
BLET, SEPTA REACH TENTATIVE ONE-YEAR LABOR DEAL: The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen has reached a tentative one-year deal with SEPTA for locomotive engineers who operate regional rail trains for the agency. [BLET, 11-19-25]
TOURIST TRAIN IN ARIZONA STRANDED BY ROCK SLIDE: A Verde Canyon Railroad train trip became stranded due a rock slide the evening of Nov. 18. The passengers were transferred safely, and maintenance crews are working on repairs. [ABC Northern Arizona News, 11-19-25]
FOREST HILL FLYOVER IN CHICAGO FOSTERS FLUIDITY: The $380-million Forest Hill Flyover in Chicago is now complete. The new three-mile, elevated corridor eliminates one of the nation's worst rail bottlenecks, where 30 Metra and up to 90 freight trains once crossed paths every day. [Assn. of American Railroads, 11-19-25]
BLUE RIDGE CONNECTOR IN GEORGIA SET TO OPEN IN SPRING: The Georgia Ports Authority is set to open its $127-Blue Ridge Connector inland rail facility in Gainesville in spring 2026. It will be available to double-stacked rail service to and from the Port of Savannah via Norfolk Southern. [Progressive Railroading, 11-19-25]
GROUND BROKEN FOR UNION PACIFIC-SERVED COLD STORAGE FACILITY IN TEXAS: Lineage, a global temperature-controlled logistics company, has broken ground on a new cold storage facility at Prime Pointe Industrial Park near Dallas, a Union Pacific Focus Site. [Progressive Railroading, 11-19-25]
STADLER TO SUPPLY 36 FLIRT FLEX EMU'S TO THE NETHERLANDS: Netherlands national operator NS has awarded Stadler a contract to supply 36 Flirt Flex electric multiple-units to provide capacity to accommodate growing ridership. [Railway Gazette, 11-19-25]
SPAIN TO STUDY UPGRADING MADRID-BARCELONA RAIL LINE FOR 217-MPH OPERATION: Spanish studies are to assess the viability of upgrading the Madrid-Barcelona high-speed rail line to raise its maximum speed to 217-MPH to provide a journey time of under two hours. [Railway Gazette, 11-19-25]
CANADIAN FIRM TO REHAB 180 FREIGHT LOCOMOTIVES FOR EGYPT: Egyptian National Railways has signed a $211-million contact with Advanced Power Dynamics of Canada, which will rehabilitate 180 of Egypt's diesel freight locomotives. [International Railway Journal, 11-19-25]
PEDESTRIAN STRUCK, KILLED BY TRAIN IN GERMANTOWN, MD., AMTRAK, MARC DISRUPTED: A fatal pedestrian-train collision on the CSX main line in Germantown, Md., the afternoon of Nov. 18 caused the lien to be closed for over two hours, delaying Amtrak's westbound Floridian and peak-hour MARC trains. [Google News, 11-18-25]
AMTRAK LOGS RECORD RIDERSHIP, REVENUE IN FY-2025: Amtrak logged record ridership and revenue during FY-2025 ending Sept. 30. The railroad provided 34.5 million rider trips, a 5.1 pct increase over the prior fiscal year, an all-time record. Adjusted ticket revenue was $2.7-billion, an increase of 10.4 pct. Amtrak says the company is on track to achieve 'operational profitability' by FY-2028. [Progressive Railroading, 11-18-25]
SEPTA COMPLETES REQUIRED INSPECTIONS OF SILVERLINER IV FLEET: SEPTA completed mandated point-by-point inspections of its Silverliner IV fleet ahead of the Nov. 14 deadline set by the Federal Railroad Administration. SEPTA now has until Dec. 5 to install thermal protection circuits on the fleet. To mitigate the impact of the repair time, SEPTA is leasing 10 non-powered rail cars from MARC. [Progressive Railroading, 11-18-25]
HERSEY, NEBRASKA, RAIL PARK PROJECT ADVANCES: Nebraska's Hersey Rail Park, to be served by Union Pacific, has its first tenant. Bids are expected soon for a rail car mover, two transloaders and a scale. [Railway Age, 11-18-25]
MONTREAL'S AUTOMATED METRO SYSTEM TRIPLES IN LENGTH: The Deux-Montagnes branch of Montreal's Reseau Express Metropolitain was inaugurated Nov. 14 and opened to passengers the following day, tripling the length of the automated metro. [Railway Gazette, 11-18-25]
OVER 50 STATE REPUBLICAN LEGISLATORS CAUTION STB OVER UP-NS MERGER IMPACT: Fifty-four Republican state legislators warned the Surface Transportation Board in a letter that the proposed merger of Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern threatens to raise the cost of products and hinder the ability of U.S, companies to compete in the world market. The letter comes just days after a similar letter from nine state attorneys general said the merger effects could affect national security. [Freight Waves, 11-18-25]
CONRAIL CUTS RIBBON ON NEW BRIDGE SPANNING PASSAIC RIVER: Conrail is holding a ribbon-cutting Nov. 17 to mark the new Point-No-Point bridge connecting freight rail operations between Kearny and Newark, N.J., across the Passaic River. Two-thirds of all freight rail traffic in North Jersey crosses this span. [ROI-NJ, 11-17-25]
UNION PACIFIC-NORFOLK SOUTHERN COMPUTER INTEGRATION WILL GO SMOOTHLY IN MERGER, UNION PACIFIC SAYS: Union Pacific's chief information officer told reporters that the Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern computer system integration will go smoothly if their proposed merger is approved. [Railway Track & Structures, 11-17-25]
UNION PACIFIC, CARMEN AGREE TO JOB SECURITY FOLLOWING PROPOSED MERGER: The Brotherhood of Railway Carmen and Union Pacific have reached an agreement that provides a commitment of job security for hundreds of union employees after the proposed merger with Norfolk Southern. [Union Pacific, 11-17-25]
ALSTOM TO SUPPLY 55 ELECTRIC FREIGHT LOCOMOTIVES TO UKRAINE: Alstom is to supply Ukraine's national railway with 55 Traxx Hauler 75-MPH electric freight locomotives designed to local requirements. [Railway Gazette, 11-17-25]
WEEKLY AMTRAK LONG-DISTANCE TRAIN PERFORMANCE: Fifty-four percent of Amtrak's named long-distance trains arrived at their scheduled final destination on time or earlier in the week ending November 16, 2025. The remaining trains, on average, arrived one hour and 14 minutes late. MORE.. [Bull Sheet Statistical Dept., 11-17-25]
COAST STARLIGHT BLOCKED TWO HOURS BY FALLEN TREE: Amtrak's northbound Coast Starlight on Nov. 16 was delayed two hours between Oxnard and Santa Barbara on account of a fallen tree blocking the track ahead. [Amtrak, 11-16-25]
FLORIDIAN DELAYED OVER FIVE HOURS DEPARTING CHICAGO BY LOCOMOTIVE TROUBLE: Amtrak's southbound Floridian of Nov. 14 was five and one-half hours late departing Chicago, having been delayed in the terminal by a locomotive malfunction. [Amtrak, 11-15-25]
CSX REPORTS WEEKLY KEY SERVICE MEASURES: For the week ending Nov. 14, 2025, CSX train velocity was 19.5 MPH, terminal dwell was 9.4 hours, and there were 118,153 cars online. [CSX, 11-15-25]
NORFOLK SOUTHERN INTRODUCES 'LANDMARK SERIES' LOCOMOTIVES: Norfolk Southern first two Landmark Series locomotives recently rolled out of its shop in Altoona, Pa., each showcasing the home of a city that helped shape the railroad's history. They will travel the company's network in revenue freight service and on inspection trains. [Railway Age, 11-14-25]
ATTORNEYS GENERAL FROM NINE STATES TELL STB THAT UP-NS MERGER WOULD THREATEN NATIONAL SECURITY: Attorneys General from Florida, Iowa, Kansas, Mississippi, Montana, Ohio, North Dakota, South Dakota and Tennessee have sent a letter to the Surface Transportation Board saying the proposed merger of Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern threatens national security. It would result in undue market concentration that stifles competition, create higher prices, lower reliability and less innovation at the expense of manufacturers and consumers, the letter added. ]Freight Waves, 11-14-25]
NORFOLK SOUTHERN, UNION PACIFIC SHAREHOLDERS VOTE IN FAVOR OF MERGER: Shareholders of both Norfolk Southern and Union Pacific today voted overwhelmingly in favor of the proposed merger of the two companies. The merger is subject to review and approval by the Surface Transportation Board. Norfolk Southern shareholders will receive one share of Union Pacific stock plus $88,82 in cash for each share tendered. [Freight Waves, 11-14-25]
METRA AWARDED $19-M IN LAWSUIT AGAINST UNION PACIFIC: A jury in Illinois has awarded Chicago's Metra $19.3-million in a lawsuit against Union Pacific over not walking through trains and collecting fares during the covid pandemic, specifically between July 13, 2020, and May 31, 2021. The verdict comes amid a dispute over how much Metra should pay to operate trains over Union Pacific's tracks. [Daily Herald, 11-14-25]
CPKC, BLET REACH TENTATIVE FIVE-YEAR LABOR AGREEMENT: Canadian Pacific Kansas City has announced it has reached a new tentative five-year collective agreement with the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen covering 300 locomotive engineers on the Soo Line property in five U.S. states. [Progressive Railroading, 11-14-25]
PORT AUTHORITY OF N.Y. & N.J. PROPOSES 2026-2035 CAPITAL PLAN: The Port Authority of New York & New Jersey on Nov. 13 proposed a $45-billion 2026-2035 capital plan, which would provide $2,6-billion to PATH for service increases. [Railway Age, 11-14-25]
HYORC, ZELTECH PARTNER TO DEVELOP ALTERNATIVE FUEL-POWERED LOCOMOTIVES: Texas-based HyOrc Corp. has signed a memorandum of understanding with Ohio-based Zeltech to jointly develop alternative fuel-powered locomotives for freight rail in the U.S, [Railway Age, 11-14-15]
METRA APPROVES $1.2-B OPERATING BUDGET FOR 2026: The board of Chicago's Metra has approved a $1.2-billion operating budget for 2026 that relies on new state funding and requires no fare increases or service cuts. [Railway Age, 11-14-25]
FLORIDIAN ARRIVES 15 HOURS LATE INTO CHICAGO: Amtrak's northbound Floridian on Nov. 14 arrived into Chicago 15 hours late. The train had experienced significant delays in Florida and had the need to use buses to transfer passengers between Okeechobee and Jacksonville to continue their tardy journey. [Amtrak, 11-14-25]
SEPTA TO LEASE 10 RAIL CARS FROM MARC: SEPTA will lease 10 non-powered commuter coaches from MARC to alleviate pressure on its regional rail service as it performs federally-mandated safety inspections and repairs to its Silverliner IV rail cars. SEPTA will pay $22,000 per month per car to MARC under the arrangement. [Railway Age, 11-13-25]
ALEXANDRIA FOURTH TRACK PROJECT BREAKS GROUND: A groundbreaking for the Alexandria, Va., fourth track project, VRE station improvements, and King & Commonwealth bridges replacement was held Nov. 12. [Railway Track & Structures, 11-13-25]
NJT APPROVES $917-M OVERHAUL OF 429 MULTILEVEL RAIL CARS: New Jersey Transit has approved $917-million to overhaul its fleet of 429 multilevel I and II cars. Meanwhile, the agency is in the process of procuring 374 new multilevel III cars, and the overhaul of the I and II cars will ensure interoperability between them and the newer cars. [Progressive Railroading, 11-13-25]
READING & NORTHERN UNVEILS PATRIOTIC LOCOMOTIVE 1776: The Reading & Northern Railroad on Nov. 11 unveiled locomotive 1776, painted into a patriotic scheme, celebrating the upcoming 250th anniversary of the United States. [Railway Age, 11-13-25]
FLORIDIAN OVER EIGHT HOURS LATE ARRIVING INTO MIAMI: Amtrak's southbound Floridian of Nov. 10 arrived into Miami over eight hours behind schedule. According to Amtrak, the train had been delayed along its route by a 'mechanical assessment,' and the need to 'reset the equipment.' [Amtrak, 11-13-25]
COAST STARLIGHT DELAYED BY LOCOMOTIVE, EQUIPMENT ISSUES: Amtrak's southbound Coast Starlight of Nov. 11 arrived into Los Angeles four and one-hours late behind schedule. Amtrak said the train had been delayed en route by a locomotive assessment and equipment adjustments. [Amtrak, 11-13-25]
WABTEC EXPANDING IN BRAZIL: Wabtec is investing $3.8-million to expand its operations and work force in Brazil. Most of the expansion will occur in Contagem, where the company has a locomotive factory. [Progressive Railroading, 11-13-25]
HITACHI, SISTEM TO INSTALL SIGNAL, TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS IN SPAIN: Hitachi Rail and Sistem have accepted a contract to install signal and traffic management systems on the second, 43.5-mile section of the Madrid-Extremadura high-speed rail line in Spain. [Progressive Railroading, 11-13-25]
WEEKLY U.S. RAIL FREIGHT TRAFFIC REPORT: U.S. railroads originated 493,493 carloads and intermodal units in the week ending Nov. 8, 2025, down 4.9 pct compared with the corresponding week last year. Calculated separately, carloads were up 0.1 pct, and intermodal was down 8.7 pct. [Assn. of American Railroads, 11-12-25]
AMTRAK OPENS NEW TRAIN-WASHING FACILITY IN CHICAGO: Amtrak's multi-year effort to improve how it removes grime from train exteriors was on display recently when the railroad invited observers to see the new train-washing process in Chicago. Full replacements of train-washing facilities have been completed in New Orleans, Seattle and Boston, and projects are also underway in seven additional cities. [Progressive Railroading, 11-12-25]
CSX DESIGNATES WESTGATE IN DOTHAN, ALABAMA, AS PLATINUM SELECT SITE: CSX today announced that the 365-acre Westgate Super Site in Dothan, Alabama, has been designated as a 'Platinum CSX Select Site.' It is the fifth site in Alabama to receive the platinum designation since 2012. The property is one of 13 across CSX to have met the rigorous site selection criteria. [Progressive Railroading, 11-12-25]
CARDINAL DELAYED FIVE HOURS IN INDIANA BY DISABLED FREIGHT TRAIN: Amtrak's eastbound Cardinal on Nov. 12 was delayed over five hours in Connersville, Indiana, due to a disabled freight train blocking the line ahead. [Amtrak, 11-12-25]
MARYLAND TO ADVANCE TRANSIT-ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT AT ODENTON: The Maryland Dept. of Transportation has selected a joint venture to advance a transit-oriented development at the Odenton MARC station along the Penn Line. The collaboration will transform a 10-acre parking lot west of the station into more than 500 housing units, retail space, and a parking garage. [Progressive Railroading, 11-12-25]
PASSENGER TRAIN DERAILS IN ARGENTINA, 19 INJURED: A passenger train derailed in Buenos Aires Nov. 11, leaving at least 19 people injured and disrupting service for several hours, authorities said. After the derailment, passengers were forced to evacuate the train, and nine of the injured were taken to a hospital. [Economic Times, 11-12-25]
METRO-NORTH UNVEILS U.S. MILITARY TRIBUTE LOCOMOTIVE: Metro-North P32AC-DM locomotive 216 is now adorned in a red, white & blue heritage paint scheme honoring the U.S. military. [Railway Age, 11-11-25]
FREIGHTCAR AMERICA REPORTS 3-Q EARNINGS: FreightCar America reported third-quarter revenues of $160.5-million, up from $113.3-million in the same quarter last year; rail car deliveries of 1,304 units versus 961 units; and gross profit of $24.2-million compared with $16.2-million in 3-Q of 2024. [Progressive Railroading, 11-11-25]
CALTRAIN RISKS SERVICE CUTS IF BALLOT MEASURE FAILS: Caltrain is preparing for potential service cuts if a ballot measure to fund Bay area transit agencies with sales tax revenue is not approved by voters next year. Impacts would include closing more than a third of stations, no weekend service, reducing service to once an hour, ending operations by 9 P.M., and cutting segments of service. [Progressive Railroading, 11-11-25]
NORFOLK SOUTHERN, SIGNALMEN REACH FIVE-YEAR LABOR PACT: Norfolk Southern has reached a five-year collective bargaining agreement with the Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen, The company has now reached ratified agreements with 12 of its 13 unions. [Progressive Railroading, 11-11-25]
RAIL STEEL SHIPMENTS ON THE RISE: Steel, tied to the fortunes of rail, has demonstrated robust growth. The American Iron & Steel Institute reports a rise in steel shipments, aligning with an increase in rail carloads of iron and steel scrap, up 13.5 pct in October alone. This increase signals a rebound, on eight consecutive months of rising carloads. [Freight Waves, 11-11-25]
WEEKLY AMTRAK LONG-DISTANCE TRAIN PERFORMANCE: Fifty-two percent of Amtrak's named long-distance trains arrived at their scheduled final destination on time or earlier in the week ending Nov. 9, 2025. The remaining trains, on average, arrived 57 minutes late. MORE.. [Bull Sheet Statistical Dept., 11-10-25]
FIREMEN & OILERS UNION REACHES JOB SECURITY AGREEMENT OVER UNION PACIFIC-NORFOLK SOUTHERN MERGER: The National Conference of Firemen & Oilers and Union Pacific have reached an agreement that will ensure job security of hundreds of railroaders as Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern pursue their proposed merger. The agreement commits the union's members who are employed at the time of the merger having a job for the length of their careers, subject to the usual requirements for continued employment. [Union Pacific, 11-10-25]
EMPIRE BUILDER DELAYED IN MONTANA BY HIGH WIND WARNINGS: Amtrak's eastbound Empire Builder on Nov. 10 was delayed over three and one-half hours in western Montana due to high-wind warnings. [Amtrak, 11-10-25]
CRESCENT OVER EIGHT HOURS LATE INTO NEW YORK: Amtrak's northbound Crescent of Nov. 9 was over eight hours late arriving into New York. According to Amtrak, the train was twice delayed en route by emergency holds, plus availability of crews due to hours of service situations. [Amtrak, 11-10-25]
CARDINAL DELAYED FIVE HOURS BY DISABLED FREIGHT TRAIN: Amtrak's westbound Cardinal was over five hours late into Chicago on Nov. 10, having been delayed in Indiana by a disabled freight train blocking the route. [Amtrak, 11-10-25]
RAIL METRO EXTENSIONS OPEN IN CHINESE CITIES: Several extensions and new lines entered service on metro rail networks across China at the end of September, including the second phases of lines 6 and 16 in Shenzhen, taking the city's network to 378 miles serving 428 stations. [International Railway Journal, 11-10-25]
TRAIN REAR-ENDS ANOTHER TRAIN IN SLOVAKIA, DOZENS INJURED: A train crashed into another train in eastern Slovakia, injuring dozens of passengers. Most injuries were slight, but 11 were taken to a hospital. There were no fatalities. The accident was the second in Slovakia in the past month. Two train collided in eastern Slovakia on Oct. 13, injuring 91 people. [Reuters, 11-9-25]
CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR DELAYED BY MECHANICAL ISSUES: Amtrak's eastbound California Zephyr of Nov. 7 arrived into Chicago Nov. 9 three hours behind schedule, having been delayed en route by mechanical problems. [Amtrak, 11-9-25]
FLORIDIAN DELAYED PRIOR TO CHICAGO DEPARTURE BY EQUIPMENT ISSUES: Amtrak's southbound Floridian of Nov. 9 left Chicago over four hours late. According to Amtrak the train was delayed due to equipment adjustments. [Amtrak, 11-9-25]
EMPIRE BUILDER EIGHT HOURS LATE INTO CHICAGO: Amtrak's eastbound Empire Builder of Nov. 5 arrived into its destination Chicago eight hours late. The train had left its origin point Seattle more than four hours behind schedule due to late arrival of inbound equipment, and got further delayed en route by a vehicle blocking the track ahead in North Dakota, and by freight train interference. [Amtrak, 11-8-25]
ACCESSIBILITY UPGRADES COMPLETED AT TWO WISCONSIN AMTRAK STATIONS: Accessibility upgrades have been completed at Amtrak stations in Columbus and Tomah, Wisconsin, following almost $11-million in construction. Both Empire Builder and Borealis serve these locations daily. [Amtrak, 11-7-25]
BNSF'S ZONING REQUEST FOR FACILITY IN WITTMANN, ARIZONA, REJECTED: The Maricopa County, Arizona, board of supervisors has rejected BNSF's request for a land change designation to allow it to open a logistics park and intermodal rail facility in Wittmann. The proposed hub had faced opposition from some community members. [Progressive Railroading, 11-7-25]
KEOLIS' KAY O'NEILL NAMED CHAMPION OF COMMUTER RAIL BY COMMUTER RAIL COALITION: Keolis Commuter Services' Kay O'Neill was been named 'Champion of Commuter Rail' by the Commuter Rail Coalition at its annual meeting in Washington DC. [Progressive Railroading, 11-7-25]
R.R. RETIREMENT ANNUITIES TO INCREASE IN 2026: Tier I portion of Railroad Retirement benefits will increase by 2.8 pct in Jan. 2026, and Tier II portion will go up 0.9 pct. [BLET, 11-7-25]
GROUND BROKEN FOR AMTRAK MAINTENANCE FACILITY IN BOSTON: Ground was broken Nov. 6 to start construction of a new Amtrak train maintenance facility at Southampton Yard in Boston. The facility is the fourth in the program for construction or renovation, joining Philadelphia, Seattle and Washington DC. [Amtrak, 11-6-25]
CPKC REACHES 13 NEW TENTATIVE AGREEMENTS WITH UNIONS: Canadian Pacific Kansas City has reached 13 new five-year tentative agreements with unions representing laborers, clerks, maintenance workers and mechanical and engineering supervisors in the U.S. . The agreements are pending ratification by union members. [Progressive Railroading, 11-6-25]
CN SETS RECORD MONTHLY GRAIN MOVEMENT: Canadian National last month moved over 3.4 million metric tons of grain from western Canada, higher by 110,000 metric tons from its previous record for the month, and the best individual month ever recorded by the railroad. [Progressive Railroading, 11-6-25]
AMTRAK COMPLETES LANCASTER, PA., NORTH PLATFORM UPGRADE PROJECT: Amtrak's Lancaster, Pa., north platform accessibility upgrade project is now complete following 10 months of construction. It will be opened for use on Nov. 7. [Amtrak, 11-6-25]
AMTRAK'S WINTER PARK EXPRESS TO BEGIN DEC. 19: Amtrak's Winter Park Express between Denver and Fraser Valley, Colorado, begins its holiday runs Dec. 19 for two weekends Dec. 19 and Jan. 4, followed by regular Thursday-Sunday runs Jan. 8 through March 29. [Amtrak, 11-5-25]
WEEKLY U.S. RAIL FREIGHT TRAFFIC REPORT: U.S. railroads originated 496,928 carloads and intermodal units in the week ending Nov. 1, 2025, down 3.9 pct compared with the corresponding week last year. Calculated separately, carloads were down 0.7 pct, and intermodal was down 6.4 pct. [Assn. of American Railroads, 11-5-25]
BNSF ADDS TWO MORE RAIL LINES TO ITS SHORTLINE SELECT PROGRAM: BNSF has added Northern Lines Railway and Columbia Basin Railroad to its Shortline Select program. Other current members are Alabama & Gulf Coast, Burlington Junction, Portland & Western, Texas Northwestern, Timber Rock and Red River Valley & Western. [Progressive Railroading, 11-5-25]
EMPIRE BUILDER DELAYED SIX HOURS BY LOCOMOTIVE ISSUE: Amtrak's westbound Empire Builder on Nov. 5 was delayed six hours west of Leavenworth, Washington, because of locomotive malfunction and the need to add a freight unit. [Amtrak 11-5-25]
HEICO ACQUIRES KERSHAW: The Heico Cos. has acquired Kershaw, a rail maintenance and vegetation equipment provider, formerly a part of Progress Rail. [Progressive Railroading, 11-5-25]
PASSENGER TRAIN COLLIDES WITH FREIGHT TRAIN IN INDIA, KILLING 11: A passenger train in central India crashed into a freight train on Nov. 4, killing at least 11 people and injuring about 20 others. The accident happened near the city of Bilaspur. More than 12 million people travel on the country's trains each day on the country's 40,000-mile rail system.[Aljazeera, 11-5-25]
CITY OF NEW ORLEANS DELAYED SIX HOURS BY INDUSTRIAL FIRE, EXPLOSION IN MISSISSIPPI: Amtrak's northbound City of New Orleans of Nov. 6 was delayed in Mississippi over six hours due to an industrial fire and explosion north of Yazoo City. [Amtrak, 11-5-25]
AMTRAK TO BREAK GROUND ON NEW TRAIN MAINTENANCE FACILITY IN D.C.: Amtrak will break ground Nov. 5 on upgrades to its Ivy City train maintenance facility in Washington D.C. The upgrades will support the introduction of new Airo train sets slated to enter Northeast corridor service in 2027. [Railway Track & Structures, 11-4-25]
TEXAS EAGLE DELAYED OVER THREE HOURS BY DISABLED FREIGHT TRAIN: Amtrak's westbound Texas Eagle on Nov. 4 was delayed over three hours in Arkansas due to disabled freight train blocking the route ahead. [Amtrak, 11-4-25]
ILLINOIS LEGISLATURE PASSES BILL PROVIDING $1.5-B IN TRANSIT FUNDING: The Illinois Legislature has passed a bill that averts the 'fiscal cliff' at Metra, PACE, and Chicago Transit by providing $1.5-billion in public transit funding. The funding would be through a variety of methods such as shifting motor fuel tax revenues and redirecting interest on the state's road fund. [Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen, 11-4-25]
RAILWAY AGE NAMES NORFOLK SOUTHERN'S JOHN ORR RAILROADER OF THE YEAR: Railway Age magazine has named Norfolk Southern president and chief operating officer John Orr 2026 Railroader of the Year. [Railway Age, 11-4-25]
NTSB ISSUES REPORT ON SEPT. 2024 CONDUCTOR FATALITY IN KENOSHA, WISCONSIN: The conductor of a Union Pacific train was killed by a Metra train Sept. 4, 2024, after the conductor stepped too close to the track on the track the Metra train was approaching, the National Transportation Safety Board has determined. Contributing factors included failure of a job briefing over the risks to be encountered, and failure of the locomotive crew to warn the conductor of the approach of the Metra train. [Progressive Railroading, 11-4-25]
N.Y. MTA TO PURCHASE NEW R258 SUBWAY CARS: The board of New York's MTA has approved a $1.5-billion purchase of 378 new R268 subway cars from Kawasaki for delivery beginning in late 2028. The new cars will allow retirement of the last R68 and R68A cars. [Progressive Railroading, 11-4-25]
AMTRAK'S SAN JOAQUINS RENAMED 'GOLD RUNNER': Amtrak's San Joaquins service in California is now known as 'Gold Runner.' The identity is designed to align with long-term expansion plans and the state's broader rail strategy, along with the Thruway bus network that connects riders to destinations across the state. [Progressive Railroading, 11-4-25]
TRAC INTERMODAL, FEC AGREE ON STAGING 53-FOOT DOMESTIC CHASSIS: TRAC Intermodal has entered into an agreement with Florida East Coast Railway that allows the chassis provider to stage 53-foot domestic chassis directly on FEC terminals. TRAC says the deal introduces a standardized chassis fleet solution to meet the changing needs of the domestic intermodal market. [Freight Waves, 11-4-25]
KEOLIS IN MASSACHUSETTS REACHES TENTATIVE AGREEMENT WITH IBEW: Keolis Commuter Services, operations partner with MBTA in Boston, has reached a tentative agreement with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. [Railway Age, 11-3-25]
FEDS EXTEND DEADLINE FOR SEPTA'S INSPECTION OF SILVERLINER IV TRAINS: The Federal Railroad Administration has granted Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority an extension until Nov. 14 to complete required emergency safety inspections of the 223-car fleet of Silverliner IV trains and complete installation of new high-heat detectors. [Progressive Railroading, 11-3-25]
ALSTOM NEEDS TO FILL MANY POSITIONS AT ITS PLATTSBURGH MANUFACTURING SITE: Alstom says it needs to fill nearly 120 positions at its train manufacturing site in Plattsburgh, N.Y., where the company is preparing to produce 374 commuter rail cars for New Jersey Transit. [Railway Age, 11-3-25]
PASSENGER TRAIN IN U.K. STRIKES LANDSLIDE AT 80 MPH: On Network Rail in U.K. early Nov. 3 an 11-car passenger train en route from Glasgow to London struck a landslide while traveling 80 MPH. The front portion of the train was badly damaged, but there were no injuries. [The Guardian, 11-3-25]
FRANK MULVEY DIES, FORMER STB MEMBER: Francis Patrick Mulvey, 81, who served on the Surface Transportation Board from May 2004 to December 2013, died Oct. 18. [Railway Age, 11-3-25]
AMTRAK TRAINS STILL SUSPENDED BETWEEN RICHMOND & NEWPORT NEWS: Amtrak was forced to suspend rail service between Richmond and Newport News on Oct. 27 following a 53-car CSX coal train derailment. Originally the suspension would be until Oct. 30, but track repairs are taking longer than predicted, the company said. [WAVY, 11-2-25]
BNSF REPORTS 3-Q RESULTS: BNSF reported third-quarter revenues of $5.99-billion, up from $5.88-billion in the prior year third-quarter. Pre-tax earnings total $1.91-billion, up from $1.85-billion. Operating ratio was 64.1 pct. [Freight Waves, 11-2-25]
AMTRAK'S CRESCENT ARRIVES INTO NEW YORK EIGHT HOURS LATE: Amtrak's northbound Crescent of Oct. 31 was over eight hours late arriving into New York after having been extensively delayed en route by locomotive mechanical issues. [Amtrak, 11-2-25]
CPKC TRAIN DERAILS IN B.C., NO INJURIES: A Canadian Pacific Kansas City train derailed about 17 cars late Nov. 1 near Savonia, B.C., about 12 miles west of Kamloops. Seventeen cars were involved, including four cars loaded with fuel, some of which leaked into a lake. No injuries were reported. [North Shore News, 11-2-25]
OCTOBER 2025 AMTRAK LONG-DISTANCE TRAIN PERFORMANCE: Fifty-three percent of Amtrak's named long-distance trains arrived at their scheduled final destination on time or earlier in October 2025. The remaining trains, on average, arrived one hour late. MORE.. [Bull Sheet Statistical Dept., 11-1-25]
METRO-NORTH N.Y. PENN ACCESS PROJECT SET BACK: The $2.9-billion Penn Access project to connect Metro-North's New Haven line to Penn Station in Manhattan will be delayed by three years, pushing full completion to 2030. The MTA is proposing launching a limited version of the service in 2027 for East Bronx residents. [Rail Passengers Assn., 10-31-25]
CN REPORTS 3-Q RESULTS: Canadian National reported third-quarter revenues of $4.16-billion (C), an increase of $55-million or 1 pct compared with the same period last year. Operating income of $1.6-billion was an increase of $91-million, net income of $1.14-billion was an increase of $54-million, and diluted EPS increased 6 pct. [CN, 10-31-25]
CALIF. HSR AUTHORITY COMPLETES AVENUE 17 GRADE SEPARATION IN MADERA COUNTY: California's high-speed rail authority has completed its Avenue 17 grade separation project in Madera County. The completed project now allows for better access for emergency vehicles in the area. [Railway Track & Structures, 10-31-25]
BNSF, CN, CPKC OPPOSE PLANNED UNION PACIFIC ACQUISITION OF NORFOLK SOUTHERN: Two additional Class-I railroads (Canadian National and Canadian Pacific Kansas City) have joined BNSF in voicing their opposition to Union Pacific's planned acquisition of Norfolk Southern. CN and CPKC have launched pages on their website in which they outline their concerns about the $85-billion merger deal. [Progressive Railroading, 10-31-25]
MARTA'S RED, GOLD LINES RESUME SERVICE FOLLOWING PLATFORM WORK: Atlanta's MARTA has completed replacement of 44-year-old platform pavers over a six-week project, allowing Red and Gold lines to resume service. [Railway Track & Structures, 10-31-25]
AMTRAK TRAIN STRIKES FALLEN TREE, STRANDING PASSENGERS FOR HOURS: Dozens of passengers on an Amtrak train traveling to Springfield, Mass., were stranded for hours beginning late Oct. 29 after their train struck a fallen tree north of Hartford. [Fox 61, 10-31-25]
D.C. STREETCAR TO END MARCH 31: The D.C. Dept. of Transportation will end its 2.2-mile-long streetcar service along the city's H corridor March 31, 2026, a year earlier than initially planned. [Progressive Railroading, 10-30-25]
HOLIDAY AMTRAK TRAVEL ALERT: Amtrak is encouraging Thanksgiving travelers to book early to secure best prices and seats before they sell out. Last year more than 1.2 million patrons traveled on Amtrak durig the Thanksgiving season. [Amtrak, 10-30-25]
VIRGIN TRAINS APPROVED TO SHARE DEPOT, ALLOWING USE OF CHANNEL TUNNEL: Virgin Trains' application to share a depot with Eurostar has been approved. The company will now be able to launch services through the Channel Tunnel, thus ending the monopoly on passenger services through the tunnel for the first time since it opened in 1994. [Rail Business Daily, 10-30-25]
SMART-TD MEMBERS RATIFY FIVE-YEAR CONTRACT WITH BNSF, NS, CN: SMART-TD members (rail transportation workers) on BNSF, Norfolk Southern and Canadian National, and several smaller carriers, have voted to ratify a new, five-year collective bargaining agreement. The new contract went into effect Oct 29. [Railway Age, 10-30-25]
AMTRAK TRAIN STRIKES, KILLS MAN IN OREGON, WHILE WALKING DOG: A 28-year-p;d man walking his dog was struck and killed by an Amtrak train late Oct. 29 in Albany, Oregon. Witnesses reported the two had gone under the lowered crossing arm and around a freight train that was stopped on an adjacent track, and the man was struck by the Amtrak train on a separate track. The dog was not hurt, and was released to a friend. [KPTV, 10-30-25]
CPKC REPORTS 3-Q EARNINGS: Canadian Pacific Kansas City has announced that third-quarter revenues increased to $3.7-billion from $3.5-billion compared with Q-3 last year. Reported operating ratio decreased to 63.5 pct from 66.1 pct, and volumes as measured in revenue ton-miles increased 5 pct. [CPKC, 10-29-25]
WEEKLY U.S. RAIL FREIGHT TRAFFIC REPORT: U.S. railroads originated 499,688 carloads and intermodal units in the week ending Oct. 25, 2025, down 3.8 pct compared with the corresponding week last year. Calculated separately, carloads were down 0.9 pct, and intermodal was down 6.1 pct. [Assn. of American Railroads, 10-29-25]
AMTRAK TRAIN COLLIDES WITH TRUCK CARRYING ROCKS IN TEXAS: An Amtrak train carrying 129 passengers collided early Oct. 28 with a heavy-duty truck hauling rocks near San Antonio. The train did not derail, was delayed about 90 minutes, and no injuries were reported. [Freight Waves, 10-29-25]
CSX PROMOTES TWO IN MANAGEMENT: CSX has promoted Kevin Boone to executive vice-president and chief financial officer. Formerly he was chief commercial officer. He succeeds Sean Pelkey, who departed the company. Maryclaire Kenney has been promoted to senior vice-president and chief commercial officer. Most recently she was responsible for merchandise sales and marketing. [CSX, 10-29-25]
K.C. STREETCAR MAIN STREET EXTENSION OPENS: Kansas City on Oct. 24 opened its $350-million streetcar main street extension. The project adds 3.5 miles to the existing line connecting downtown with the Midtown corridor, ending at the University of Missouri's Kansas City campus. [Railway Track & Structures, 10-29-25]
N.Y. GRAND CENTRAL 42ND STREET STATION IMPROVEMENT PROJECT COMPLETED: New York's MTA has completed its five-year improvement project at the Grand Central 42nd street station complex. It was designed to improve passenger flow and make the facility more accessible for the 400,000 riders who pass through it daily. [Progressive Railroading, 10-29-25]
SAN JUAN CREEK RAIL BRIDGE OPENS IN CALIF.: Train traffic is now running over the new San Juan Creek bridge in San Juan Capistrano, Calif. It replaces a 1917 structure and serves as a key link along the Los Angeles-San Diego corridor. [Progressive Railroading, 10-28-25]
UTAH TRANSIT ORDERS 20 ADDITIONAL LIGHT-RAIL VEHICLES: Stadler has received an order for 20 additional CityLink light-rail vehicles from Utah Transit for TRAX service in Salt Lake City, following an initial order of 20 last year. They will be built in Stadler's Salt Lake City factory. [Progressive Railroading, 10-28-25]
CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR DELAYED FOUR HOURS IN NEVADA BY BROKEN RAIL: Amtrak's westbound California Zephyr on Oct. 28 was delayed over four hours east of Elko, Nevada, because of a broken rail being repaired on the route ahead. [Amtrak, 10-28-25]
BLET, WESTERN NEW YORK & PENNSYLVANIA REACH TENTATIVE AGREEMENT: The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen has reached a tentative five-year agreement with the Western New York & Pennsylvania Railroad. The railroad extends across southwestern New York and northwestern Pennsylvania from Hornell, N.Y., to Meadville, Pa., and Oil City, Pa., and north and south of Olean, Pa. [BLET, 10-28-25]
CALIFORNIA'S SANTA CRUZ COUNTY RELEASES ZERO-EMISSION PASSENGER RAIL CONCEPT REPORT: After two years of work, the Santa Cruz County Transportation commission has released its final zero-emission passenger rail project concept report. The train would operate from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. with 30-minute headways. The system was envisioned to include nine possible station locations in Pajaro, Calif., downtown Watsonville and downtown Santa Cruz. The Pajaro station would be a connection point to the state's rail network. [Mass Transit magazine, 10-28-25]
SWAN DISRUPTS RAIL SERVICE IN SCOTLAND: Rail passengers in Scotland faced major delays and cancellations during the evening rush hour Oct. 27 after a swan was found on the line at Glasgow, the country's busiest rail station. [Rail Business Daily, 10-28-25]
NORFOLK SOUTHERN EXPANDS INTERLINE SERVICE WITH UNION PACIFIC: Norfolk Southern said its new domestic interline service with Union Pacific out of Louisville is now shipping for anchor customers including GE Appliances. The bi-directional service opens a new gateway connecting Kentucky's manufacturing base to key domestic markets and global trade corridors via western and southwestern ports. [Freight Waves, 10-27-25]
DART OPENS SILVER LINE SERVICE: The first train operating on Dallas Area Rapid Transit's $2.1-billion Silver line pulled into the Dallas-Fort Worth airport station Oct. 25, marking the start of the new 26-mile commuter rail service. The lines includes stops in Grapevine, Coppell, Dallas, Carrollton, Addison, Richardson and Plano. [Progressive Railroading, 10-27-25]
LAURIE STILES NAMED PRESIDENT OF RAILSERVE INC.: Marmon Rail on Oct. 27 reported that Laurie Stiles has been elevated to president of Railserve Inc., leading the businesses of the Atlanta-based company. [Railway Age, 10-27-25]
CATHCART RAIL REBRANDS AS GUARDIAN RAIL: Cathcart Rail has rebranded as Guardian Rail. The rebrand comes after the company welcomed Scott Driggers as its new CEO on Oct. 2, succeeding Jeff Chick. [Progressive Railroading, 10-27-25]
CSX COAL TRAIN DERAILS IN VA., AMTRAK DISRUPTED: A CSX coal train derailed Oct. 25 in New Kent County, Va., causing the cancellation of Amtrak trains running between Richmond and Newport News. [WRIC, 10-26-25]
PINSLY R.R. EXEC APPOINTED TO STB'S RAIL SHIPPER ADVISORY COUNCIL: Ryan Rutledge, president and chief executive of Pinsly Railroad, has been appointed to the Surface Transportation Board's railroad shipper transportation advisory council as its small railroad representative. [Freight Waves, 10-24-25]
EMPLOYEE FRAUD, ABUSE UNCOVERED AT THREE LIRR FACILITIES: The New York MTA inspector general's office has uncovered a 'culture of fraud and abuse' at three Long Island Rail Road facilities involving the use of duplicate ID cards to swipe colleagues in or out when they were not actually present. The cards were sold to employees by colleagues who purchased the equipment to make them. Thirty-six employees, including gang foremen, participated in the scheme. [Railway Track & Structures, 10-24-25]
MASSACHUSETTS APPROVES $850-M FOR SAFETY, RELIABILITY UPGRADES FOR MBTA: The Massachusetts Dept. of Transportation has approved $850-million in funds for safety and reliability across Boston's MBTA system. The agency will use the funding to upgrade outdated systems, such as the Green line signal system and train cars, and replace old locomotives and build maintenance facilities. [Progressive Railroading, 10-24-25]
U.K. SIGNAL BOX TO BE RETIRED, THEN RESTORED FOR TOURS: A signal box (tower) in Haslemere, Surrey, U.K., still guides dozens of trains each day, but will be retired on Sept. 25. It will then be restored to how it was in the 1930's, just before the railway became electric, and will reopen for guided tours by Easter. [Rail Business Daily, 10-24-25]
UNION PACIFIC REPORTS 3-Q RESULTS: Union Pacific reported third-quarter 2025 net income of $1.8-billion or $3.01 per diluted share. Results include merger costs of $41-million or 7 cents per diluted share. Adjusted net income of $1.8-billion or $3.08 per diluted share compares to the prior year's third-quarter of $1.7-billion or $2.75 per diluted share. [Union Pacific, 10-23-25]
MBTA COMPLETES UPGRADES AT FRANKLIN STATION: The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority has completed accessibility upgrades at Franklin station along the Franklin & Foxboro commuter rail line. Passengers can now board trains completely stair-free. [Progressive Railroading, 10-23-25]
NORFOLK SOUTHERN REPORTS 3-Q RESULTS: Norfolk Southern reported third-quarter revenue of $3.1-billion, income from railway operations of $1.1-billion, operating ratio of 64.6 pct, and diluted EPS of $3.16. After adjusting the results to exclude merger-related expense, restructuring and effects of the Eastern Ohio incident, income from railway operations was $1.1-billion, operating ratio was 63.3 pct, and diluted EPS were $3.30. [Norfolk Southern, 10-23-25]
WEEKLY U.S. RAIL FREIGHT TRAFFIC REPORT: U.S. railroads originated 497,854 carloads and intermodal units in the week ending Oct. 18, 2025, down 2.6 pct compared with the corresponding week last year. Calculated separately, carloads were up 0.3 pct, and intermodal was down 4.8 pct. [Assn. of America Railroads, 10-22-25]
WABTEC REPORTS 3-Q RESULTS: Wabtec reported stronger earnings as the equipment manufacturer's revenue and profits grew in both its freight and transit segments. Operating income increased 17 pct to $491-million. Equipment sales were up 32 pct driven by higher locomotive deliveries. [Freight Waves, 10-22-25]
EUROSTAR ORDERS DOUBLE-DECKER TRAINS FOR CHANNEL TUNNEL: Eurostar will invest in up to 50 new double-deck trains built by Alstom, the first such trains to operate through the Channel Tunnel and on the U.K. network. An order for 30 trains has been confirmed, with an option for a further 20. Plans also include investing heavily in a crucial London depot. [Rail Business Daily, 10-22-25]
NEW VRE PARKING STRUCTURE OPENS IN MANASSAS PARK, VA.: Virginia Railway Express and government leaders on Oct. 21 gathered to formally open a 740-space parking structure at VRE's station in Manassas Park, Va. The garage allocates 540 spaces for VRE riders and visitors, and 200 spaces for city workers. [Progressive Railroading, 10-22-25]
AMTRAK TO TEST NEW CASCADES TRAIN SET ALONG NORTHEAST CORRIDOR: The first new Amtrak Cascades train set wrapped up testing in Colorado and is now heading to the Northeast corridor to begin additional testing. A total of 83 new train sets will roll out across the country, starting with Cascades, followed by the Northeast Regional and other key routes. [Amtrak, 10-22-25]
HONOLULU OPENS 2ND SECTION OF METRO: Honolulu on Oct. 15 inaugurated the second section of its Skyline elevated automated Metro. The 5.3-mile extension runs southeast from Halawa via the airport and Pearl Harbor-Hickam to Kahauiki with four new stations. [International Railway Journal, 10-22-25]
BNSF CONDUCTOR DIES IN ACCIDENT: BNSF conductor Daniel Peterson, 52, died at the scene of an early Oct. 20 accident in Columbus, Montana. He was between two trains on separate tracks, and one of the trains was moving and struck him, according to officials. [WTOP. 10-22-25]
CHINA REPORTS NEW SPEED RECORD TRAIN SPEED RECORD: The China Academy of Railway Sciences reports that two prototype CR450 high-speed trains achieved a world record speed of 557 MPH during recent tests. [International Railway Journal, 10-22-25]
STEEL RAIL PRODUCER IN PA. TO CLOSE, ONLY TWO MAJOR U.S. PRODUCERS REMAIN: Steelmaker Cleveland-Cliffs will permanently close its plant in Steelton, Pa., one of only three major domestic producers of track rail in the U.S. Dynamics in Indiana and Orion in Colorado are the only producers of heavyweight rail in the nation. [Freight Waves, 10-21-25]
CITY OF NEW ORLEANS ANNULLED EN ROUTE BY LOCOMOTIVE PROBLEMS: Amtrak's northbound City of New Orleans on Oct. 21 was annulled before leaving Jackson, Mississippi, on its scheduled run to Chicago by locomotive problems. [Amtrak, 10-21-25]
WEEKLY AMTRAK LONG-DISTANCE TRAIN PERFORMANCE: Fifty-two percent of Amtrak's long-distance trains arrived at their scheduled final destination on time or earlier in the week ending Oct. 19, 2025. The remaining trains, on average, arrived one hour and six minutes late. MORE.. [Bull Sheet Statistical Dept., 10-20-25]
SOUTHWEST CHIEF FIVE HOURS LATE INTO LOS ANGELES: Amtrak's westbound Southwest Chief of Oct. 17 arrived into Los Angeles five hours behind schedule, have been delayed en route by an intermittent communication outage and heavy rail congestion. [Amtrak, 10-19-25]
MAPLE LEAF ANNULLED FROM TORONTO DUE TO MECHANICAL ISSUES: Amtrak's eastbound Maple Leaf on Oct. 19 was annulled between Toronto and Albany due to mechanical issues. [Amtrak, 10-19-25]
AMTRAK'S CARDINAL ARRIVES INTO N.Y. EIGHT & ONE-HALF HOURS LATE: Amtrak's eastbound Cardinal of Oct. 16 finally arrived into New York eight and one-half hours behind schedule. According to Amtrak, the train had mechanical issues en route. [Amtrak, 10-18-25]
PINSLY R.R. ADDS SHORT LINE GEORGIANA & ANDALUSIA: Pinsly Railroad on Oct. 16 announced its ninth short line. Georgiana & Andalusia, began operation in southern Alabama. It is a 36-mile line from a CSX connection in Georgiana to Andalusia, previously operated by Three Notch Railway. [Progressive Railroading, 10-17-25]
AMTRAK CELEBRATES FIVE STATION UPGRADES IN N.D.: Amtrak passengers have a more accessible experience at Empire Builder-served stations in Devils Lake, Fargo, Rugby, Stanley and Williston, N.D., following recent improvements. [Amtrak, 10-17-25]
L.A. METRO'S D-LINE SUBWAY EXTENSION PROJECT MOVES FORWARD: Los Angeles Metro is starting restoration work today on Wilshire boulevard in the Westwood area, marking a milestone in the ongoing construction of the D-line subway extension project linking Koreatown with Westwood. [Progressive Railroading, 10-17-25]
UNION PACIFIC TRAIN DERAILS IN MISSOURI, AMTRAK DISRUPTED: Multiple railroad crossings in Johnson County, Missouri, were closed after 32 cars and a locomotive of a Union Pacific train derailed early Oct. 17. No injuries were reported. Amtrak service was disrupted, including the cancelation of two Missouri River Runner trains between Kansas City and St. Louis. [Fox4 KC, 10-17-25]
PEB ISSUES RECOMMENDATION IN LIRR LABOR DISPUTE: The Presidential emergency board on Oct. 17 issued its recommendation to resolve the labor dispute between Long Island Rail Road and its unions. The board recommended raises to employees of three pct retroactive to June 16, both in 2023 and 2024, three and one-half pct retroactive to June 16, 2025, and four and one-half pct on July 16, 2025. It also recommended a $3,000 lump sum payment following contract ratification. If there is no settlement, there is to be a public hearing by the National Mediation board. If the dispute is still not resolved, a strike could occur as early as Jan. 2026. [Yahoo News, 10-17-25]
RENOVATION BEGINS ON WORLD'S OLDEST CAST-IRON RAILWAY BRIDGE: The world's oldest in-use cast-iron railway bridge, the 191-year-old Crawshaw Woods bridge, is on U.K.'s Transpennine line. It needed to be raised about five feet to allow room for catenary electrification. This past weekend engineers carefully moved its arched girders, deck, parapets and original railings off-site for repair and renovation while additional layers of stone are added to the bridge's abutments. [Rail Business Daily, 10-17-25]
NEW PASSENGER RAIL LINE OPENS BETWEEN UKRAINE AND ROMANIA: A new passenger rail line opened between Kiev, Ukraine, and Bucharest, Romania, on Oct. 10. The cities are 464 miles apart, and the journey takes about 24 hours. The city of Iasi, with its international airport, is a key logistics hub for Ukrainians traveling to European Union countries. [Rail Passengers Assn., 10-17-25]
ILLINOIS R.R. MUSEUM PLANS RESTORATION OF HISTORIC U.P. CENTENNIAL DIESEL: The Illinois Railroad Museum has launched a fundraising and volunteer effort to restore to operational status Union Pacific DDA40X Centennial diesel locomotive 6930. The project involves installing two replacement prime movers, eight new wheel sets, and completing a cosmetic restoration. [Google News 10-16-25]
TOO MANY RAIL CREWS MISSING SIGNALS, CANADIAN SAFETY BOARD SAYS: The Transportation Safety Board of Canada has issued its latest 'Watchlist,' highlighting safety issues, highlighting one of greater importance, that of train crews failing to follow signal indications. Between 2019 and mid-2025, there were 303 missed-signal occurrences. In the absence of physical fail-safe defenses to intervene to slow or stop a train, missed signals continue to create the risk of collisions and derailments. [Progressive Railroading 10-16-25]
BNSF INCREASES CAPACITY OF RAIL LINE SERVING PHOENIX: BNSF has added a 10,000-foot siding and extended another by 10,000 feet to increase capacity on its rail line into Phoenix. Combined with another siding that was extended to 16,000 feet in 2022, the railroad has increased fluidity along its line linking Phoenix with its southern transcon west of Flagstaff. [Progressive Railroading, 10-16-25]
CSX REPORTS 3-Q RESULTS: CSX has announced third-quarter 2025 operating income of $1.09-billion and net earnings of $694-million, or 37 cents per share. The results compare to corresponding quarter last year's operating income of $1.35-billion and net earnings of $894-million, or 46 cents per share. [CSX, 10-16-25]
ASSESSMENTS BEGIN FOR USE OF MICHIGAN CENTRAL DISTRICT AS RAIL, TRANSIT HUB: Officials in Detroit on Oct. 15 agreed to begin preliminary assessments for a new multi-modal transportation hub within the 30-acre Michigan Central Innovation district. The agreement comprehends committing $40-million to initial research and engineering to feature a new passenger rail and bus transit station. [Progressive Railroading, 10-16-25]
VEHICLE TESTING BEGINS ON TWIN CITIES' GREEN LINE EXTENSION: The Twin Cities Metro has begun testing of vehicles on its Green line light-rail extension. Twenty-seven new vehicles have been ordered, and when the extension opens passengers will be able to ride the line from Eden Prairie to downtown St. Paul. [Progressive Railroading, 10-16-25]
BNSF TRAIN DERAILS IN MISSOURI, NO INJURIES: About 10 rail cars loaded with coal of a BNSF train derailed late Oct. 15 in rural Cape Girardeau County, Missouri, near Neely's Landing. There were no injuries reported. [KFVS, 10-16-25]
AMTRAK'S CITY OF NEW ORLEANS DELAYED BY LOCOMOTIVE ISSUES: Amtrak's northbound City of New Orleans arrived into its destination Chicago seven hours behind schedule on Oct. 16. It had been delayed en route by locomotive issues. [Amtrak, 10-16-25]
CSX SANTA TRAIN TO RUN NOV. 22: CSX's annual Santa Train will make its 83rd run Nov. 22. It will travel between Shelbiana, Kentucky, and Kingsport, Tennessee, delivering toys, gifts and winter accessories to communities along the route. [Progressive Railroading, 10-15-25]
METRO-NORTH SELECTS STV FOR BATTERY-ELECTRIC LOCOMOTIVE SUPPORT: STV has announced that Metro-North selected the firm to provide engineering and procurement support for new battery-electric locomotives. The locomotives are modeled after the Siemens Charger SC42-DM dual-powered units, and will be among the first battery-electric passenger rail vehicles in the U.S. They will be used as part of service that will bring Metro-North New Haven line trains to New York's Penn Station. [Progressive Railroading, 10-15-25]
MENDOCINO RWY AFFIRMED BY FEDS AS COMMON CARRIER: The U.S. Surface Transportation Board has affirmed that Mendocino Railway is, and has been, a common carrier railroad (since 2004). It is a public utility that provides freight, excursion and passenger trains across northern California, and operates the California Western, River Fox and Sunburst trains. The company petitioned the STB in July because of legal challenges by local municipalities and state agencies. [Progressive Railroading, 10-15-25]
WEEKLY U.S. RAIL FREIGHT TRAFFIC REPORT: U.S. railroads originated 498,462 carloads and intermodal units in the week ending Oct. 11, 2025, down 1.3 pct compared with the corresponding week last year. Calculated separately, carloads were up 1.2 pct, and intermodal was down 3.3 pct. [Assn. of American Railroads, 10-15-25]
PACIFIC HARBOR LINE, REMORA PARTNER IN CO2 CAPTURE EFFORT: Anacostia Rail subsidiary Pacific Harbor Line has entered into a development agreement with Remora, a climate technology firm pioneering mobile carbon capture for trucking and freight rail. Trucks and trains emit about 375 million of tons of CO2 each year, and Remora's solution captures and converts it to liquid and sells it to industries such as farming and food production. [Progressive Railroading, 10-15-25]
TRAIN IN U.K. CATCHES FIRE: An Edinburgh-bound U.K. CrossCountry Service train was forced to evacuate after a blaze broke out the afternoon of Oct. 15 at Tamworth station. Over 200 passengers were evacuated from the train to a safe location. [Rail Business Daily, 10-15-25]
LAURENT TREVISANI CONFIRMED AS INTERIM CHAIR, CEO OF SNCF: French National Railways (SNCF) has confirmed the appointment of Laurent Trevisani as interim chairman and CEO following the departure of Jean-Pierre Farandou to government service. [International Railway Journal, 10-15-25]
RAILWAY TO BE BUILT FROM QATAR TO SAUDI ARABIA: The Qatar cabinet has approved a long-awaited plan to build a railway from Doha to Saudi Arabia. [International Railway Journal, 10-15-25]
GUYANA PROPOSES LIGHT-RAIL LINE ALONG DEMERARA RIVER IN GEORGETOWN: A feasibility study is underway for a proposed light-rail line along the east bank and east coast of the Demerara River in the capital Georgetown. [International Railway Journal, 10-15-25]
CALTRAIN TO EARN COMPENSATION FOR ELECTRIC POWER RETURNED TO GRID: Caltrain's energy suppliers have approved policies to compensate the agency for power its electric trains return from regenerative braking back to the power grid. Caltrain returns about 23 pct of the power it uses. Beginning in April 2026, the agency will be paid about $1-million annually for its returned energy. Progressive Railroading, 10-14-25]
TEXAS EAGLE SIGNIFICANTLY DELAYED BY DISABLED FREIGHT TRAINS BLOCKING ROUTE: Amtrak's westbound Texas Eagle was delayed Oct. 14 while en route to San Antonio by two instances of disabled freight trains blocking the route ahead. It was delayed four hours between Little Rock and Malvern, Arkansas, and three more hours near McGregor, Texas. [Amtrak, 10-14-25]
CATHCART RAIL NAMES SCOTT DRIGGERS CEO: Scott Driggers, who joined Cathcart Rail in June as chief operating officer, has been named the company's CEO to succeed Jeff Chick. [Progressive Railroading, 10-14-25]
BILL WOULD EXTEND TIME FOR PASSENGER RAILS TO SECURE EXCESS LIABILITY INSURANCE: The Passenger Rail Liability Adjustment Act would modify current statute to allow passenger railroads 90 days (rather than the current 30 days) to secure additional excess liability insurance after the federal cap is inflation-adjusted in 2026. [Railway Age, 10-14-25]
TRAIN DERAILS IN TENNESSEE, SCHOOLS EVACUATED: A train derailed in Columbia, Tennessee, the afternoon of Oct. 14, leading to road closures and schools and businesses being evacuated as a precaution. Five cars were involved, and authorities said that they were empty. No injuries were reported. [WKRN, 10-14-25]
CONNECTICUT PLANS ADDED CAPACITY PROJECT ON HARTFORD LINE: Connecticut's Dept. of Transportation will host a public informational meeting on Oct. 22 about a project to establish a double track between West Hartford and Hartford to improve capacity on the Hartford line. [Progressive Railroading, 10-13-25]
WEEKLY AMTRAK LONG-DISTANCE TRAIN PERFORMANCE: Fifty (50) percent of Amtrak's named long-distance trains arrived at their scheduled final destination on time or earlier in the week ending October 12, 2025. The remaining trains, on average, arrived one hour and five minutes late. MORE.. [Bull Sheet Statistical Dept., 10-13-25]
CSX TO SERVE SHINGLE MANUFACTURING FACILITY IN PRATTVILLE, ALABAMA: The CSX Select Site program assisted Owens Corning in finding a location for its future 250,000-square-foot shingle manufacturing facility in Prattville, Alabama. The select site program streamlines the process for customers to locate and develop rail-served properties. [Progressive Railroading, 10-13-25]
TWO TRAINS COLLIDE IN SLOVAKIA, DOZENS INJURED: Two fast trains collided in eastern Slovakia Oct. 13 injuring dozens of passengers, including two in critical condition. It occurred near the town of Roznava. Police said that about 80 passengers were on board. Authorities have opened an investigation into the cause, but it has suggested that human error might have been to blame. [Stamford Advocate, 10-13-25]
EXHIBITION TRAIN TOURING SCOTLAND HONORING 1825 OPENING OF RAILROAD: UK's Railway 200 special exhibition train arrived at Glasgow Central station over the weekend, marking the start of the Scottish leg of a nationwide tour. Named 'Inspiration,' the train features four themed rail cars that focus upon rail history, future innovation, and local stories. The program is inspired by the opening of the Stockton & Darlington Railway in 1825. [Rail Business Daily, 10-13-25]
CSX TRAIN DERAILS IN BALTIMORE'S BAY VIEW YARD: Eighteen cars of a CSX train derailed on Oct. 12 in Bay View yard in east Baltimore. There were no injuries. [Google News, 10-12-25]
SOUTHWEST CHIEF DELAYED FIVE HOURS BY LOCOMOTIVE ISSUE: Amtrak's eastbound Southwest Chief of Oct. 11 was delayed five hours in Needles, California, due to a locomotive problem and the need to await and add an additional locomotive unit to the train. [Amtrak, 10-12-25]
CPKC ANNOUNCES 2025 HOLIDAY TRAIN TOUR: Canadian Pacific Kansas City has announced its 2025 Holiday Train tour to raise funds and gather food to support food banks across its network. The Canadian tour begins Nov. 21 in Montreal West, Quebec, and ends Dec. 21 in Gleichen, Alberta. The U.S. tour begins Nov. 22 in Herman, Maine, and ends Dec. 18 in Kenmare, N.D. [CPKC, 10-10-25]
MARC TO BEGIN EXPANSION AT MARTIN MAINTENANCE YARD: The Maryland Transit Administration is set to begin construction to expand and modernize the MARC train storage facilities at the Martin Maintenance yard near Martin State Airport in Baltimore County. The $35-million project is set to begin this fall and continue into summer 2027. [Railway Age, 10-10-25]
METRA BREAKS GROUND ON MILLENNIUM STATION RENOVATION: Chicago's Metra on Oct. 9 broke ground on its $8.1-million renovation project at the Millennium station on the Electric line. [Progressive Railroading, 10-10-25]
BNSF TRAIN DERAILS IN MISSOURI, HOMES EVACUATED: A BNSF train derailed late Oct. 10 in the Afton neighborhood of south St. Louis County, Missouri. Some of the train cars had previously contained chemicals, and 15 to 20 nearby homes were evacuated as a precaution. There were no injuries. [FirstAlert4, 10-10-25]
CN TRAIN DERAILS IN NORA, ILLINOIS, NO INJURIES: Seventeen rail cars of a Canadian National train derailed shortly after midnight Oct. 9 at a crossing in Nora, Illinois. The cars carried ethyl alcohol, and officials evacuated residents affecting about 100 people. There were no fires, and no injuries were reported. [WIFR, 10-10-25]
CSX TRAIN COLLIDES WITH 18-WHEELER IN GEORGIA: An 18-wheeler food-service rig got stuck on a hump at a grade crossing in Grovetown, Ga., late Oct. 10, and was blown apart and dragged by a CSX train. Nobody was injured. [WRDW, 10-10-25]
AMTRAK SELECTS DESIGN FIRM FOR $480-M UPGRADE TO IVY CITY YARD IN D.C.: Amtrak has selected STV Inc. to provide comprehensive design services for upgrades at Ivy City yard in Washington where trains are serviced. [Progressive Railroading, 10-9-25]
RAILPROS ACQUIRES DESIGN NINE: Texas-based RailPros has completed the acquisition of St. Louis-based Design Nine which offers railroad engineering services. [WCNT, 10-9-25]
NORFOLK SOUTHERN COMPLETES 1000TH DC TO AC LOCOMOTIVE CONVERSION: Norfolk Southern has reached a fleet modernization milestone by completing its 1000th DC-to-AC locomotive conversion. The modernized units are up to 25 pct more fuel efficient, improve reliability by 40 pct, increase haulage capacity by 55 pct, and extend a locomotive's life by at least 20 years. [Progressive Railroading, 10-9-25]
UNION PACIFIC BEGINS SERVING NEW SOLAR-POWERED PLANT IN ILLINOIS: Union Pacific has begun serving Manner Polymers' new solar-powered plant in Mount Vernon, Illinois. A 1000-foot rail spur was built to connect the facility to the main line. [Progressive Railroading, 10-9-25]
AUSTIN TO ADD NEW STATION TO RED LINE: Austin's CapMetro and Brandywine Realty Trust are preparing for construction of the new North Burnet and Uptown commuter rail station on the Red line.[Progressive Railroading, 10-9-25]
METROLINX TO OPEN CONFEDERATION GO STATION ON OCT 27: Ontario's Metrolinx is expanding GO Transit with a new station and added trips, opening the Confederation GO station on the Lakeshore West line on Oct. 27. [Progressive Railroading, 10-9-25]
CN, CONGEBEC TO OPEN COLD STORAGE FACILITY IN CALGARY: Canadian National and Congebec are partnering on a cold storage facility at CN's Calgary Logistics Park in Alberta. The facility will be designed to be in better proximity, accelerating the conversion of temperature-sensitive goods between rail and warehouse. [CN, 10-9-25]
JIM SABIN NAMED PRESIDENT, CEO OF RAILWORKS: RailWorks Corp. has named Jim Sabin president and CEO, Most recently he served a chief operating officer at energy infrastructure company ENFRA. [Progressive Railroading, 10-9-25]
MARTIN SION TO REPLACE HENRI POUPART-LAFARGE AS CEO OF ALSTOM: Alstom on Oct. 8 announced that Martin Sion has been chosen as its new chief executive officer, replacing Henri Poupart-Lafarge, who chose not to seek another term. [Railway Age, 10-9-25]
NORFOLK SOUTHERN TWEAKS INTERNATIONAL SERVICES: Norfolk Southern is reshaping its international intermodal network, consolidating and reducing service between the U.S. west coast and several midwest markets while expanding capacity from east coast ports into the midwest. The most significant changes affect Ohio and the upper midwest, where the company will consolidate Cincinnati-area traffic into a single terminal north of the city. Under the plan, international trains will interchange in Chicago and terminate in Cincinnati, no longer continuing to Cleveland or Detroit. The changes take effect Oct. 20. [Journal of Commerce, 10-9-25]
NORTHEAST CORRIDOR SERVICE DISRUPTED BY PAIR OF INCIDENTS: Train service affecting Amtrak and SEPTA between Trenton and Philadelphia the afternoon of Oct. 9 was disrupted by a power outage due to an underground cable disturbance, and separately by a trespasser being struck in the Tacony section of Philadelphia. Some trains were delayed by as much as two hours. [Fox 5 N.Y., 10-9-25]
PORTLAND, MAINE, CONSIDERING NEW LOCATION FOR AMTRAK STATION: Officials are considering relocating the Amtrak Downeaster station in Portland, Maine. Three different sites are being those being chosen, and the focus is to improve reliability, minimize conflicts with freight service, and reduce costs. [WMTW, 10-9-25]
WEEKLY U.S. RAIL FREIGHT TRAFFIC REPORT: U.S. railroads originated 503.538 carloads and intermodal units in the week ending Oct. 4, 2025, up 3.6 pct compared with the corresponding week last year. Calculated separately, carloads were flat, but intermodal was up 6.7 pct. [Assn. of American Railroads, 10-8-25]
DAVID FINK CONFIRMED AS FEDERAL RAILROAD ADMINISTRATOR: The U.S. Senate has confirmed David Armstrong Fink as the nation's Federal Railroad administrator. Former CEO of Pan Am Railways, he has more than 45 years of transportation leadership experience. [Railway Age, 10-8-25]
CN MOVES RECORD GRAIN TONNAGE FOR SEPTEMBER: Canadian National moved over 2.9 million metric tons of grain from western Canada in September, higher by 80,000 metric tons from its previous record for the month. [Progressive Railroading, 10-8-25]
VRE REACHES 100 MILLION TOTAL RIDERS: Virginia Railway Express on Oct. 6 reached a milestone of 100 million total riders since its inception in 1992. [Progressive Railroading, 10-8-25]
GROUND BROKEN ON NEW AIRTRAIN SYSTEM AT NEWARK LIBERTY AIRPORT: The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey on Oct. 7 broke ground on a new AirTrain system at Newark Liberty International Airport, launching construction of a 2.5-mile automated people mover. It will replace the existing 1996 AirTrain, which has become outdated. [Progressive Railroading, 10-8-25]
SILVER METEOR DELAYED TWO & ONE-HALF HOURS BY FREIGHT TRAIN CONGESTION: Amtrak's southbound Silver Meteor on Oct. 8 was delayed about two and one-half hours between Petrsburg and Rocky Mount due to freight train congestion. [Amtrak, 10-8-25]
CSX APPROVES 13-CENT COMMON SHARE DIVIDEND: CSX has announced that its board approved a $0.13 per share quarterly dividend on its common stock. [CSX, 10-8-25]
N.Y. MTA COMPLETES FIRST PHASE PARK AVE REPLACEMENT: New York's MTA has completed the replacement portion of the first phase of the Park avenue viaduct. The structure carries four Metro-North tracks along Park avenue between East 110th street and Harlem River lift bridge. [Progressive Railroading, 10-7-25]
S.D. SEEKS TO SELL OR LEASE NAPA JCT -PLATTE RAIL LINE: South Dakota has issued an invitation for proposals seeking parties interested in purchasing or leasing the state-owned Napa Junction to Platte rail line for common carrier freight operations. [Railway Age, 10-7-25]
METRA COMPLETES REHAB OF THREE ELECTRIC LINE STATIONS: Chicago's Metra has celebrated the $33.9-million rehabilitation of 79th street-Chatham, 87th street-Woodruff, and 103rd street-Rosemoor electric stations. [Railway Track & Structures, 10-7-25]
MEXICAN RAIL EMPLOYEES ARRESTED FOR ALLEGED NARCOTICS SMUGGLING AT BORDER: In late Sept., it was reported that employees of Mexican railroad Ferromex were arrested for allegedly attempting to traffic narcotics across the U.S. border in a locomotive bound for Eagle Pass, Texas. [BLET, 10-7-25]
AMTRAK'S CARDINAL DELAYED SIX HOURS BY LOCOMOTIVE PROBLEM: Amtrak's eastbound Cardinal was delayed after it departed Chicago over six hours on Oct. 7 because of locomotive issues. [Amtrak, 10-7-25]
COLOMBIA REOPENS 19-MILE TRACK PORTION FOR TOURIST TRAIN: Colombia has reopened a 19-mile section of rail line to regular passenger service. Trains began running Sept. 28 on a portion of the Belencito line, intended as a tourist experience offering coach and first-class accommodations on a two-hour journey. [International Railway Journal, 10-7-25]
PORT OF PHILADELPHIA ACQUIRES MUSTIN YARD FROM NORFOLK SOUTHERN: The Port of Philadelphia has acquired the Mustin Yard property from Norfolk Southern through a $90-million agreement. Originally part of the former Philadelphia Navy Yard, the site has been viewed as a critical asset for the port's growth. The site includes a fully-developed intermodal transfer facility, which the railroad and port are committed to activating with operational capabilities. [Progressive Railroading, 10-6-25]
BNSF DEPLOYS SOLAR, WIND-POWERED WEATHER STATION: BNSF has deployed its first solar- and wind-powered weather station. Located in Haslet, Texas, it operates without commercial power and supports real-time weather monitoring across the rail network. [Progressive Railroading, 10-6-25]
CANDO TO ACQUIRE RAIL TERMINAL ON HOUSTON SHIP CHANNEL: Manitoba-based Cando Rail & Terminals has agreed to acquire the rail terminal and associated operations of Texas Deepwater Partners on the Houston ship channel. It features a capacity of 900 rail cars and connections to BNSF, CPKC and UP. [Progressive Railroading, 10-6-25]
UNION PACIFIC TRAIN DERAILS IN TEXAS, NO INJURIES: Union Pacific says 18 cars derailed Oct. 4 in a wooded area about eight miles northwest of Bryan, Texas. No one was hurt, and no materials were released. Cleanup and repairs were completed by early Oct. 6. [KBTX, 10-6-25]
TEXAS EAGLE ARRIVES OVER 11 HOURS LATE INTO CHICAGO: Amtrak's eastbound Texas Eagle of Oct. 3 arrived into its Chicago destination 11 and one-half hours late. According to Amtrak, most of the train's en route delay was due to locomotive issues. [Amtrak, 10-4-25]
BLET RATIFIES NEW AGREEMENT WITH UNION PACIFIC: Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen members have ratified a new on-property agreement with Union Pacific covering rates of pay, work rules, and health & welfare benefits for nearly 6,000 members employed at UP. [BLET, 10-3-25]
FEDS SUSPEND GRANTS, LOANS FOR TWO N.Y. AREA INFRASTRUCTURE, TWO CHICAGO TRANSIT-RAIL PROJECTS: The U.S. Dept. of Transportation has suspended billions of dollars in federal grants and loans for two New York area infrastructure projects and two major transit-rail projects in Chicago. The suspension is to allow reviews to determine if they would be in violation of administration and civil rights laws. The New York projects involve the Hudson Tunnel and the second phase of the Second Avenue subway. Meanwhile, the state of Illinois has revealed an over $50-billion, six-year blueprint for transportation infrastructure including transit, rail, aviation, roads and bridges. [Progressive Railroading, 10-3-25]
STADLER OPENS WELDING FACILITY AT ITS SALT LAKE CITY FACTORY: Stadler has opened a welding facility at its Salt Lake City factory, enabling aluminum car bodies to be welded on-site rather than shipped from company facilities in Europe. [Railway Gazette 10-3-25]
NTSB URGES SEPTA TO SIDELINE SILVERLINER IV RAIL CARS DUE TO FIRE RISKS: The National Transportation Safety Board has urged SEPTA to act immediately to eliminate fire risks in its fleet of Silverliner IV rail cars, adding that the risks posed by their design cannot be fully addressed without an extensive retrofit or replacement. [Progressive Railroading, 10-2-25]
BIG BOY LOCOMOTIVE RETURNS FOR LIMITED FALL TOUR IN COLORADO: Union Pacific's Big Boy locomotive 4014 was part of a trip for company customers through Colorado's Greeley on Sept. 30 and Eaton on Oct. 1. The crew then returned to Cheyenne, Wyoming, to gear up for a much larger tour next year as part of the America 250 celebration. [Union Pacific, 10-2-25]
ROBERT PRIMUS FILES LAWSUIT OVER DISMISSAL FROM STB: Robert Primus has filed a federal lawsuit challenging his dismissal from the Surface Transportation Board. He alleges that the board violated the law by effectuating his removal and preventing him from exercising his independent duties as a member. [Freight Waves, 10-2-25]
BRIGHTLINE WEST'S SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA TO LAS VEGAS LINE'S CONSTRUCTION COST INCREASES: Brightline West's 218-mile railroad from southern California to Las Vegas will now cost $21.5-billion, or $5.5-billion more than the initial projection, according to a Bloomberg report. [Railway Age, 10-2-25]
STUCKI ACQUIRES WHEELWORX: Rail components and services provider A. Stucki Co. on Oct. 2 reported acquiring Wheelworx, a rail car wheelset reconditioning services supplier. [Railway Age, 10-2-25]
UNION PACIFIC TRAIN DERAILS IN SOUTHERN CALIF. RAIL YARD: Union Pacific confirmed that a train derailed early Oct. 2 within its rail yard in City of Industry, Los Angeles County, California. About 14 intermodal cars derailed, but there were no injuries, and the derailment did not block any public roadways. [NBC LA, 10-2-25]
SEPTEMBER 2025 AMTRAK LONG-DISTANCE TRAIN PERFORMANCE: Forty-nine percent of Amtrak's named long-distance trains arrived at their scheduled final destination on time or earlier in September 2025. The remaining trains, on average arrived one hour and 11 minutes late. MORE.. [Bull Sheet Statistical Dept., 10-1-25]
BNSF ENCOURAGES CUSTOMERS TO EXPRESS UP-NS MERGER CONCERNS WITH STB: BNSF argues that the proposed UP-NS merger will hurt competition, raise rates, curtail service, and likely to lead to an operational meltdown. BNSF is encouraging its customers to voice their concerns with the Surface Transportation Board. The company says the transaction is driven by Wall Street on the promise of a big shareholder payout, contending that shippers will have to cover the cost because UP's 10 pct volume growth target is not achievable, and that UP will close a number of intermodal lanes based on the assumption that all current UP-CSX lanes will be discontinued. [Freight Waves, 10-1-25]
WEEKLY U.S. RAIL FREIGHT TRAFFIC REPORT: U.S. railroads originated 512,642 carloads and intermodal units in the week ending Sept. 27, 2025, up 1.0 pct compared with the corresponding week last year. Calculated separately, carloads were up 0.9 pct, and intermodal was up 1.1 pct. [Assn. of American Railroads, 10-1-25]
COAST STARLIGHT COLLIDES WITH TRUCK IN CALIFORNIA, DRIVER KILLED: Amtrak's northbound Coast Starlight on Oct. 1 collided with a tanker truck spilling fuel near Santa Maria, California, injuring the driver who later died. Three of the train's passengers were slightly hurt. Damage to the train resulted in it being annulled over the rest of its run, and passengers were returned to their originating points. [San Luis Obispo Tribune, 10-1-25]
AUSTRIA'S OBB TO END PARIS-BERLIN-VIENNA OVERNIGHT TRAIN SERVICES: OBB, Austrian Federal Railways, will withdraw overnight services from Paris to Berlin and Vienna on Dec. 15 due to French National Railways SNCF pulling out of the partnership. [International Railway Journal, 10-1-25]
BMWED MEMBERS RATIFY AGREEMENT WITH ALTON & SOUTHERN RWY: Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees Division Rail System Federation members on the Alton & Southern Railway have ratified a five-year collective bargaining agreement. [Railway Track & Structures, 10-1-25]
HOUSE BILL WOULD ALLOW AMTRAK TO SUE FREIGHT RAILROADS FOR FREIGHT TRAIN INTERFERENCE: A bill introduced by three U.S. representatives (H.R. 5570) would allow Amtrak to sue freight railroads for delays caused by freight train interference. Such delays in 2023 resulted in 900,000 minutes of Amtrak delay. [Progressive Railroading, 10-1-25]
READING & NORTHERN OFFERS TO BUY 55-MILE PA. RAIL LINE, EXPAND EXCURSION SERVICE: Reading & Northern Railroad is offering to pay $10-million to purchase a 55-mile rail line in Luzerne County, Pa., from the county's redevelopment authority. Reading & Northern would like to improve the track to offer tourist excursion service from Wilkes Barre, and maintain freight service along the line. [Times Leader, 9-30-25]
RAIL VISION TO ACQUIRE MAJORITY OWNERSHIP OF QUANTUM TRANSPORTATION: Rail Vision plans to acquire 51 pct ownership of Quantum Transportation, a computing and artificial-intelligence company specializing in error correction technologies. [Progressive Railroading, 9-30-25]
PITTSBURGH TRANSIT ADOPTS BUDGET AVOIDING SERVICE CUTS, FARE INCREASES: Pittsburgh Regional Transit's board has adopted the agency's amended FY-26 budgets without making major service cuts and fare increases for the next two years. The move enables the agency to close a projected $100-million deficit. [Progressive Railroading, 9-30-25]
BRIGHTLINE ADDING EQUIPMENT TO DEPLOY LONGER TRAINS: Brightline trains are getting longer, the result of an equipment order that is now being delivered. For travelers going between south and central Florida, the company will deploy eight-car trains during peak travel, growing to 10-car trains before the end of the year. [Railway Age, 9-30-25]
NEW CROSSOVER, LONGER SIDING IN MONTANA TO IMPROVE RUNNING OF EMPIRE BUILDER: In Malta, Montana, the eastbound and westbound sections of the Empire Builder meet each other just 22 minutes apart. To speed the process and avoid a reverse move, a crossover and extended siding are being added as part of a $14.9-million federal-state partnership, with 20 pct matching funds from Amtrak and BNSF, and completion is slated for sometime next year. [Railway Age, 9-30-25]
CSX NAMES STEVE ANGEL PRESIDENT, CEO, REPLACING JOE HINRICHS: The board of CSX over the weekend named Steve Angel as president and chief executive officer, replacing Joe Hinrichs, who has left the company. Board chair John Zillmer expressed his appreciation to Hinrichs for his leadership over the past three years. Angel is an executive with 45 years of experience heading large, public companies. [CSX, 9-29-25]
UNION PACIFIC PROPOSES BUILDING FIVE MILES OF LINE TO PLANT IN BAY CITY, TEXAS: Union Pacific has proposed constructing and operating five miles of rail line in Matagorda County, Texas, to be called the Wadsworth Industrial lead, to connect an existing polymer plant in Bay City, Texas, with the railroad's Angleton subdivision. [Progressive Railroading, 9-29-25]
FLORIDIAN DELAYED FOUR HOURS BY LOCOMOTIVE TROUBLE: Amtrak's Floridian on Sept. 28 was delayed in Pennsylvania almost four hours by a locomotive malfunction. [Amtrak, 9-28-25]
NJT RAIL SERVICE DISRUPTED BY WORK TRAIN DERAILMENT AT SUMMIT STATION: New Jersey Transit's Morris and Essex line and Gladstone branch rail service was suspended due to the derailment of a work train late Sept. 26 at Summit station. [NJ 12 News, 9-27-25]
CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR DELAYED SIX HOURS IN NEVADA BY DISABLED FREIGHT TRAIN: Amtrak's eastbound California Zephyr on Sept. 27 was delayed six hours in Nevada by a disabled freight train blocking the route ahead. [Amtrak, 9-27-25]
FIERY TRAIN COLLISION IN RUSSIA: A major rail incident occurred Sept. 26 in Russia's Smolensk region when a freight train carrying gasoline collided with a truck at a rail crossing, causing the locomotive and 18 tank cars to derail. Six of the cars ignited producing large rife. Two rail employees were hospitalized with moderate injuries. [United 24 Media, 9-27-25]
CSX'S HOWARD STREET TUNNEL IN BALTIMORE REOPENS: CSX today reopened its Howard street tunnel in Baltimore to rail traffic following a $450-million modernization project to accommodate double-stack intermodal containers. With this project finished, and once additional clearance projects are complete early next year, a key bottleneck will be cleared and double-stack trains will move through Baltimore toward Philadelphia. [CSX, 9-26-25]
NEW AMTRAK STATION PROPOSED FOR PALMER, MASS.: A proposed new Amtrak station at Palmer, Mass., between Springfield and Worcester, is part of the state's 'compass rail' plan for more intercity passenger service. The planning and design efforts have begun. [Railway Track & Structures, 9-26-25]
RAILINC, DUKE UNIVERSITY PARTNER IN RAIL SAFETY, EFFICIENCY INNOVATION: Railinc and Duke University on Sept. 25 announced a new collaboration to explore practical innovations that advance freight rail safety and efficiency. The effort will harness a student-led program where teams co-create solutions with industry to develop prototypes that have immediate and long-term potential. [Railway Age, 9-26-25]
AMTRAK'S IMPACT FROM A GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN: Your Amtrak trip will not be affected by a government shutdown. The company has enough cash on hand to keep their trains running in the near term. But it depends on how long a shutdown continues. It cannot operate indefinitely without receiving payments to its operations account for the Northeast corridor and National network. Moreover, grant making and rule making work will halt at the Dept. of Transportation, which could delay the delivery of infrastructure funds to projects currently under construction. [Rail Passengers Assn., 9-26-25]
AGREEMENT APPROVED OVER FEDS CONTROLLING D.C. UNION STATION: Amtrak and the Union Station Redevelopment Corp. boards have agreed to approve a renegotiated agreement to restore direct federal control over Washington Union Station. As part of the agreement, Amtrak will return its D.C. offices to the station from its current headquarters one block away. Its lease on the current office space is set to expire in 2028. [Rail Passengers Assn., 9-26-25]
NATIONAL RAIL MUSEUM IN U.K. REOPENS FOLLOWING TWO-YEAR REFIT: For the past two years, the Station Hall at the National Railway Museum in York, U.K., was closed to the world, but today it reopens after an extensive refit. [Rail Business Daily, 9-26-25]
BNSF TRAIN DERAILS IN MINNESOTA: Late Sept. 24 a BNSF train derailed near Dilworth, Minnesota, about five miles east of Fargo, N.D., blocking both main tracks. One of the tracks was cleared early the following morning, and the other track was cleared that evening. [BNSF, 9-26-25]
ST. LOUIS METROLINK GREEN LINE EXTENSION PROJECT CANCELED: The proposed $1.1-billion MetroLink Green line light-rail expansion in St. Louis will be canceled and other projects, including bus rapid transit, will be considered for the corridor. [Railway Track & Structures, 9-25-25]
NORFOLK SOUTHERN DEVELOPS NEW TRACK GEOMETRY MEASUREMENT SYSTEM: Norfolk Southern has rolled out a new automated track geometry measurement system. It uses locomotives to continuously scan and evaluate track conditions and operates autonomously and under load,. It uses advanced sensors and lasers mounted beneath locomotives to measure critical aspects of track geometry. [Progressive Railroading, 9-25-25]
CALTRAIN MARKS FIRST YEAR OF FULLY-ELECTRIFIED SERVICE IN S.F. PENINSULA: Caltrain on Sept. 21 marked its first year of providing fully-electrified service to commuters in the San Francisco peninsula. Since the launch of service, the agency carried 9.1 million passengers, up 6.2 million in FY-24. Weekend ridership more than doubled, with a 78 pct ridership increase in July alone. [Progressive Railroading, 9-25-24]
DON PHILLIPS DIES, RAIL JOURNALIST: Don Phillips, noted transportation journalist for the Washington Post for 19 years, and long time 'Potomac Pundit' columnist for Trains Magazine, died on Sept. 23. He was 83. [Railway Track & Structures, 9-25-25]
REPLICA OF BRITAIN'S LOCOMOTIVE 1 TO RECREATE FIRST JOURNEY: A restored replica of Britain's Locomotive No. 1 will return to the birthplace of railways this weekend to recreate its first journey from Shildon to Stockton. It was the world's first public railway to use steam locomotives for passengers and freight. [Rail Business Daily, 9-25-25]
N.Y. MTA REPLACES 1897 WEBSTER AVE BRIDGE IN MANHASSET: New York's MTA has replaced the 128-year-old Webster avenue bridge in Manhasset, N.Y. Crews worked to demolish the structure and replaced it with a modern 77-foot bridge with three spans. [Railway Track & Structures, 9-24-25]
WEEKLY U.S. RAIL FREIGHT TRAFFIC REPORT: U.S. railroads originated 510,677 carloads and intermodal units in the week ending Sept. 20, 2025, down 2.2 pct compared with the corresponding week last year. Calculated separately, carloads were down 1.8 pct, and intermodal was down 2.5 pct. [Assn. of American Railroads, 9-24-25]
NORFOLK SOUTHERN ESTABLISHES 'TRIPLE CROWN SERVICES INC.': Norfolk Southern has created 'Triple Crown Services Inc.,' a single-source solution for motor carrier and brokerage services. It was formed through the merger of Triple Crown Services Co. and Thoroughbred Direct Intermodal Services, and includes the railroad's private container fleet with expanded service routes. [Railway Age, 9-24-25]
CANADA'S LAC-MEGANTIC RAIL BYPASS PROJECT MOVES CLOSER TO CONSTRUCTION: The Canadian Transportation Agency has received the official application for developing the Lac-Megantic rail bypass, moving the long-awaited project a step closer to construction. When completed, the eight-mile bypass will route rail traffic away from downtown Lac-Megantic, Quebec, where a 2013 derailment led to the deaths of 47 people and destroyed the downtown area. [Progressive Railroading, 9-24-25]
BLET REACHES TENTATIVE AGREEMENT WITH METRA: The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen has reached a tentative agreement with Chicago's Metra covering BLET members who operate the Metra-UP lines. [Progressive Railroading, 9-24-25]
SMART-TD ENDORSES UP-NS RAIL MERGER: SMART-TD (International Assn. of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers) has announced an agreement to secure job security for workers as Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern pursue a merger. The union's endorsement follows recent opposition to the merger from shippers' organizations, including the American Chemistry Council. [Progressive Railroading, 9-23-25]
CITY OF NEW ORLEANS IMPACTED BY LOCOMOTIVE ISSUE: Amtrak's southbound City of New Orleans on Sept. 23 was canceled south of Jackson, Mississippi, due to a locomotive malfunction. Bus transportation beyond that point was substituted. [Amtrak, 9-23-25]
CONTRACT AWARDED FOR SONOMA-MARIN HEALDSBURG EXTENSION: California's Sonoma-Marin Transit District (SMART) has awarded a construction contract for its Healdsburg extension. The project includes upgrades to infrastructure, including grade crossings, replacing or rehabilitating bridges, and installing train-control, signaling and communications systems. [Railway Track & Structures, 9-22-25]
CSX'S BLUE RIDGE SUB REPAIRS COMPLETED: CSX's Blue Ridge subdivision in Tennessee and North Carolina, which suffered extensive flood damage last fall, saw its first revenue train over the weekend following a $450-million rebuild project. Freight Waves, 9-22-25]
BNSF REBUILDS 85-YEAR-OLD TRESTLE IN TEXAS: BNSF has rebuilt an 85-year-old wooden trestle bridge north of Justin, Texas. Crews demolished and rebuilt the wooden bridge, and the structure now measures 600 feet is is constructed of steel and concrete. [Railway Track & Structures, 9-22-25]
WATCO, INTRAMOTEV FORGE TUGVOLT AGREEMENT: Intramotev, a developer of the TugVolt autonomous battery-electric rail car, has entered into a new commercial agreement with Watco, which will deploy the technology within its network, beginning with the Wood River Transload terminal in Illinois. [Railway Track & Structures, 9-19-25]
L.A. METRO TO OPEN A-LINE EXTENSION SEPT. 19: L.A. Metro's nine-mile extension of the A-line opens today at 12 noon. The extension from Azusa to Pomona will offer a great alternative to the 10 and 210 freeways and offer an affordable way to travel between the Foothill cities and beyond. [Railway Track & Structures, 9-19-25]
CONGRESSMAN SEEKS TO OVERTURN TWO-PERSON TRAIN CREW REGULATION: Last year, U.S. Representative Eric Burlison of Missouri introduced a bill seeking to overturn the Federal Railroad Administration's two-person crew regulation. The bill did not make much traction and it garnered only five co-sponsors. This year he is trying again. [Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen, 9-19-25]
SAVAGE TOOLE R.R. BEGINS OPERATIONS AT LAKEVIEW BUSINESS PARK IN UTAH: Savage Toole Railroad on Sept. 17 began operations at Lakeview Business Park in Grantsville, Utah. The railroad connects the business park with a Union Pacific main line near Interstate 80. [Progressive Railroading, 9-19-25]
GEORGIANA & ANDALUSIA R.R. FILES TO OPERATE TWO SHORT LINES IN ALABAMA: Georgiana & Andalusia Railroad, a non-carrier, on Sept. 19 filed notice with the Surface Transportation Board to replace Three Notch Railway as the operator of two rail lines in southern Alabama. They are a 33-mile line between Georgiana and Andalusia, and a 2.6-mile line between a connection with the Georgiana line and Andalusia. [Progressive Railroading, 9-19-25]
LOW MISSISSIPPI RIVER WATER LEVEL RESTRICTING BARGE TRAFFIC: A lack of rain, especially in areas that drain into the Ohio River, is leading to restrictions on barge sizes on the Mississippi River. Shipping restrictions implemented Sept. 19 between Cairo, Illinois, and Lake Providence, Louisiana, now limit barges to drafts of 10 feet and six barges wide. [Freight Waves, 9-19-25]
CALIF. BROKERS AGREEMENT TO FUND STATE'S HSR PROGRAM: California has brokered an agreement to to secure critical funding for the state's high-speed rail program. Under the new agreement, the program will be reauthorized through 2045, providing the high-speed rail authority stability as it continues construction work in the Central Valley. The project had been thrown into uncertainty by the White House earlier this year to cancel a $4-billion federal grant, a move that is currently being challenged in court. [Rail Passengers Assn., 9-19-25]
WEEKLY U.S. RAIL FREIGHT TRAFFIC REPORT: U.S. railroads originated 467,880 carloads and intermodal units in the week ending Sept. 6, 2025, down 2.4 pct compared with the corresponding week last year. Calculated separately, carloads were down 3.5 pct, and intermodal was down 1.4 pct. [Assn. of American Railroads, 9-19-25]
MADELEINE PAQUIN APPOINTED TO BOARD OF CN: Canadian National has announced that Madeleine Paquin has been appointed to the company;s board, beginning Oct. 29. She has held directorships in several maritime and trade associations and on company boards. [CN, 9-18-25]
SONOMA-MARIN TO USE EMINENT DOMAIN WITHIN ITS SYSTEM: The California's Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit District announced today that its board has authorized the use of eminent domain within its active rail corridor. Officials described the action as a necessary, extraordinary and unusual step aimed at removing ambiguity about title and ownership safeguarding the agency's right to build, operate and maintain its pathway. [Progressive Railroading, 9-18-25]
TRIMET ANNOUNCES MAX IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT: Portland's TriMet has announced a two-part, week-long improvements project for October. It will take place over seven days on the Eastside of Willamette River, and MAX trains will be disrupted in two separate sections during that time. [Railway Track & Structures, 9-18-25]
BRITAIN TO ISSUE STAMPS CELEBRATING HERITAGE OF STEAM LOCOMOTIVES: Britain's Royal Mail is to issue a set of stamps celebrating the heritage of British steam locomotives and the development of the kingdom's railway network. Ten stamps will feature locomotives and includes a miniature sheet of four stamps marking 200 years since the opening of the Stockton & Darlington Railway. [Rail Business Daily, 9-18-25]
WEEKLY U.S. RAIL FREIGHT TRAFFIC REPORT: U.S. railroads originated 514,167 carloads and intermodal units in the week ending Sept. 13, 2025, down 1.6 pct compared with the corresponding week last year. Calculated separately, carloads were down 0.5 pct, and intermodal was down 2.6 pct. [Assn. of American Railroads, 9-17-25]
ONTARIO COMPLETES NORTH BAY RAIL BYPASS PROJECT: The North Bay Rail Bypass in northern Ontario has been completed. The track will reduce passenger travel time by 15 minutes, and allow Northlander trains to avoid the North Bay Rail yard and keep clear of freight operations between Ontario Northland, CN, and Ottawa Valley Railway. [Railway Track & Structures, 9-17-25]
SKODA CPMFIRMS REGIOJET FLEET ORDER: Skoda Group has confirmed the signing with Czech operator RegioJet for the supply of 34 electric-battery, bi-mode multiple-units with last-mile power packs. [International Railway Journal, 9-17-25]
RUSSIAN RAIL CAR PRODUCTION DROPS: Rail car production in Russia dropped by 21 pct to 37,900 units during the first eight months of 2025, a trend that is accelerating. [International Railway Journal, 9-17-25]
NATIONAL CARRIERS CONFERENCE COMMITTEE, SMART-TD REACH TENTATIVE LABOR AGREEMENT: The National Carriers Conference Committee today announced that it has reached a national tentative agreement with the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers Transportation Division, the nation's largest rail union, as well as a separate tentative agreement with the union's yardmasters. [Railway Age, 9-16-25]
IMPROVEMENT PROJECT COMPLETED AT U.K.'S 15-ARCH RAIL VIADUCT IN DERBYSHIRE: Major improvements to the 160-year-old, 15-arch railway viaduct in U.K.'s Peak District are complete, securing its future for freight trains serving quarries in Derbyshire. It is one of two iconic structures which converge high above Chapel Milton, and is one of the region's most photographed railway viaducts. [Rail Business Daily, 9-16-25]
NORFOLK SOUTHERN AGREES TO GIVE AMTRAK TRAINS 'HIGHEST PRIORITY': Norfolk Southern has settled with the U.S. Justice Dept. to provide 'highest priority' to Amtrak trains operating along its lines. Dispatchers will get extra training to ensure Amtrak priority, and if there is a non-emergency situation requiring such trains to lose priority, a supervisor must approve it. The railroad will also provide the Justice Dept. with records on any delays involving Amtrak's Crescent, whose poor timekeeping prompted court action in July 2024. [Rail Passengers Assn., 9-13-25]
SEPTA CUTS AVOIDED FOR ANOTHER TWO YEARS: Pennsylvania's Dept. of Transportation has granted Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority use of maintenance funds in capital assistance to secure daily operations and avoid massive cuts for two years. [WHYY, 9-8-25]
EMPIRE BUILDER DELAYED 10 HOURS IN MONTANA BY DISABLED FREIGHT TRAIN: Amtrak's westbound Empire Builder on Sept. 6 was delayed over 10 hours at Shelby, Montana, due to a disabled freight train blocking the route ahead. [Amtrak, 9-6-25]
AMTRAK MICHIGAN SERVICE TO BE IMPACTED BY DISMANTLING DEFUNCT COALING TOWERS ALONG TWO ROUTES: Amtrak routes between Chicago and Pontiac, and Chicago and Port Huron, will be shut down Sept. 15 to 19 as crews dismantle two defunct coaling towers along the routes. Limited bus service will be susbstituted. [Detroit News, 9-5-25]
STB GRANTS METRA TERMINAL TRACKAGE RIGHTS ON THREE UNION PACIFIC LINES: The Surface Transportation Board on Sept. 2 granted Metra's application for terminal trackage rights to continue commuter rail service over three lines in the Chicago area owned by Union Pacific, and it denied UP's motion to dismiss the application. [Railway Age, 9-4-25]
ATLANTA EXPLORING LOCATIONS FOR DOWNTOWN AMTRAK STATION: The city of Atlanta and its regional commission are exploring potential locations for a new downtown Amtrak station to replace its existing station on Peachtree street in Midtown. Relocating and modernizing the Atlanta station could improve customer service, ADA-accessibility and multimodal connections, officials said. [Progressive Railroading, 9-4-25]
D.C. METRO REOPENS THREE GREEN LINE STATIONS FOLLOWING UPGRADES: The Branch avenue, Suitland and Naylor road stations on D.C. Metrorail's Green line reopened Sept. 1 after upgrade work. Crews completed work on radio and fiber optic cables, renewed sections of rail and track structures, and completed upgrades on the signal system and switch replacements. [Railway Track & Structures, 9-4-25]
FEDS TO TRAIN MORE THAN 160 TRACK INSPECTORS: The U.S. Dept. of Transportation will train more than 160 federal and state track inspectors across the country, focusing on bridge mechanics. These inspectors will assess any railroad bridge and recommend civil penalty violations if defects are observed. [Railway Track & Structures, 9-4-25]
SOUND TRANSIT TO OPEN FEDERAL WAY LINK EXTENSION ON DEC. 6: Seattle's Sound Transit will begin passenger service on the Link 1 line to Federal Way on Dec. 6. The extension runs 7.8 miles and will include three new stations. During peak hours, trains will run every eight minutes. [Railway Track & Structures, 9-4-25]
MD. DEPT. OF TRANSPORTATION SEEKS $21.5-B FOR SIX-YEAR CAPITAL PLAN: The Maryland Dept. of Transportation on Sept. 3 released a $21.5-billion draft budget for its six-year capital plan. Included is a $1.4-billion light-rail modernization project, which calls for replacing its current fleet with new vehicles and upgraded stations, systems and maintenance facilities. The project would be the first significant investment in the light-rail system in 30 years. [Progressive Railroading, 9-4-25]
NTSB CALLS ON RAILROADS TO EQUIP TRACK MAINTENANCE MACHINES WITH COLLISION AVOIDANCE SYSTEMS: The National Transportation Safety Board has called on railroads to equip roadway maintenance machines with collision avoidance technology that can detect people or objects before a crash. The recommendation stems from an Aug. 2023 accident in Great Burlington, Mass., that resulted in the death of a worker after a maintenance machine struck the operator. [Railway Age, 9-4-25]
ELEVEN UNIONS RATIFY LABOR PACTS WITH UNION PACIFIC: Eleven unions that cover 12 crafts and represent 46 percent of the railroad's craft workers have ratified agreements with Union Pacific. The agreements cover five-year terms and include wage increases retroactive to July 1, additional vacation time, health and welfare benefits, and work rule changes. [Progressive Railroading, 9-4-25]
REVISED SCHEDULE ANNOUNCED FOR N.Y. PENN STATION REDEVELOPMENT: New York's Pennsylvania Station redevelopment is expected to begin by the end of 2027, according to the U.S. Dept. of Transportation. The department confirmed that Amtrak has been allocated a grant of $43-million to jumpstart the process. [International Railway Journal, 9-3-25]
WEEKLY U.S. RAIL FREIGHT TRAFFIC REPORT: U.S. railroads originated 521,502 carloads and intermodal units in the week ending Aug. 30, 2025, up 0.9 pct compared with the corresponding week last year. Calculated separately, carloads were up 0.6 pct, and intermodal was up 1.2 pct. [Assn. of American Railroads, 9-3-25]
WATCO ACQUIRES COLOSSAL TRANSPORT SOLUTIONS: Watco Logistics on Sept. 2 announced it acquired Colossal Transport Solutions, a provider of complex logistic services for over-dimensional and heavy-haul cargo. Colossal provides route planning, 3D drawings to navigate route obstructions, securement, GPS monitoring and direct-discharge capabilities. [Progressive Railroading, 9-3-25]
INDIA EXPLORES NEW HSR LINE TO LINK SOUTHERN CITIES: Indian Railways has initiated a feasibility study and begun preparing a project report for a proposed high-speed line to connect Amravati, Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Chennai in the south of India. [International Railway Journal, 9-3-25]
STB APPROVES WATCO'S ACQUISITION OF GREAT LAKES CENTRAL R.R.: The Surface Transportation Board has granted authority for Watco Holdings to acquire control of the 379-mile Great Lakes Central Railroad, operating in Michigan. Watco plans to create streamlined routing between Great Lakes Central and Ann Arbor railroads, and to invest $3.7-million in the newly-acquired network. [Progressive Railroading, 9-2-25]
BLET ISSUES STRIKE AUTHORIZATION VOTE AT LIRR: The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen has issued a strike authorization vote for the nearly 600 BLET locomotive engineers on the Long Island Railroad. BLET is in a bargaining coalition with four other unions, and all five unions could potentially strike as early as Sept. 18. [Progressive Railroading, 9-2-25]
CALTRAIN MARKS TWO CONSECUTIVE MONTHS OF MORE THAN 75 PCT RIDERSHIP GAIN YEAR-OVER-YEAR: Caltrain in July marked two consecutive months in which its ridership rose higher than 75 percent year over year. Caltrain operates along San Francisco Peninsula, through the South Bay to San Jose and Gilroy. [Progressive Railroading, 9-2-25]
AUGUST 2025 AMTRAK LONG-DISTANCE TRAIN PERFORMANCE: Thirty-six percent of Amtrak's named long-distance trains arrived at their scheduled final destination on time or earlier in August 2025. The remaining trains, on average, arrived one hour and 35 minutes late. MORE.. [Bull Sheet Statistical Dept., 9-1-25]
TRAIN DERAILS IN FORT WORTH RAIL YARD, NO INJURIES: About 12 cars of a freight train derailed in Union Pacific's Davidson Yard in southwest Fort Worth early Aug. 31, two of the cars leaking carbon dioxide. There were no injuries. [WFAA, 8-31-25]
EGYPTIAN PASSENGER TRAIN DERAILS, KILLING THREE, INJURING OVER 90: A passenger train derailed in western Egypt Aug. 30, killing at least three people and injuring about 94 others. The train was en route to Cairo from the western province of Matrouh. Seven of the train's cars derailed with two of them overturning. [Aljazeera, 8-31-25]
FLORIDA EAST COAST SUING BRIGHTLINE OVER HIDDEN NEGOTIATIONS TO EXPAND SERVICE: Florida East Coast Railway is suing Brightline for 'clandestinely' negotiating with county governments to add more trains to its rails. According to the Miami Herald, FEC claims the move violates an agreement between the two companies, and focuses on efforts by Brightline to develop and expand local passenger service without bringing FEC to the table. Brightline has filed a motion to dismiss, and to compel arbitration of the dispute. [Railway Age, 8-29-25]
AMERICAN TRACK NAMES STACEY POSEY CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER: American Track, a subsidiary of North American Rail Solutions, has appointed Stacey Posey chief operating officer. He began his railroad career with CSX in 2001 with positions in engineering and transportation. Later he was CEO of Montana Rail Link. [Progressive Railroading, 8-28-25]
STB MEMBER ROBERT PRIMUS FIRED: Robert Primus, a member of the U.S. Surface Transportation Board, was fired from his position Aug. 27 by the White House. He was nominated to the board by President Trump in 2020, and he says he plans to fight his ouster. [CNBC, 8-28-25]:
U.K.'S LONGEST RAIL BRIDGE COMPLETED: United Kingdom's longest railway bridge has been completed. The Colne Valley Viaduct, stretching over two miles between London and Chiltern tunnels, has been under construction since 2021. Once trains begin running, passengers leaving London will be treated to their first views of the countryside from the bridge. [Rail Business Daily, 8-28-25]
FEDS ASSUME MANAGEMENT OF WASHINGTON DC UNION STATION: The Trump administration has taken over management of Washington DC Union Station from Amtrak and the Union Station Redevelopment Corp. The Dept. of Transportation, which owns the facility, announced the move on Aug. 27. DOT will now renegotiate its agreement with Amtrak and the redevelopment corporation. [Google News, 8-27-25]
WEEKLY U.S. RAIL FREIGHT TRAFFIC REPORT: U.S. railroads originated 512,333 carloads and intermodal units in the week ending Aug. 23, 2025, down 0.8 pct compared with the corresponding week last year. Calculated separately, carloads were up 0.6 pct, and intermodal was down 1.9 pct. [Assn. of American Railroads, 8-27-25]
JAGUAR TRANSPORT BEGINS OPERATING TWO WASHINGTON STATE RAIL LINES: Jaguar Transport Holdings will begin operating the Columbia Basin and the Central Washington railroads this date following the completion of its acquisition of the two carriers. Both railroads connect with BNSF and operate a combined 177-mile network in central Washington State. [Progressive Railroading, 8-27-25
FEDS WITHDRAW ANOTHER $175-M IN CALIFORNIA HSR FUNDING: The U.S. Dept. of Transportation has withdrawn $175-million related to California's high-speed rail construction. This is in addition to $4-billion withdrawn earlier. The latest projects for which funds were withdrawn involved Merced, San Jose, Transbay and Madera. [Progressive Railroading, 8-27-25]
CHINA TO BUILD 138-MILE HIGH-SPEED RAIL LINE LINKING SHANGHAI, HANGZHOU: China's national development and reform commission has approved the project to build a new 138-mile high-speed rail line from Shanghai to Hangzhou. [International Railway Journal, 8-27-25]
SPEED ON MBTA'S ORANGE LINE INCREASES TO 55 MPH: As of Aug. 24, Boston's MBTA Orange line trains are now permitted to reach 55 MPH along select portions for the first time. This affects stations between Oak Grove and Assembly. Previously the maximum speed was 40 MPH due to the state of track infrastructure, but now improved by track work. [Railway Track & Structures, 8-26-25]
RAIL SIGNALMEN REACH TENTATIVE NATIONAL AGREEMENT: The National Carriers Conference Committee on Aug. 26 reached a tentative national agreement with the Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen. [Railway Age, 8-26-25]
FEDS GRANT $3.5-M TO MBTA TOWARD WEST-EAST RAIL PLAN: Boston's MBTA has secured $3.5-million in federal funds to continue advancing the West-East rail plan. The funds will be used to support the Boston-Albany corridor service development, which is an essential step in expanding and improving passenger rail connecting Boston and Albany through Springfield. [Progressive Railroading, 8-26-25]
CPKC NOT INTERESTED IN MERGER: Canadian Pacific Kansas City has stated that it is not interested in participating in immediate rail industry consolidation, despite suggestions by some that it take part. CPKC does not believe that further rail consolidation is necessary for the industry as 'currently structured.' [Progressive Railroading, 8-26-25]
LAKE SHORE RWY INTRODUCES LOCOMOTIVE HONORING PERE MARQUETTE: Lake Shore Railway last week unveiled a freshly-painted locomotive honoring one of the line's antecedents, the Pere Marquette Railway. Unit 6437, former Union Pacific SD70M, was renamed 'Spirit of Pere Marquette.' [Progressive Railroading, 8-25-25]
BLET MEMBERS RATIFY FIRST CONTRACT WITH ARIZONA EASTERN RWY: Members of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen have ratified their first contract with the Arizona Eastern Railway. The workers had voted to join the BLET in June of last year. Arizona Eastern, owned by Genesee & Wyoming, operates 206 miles between Clifton and Miami, Arizona. [BLET, 8-23-25]
CSX, BNSF ANNOUNCE JOINT EAST-WEST INTERMODAL SERVICE: CSX and BNSF on Aug. 22 announced new joint intermodal service products. They include direct domestic services between southern California and North Carolina and Florida; service between Phoenix and Atlanta; and international intermodal service between Port of New York & New Jersey and Norfolk and Kansas City. [Progressive Railroading, 8-22-25]
MAINTENANCE OF WAY EMPLOYEES RATIFY FIVE-YEAR PACT WITH UNION PACIFIC: Represented by the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way employees division, 6,600 workers at Union Pacific have ratified a five-year contract. Since the beginning of the year, BMWED and BLET have ratified new labor agreements for more than 23,000 Teamsters railroaders. [Railway Track & Structures, 8-22-25]
TEXAS APPROVES $3.5-M TO KEEP HEARTLAND FLYER RUNNING: The Texas Transportation Commission on Aug. 21 approved the Regional Transportation Council's decision in July to commit $3.5-million to keep Amtrak's Heartland Flyer operating between Fort Worth and Oklahoma City for the next year. [Progressive Railroading, 8-22-25]
ALASKA R.R. HONORS RETIRING CONDUCTOR WITH A DEDICATED COACH: The Alaska Railroad on Aug. 21 honored conductor Warren Redfearn with a coach dedication and retirement celebration. He has worked for the railroad nearly 50 years, and is set to enjoy a farewell ride as honorary conductor aboard the Hurricane Turn Flagship train. It was he who was responsible for the addition of a vista dome coach, which will be dedicated in his honor. [Progressive Railroading, 8-22-25]
FEDS ISSUE WARNING TO NEW YORK MTA OVER SAFETY RISKS TO TRACK WORKERS: The Federal Transit Administration has issued a 'final warning' to New York City's MTA regarding safety risks for track maintenance workers. The warning follows tragic accidents involving employees, including one death. New York City Transit must submit an updated revised safety risk assessment to FTA within 30 calendar days. [Railway Track & Structures, 8-20-25]
AMTRAK AWARDS CONTRACTS FOR THREE NORTHEAST CORRIDOR RAIL YARD PROJECTS: Amtrak has awarded design-build contracts for three rail yard modernization projects along the Northeast corridor. They include Boston's Southampton yard, Washington';s Ivy City yard, and New York's Sunnyside yard. The company says the facilities will create a consistent maintenance system that will reduce turnaround times for repairs and inspections. [Railway Track & Structures, 8-20-25]
JUSTIN BROYLES NAMED CEO, PRESIDENT OF R.J. CORMAN R.R. GROUP: Justin Broyles has been named CEO and president of R.J. Corman Railroad Group. He had been serving as interim CEO and president since June, and he has 25 years of rail experience. [Railway Track & Structures, 8-20-25]
WEEKLY U.S. RAIL FREIGHT TRAFFIC REPORT: U.S. railroads originated 512,970 carloads and intermodal units in the week ending Aug. 16, 2025, down 0.7 pct compared with the corresponding week last year. Calculated separately, carloads were down 0.9 pct, and intermodal was down 0.6 pct. [Assn. of American Railroads, 8-20-25]
ACTIVIST INVESTOR URGES CSX TO NEGOTIATE MERGER: Ancora Holdings has set its sights on CSX urging immediate action to explore merger options. BNSF is a 'cash buyer,' Ancora says, that would bring a 'highly-disciplined' approach to any negotiations, rendering CSX in a vulnerable position if it does not have alternative parties to speak with. [Freight Waves, 8-19-25]
LIRR, FIVE UNIONS BEGIN 30-DAY 'COOLING-OFF' PERIOD IN CONTRACT TALKS: The National Mediation board has confirmed that it has released Long Island Rail Road and five labor unions from statutory mediation, an action that starts a 30-day 'cooling-off' period between the parties. The unions indicated last week that the parties were unable to reach a voluntary agreement. [Progressive Railroading, 8-19-25]
SEPTA STILL EXPERIENCING DELAYS, CANCELLATIONS FROM PAOLI STATION FIRE: SEPTA is still experiencing delays and cancellations due to a fire at Paoli station last month. The cause of the fire is still unknown, and the agency has canceled some regional rail trips across its lines out of an abundance of caution. [Railway Track & Structures, 8-18-25]
NEW TRAIN 'MARDI GRAS' BEGINS GULF COAST RUNS: Amtrak on Aug. 18 began its new Mardi Gras service, following a celebratory run two days earlier, with two daily runs in each direction between Mobile and New Orleans. The train's consist included two Siemens Charger ALC-42 in push-pull mode, two Amfleet-II coaches, and a lounge car with business-class seating. [Railway Age, 8-18-25]
CSX FREIGHT TRAIN DERAILMENT IN N.C. DISRUPTS AMTRAK SERVICE: A 28-car CSX coal train derailed Aug. 17 near Enfield, N.C. There were no injuries, but a number of Amtrak trains were canceled or annulled by the incident. They included the Auto Train, Silver Meteor, Carolinian and Palmetto. [Amtrak, 8-17-25]
FEDS DISSOLVE RAIL SAFETY ADVISORY COMMITTEE: The U.S. Dept. of Transportation has dissolved the Rail Safety Advisory Committee, an industry-advisory body on safety programs and technical issues. The move came as part of a move to disband all advisory committees convened under the Federal Advisory Committee act, allowing the Administration to reconstitute membership to 'better align' them with priorities. [Rail Passengers Assn., 8-15-25].
METRA CELEBRATES GRAYLAND STATION RECONSTRUCTION, MILWAUKEE AVE REPLACEMENT: Chicago's Metra has celebrated the reconstruction of Grayland station and the replacement of the adjacent 1899 bridge spanning Milwaukee Avenue. The bridge replacement was needed due to traffic it handles, which includes Metra, Amtrak, CPKC and Wisconsin Southern. [Railway Track & Structures, 8-15-25]
ONTARIO BREAKS GROUND ON SECOND ONTARIO LINE TUNNEL: The Ontario government has broken ground on its second Ontario line tunnel near the future Gerrard station. [Railway Track & Structures, 8-15-25]
EXPANSION BEGINS FOR ROCHELLE INTERMODAL TRANSLOAD CENTER IN ILLINOIS: A multi-million-dollar expansion project has begun at the Rochelle Intermodal Transload center, served by the Burlington Junction Railway near BNSF and Union Pacific lines in Illinois. [[Progressive Railroading, 8-15-25]
HEAD OF GERMANY'S DEUTSCHE BAHN DISMISSED: The German government has sacked Richard Lutz, CEO of national carrier Deutsche Bahn, as it seeks to overhaul the rail network after years of criticism about deteriorating services. He leaves his post two years before the end of his contract. [Rail Business Daily, 8-15-25]
BEDFORD, VA., GETS GRANT TO REVIVE PASSENGER RAIL STOP: After more than 45 years, passenger trains will once again stop in Bedford, Va. The town's rail station is set to be revived. The town has accepted a grant of nearly $1.5-million to be used for an environmental study and to cover 30 pct of the design phase. Bedford has two years to complete these steps. [WSET, 8-13-25]
SEPTA COMPLETES 2025 TROLLEY TUNNEL BLITZ: Southeastern Pennsylvania Transit Authority on Aug. 14 finished its work as part of the 2025 trolley tunnel blitz. Because of the tunnel's closure, the agency says it has advanced its trolley modernization efforts by upgrading the tunnel's electrical system, replaced track and overhead wire, and by removing graffiti. [Railway Track & Structures, 8-12-25]
PROGRESS RAIL TO EXPAND IN K.C.: Caterpillar's Progress Rail on Aug. 11 announced that it will expand in Kansas City by marking an investment to covert its Kansas City production facility into a remanufacturing facility. [Railway Age, 8-12-25]
JOHN KILLEEN NAMED CEO OF KEOLIS COMMUTER SERVICES: Keolis Commuter Services, operations and maintenance manager of Boston's MBTA, has appointed John Killeen as CEO. Most recently he was vice-president and asset manager at Keolis. [Progressive Railroading, 8-12-25]
RAIL-SERVED SOYBEAN PROCESSING FACILITY OPENS IN NEBRASKA: The Ag Processing cooperative late last month opened its newest soybean processing and degumming facility in David City, Nebraska. The 273-acre site features about 13.5 miles of track providing access to Union Pacific, BNSF and Nebraska Central Railroad. [Progressive Railroading, 8-11-25]
UNION PACIFIC OPENS NEWEST INTERMODAL TERMINAL IN K.C.: Union Pacific has opened its newest intermodal terminal in Kansas City, Kansas. Named the Kansas City Intermodal Terminal, it has room for expansion, significantly adding to its local intermodal capacity in Kansas City. [Railway Track & Structures, 8-11-25]
SEPTA SERVICE IN JEOPARDY OF SERVICE CUTS FOR FUNDING LACK: The Pennsylvania Senate has not acted on a need for transit funding. Unless it passes legislation to plug a budget hole,because of a drop in federal funding and a loss of funds from the state's turnpike authority being redirected, substantial budget cuts will hit 53 transit agencies this month. SEPTA, the state's largest transit agency, plans to cut 45 pct of its routes between now and January, including regional rail in Philadelphia. The cuts slated for regional rail would eliminate five rail lines, and no trains would run later than 9 p.m. ]Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen, 8-11-25]
CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR SERIOUS DELAYED BY FALLEN POWER LINES: Amtrak's eastbound California Zephyr of Aug. 7 was 15 hours late into Chicago on Aug. 10, and the westbound California Zephyr of Aug. 8 was 21 hours late into Emeryville on Aug. 11. Both trains were seriosly delayed by downed power lines in Nebraska. [Amtrak]
NEW ACELA TRAINS TO BE INTRODUCED TO SERVICE AUG. 28: Five of Amtrak's NextGen Acela train sets will be introduced to service on selected trains on the Boston-Washington Northeast corridor beginning Aug. 28. The rollout marks the first phase of the fleet modernization initiative by which. 28 trains sets will be employed over the next two years. Each nine-car train set will seat 578 passengers in seven Acela-class cars with 49 to 69 seats, one first-class car with 44 seats, and a cafe car with no seats. Each train set has two power cars. [Rail Passengers Assn., 8-8-25]
UNION PACIFIC TO BEGIN FASTER CALIFORNIA-CHICAGO INTERMODAL SERVICE: Union Pacific will begin faster domestic intermodal service next month linking California's Inland Empire with Global-2 in Chicago. Its Z-train service will be up to 20 pct faster than current options, with a transit time of just over three days. [Freight Waves, 8-8-25]
PUERTO VERDE GLOBAL TRADE BRIDGE PROJECT ADVANCES IN TEXAS: The Surface Transportation Board's office of environmental analysis has issued its final environmental impact statement for the proposed Green Eagle Railroad in Maverick County, Texas. The 1.3-mile line is part of a larger Puerto Verde Global Trade Bridge project to cross the Rio Grande River and extend from the U.S.-Mexico border to an existing Union Pacific main line. [Progressive Railroading, 8-7-25]
TOURIST TRAIN TO BEGIN IN GETTYSBURG: Patriot Rail, operator of short-line and regional railroads, is launching its Gettysburg Excursion Railway, a revitalized train along the 25-mile between Gettysburg and Mount Holly Springs, Pa., featuring renovated 1950's Budd passenger coaches, including a cafe car. [York Daily Record, 8-7-25]
NORFOLK SOUTHERN HIRES GOATS TO CLEAR INVASIVE VINES IN ATLANTA RAIL YARD: Norfolk Southern is using goats to clear kudzu, an invasive vine, from the Inman rail yard in Atlanta. The semi-woody vine is known to grow as much as a foot a day, and can kill plants and trees. The goats are monitored, provided with water, shade and a salt block, are are no closer than 200 yards from the tracks. Use of goats is environmentally friendly and avoids use of chemicals. [Progressive Railroading, 8-6-25]
FTAI INFRASTRUCTURE TO ACQUIRE WHEELING & LAKE ERIE RWY.: FTAI Infrastructure has agreed to purchase the Wheeling Corp., owner of the Wheeling & Lake Erie Railway, in a $1-million deal. W&LE is a Class-II regional rail carrier operating in Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia and Maryland. [Globe Newswire, 8-6-25]
AMTRAK ADDS CAPACITY AT WASHINGTON DC UNION STATION: Amtrak has added a new track and platform at Washington DC Union Station. It is on the lower level, track 22, which was previously a train storage track with no customer access. The new track will serve selected long-distance and Amtrak Virginia trains that connect to the Northeast corridor, along with Virginia Railway Express trains. [Railway Track & Structures, 8-6-25]
DOWNED CATENARY WIRES DISRUPT MBTA SERVICE ON TWO RAIL LINES: A downed Amtrak catenary wire on Aug. 1 ignited a crucial signal bungalow at Read interlocking affecting MBTA's Franklin-Foxboro and Providence-Stoughton lines causing damage. Adjustments have been made to the schedules, and repairs are estimated to take several weeks, according to the agency. [Railway Track & Structures, 8-6-25]
WEEKLY U.S. RAIL FREIGHT TRAFFIC REPORT: U.S. railroads originated 513,529 carloads and intermodal units in the week ending Aug. 2, 2025, up 2.9 pct compared with the corresponding week last year. Calculated separately, carloads were up 6.4 pct, and intermodal was up 0.2 pct. [Assn. of American Railroads, 8-6-25]
CSX, FLORIDA STATE COLLEGE TO BUILD HAZARDOUS MATERIALS TRAINING FACILITY: CSX and Florida State College at Jacksonville jointly plan to construct a state-of-the-art hazardous materials training facility at the college's fire academy. It will be used to train first-responders, emergency managers and industry professionals to handle rail-related hazmat incidents through live exercises and classroom instruction. [Progressive Railroading, 8-5-25]
MINNESOTA'S NORTHSTAR TRAIN SERVICE TO END IN JANUARY: Minnesota's Metro Transit is planning to end its Northstar train service in early January as the line switches from commuter rail to bus. The final day for the train is currently slated for Jan. 3 or 4, with bus service starting Jan. 5. Ridership on the train plunged during the pandemic and never really recovered. [KMSP, 8-5-25]
FREIGHTCAR AMERICA REPORTS 2-Q RESULTS: FreightCar America in the second quarter 2025 reported a 15 pct gross margin, $17.8-million gross profit, expansion of 250 basis points, operating cash flow of $8.5-million and adjusted free cash flow of $7.9-million, based on a strong order intake driven by operational flexibility. [Railway Age, 8-4-25]
FEDS WITHDRAW FUNDING FOR BALTIMORE-WASHINGTON MAGLEV PROPOSAL: Federal officials have withdrawn $26-million in grants that would have funded studies toward a proposed magnetic-levitation train between Baltimore and Washington. [CBS News, 8-4-25]
BNSF REPORTS 2-Q, HALF-YEAR EARNINGS: BNSF Railway reported pre-tax earnings increased 11.5 pct in the second-quarter to $2-billion from $1.8-billion, and 8.6 pct to $3.8-billion from $3.5-billion in the first six months of 2025 compared to 2024. Net earnings climbed to $1.5-billion from $1.2-billion year-over-year in the quarter, and to $2.7-billion from $2.4-billion in the first six months of the year. [Freight Waves, 8-3-25]
CALIF. HSR COMPLETES GRADE SEPARATION PROJECT IN FRESNO: California High-Speed Rail Authority has completed the Tulare street grade separation project in Fresno's Chinatown. The completed underpass is near the first high-speed rail station in the country, and connects Fresno's Chinatown to downtown. [Railway Track & Structures, 8-1-25]
BNSF OPENS NEW INTERMODAL FACILITY IN SALT LAKE CITY: BNSF on July 31 officially opened its new intermodal facility in Salt Lake City. The 43-acre facility will be used in conjunction with BNSF's new service between California and Salt Lake City. The service is performed in close coordination with Patriot Rail, which will provide terminal operations assistance and infrastructure support at the facility. [Progressive Railroading, 8-1-25]
JULY 2025 AMTRAK LONG-DISTANCE TRAIN PERFORMANCE: Thirty (30) percent of Amtrak's named long-distance trains arrived at their scheduled final destination on time or earlier in July 2025. The remaining trains, on average, arrived one hour and 41 minutes late. MORE.. [Bull Sheet Statistical Dept., 8-1-25]
ALSTOM HOSTING HUGE RAILFAN GATHERING IN U.K.: Alstom will welcome almost 40,000 railroad fans from around the globe this weekend at its Derby Litchurch Works in the U.K., said to be the world's largest-ever gathering of historic and modern trains. The three-day sold-out charity extravaganza forms part of wider festivities for Railway 200, a year-long celebration marking the opening of the Stockton and Darlington Railway in 1825. [Rail Business Daily, 8-1-25]
COSTIN CORNEANU NAMED CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER AT AMTRAK: Amtrak's board has approved the appointment of Costin Carneanu as executive vice-president and chief financial officer, effective Aug. 4. He will succeed Tracie Winbigler who will continue as chief transformation officer until retiring Jan. 1, 2026. [Progressive Railroading, 8-1-25]
AMTRAK, UNION PACIFIC SETTLE ON-TIME PERFORMANCE ISSUE OVER SUNSET LIMITED: Amtrak and Union Pacific have jointly reported that they have settled their customer on-time performance issue regarding the Sunset Limited, and Amtrak has requested the Surface Transportation Board to close its investigation. Union Pacific says it is committed to improving performance along with continuous training and education for employees with responsibilities to Amtrak under federal law. [Railway Age, 7-31-25]
CPKC REPORTS Q-2 EARNINGS: Canadian Pacific Kansas City's second-quarter 2025 revenue increased 3 pct to $3.7-billion (C), revenue ton miles rose 7 pct to 55.5 million, core adjusted earnings per share climbed 7 pct to $1,12, while operating expenses inched up 1 pct to $2.4-billion. [Progressive Railroading, 7-31-25]
ROSS ROWLAND DIES, RESTORED, RAN STEAM LOCOMOTIVES: Ross Rowland, 85, died July 19. He spent a great deal of time and money restoring and operating old steam locomotives. His pursuits included Golden Spike Centennial Limited, American Freedom Train, Chessie Steam Special, and Chessie Safety Train. [BLET, 7-31-25]
CN ANNOUNCES BRIDGE PROJECT AT PORT OF PRINCE RUPERT: Canadian National will construct a 1600-foot, triple-track bridge spanning the Zanardi Rapids at the entrance to the Port of Prince Rupert that will expand capacity and extend several miles of track. [Railway Track & Structures, 7-31-25]
WEEKLY U.S. RAIL FREIGHT TRAFFIC REPORT: U.S. railroads originated 514,279 carloads and intermodal units in the week ending July 26, 2025, up 1.1 pct compared with the corresponding week last year. Calculated separately, carloads were up 0.9 pct, and intermodal was up 1.3 pct. [Assn. of American Railroads, 7-30-25]
MARTA TO SUSPEND STREETCAR SERVICE FOR UTILITY REPAIRS: Atlanta's MARTA will suspend streetcar service for three to four months while underground utility repairs and upgrades will take place. [Railway Track & Structures, 7-30-25]
OMNITRAX NAMED OPERATOR OF BROOKHAVE RAIL TERMINAL: OmniTRAX on July 30 reported being named the exclusive rail operator of the Brookhaven Rail Terminal on Long Island, which serves commodities, aggregates and building material customers. [Railway Age, 7-30-25]
TOYOTA AWARDS CSX FOR RAIL QUALITY: Toyota has given CSX its Rail Quality award recognizing the company's customer service efforts and teamwork. [Progressive Railroading, 7-30-25]
UNION PACIFIC, NORFOLK SOUTHERN AGREE TO MERGE: Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern have agreed to merge in a combined cash and stock transaction valued at more than $250-billion. The transaction, if approved, would create the first U.S. transcontinental railroad. Union Pacific is the acquiring company. [Railway Track & Structures, 7-29-25]
INDIANA NORTHEASTERN R.R. GETS STATE FUNDING FOR SIDING EXTENSION: The Ohio Rail Development Commission has awarded a grant to Indiana Northeastern Railroad toward extending an existing siding near the Eden Farmers Co-op. The extension will allow an increase in rail car capacity to 110 cars. [Railway Track & Structures, 7-29-25]
GERMAN PASSENGER TRAIN DERAILS, KILLING THREE, INJURING DOZENS: A passenger train carrying 100 people derailed late July 28 in Germany, killing at least three people and wounding dozens of others, officials said. The crash happened in a forested area near Tiedlingen, about 98 miles west of Munich. [Aljazeera, 7-28,25]
MD. PURPLE LINE 80 PCT COMPLETE: Maryland's MTA project director reports that the Purple line project is 80 pct complete, and 54 pct of rail installation is complete. [Railway Track & Structures, 7-25-25]
MEXICO AIMS TO RESTORE PASSENGER SERVICES ON MORE THAN 2,100 MILES OF TRACK: Mexico's national railway plan aims to restore passenger services on more than 2,100 miles of main lines across the country. Much of this involves building dedicated passenger tracks on freight rail lines. The Mexican government this year is investing $7.15-billion in several passenger projects. [Railway Age, 7-24-25]
WEEKLY U.S. RAIL FREIGHT TRAFFIC REPORT: U.S. railroads originated 506,882 carloads and intermodal units in the week ending July 23, 2025, up 5.6 pct compared with the corresponding week last year. Calculated separately, carloads were up 7.3 pct, and intermodal was up 4.3 pct. [Assn. of American Railroads, 7-23-25]
BLET, UNION PACIFIC REACH TENTATIVE AGREEMENT FOR INTERIM WAGE HIKE: The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen has reached a tentative agreement with Union Pacific that would provide a general wage increase of 3 pct to approximately 6000 BLET members. The interim raise is temporary and will be replaced by the wage increases agreed to in the final contract settlement. [BLET, 7-22-25]
WEEKLY AMTRAK LONG-DISTANCE TRAIN PERFORMANCE: Twenty-nine percent of Amtrak's named long-distance trains arrived at their scheduled final destination on time or earlier in the week ending July 20, 2025. The remaining trains, on average, arrived one hour and 45 minutes late. MORE.. [Bull Sheet Statistical Dept., 7-20-25]
NORFOLK SOUTHERN TRAIN DERAILS IN ILLINOIS, TWO INJURED: Twenty-four cars of a Norfolk Southern train derailed late July 18 in Wabash County, Ill., with two of the cars damaged and leaking sulfur. Two rail workers were hospitalized. The derailment triggered an emergency response. [Newsweek, 7-19-25]
NEW TREATY PAVES WAY FOR DIRECT LONDON-BERLIN TRAINS: A new U.K.-Germany treaty signed July 17 could pave the way for direct trains between London and Berlin, promising faster travel for millions across Europe. [Rail Business Daily, 7-18-25]
MARTA'S CEO RETIRES: Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority general manager and CEO Collie Greenwood has retired. Chief customer experience officer Rhonda Allen will serve as acting GM and CEO. [Progressive Railroading, 7-18-25]
AMTRAK VETERAN RAY LANG JOINS QUANDEL CONSULTANTS AS V.P. BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT: Quandel Consultants, rail and transit firm, has announced that Amtrak veteran Ray Lang has joined as vice-president of business development. He served Amtrak for 30 years, most recently as V.P. of state-supported service line from 2020 to 2025. [Progressive Railroading, 7-18-25]
FEDS TERMINATE UNSPENT FUNDING FOR CALIFORNIA HSR PROJECT: The Federal Railroad Administration has terminated about $4-billion in unspent federal funding for California's high-speed rail project. The decision to revoke the funding follows the FRA's recent compliance review finding the project has no viable path forward. The action comes as the project enters the track-laying phase, is actively building across 171 miles, and has built more than 50 major rail structures, including bridges, and completed over 60 miles of guideway. [Progressive Railroading, 7-17-25]
AMTRAK NEEDS BETTER ATTENTION TO ACCESSIBILITY, OIG OFFICE SAYS: Amtrak could provide better customer service to passengers with disabilities, according to a new report from the Amtrak office of inspector general. Amtrak has no overarching strategy and is not fully leveraging relevant data, OIG officials said. Amtrak is not regularly analyzing key data that could provide insights, such as customer surveys, ridership figures and customer service audits. About 69 percent of customer complaints tracked by OIG were not in the accessibility office's complaint spreadsheet, the report said. [Progressive Railroading, 7-17-25]
COLORADO TO BEGIN PLANNING FOR DENVER-FORT COLLINS RAIL SERVICE: The Front Range Passenger Rail District's board has adopted an agreement to establish a committee to oversee planning for a new passenger rail service between Denver and Fort Collins, Colorado. The project envisions connecting Denver through Boulder to Fort Collins, with eight stops. This phase can help to develop the concept for expansion of the full 180-mile Front Range corridor from Fort Collins to Pueblo, with the goal of future connections to Wyoming and New Mexico, district officials said. [Progressive Railroading, 7-17-25]
UNION PACIFIC REPORTEDLY EXPLORING POTENTIAL ACQUISITION OF ANOTHER CLASS-I RAILROAD: Union Pacific is working with Morgan Stanley investment bankers to provide guidance on the potential acquisition of another Class-I railroad, according to people familiar with the matter. The railroad's CEO has touted the potential benefits of a transcontinental merger, while acknowledging the regulatory obstacles to any deal. [Freight Waves, 7-17-25]
OHIO CONTINUES PLAN FOR AMTRAK SERVICE TO COLUMBUS: Both Cincinnati and Cleveland have Amtrak service, but Columbus does not. Ohio has proposed several passenger lines that would operate throughout the state, and discussions continue despite recent bumps in the road, including an Ohio Senate decision not to join a regional group that works on passenger rail networks. The 'Midwest Connect' would include Columbus, Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne and Chicago. The '3C&D' would connect Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati and Dayton. A third project would connect Cleveland, Toledo and Detroit. [WOSU, 7-17-25]
WEEKLY U.S. RAIL FREIGHT TRAFFIC REPORT: U.S. railroads originated 496,188 carloads and intermodal units in the week ending July 12, 2025, up 2.6 pct compared with the corresponding week last year. Calculated separately, carloads were up 4.1 pct, and intermodal was up 1.4 pct. [Assn. of American Railroads, 7-16-25]
AMTRAK'S BOREALIS CARRIES 250,000TH PASSENGER: Amtrak's Borealis between St. Paul and Chicago carried its 250,000th passenger over the Independence Day holiday weekend. Borealis originates from St. Paul at midday and from Chicago in late morning. The service has routinely exceeded ridership expectations since it began on May 23, 2024. [Progressive Railroading, 7-16-25]
BNSF OFFERING EXPEDITED L.A. TO HOUSTON INTERMODAL SERVICE: BNSF on July 15 announced it is now offering an expedited intermodal service from Los Angeles to Houston. The three-day service privies shippers with a fast, consistent and reliable connection between the two cities via the carrier's Southern Transcon route. [Progressive Railroading, 7-16-25]
BNSF, UP SETTLE SALT LAKE CITY TRACKAGE RIGHTS DISPUTE: BNSF and Union Pacific settled their Salt Lake City trackage rights dispute prior to a scheduled meeting with federal regulators. The deal allows BNSF to begin intermodal service between southern California ports and a new intermodal terminal on the Salt Lake Garfield & Western Railway. [Freight Waves, 7-16-25]
END-OF-TRAIN DEVICES ARE VULNERABLE TO CYBER BREACHES, FEDS SAY: The federal cybersecurity & infrastructure security agency has warned that end-of-train devices are vulnerable to cyber breaches that could affect a train's brake control system. Successful exploitation of this vulnerability could allow an attacker to send their own brake control commands, causing a sudden stoppage, or induce brake failure. [Railway Track & Structures, 7-16-25]
VIA RAIL COMPLETES HALIFAX STATION RENOVATION: VIA Rail Canada on July 15 celebrated the completion of its station renovation project at Halifax, N.S., part of a $80-million (C) investment to upgrade four 'heritage' stations. [Railway Age, 7-16-25]
FEDS AWARD $18-MILLION TO EVERETT, WASHINGTON, FOR RAIL SAFETY UPGRADES: The city of Everett, Washington, has been awarded $18.09-million toward elimination of two at-grade crossings that pose risks to public safety. An overpass will be constructed as well as a new roundabout near the Smith Island railroad terminal. [Railway Track & Structures, 7-16-25]
SUNSET LIMITED OVER 15 HOURS LATE INTO L.A.: Westbound Sunset Limited of July 14 was 15 and one-half hours behind schedule arriving into Los Angeles on July 16. En route delays includes high water, disabled freight train, crew availability and rail congestion. [Amtrak, 7-16-25]
CONSTRUCTION COMPLETED ON NEW UNION PACIFIC INTERMODAL TERMINAL IN K.C.: Construction has wrapped up on a new intermodal terminal in Kansas City, Mo. Opened July 16, Union Pacific's 31st terminal serves both domestic and international containerized shipments. [Railway Age, 7-16-25]
EUROPEAN PASSENGER RAIL MARKET HEATS UP: Activity in Europe's passenger rail sector has seen a noticeable uptick in recent weeks, as manufacturers sign deals for new trains, operators introduce new services, award operating contracts, and managers announce line upgrades. At the same time, national governments are noting rail's importance to sustainability and economic growth targets by providing important funding for projects. [International Railway Journal, 7-16-25]
DESIGN CONTRACT AWARDED FOR 124 MPH LOW FLOOR EMU'S FOR CZECH REPUBLIC: Arriva has awarded Skoda Group a contract to supply a new design of 124-MPH low-floor electric multiple-units for Czech long-distance service. [Railway Gazette, 7-16-25]
U.S. INTERMODAL RAIL RALLIES AFTER SLUGGISH START TO YEAR: U.S. intermodal rail service is on an upswing in 2025. After a sluggish winter start, average train speeds rebounded quickly and are now running faster than a year ago. Just as important, trains are moving with fewer problems. Two key indicators of disruption, trains held for service issues and rail cars idling containers for 48 or more hours, have come in under their long-term averages. Meanwhile, there are fewer crew shortages, locomotive problems, or less congestion on the tracks. With volumes up year-over-year, this smoother performance signals that railroads are handling increased demand without the logjams as in the past. [Journal of Commerce, 7-16-25]
CONTRACT AWARDED FOR CONSTRUCTION OF TIMMINS-PORCUPINE STATION IN ONTARIO: A contract has been awarded for the construction of Timmins-Porcupine station in Ontario. This will be a milestone in bringing Northlander passenger rail service back between Timmins and Toronto. Early work has already begun on the platform and passenger area. [Railway Track & Structures, 7-15-25]
U.S. BACKS PHILIPPINES RAIL PROJECT: The U.S. Trade & Development agency is to fund technical assistance to develop the planned 132-mile Subic Bay-Clark-Manila-Batangas Railway, which would connect three of the Philippines's most important ports. The project aims to decentralize port activity, ease freight congestion and make provision for future passenger services. [Railway Gazette, 7-15-25]
CSX CUTS 125 MANAGEMENT POSITIONS: CSX has implemented changes to its management structure that resulted in the layoffs of 125 employees across its 26-state network. Seventy-seven of those employees were stationed in Jacksonville, Fla. [Progressive Railroading, 7-14-25]
AMTRAK VERMONTER ANNULLED ST. ALBANS TO SPRINGFIELD BY LOCOMOTIVE FAILURE: Amtrak's southbound Vermonter on July 15 was annulled between St. Albans, Vt., and Springfield, Mass., due to locomotive failure. [Amtrak, 7-15-25
PORT MUSKOGEE, OKLA., EXPANDS WITH 125-ACRE SITE: Port Muskogee in Oklahoma has acquired over 125 acres, with direct access to the McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation system, which the port aid will create significant multimodal freight opportunities by river, rail and road. [Railway Age, 7-14-25]
UNION CONDUCTS STRIKE VOTE AT CPKC: The International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail & Transportation Workers (SMART-TD) is conducting a strike poll of Canadian Pacific Kansas City members, claiming the railroad took advantage of a service crisis to make workplace job changes on the troubled Kansas City Southern network. CPKC was already facing a personnel shortage prior to a software changeover in May that caused a service crisis on the former KCS. Earlier this month, SMART-TD reached an agreement with CPKC to permit temporary use of 'loan-out' crews from other territories to help address the shortage, the union said. But then CPKC management proceeded to cut about half of the established yard jobs in Shreveport, La., and placed the loan-out crews on a separate job board and began assigning them work in place of long-standing KCS and Louisiana & Arkansas Railway employees. This action effectively restricted the seniority rights of the union employees already on the property, the union said. [Freight Waves, 7-13-25]
FUNDING DEVELOPEED TO KEEP HEARTLAND FLYER RUNNING: Texas Rail Advocates has reported that the North Central Texas Council of Governments Regional Transportation Council has come up with funds to keep the Heartland Flyer running for at least a year. Rail Passengers Assn., 7-11-25]
BNSF, UP CLASH OVER NEW SALT LAKE CITY INTERMODAL SERVICE: BNSF wants to launch double-stack service this week between southern California and Salt Lake City via trackage rights over Union Pacific's former Western Pacific route through the Feather River Canyon. Not so fast, Union Pacific says. UP says that BNSF has not provided sufficient notice so that UP can hire and train crews to handle the five trains per week between Roseville, Calif., and Salt Lake City. UP also says the BNSF trains must follow its directional running pattern, with eastbounds moving over the former SP Donner Pass route, which would trigger a provision requiring BNSF to pay half the cost of UP's 2009 double-track clearance project. So BNSF yesterday asked federal regulators for an emergency order directing UP to permit it to begin operating the trains on the former WP. BNSF contends that the trackage rights agreement that was part of UP's 1996 acquisition of SP allows it to select which lines it will operate over. [Freight Waves, 7-10-25]
MD. DEPT OF TRANSPORTATION SECRETARY LEAVING POST: Maryland Dept. of Transportation secretary Paul Wiedefeld will step away from state service on Aug. 1. Deputy secretary Samantha Biddle will serve as acting secretary while the state searches for a new secretary. [Progressive Railroading, 7-10-25[
WEEKLY U.S. RAIL FREIGHT TRAFFIC REPORT: U.S. railroads originated 443,049 carloads and intermodal units in the week ending July 5, 2025, up 5.0 pct compared with the corresponding week last year. Calculated separately, carloads were up 4.8 pct, and intermodal was up 5.2 pct. [Assn. of American Railroads, 7-9-25]
COURT TOSSES OUT STB'S 2024 RECIPROCAL SWITCHING RULE: A federal court has tossed out Surface Transportation Board's 2024 reciprocal switching rule that would have allowed shippers who suffer from inadequate rail service to gain access to a second railroad. The rule arose out of the 2022 service crisis that was related to widespread crew shortages on the big=four U.S. railroads. [Freight Waves, 7-9-25]
CSX PLACES FINAL GIRDER ON CHICAGO'S 75TH STREET FLYOVER: CSX recently completed a major milestone in Chicago's regional environmental and transportation efficiency program by placing the final girder on the 75th street rail flyover project. Associated track work can now begin. Completion of the project is a key event in improving the flow of traffic through one of the cauntry's busiest rail hubs. [Railway Track & Structures, 7-9-25]
UNION PACIFIC TO SERVE NEW PETROCHEMICAL PLANT IN BAY CITY, TEXAS: Union Pacific has been selected to serve Roehm America's new petrochemical plant in Bay City, Texas, about 80 miles southwest of Houston. [Progressive Railroading, 7-9-25]
STB CONFIRMS ABILITY OF CPKC TO USE GRAIN HAULING RIGHTS OVER UNION PACIFIC IN TEXAS: The Surface Transportation Board has confirmed the ability of Kansas City Southern (now part of CPKC) to use hauling rights originally established in 1988 to transport grain traffic over Union Pacific tracks between Beaumont, Texas, and the ports of Houston and Galveston. [Progressive Railroading, 7-8-25]
SIEMENS ADVANCES FACILITY CONSTRUCTION IN U.S.: Siemens Mobility is building a $220-million advanced manufacturing and rail services facility in Lexington, N.C., and is investing a further $285-million in two manufacturing facilities for electrical products in Fort Worth, Texas, and Pomona, Calif. [Rail Business Daily, 7-8-25]
L.A. METRO APPROVES $2.9-B FOR LOCAL MOBILITY PROJECTS: Los Angeles Metro yesterday announced its board has approved $2.9-billion in FY-2026 transit funds to be allocated for local mobility projects. [Progressive Railroading, 7-8-25]
CLARENCE MONIN DIES, FORMER BLE PRESIDENT: Former Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers international president Clarence V. Monin, 84, died June 26. He served in the union's highest office from 1996 to 1998. He began his railroad career in 1964 as a trainman on the Louisville & Nashville Railroad. [Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen, 7-8-25]
NORFOLK SOUTHERN IMPACTED BY TROPICAL STORM IN N.C., VA.: Tropical storm Chantal significantly impacted Norfolk Southern as it made its way through North Carolina and Virginia. The line between Greensboro and Raleigh washed out in several places, and service was suspended July 6 due to heavy rainfall, flooding and washouts. Service on the CF branch line out of Greensboro remains halted due to washouts. [Railway Track & Structures, 7-8-25]
SEPTA TO CLOSE TROLLEY TUNNEL ONE MONTH FOR BLITZ: From July 11 to August 11, SEPTA will close its trolley tunnel as part of the 2025 trolley tunnel blitz. This is the 13th consecutive year SEPTA has held the blitz. [Railway Track & Structures, 7-7-25]
WABTEC TO ACQUIRE FRAUSCHER SENSOR TECHNOLOGY GROUP: Wabtec announced this week that it will acquire Frauscher Sensor Technology Group, a global market leader in train detection, wayside object control solutions and axle-counting systems. [Railway Track & Structures, 7-7-25]
NEW LUXURY TRAIN TO BE INTRODUCED ACROSS ENGLAND, WALES: GB Railfreight has announced that it will haul the Britannic Explorer, a new train and the first luxury sleeper service to journey across England and Wales. The train features 18 cabins, including three grand suites that boast double beds, personal butler and en suite bathrooms. Passengers can unwind in the spa and enjoy gourmet meals. The inaugural journey is due to run this summer. [Rail Business Daily, 7-7-25]
BLET MEMBERS RATIFY AGREEMENT WITH TERMINAL RAILWAY-ALABAMA STATE DOCKS: Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen members have ratified a new five-year collective bargaining agreement with the Terminal Railway-Alabama State Docks. [7-6-25]
TIMBER ROCK R.R. ADDED TO BNSF'S SHORTLINE SELECT PROGRAM: BNSF has added Watco's Timber Rock Railroad to its shortline select program. Timber Rock operates more than 50 miles between Kirbyville, Texas, and DeRidder, Louisiana, interchanging with BNSF and CPKC. It will soon begin a $50-million capital project designed to improve the line's capacity. [Progressive Railroading, 7-3-25]
CHINA BEGINS TRIAL-RUNNING OF NEW FUXING 239 MPH TRAINS: China has started trial-running of a new fleet of Fuxing high-speed trains. Tests have been undertaken on the Hangzhou East-Changsha South section of the 1284-mile Shanghai-Kunming line, reaching speeds of up to 239 MPH. [International Railway Journal, 7-3-25]
WEEKLY U.S. RAIL FREIGHT TRAFFIC REPORT: U.S. railroads originated 491,424 carloads and intermodal units in the week ending June 28, 2025, down 0.2 pct compared with the corresponding week last year. Calculated separately, carloads were up 0.05 pct, and intermodal was down 0.3 pct. [Assn. of American Railroads, 7-2-25]
CSX TO UPGRADE ITS AVON YARD NEAR INDIANAPOLIS: CSX is investing in major infrastructure upgrades at Avon Yard near Indianapolis, one of the company's five hump yards. Improvements include extending the hump lead from 6400 feet to 8000 feet, along with other modifications to increase capacity and cut dwell times. [Progressive Railroading, 7-2-25]
WABTEC COMPLETES ACQUISITION OF EVIDENT'S INSPECTION TECHNOLOGIES: Wabtec has completed the acquisition of Evident's Inspection Technologies Division, a global leader in non-destructive testing, remote visual inspection and analytical instruments solutions for mission critical assets. [Railway Track & Structures, 7-2-25]
GREENBRIER COS. REPORTS 3-Q EARNINGS: The Greenbrier Cos. Inc. announced net earnings of $60-million or $1.86 per share on revenue of $843-million in its third fiscal quarter of 2025. Greenbrier reported new rail car orders for 3900 units valued at more than $500-million, and deliveries of 5600 units resulting in a new rail car backlog of 18,900 units. [Progressive Railroading, 7-2-25]
AMERISTAR RAIL PROPOSES CROSS-COUNTRY PASSENGER TRAIN TO INCLUDE TRACTOR-TRAILERS: AmeriStarRail, which has been proposing privately-owned passenger service on the Northeast corridor, is now proposing a long-distance train between New York and Los Angeles, which would make its run in 72 hours, and be available to passengers, tractor-trailers and their drivers. The company would partner with Amtrak and replace the Southwest Chief and Pennsylvanian, and could begin service as early as May of next year. [Freight Waves, 7-2-25]
JUNE 2025 AMTRAK LONG-DISTANCE TRAIN PERFORMANCE: Thirty-two percent of Amtrak's named long-distance trains arrived at their scheduled final destination on time or earlier in June 2025. The remaining trains, on average, arrived one hour and 32 minutes late. MORE.. [Bull Sheet Statistical Dept., 7-1-25]
AMTRAK'S GULF COAST SERVICE TO BEGIN AUG. 18: Beginning Aug. 18, Amtrak trains will operate along the Gulf Coast between Mobile and New Orleans for the first time in 20 years. Amtrak is now accepting reservations for the 'Mardi Gras,' its twice-daily service, with morning and evening departures from both cities. [Progressive Railroading, 7-1-25]
BRITAIN'S ROYAL TRAIN TO BE RETIRED: Britain's Royal Train is going to be taken out of service sometime before its current maintenance contract expires in 2027, Buckingham Palace has announced. There have been dedicated trains for their monarchs since the reign of Queen Victoria. The Royal Family has more extensively used helicopters in recent years, but the family will still use regular trains if needed in the future. [Rail Business Daily, 7-1-25]
MBTA RE-OPENS NORTH WILMINGTON STATION: The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority on June 30 opened its new North Wilmington station on the Haverhill commuter line. The previous station was demolished in the spring. [Progressive Railroading, 7-1-25]
CALIF. AWARDS $100-M TOWARD BAY AREA SILICON VALLEY PHASE II PROJECT: The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority has been awarded $100-million in state funding toward expanding the Bay Area Regional Silicon Valley Phase II project. It will extend BART by six miles into San Jose and Santa Clara. The project is estimated to cost $12.7-billion. [Progressive Railroading, 6-30-25]
SOUND TRANSIT IDENTIFIES PREFERRED LIGHT-RAIL ROUTE, STATIONS FOR TACOMA DOME LINK EXTENSION: The board of Seattle's Sound Transit has identified its preferred light-rail route and station locations for the Tacoma Dome Link extension. The $4.6-billion project will extend light-rail service about 10 miles from Federal Way to Tacoma and include four new stations. In-service date is set for some time in 2035. [Progressive Railroading, 6-30-25]
R.J. CORMAN R.R. GROUP NAMES JUSTIN BROYLES INTERIM PRESIDENT, CEO: R.J. Corman Railroad Group has selected Justin Broyles to serve as its interim president and CEO. The appointment took effect June 27 and follows the resignation of Ed Quinn earlier this month. [Progressive Railroading, 6-30-25]
METRO-NORTH TO ACQUIRE 13 DUAL BATTERY-ELECTRIC POWERED LOCOMOTIVES: Described a North America's 'first battery-electric passenger locomotive,' the Siemens Mobility Charger B+AC is a dual-power unit that can operate in two modes, drawing power from AC catenary or from batteries, thereby qualifying as 'zero-emissions.' MTA Metro-North Railroad has ordered 13. [Railway Age, 6-27-25]
CONRAIL, TWU WORKERS RATIFY FIVE-YEAR PACT: Transport Workers Union of America members who work for Conrail in Detroit, Philadelphia and New Jersey, have voted to ratify a new five-year contract. [Progressive Railroading, 6-27-25]
SEPTA APPROVES FY-26 BUDGET WITH SERVICE CUTS, FARE INCREASES: In what has been called a 'doomsday budget,' Southwestern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority has approved its FY-26 operating budget. The approval was required before July 1, but it could be revised with legislative intervention. Beginning Aug. 24, there would be significant reductions in all rail services, and on Sept. 1 fares would increase. Then, beginning Jan. 1, 2026, the agency would eliminate five of its regional rail lines and implement a 9 p.m. curfew on remaining rail service. [Progressive Railroading, 6-27-25]
LEGISLATION INTRODUCED TO IMPOSE WORKPLACE PROTECTION FOR RAIL YARDMASTERS: A bipartisan bill has been introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives giving railroad yardmasters the same protections as other rail yard workers. It would ensure that a yardmaster is neither required nor allowed to remain on duty for more than a total of 12 hours in a single work shift. [Progressive Railroading, 6-27-25]
PHOENIX-TUCSON PASSENGER RAIL STUDY ADVANCES: The Federal Railroad Administration has approved Arizona's early submissions as part of a study to create an intercity passenger rail service between Phoenix and Tucson. This is the initial step in the corridor identification and development program, which was launched in 2023 to guide the development of the new service. [Progressive Railroading, 6-26-25]
HAVERHILL STATION TO REOPEN JUNE 30: Boston's Haverhill station will reopen June 30 for regular service. The MBTA used accelerated techniques for constructing the South Elm street bridge project, replacing the previous 120-year-old structure. [Railway Track & Structures, 6-26-25]
BNSF, TCU INTERMODAL GROUP REACH TENTATIVE DEAL: BNSF on June 25 reported reaching a tentative five-year collective bargaining agreement with members of the Transportation Communications Union intermodal group. Forty-five pct of the work force and 10 of 13 represented unions at BNSF are now covered by either ratified or tentative agreements. [Railway Age, 6-26-25]
MARYLAND HAS BIG PLANS TO GROW MARC TRAIN SERVICE: The MARC growth and transformation plan, released June 25, charts five- and 15-year visions for more frequent train service across all three of its lines. Penn line trains would extend southward into Alexandria, Va., and northward into Wilmington, Del. Select Penn line trains would serve Camden Station using a new rail connector. It also includes a longer-term goal of extending the Brunswick line beyond Martinsburg, W.Va., to Cumberland, Md. [Baltimore Banner, 6-26-25]
WEEKLY U.S. RAIL FREIGHT TRAFFIC REPORT: U.S. railroads originated 487,328 carloads and intermodal units in the week ending June 21, 2025, up 0.4 pct compared with the corresponding week last year. Calculated separately, carloads were up 4.5 pct, and intermodal was down 2.9 pct. [Assn. of American Railroads, 6-25-25]
GROUND BROKEN ON NEXT PHASE OF RARITAN RIVER BRIDGE CONSTRUCTION: Ground has been broken on the next phase of the Raritan River Bridge construction. Crews will begin installation of the center span that vertically lifts to replace the current 117-year-old swing bridge. Superstorm Sandy damaged the bridge in 2012 when the bridge deck was moved out of its normal alignment. [Railway Track & Structures, 6-25-25]
STADLER OPENS NEW SIGNALING OFFICE IN ATLANTA: Stadler has opened a new signaling office in Atlanta, marking the first major international expansion of its signaling division. One of the reasons for the expansion is its large signaling contract from the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority. [Progressive Railroading, 6-25-25]
SEPTA SUSPENDS CHESTNUT HILL EAST LINE SERVICE FOR BRIDGE WORK: SEPTA has suspended service on its Chestnut Hill East line until Sept. 2 to allow for the rehabilitation of five bridges. [Railway Track & Structures, 6-24-25]
N.Y. MTA TO PURCHASE 316 M-9A RAIL CARS FOR COMMUTER RAIL: The New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority has approved the purchase of 316 M-9A rail cars. This includes 160 cars for Long Island Rail Road and 156 cars for Metro-North. [Railway Track & Structures, 6-24-25]
VRE'S CEO TO RETIRE: Rich Dalton, CEO of Virginia Railway Express, plans to retire on Oct. 3. He joined the commuter railroad in 2009 as its chief operating officer. [Progressive Railroading, 6-24-25]
NEW RAIL YARD AT PORT OF BRUNSWICK, GA., SET TO BEGIN OPERATIONS: The first phase of a new rail yard at the Port of Brunswick, Ga., will begin operations by the end of the month. It is expected to increase the port's rail capacity from five to 10 trains per week. [Progressive Railroading, 6-24-25]
INDIANA PORT TAPS LOUIS DREYFUS TO RESTART GRAIN TERMINAL: Ports of Indiana has selected Louis Dreyfus Co. to operate the grain export facility at its Lake Michigan port. The Burns Harbor terminal enabled exports of more than 500 million bushels of corn and soybeans between its opening in 1979 and closing in 2023. Dreyfus expects to begin operating the terminal in early 2026. [Freight Waves, 6-24-25]
AMTRAK PASSENGERS STUCK IN BALTIMORE TUNNEL MORE THAN AN HOUR WITHOUT POWER: Amtrak passengers on a Northeast regional train were stuck for over an hour on their train without air-conditioning or power after it had just left Baltimore the afternoon of June 23. While stuck in the tunnel north of the station, a rescue locomotive was eventually dispatched to the train to bring the passengers back into the station where passengers were later accommodated on another train. [Fox5 DC, 6-24-25]
UNIFOR, VIA RAIL REACH TENTATIVE LABOR AGREEMENTS, AVERTING STRIKE: VIA Rail Canada has reached tentative agreements with Unifor's Council 4000 and Local 100 for 2,400 VIA employees working in stations, on trains, in maintenance and customer centers, and administrative offices. The agreement was signed in time to avert a strike. [Progressive Railroading, 6-23-25]
COMPUTER WOES DISRUPT CUSTOMER SERVICE ON CPKC: Canadian Pacific Kansas City has acknowledged that its customers have experienced poor service since early May due to a messy transition from KCS computers to those of the CP network. The disruptions centered not on the trains themselves but rather on first and last miles of journeys. Service is expected to be restored to normal levels within the next month. [Journal of Commerce, 6-23-25]
CHICAGO TRANSIT TO REOPEN FOUR RED LINE STATIONS ON JULY 20: Four reconstructed Chicago Transit Red Line stations will reopen on July 20 as part of the agency's $2.1-billion Red and Purple line modernization project. They are Argle, Berwyn, Bryn Mawr and Lawrenceville. [Railway Track & Structures, 6-20-25]
RENOVATION TO BEGIN AT THREE METRO-NORTH HARLEM LINE STATIONS IN THE BRONX: Major accessibility upgrade and renovation work will begin this month at Metro-North's Williams Bridge, Woodlawn and Botanical Garden stations in the Bronx. [Progressive Railroading, 6-20-25]
METROLINX BEGINS CONSTRUCTION OF EAST HARBOR TRANSIT HUB: Ontario's Metrolinx has begun major construction on its East Harbor Transit Hub in Toronto's Riverdale neighborhood. The hub will reduce travel times by connecting the Ontario Line subway and the Lakeshore East and Stouffville GO lines. [Railway Track & Structures, 6-20-25]
RUSSIA, NORTH KOREA EXPAND RAIL CONNECTIONS: Passenger rail service between Moscow and Pyongyang have resumed after being suspended since Febr. 2020. Twice-monthly service resumed June 18. The journey takes eight days to cross the 6,200 miles, and is the world's longest passenger rail route. [Rail Passengers Assn., 6-20-25]
AMTRAK'S FLORIDIAN OVER NINE AND ONE-HALF HOURS LATE INTO CHICAGO: Amtrak's northbound Floridian on June 20 was more than nine and one-half hours late arriving into Chicago. According to Amtrak's online status report, the train had left Miami on time, but had en route delays from mechanical issues, inclement weather, downed trees, and freight train interference. [Amtrak, 6-20-25]
AMTRAK DEVELOPING PLAN OFFERING THROUGH SERVICE LINKING N.E. CORRIDOR WITH LONG ISLAND: Amtrak is developing a plan to offer new passenger service linking Washington DC and intermediate Northeast corridor stops via New York City direct to Long Island without a change in trains. Envisioned for three daily round trips, the trains would operate over the Northeast corridor and the Long Island Rail Road to Ronkonkoma. [Progressive Railroading 6-19-25]
SOUTH SHORE LINE OPENS NEW STATION IN MICHIGAN CITY, INDIANA: South Shore Line on June 18 opened a new 11th street station and parking structure in Michigan City, Indiana. The station's completion marks a milestone in the transit-oriented Double-Track Northwest Indiana project. [Progressive Railroading, 6-19-25]
HAWKS TRAINED TO PREVENT STATION OVERHAUL DELAY: Britain's Network Rail has been celebrating Maverick, a 'feathered enforcer,' whose job is to ensure birds do not cause costly delays to an upgrade of Scarborugh station. The 15-month Harris Hawk and fellow sentry Lily patrol the site for an hour each visit keeping gulls and crows from settling on the soon-to-be-replaced roof. Nesting birds could mean work having to stop during the critical summer months. With it being the breeding season right now for gulls, they are using the birds of prey as a natural form of pest control to discourage any nesting while work is taking place on the roof. [Rail Business Daily, 6-19-26]
AMTRAK SHARES EXCESSIVE HEAT STRATEGIES: Amtrak has unveiled some operational and engineering strategies as summer approaches. Speed restrictions are imposed when ambient temperatures exceed 95 degrees or when rail temperatures reach 128 degrees. Accordingly, trains will often be required to reduce speed. Also, overhead catenary wires are susceptible to heat-related tension, sometimes causing component failure. If a train were to lose power and/or air-conditioning, crews will identify passengers with special needs and ensure access to water, and provide updates to the situation to passengers. [Newsweek, 6-19-25]
METRO-NORTH UNVEILS LATEST HERITAGE LOCOMOTIVE: Metro-North locomotive 203 has been repainted to replicate the paint scheme applied in 1979 on Conrail dual-mode electric locomotives. It is slated to make its inaugural service run on June 20. [Progressive Railroading, 6-18-25]
WEEKLY U.S. RAIL FREIGHT TRAFFIC REPORT: U.S. railroads originated 485,810 carloads and intermodal units in the week ending June 14, 2025, down 1.5 pct compared with the corresponding week last year. Calculated separately, carloads were up 1.0 pct, and intermodal was down 3.5 pct. [Assn. of American Railroads, 6-18-25]
SELF-OPERATING EMPLOYEE SHUTTLE INTRODUCED AT CSX SELKIRK, N.Y., AUTO HANDLING SITE: CSX subsidiary Total Distribution Services has rolled out an autonomous electric shuttle at its facility in Selkirk, N.Y. The shuttle replaces a gas-powered vehicle to transport auto unloading crews within the facility. [Progressive Railroading, 6-18-25]
FEDS APPROVE WAIVER FOR ALABAMA RAIL PROJECT AMID AUTOMATION CONCERNS: The Federal Railroad Administration has approved a Buy America waiver for a planned intermodal transfer facility in Montgomery, Alabama, despite concerns that such a waiver could lead to lost jobs through automation. The Alabama State Port Authority said the waiver is necessary in order to purchase two rubber-tired gantry cranes at the facility served by CSX. ]Freight Waves, 6-18-25]
CZECH PENDOLINO TRAIN SETS TO INCREASE OPERATING SPEEDS: Czech Republic national operator CD is undertaking final work to enable the maximum operating speed of its Pendolino sets to be raised from 99 MPH to 124 MPH. [Railway Gazette, 6-18-25]
FREEDOM INTERMODAL TANK SERVICES EXPANDING PORT OF NEW ORLEANS SERVICES: Freedom Intermodal Tank Services is expanding its business in partnership with the New Orleans Public Belt Railroad, and will now offer rail-car cleaning, expanded transloading and rail-car storage services at its Port of New Orleans terminal. [Progressive Railroading, 6-18-25]
CONSTRUCTION BEGINS ON TRANSIT ACCESS PROJECT AT NEWARK LIBERTY INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT: Port Authority of New York & New Jersey has begun construction on a $160-million transit access project at Newark Liberty International Airport. It will add a new point of entry that is served by Amtrak, N.J. Transit and Air Train. [Railway Track & Structures, 6-17-25]
D.C. METRO RESTORES AUTOMATIC TRAIN OPERATION TO ITS ENTIRE SYSTEM: The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority is now using automatic train operation across its entire Metrorail system for the first time since 2009. With the return of the system, the agency is resuming its original maximum speed of up to 75 MPH over allowed portions. [Progressive Railroading, 6-17-25]
WATCO GETS $600-M IN NEW PRIVATE EQUITY: Watco, which operates short-line railroads, has received an investment of more than $600-million from Duration Partners, which will be used toward long-term investments, including ownership of Industrial Rail Services. [Freight Waves, 6-17-25]
AMTRAK'S FLORIDIAN DELAYED EIGHT HOURS BY ADVERSE WEATHER: Amtrak's southbound Floridian of June 14 was eight hours behind schedule arriving into its Miami destination having been significantly delayed en route by storm related issues. [Amtrak, 6-17-25]
METRA BEGINS EXPANSION OF 95TH ST./CHICAGO STATE UNIVERSITY STATION: Chicago's Metra has begun rehabilitation to expand the 95th Street/Chicago State University station on its Electric line. The $56-million project will include improvement to the station's accessibility, a new head house, and connection to the university. [Railway Track & Structures, 6-16-25]
WEEKLY AMTRAK LONG-DISTANCE TRAIN PERFORMANCE: Thirty-four percent of Amtrak's named long-distance trains arrived at their scheduled final destination on time or earlier in the week ending June 15, 2025. The remaining trains, on average, arrived one hour and 22 minutes late. MORE.. [Bull Sheet Statistical Dept., 6-16-25]
NORFOLK SOUTHERN HONORS DELAWARE & HUDSON WITH HERITAGE LOCOMOTIVE: Norfolk Southern has introduced its latest heritage locomotive, EMD SD70ACe number 1080, honoring the Delaware & Hudson Railway. [Railway Age, 6-13-25]
CSX COMPLETES INSTALLATION OF NEW SPANS OF POPLAR BRIDGE IN N.C.: CSX has completed construction and installation of seven new spans of the Poplar Bridge spanning the Nolichucky River in North Carolina, a critical step in rebuilding the Blue Ridge subdivision rail line that sustained damage during hurricane Helene in Sept. 2024. [Progressive Railroading, 6-13-25]
RICHARD ANDERSON ELECTED NORFOLK SOUTHERN CHAIR: Richard Anderson, who led Amtrak as its CEO from 2017 to 2020, has been elected independent chair of Norfolk Southern's board. He joined the board last May following a shareholder initiative to shake up the board's composition. In addition to chairing NS, he will lead the executive committee and the strategy & planning committee. [Rail Passengers Assn., 6-13-25]
AMTRAK WARNS END OF HEARTLAND FLYER UNLESS TEXAS CAN FUND ITS SHARE: Amtrak is warning that its Heartland Flyer between Dallas-Fort Worth and Oklahoma City could evaporate by Oct. 1 unless Texas can secure its share of the train's funding. Amtrak is working with its state and local partners to find a solution, but the service will have to be suspended absent the needed funding. [Rail Passengers Assn., 6-13-25]
CALIFORNIA HSR AUTHORITY RESPONDS TO FUNDING ATTACK BY FEDS: The Calif. High-Speed Rail Authority on June 12 accused the Federal Railroad Administration of advancing an attack on the state's high-speed rail project, just eight months after the same agency offered a clean bill of health for project compliance. The FRA's sudden pivot flies in the face of its own monitoring report from Oct. 2024, the authority's CEO said. That report found no significant compliance issues, yet the FRA now claims the state has failed to meet key obligations under two cooperative agreements signed as recently as Fall 2024. [Rail Passengers Assn., 6-13-25]
OMNITRAX BEGINS OPERATING SANTA MARIA VALLEY R.R.: OmniTRAX today began operating the Santa Maria Valley Railroad in a joint venture with Coast Belle Rail in California. The 14.7-mile railroad is located between Los Angeles and San Francisco serving customers in the Santa Maria Valley. It interchanges with Union Pacific in Guadalupe. OmniTRAX now operates 30 railroads. [Progressive Railroading, 6-12-25]
ALSTOM TO INCLUDE NARROW-GAUGE EXHIBITS AT HISTORIC GATHERING IN U.K.: Alstom has announced the inclusion of narrow-gauge exhibits at its 'Greatest Gathering,' showcasing their history and significance in the wider railway story over the past 200 years. Its three-day festival will be the world's largest-ever gathering of historic and modern rolling stock. A two-foot-gauge rail line will be installed on site to offer rides. The Greatest Gathering will be Aug. 1-3 at Alstom's Litchurch Lane site in Derby. [Rail Business Daily, 6-12-25]
BLET MEMBERS RATIFY FIVE-YEAR CONTRACT WITH CSX: Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen members have ratified a new five-year contract with CSX governing nearly 3,500 members. [BLET, 6-11-25]
BRIGGS INDUSTRIAL OPENS TRUCK & RAIL FACILITY IN IRVING, TEXAS: Briggs Industrial Solutions has opened its newest Truck & Rail branch in Irving, Texas. At this facility it will be able to service Ottawa and Trackmobile products. [Railway Track & Structures, 6-11-25]
WEEKLY U.S. RAIL FREIGHT TRAFFIC REPORT: U.S. railroads originated 483,807 carloads and intermodal units in the week ending June 7, 2025, down 1.3 pct compared with the corresponding week last year. Calculated separately, carloads were up 3.1 pct, and intermodal was down 4.9 pct. [Assn. of American Railroads, 6-11-25]
DAILY ROUND-TRIP BEING ADDED TO AMTRAK PACIFIC SURFLINER: The Los Angeles-San Diego schedule will include the addition of a daily round-trip on the Amtrak Pacific Surfliner. New southbound and northbound trains will begin June 16 in the afternoon and evening and make up the 12th round-trip between the two cities. [Times of San Diego, 6-11-25]
EMPIRE BUILDER DELAYED 10 & ONE-HALF HOURS BY LOCOMOTIVE PROBLEMS: Amtrak's eastbound Empire Builder of June 8 was delayed over ten and one-half hours between Wenatchee and Spokane, Washington. According to Amtrak's online advisory, the train's delay was due to a locomotive malfunction. [Amtrak, 6-9-25]
SONOMA-MARIN AWARDED $81-M GRANT TO EXTEND SERVICE: The Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit district has obtained an $81-million Calif. grant to extend passenger rail service to communities in northern Sonoma County. In addition to the extension funds, the award includes an additional $6-million to acquire a zero-emission locomotive. [Progressive Railroading, 6-9-25]
ALASKA R.R. TRAIN DERAILS: An Alaska Railroad freight train derailed June 6 on the Curry loop track about 22 miles north of Talkeetna, damaging a diesel fuel tank. The loop track provides access to a quarry used for ballast, riprap and gravel. There were no injuries. [Progressive Railroading, 6-9-25]
ITALIAN RAIL LINE INSTALLS SEISMIC WARNING SYSTEM: Italy's RFI has inaugurated a seismic warning system to enhance safety on its 131-mile Rome-Naples high-speed line. There are 20 seismic monitoring stations along the line, and data is transmitted on dedicated fiber optic network. [Railway Gazette, 6-8-25]
SIERRA NORTHERN RWY TO CONVERT THREE SWITCHING ENGINES RUN ON HYDROGEN FUEL: Ballard Power Systems will supply Sierra Northern Railway 12 fuel cell engines to convert three diesel switchers to hydrogen-fueled locomotives, expected to be delivered this year. [Progressive Railroading, 6-5-25]
AMALGAMATED TRANSIT UNION MEMBERS RATIFY LABOR PACT WITH SANTA CLARA VALLEY TRANSPORTATION: Amalgamated Transit Union Local 265 members have voted to ratify the most recent contract offer from California's Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority. [Progressive Railroading, 6-5-25]
VIA RAIL'S ON TIME PERFORMANCE FALLS TO 30 PCT IN 1-Q: VIA Rail Canada's on time performance in the first-quarter fell to 30 pct compared with 70 pct in the same quarter last year. VIA Rail blames restrictions imposed by host carrier CN over train-to-signal interaction for the decline in on time performance, while CN claims that VIA Rail is using equipment that lacks proper interaction at maximum speed in certain areas. [Progressive Railroading, 6-5-25]
LONDON'S CHANNEL TUNNEL DEPOT NEARING CAPACITY: There is room for, at most, one new Channel Tunnel train operator to share Eurostar's Temple Mills depot in London, the office of rail has concluded, and the regulator expects to make a decision on capacity allocation later this year. [Railway Gazette, 6-5-25]
CALIFORNIA HSR PROJECT AT RISK OF LOSING FEDERAL FUNDING: U.S. Transportation secretary Duffy has announced the Federal Railroad Adminsitration's compliance review of California's high-speed rail project has found the project to be in default of terms of its federal grant awards. The authority has up to 37 days to respond to the findings, after which the grants could be terminated. [Progressive Railroading, 6-4-25]
SHORT LINE CUMBERLAND & KNOX MAKES FIRST REVENUE RUN: Short line Cumberland & Knox made its debut last weekend running its first train over a 56-mile former Maine Central branch that had not seen any freight action at all in eight months. Cumberland & Knox is a subsidiary of Maine Switching Services, which finalized its operating agreement with Maine at the end of April. [Freight Waves, 6-4-25]
HEARTLAND FLYER LOSES TEXAS FUNDING: Texas lawmakers did not include funding for Amtrak's Heartland Flyer in a budget bill passed last week, placing the future of the train between Fort Worth and Oklahoma City in jeopardy. The state's Dept. of Transportation had sought $3.53-million for the train, but no funding was included. [Trains Magazine, 6-4-25]
SEPTA NAMES SCOTT SAUER GENERAL MANAGER: SEPTA'S board has named Scott Sauer as general manager. He has served as interim general manager since Nov. 2024. [Progressive Railroading, 6-4-25]
WEEKLY U.S. RAIL FREIGHT TRAFFIC REPORT: U.S. railroads originated 459,884 carloads and intermodal units in the week ending May 31, 2025, up 2.2 pct compared with the corresponding week last year. Calculated separately, carloads were up 6.6 pct, and intermodal was down 1.5 pct. [Assn. of American Railroads, 6-4-25]
NORFOLK SOUTHERN CHAIR CLAUDE MONGEAU RESIGNS FROM BOARD: Norfolk Southern on June 3 announced that its chairman Claude Mongeau has resigned from the board of directors. A new chair will be elected at the board's next meeting later this month. [Railway Age, 6-3-25]
ALSTOM OPENS NEW MANUFACTURING FACILITY IN HORNELL, N.Y.: Alstom on June 2 announced the opening of a new 135,000-square-foot Plant 4 facility in Hornell, N.Y. It will produce stainless steel body shells for passenger rail cars and provide additional capacity and capabilities to support other Alstom projects. [Railway Age, 6-3-25]
EXCAVATION WORK AT METROLINX'S QUEEN SUBWAY STATION BEGINS: The Ontario government has begun excavation work at Queen station on Metrolinx's Ontario line subway in Toronto. When completed, it is expected to be the busiest stop on the 10-mile line. [Progressive Railroading, 6-3-25]
KEVIN SEXTON IS NEW V.P. OF BLET: Kevin Sexton, of Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen division 269 in Long Island, N.Y., became BLET's newest national vice-president when he was sworn into office June 1. He fills a vacancy on the advisory board by the retirement of Eddie Hall in May. [BLET, 6-2-25]
LAWMAKERS INTRODUCE BILL TO REPLACE CHICAGO REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY: Illinois lawmakers have unveiled a bill that proposes to replace the Chicago Regional Transportation Authority, parent of Chicago Transit Authority and Metra, with a new organization named Northern Illinois Transit Authority. [Railway Age, 6-2-25]
SONOMA-MARIN BEGINS PASSENGER RAIL SERVICE TO WINDSOR: Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit on May 31 began passenger rail service to Windsor, California, completing the first of three planned rail expansions across Sonoma and Marin counties. [Progressive Railroading, 6-2-25]
MAY 2025 AMTRAK LONG-DISTANCE TRAIN PERFORMANCE: Thirty-seven percent of Amtrak's named long-distance trains arrived at their scheduled final destination on time or earlier in May 2025. The remaining trains, on average, arrived one hour and 24 minutes late. MORE.. [Bull Sheet Statistical Dept., 6-1-25]
CSX TRANSITIONS DIESEL LOCOMOTIVES TO HYDROGEN POWER: CSX has completed the transition of three diesel locomotives to hydrogen-power at its shop in Huntington, W.Va., with a fourth to be completed later this year. The shop team is repurposing essential components such as cabs, frames and traction motors. The reused parts extend the lifespan of the units while supporting CSX's commitment to sustainability, the company said. [Progressive Railroading, 5-30-25]
UNION PACIFIC TO DEPLOY HYBRID BATTERY-ELECTRIC SWITCHING LOCOMOTIVE IN WORKING ENVIRONMENT: One year after its rollout, Union Pacific is ready to deploy a hybrid battery-electric switching locomotive in a working rail environment. The railroad and project partner ZTR Control Systems recently completed testing of the first unit of a planned roster of six hybrid locomotives UP's Jenks Shop in North Little Rock, Arkansas. The unit, numbered Y409, will next be tested in a yet-to-be-chosen rail yard. [Freight Waves, 5-30-25]
PACIFIC SURFLINER, METROLINK TRAINS TO RESUME SERVICE IN SAN CLEMENTE ON JUNE 7: Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner and Metrolink trains will resume service on June 7 along the rail line in San Clemente, Calif., following the construction of the initial phase of emergency repairs. [Progressive Railroading, 5-30-25]
GATX, BROOKFIELD TO ACQUIRE 105,000 RAIL CARS FROM WELLS FARGO: GATX Corp., in partnership with Brookfield Infrastructure Partners, has agreed to acquire 105,000 rail cars from Wells Fargo for $4.4-billion. Initial ownership will be GATX at 30 pct and Brookfield at 70 pct, with GATX having the option to acquire 100 pct over time. [Progressive Railroading, 5-30-25]
SACRAMENTO TO SUSPEND LIGHT-RAIL SERVICE ON GREEN LINE FOR CONSTRUCTION: The Sacramento Regional Transit District will suspend light-rail service on its Green line beginning June 16 through summer 2026 to allow for major construction. [Railway Track & Structures, 5-30-25]
FIVE MBTA WORKERS CHARGED WITH FALSIFICATION OF INSPECTIONS: Five workers of Boston's MBTA, both current and former, have been charged with falsification of Red line track inspections, aiding and abetting, false statements and not performing assigned inspections. [Railway Track & Structures, 5-30-25]
'QUANTUM DE MEXICO' CREATED FOR SERVICE-SENSITIVE FREIGHT: BNSF, J.B. Hunt and Ferromex have launched Quantum de Mexico, a new intermodal offering for Mexican businesses with service-sensitive freight delivery. It will operate on key routes connecting major cities and industrial hubs in both countries. [Railway Age, 5-30-25]
SUPREME COURT RULES IN FAVOR OF BUILDING UINTA BASIN RWY: The U.S. Supreme Court, in an 8-0 decision, has ruled the Surface Transportation Board's environmental review of the proposed Uinta Basin Railway in Utah was proper, thus overturning a lower court's order blocking construction of the 88-mile line. [Freight Waves, 5-29-25]
METRA FILES AMENDED LAWSUIT OVER UNION PACIFIC TRACKAGE DISPUTE: Chicago's Metra has filed an amended lawsuit seeking relief confirming that Union Pacific cannot unilaterally force the agency to bear a significant increase in the compensation paid to Union Pacific. Exclusion of Metra from Union Pacific lines would breach the obligation to keep taxpayer-funded improvements to the UP lines in service and available to be used for rail operations, Metra said. [Progressive Railroading, 5-28-25]
WEEKLY U.S. RAIL FREIGHT TRAFFIC REPORT: U.S. railroads originated 488,709 carloads and intermodal units in the week ending May 24, 2025, up 0.7 percent compared with the corresponding week last year. Calculated separately, carloads were up 3.8 percent, and intermodal was down 1.8 percent. [Assn. of American Railroads, 5-28-25]
UNION PACIFIC'S BIG BOY LOCOMOTIVE TO STOP TWICE IN GREELEY, COLORADO, THIS SUMMER: Union Pacific's Big Boy locomotive 4014 will make two whistle-stops in Greeley, Colorado, this summer as part of a limited excursion. It will be accompanied by Union Pacific diesel 1616 dedicated to Abraham Lincoln. Twenty-five Big Boys were built during World War II, but only eight survived. No. 4014 is the only one still in operation. It is the world's largest operating steam locomotive. [Railway Age, 5-28-25]
AMTRAK BEGINS EAST RIVER TUNNEL CONSTRUCTION: Amtrak has begun construction and began shutting down the first of two East River tunnel tubes for rehabilitation. When completed, the $1.6-billion project will fully restore two of the four tubes in the tunnel that were damaged during superstorm Sandy in 2012. The project involves a long-term outage while Amtrak crews deconstruct the tubes down to their concrete liners, then reconstruct the tunnels with modern equipment. Work will take place in one tube at a time. [Progressive Railroading, 5-28-25]
D.C. METRO BEGINS AUTOMATIC TRAIN OPERATION ON GREEN, YELLOW LINES: Washington Metropolitan Transit Authority on May 23 launched automatic train operation on its Green and Yellow lines following the successful implementation in Dec. 2024 on the Red line. Train operators will continue to work in the cab and be responsible for safety, and the system is not used during inclement weather, single-tracking, or when workers are on the tracks. [Progressive Railroading, 5-28-25]
OMNITRAX NAMED AS EXCLUSIVE OPERATOR OF PORT MUSKOGEE R.R.: Port Muskogee in Oklahoma has named OmniTRAX as the exclusive operator of Port Muskogee Railroad. It runs on eight miles of track and provides direct access to Union Pacific. [Progressive Railroading, 5-28-25]
UNIFOR MEMBERS VOTE TO STRIKE VIA RAIL IF AGREEMENT NOT REACHED: VIA Rail Canada workers represented by Unifor have voted over 97 percent in favor of a strike action if a tentative labor agreement is not reached by June 22. [Progressive Railroading, 5-27-25]
GROUND BROKEN FOR NEW WAREHOUSE AT PORTS OF INDIANA-BURNS HARBOR: Ground has been broken at the Ports of Indiana-Burns Harbor on the first new warehouse at the Lake Michigan port in 25 years. The port is served by Burns Harbor Railroad which operates 12 miles of track within the port and interchanges with all Class I rail carriers. [Progressive Railroading, 5-27-25]
RAILPROS HAS BEEN SOLD TO LITTLEJOHN: Court Square Capital Partners has sold its stake in RailPros to Littlejohn & Co.. Court Square originally acquired RailPros in July 2020. RailPros provides outsourced safety management, design and engineering inspection, site and program management, utility observation and training services to rail operators. [Progressive Railroading, 5-27-25]
D.C. STREETCAR LINE TO BE REPLACED BY BUSES: After less than a decade of operation, the two-mile D.C. streetcar line from Union Station to RFK Stadium will be replaced by an electric bus, as announced by the city's mayor. [Washington Post 5-27-25]
WEEKLY AMTRAK LONG-DISTANCE TRAIN PERFORMANCE: Forty (40) percent of Amtrak's named long-distance trains arrived at their scheduled final destination on time or earlier in the week ending May 25, 2025. The remaining trains, on average, arrived one hour and 34 minutes late. MORE.. [Bull Sheet Statistical Dept., 5-26-25]
AMTRAK'S SOUTHWEST CHIEF EXTENSIVELY DELAYED BY LOCOMOTIVE PROBLEM: Amtrak's westbound Southwest Chief arrived destination Los Angeles over 12 hours behind schedule on May 24. According to Amtrak, the train was significantly delayed en route by locomotive failure and replacement. Also there were delays from speed restrictions and congestion. [Amtrak, 5-24-25]
CPKC DONATES CARGO INSPECTION SYSTEM FOR BORDER SECURITY IN TEXAS: Canadian Pacific Kansas City has donated a vehicle and cargo inspection system integrated rail VACIS IR6500 to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency to increase the security of trade by rail at the port of entry on the U.S,-Mexico border in Laredo, Texas. The system features a radiation portal monitor, which detects, locates and categorizes radiation threats. [Progressive Railroading, 5-23-25]
UNION PACIFIC PUSHES FOR SETTLEMENT ON METRA RAIL LINE USE: Union Pacific has publicly issued a request for Chicago commuter railroad Metra to accept a financial agreement based on market value for the use of UP's rail lines. For over a decade, Metra has paid rates below commercial market value, UP officials said. UP has attempted to reach an agreement with Metra for nearly six years, submitting offers and attempting to mediate an agreement through a Surface Transportation Board process. Most recently, UP offered to enter binding arbitration with Metra to settle the agreement, without success. [Progressive Railroading, 5-23-25]
AMTRAK'S BOARD STAGES PUBLIC MEETING: Amtrak's board convened a public meeting to review the company's operational performance, capital delivery projects, and long-term planning. The long-distance routes' financial performance has been boosted by a successful effort to return coaches and sleepers to service. But the recent loss of Horizon cars will negatively impact state-supported routes until the Airo train sets are delivered next year. Capacity constraints on the Northeast corridor stem from delays in getting clearance of the NextGen Acelas, but a strategy of 'quick turns' on Northeast Regional offset some of these constraints. Meanwhile Amtrak is holding to a spring 2025 launch goal for revenue service for the NextGen Acelas. [Rail Passengers Assn., 5-23-25]
SWEDISH LOCOMOTIVE GETS AMTRAK PAINT SCHEME: Swedish equipment leasing agency Nordic Re-Finance has arranged for one of its 25 RC4 electric locomotives it has acquired from Sweden's Green Cargo to carry Amtrak livery. When RC4 No. 1166 was first produced in 1976, it was sent to the USA for six months of testing between New York and Washington. Amtrak subsequently selected the AEM-7 locomotives from a different manufacturer. [Railway Gazette, 5-23-25]
NORFOLK SOUTHERN EXPANDS SHORT LINE INTERCHANGE IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM: Norfolk Southern has expanded its interchange improvement program to its short line connections in a bid to boost carload volume growth. The Short Line Interchange project, as it is now called, has been rolled out to all of the railroad's 260-plus short line partners. It creates real-time data and communication channels so that all parties can smooth out or prevent service problems. [Freight Waves, 5-23-25]
PORTS OF LOS ANGELES, LONG BEACH ACCEPTING SHORT-LINE OPERATOR PROPOSALS: The ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach are now accepting proposals from prospective operators for the short line serving the container gateway. Pacific Harbor Line has provided the service since 1998, the last time the contract was put out for bid. The operator selected will have to enter into separate operating agreements with each port as those agreements have different requirements. [Freight Waves, 5-22-25]
AGREEMENT SIGNED FOR HIGH-SPEED RAIL LINKING ITALY, GERMANY: An agreement for the operation of direct Frecciarossa high-speed train service linking Italy and Germany via Austria has been signed by three national operators. Services from Milan and Rome to Munich are to be introduced in Dec. 2026. Journey time for the 373-mile route from Milan will be about six and one-half hours, and the 559-mile trip from Rome about eight and one-half hours. Services will be extended in Dec. 2028 when there will be five train pairs running Milan-Munich, Milan-Berlin, Rome-Munich, Naples-Munich, and Naples-Berlin. The opening of the Brenner Base tunnel at the end of 2032 is expected to reduce journey times by about an hour. [Railway Gazette, 5-22-25]
RBM&N WINS NRHS HISTORIC PRESERVATION AWARD: The National Railway Historical Society, Railway Age and Railway Track & Structures have awarded Reading Blue Mountain & Northern its third annual Historic Preservation Award, recognizing and honoring it for its historically significant preservation steam locomotive project. The railroad owns three steam engines: Canadian D-10 No. 225 (on static display), light Pacific No. 425 (currently undergoing work), and Reading T-1 No. 2102 (the reason for the award after several years of work and investment to restore it. [Railway Track & Structures, 5-21-25]
NORFOLK SOUTHERN'S KNOXVILLE DISTRICT RIVER LINE REOPENED: For the first time since the Sept. 2024 devastation caused by hurricane Helene, freight service has returned for Asheville, N.C., and points west along Norfolk Southern's Knoxville District River (AS) Line connecting eastern Tennessee to western North Carolina. Service restoration follows the replacement of the Pigeon River bridge in Newport, Tennessee, and rebuilding of 128 locations totaling more than 13 miles of track. The return to rail also enables the resumption of service on 92 miles of Watco short line Blue Ridge Southern Railroad. [Railway Age, 5-21-25]
WEEKLY U.S. RAIL FREIGHT TRAFFIC REPORT: U.S. railroads originated 490,775 carloads and intermodal units in the week ending May 17, 2025, up 3.4 pct compared with the corresponding week last year. Calculated separately, carloads were up 7.1 pct, and intermodal was up 0.3 pct. [Assn. of American Railroads, 5-21-25]
STB ADDS SENIOR ADVISORY TEAM: There is a new three-person senior advisory crew at the U.S. Surface Transportation Board. The crew's focus will include streamlining processes, improving collaboration and transparency, and ensuring a more efficient and effective regulatory environment for the nation's surface transportation network. [Freight Waves, 5-21-25]
NEW INLAND PORT PLANNED FOR ASHLAND CITY, TENNESSEE, ON CUMBERLAND RIVER: The Tennessee Dept. of Transportation has lined up a public-private partnership to develop a multimodal inland river port on a 40-acre site on the Cumberland River. The future Ashland City River Port's location is expected to enhance supply chain movement, as it offers the potential for rail access to CSX via Nashville & Western Line. [Progressive Railroading, 5-21-25]
MINNESOTA COMMERCIAL RWY TO BE ACQUIRED: 3i RR Holdings, Regional Rail Holdings and their related entities intend to acquire Minnesota Commercial Railway, a short line that operates 86 miles of line near Minneapolis and St. Paul, according to a notice filed with the Surface Transportation Board. [Progressive Railroading, 5-20-25]
AMTRAK'S BOREALIS EXCEEDED RIDERSHIP PROJECTIONS IN FIRST YEAR: Amtrak's Borealis between the Twin Cities and Chicago surpassed anticipated ridership levels for its first year of service. Since it began running May 21, 2024, ridership reached 212,515 passengers through April, while a 2015 feasibility study had originally estimated annual ridership to be 155,500. [Progressive Railroading, 5-20-25]
NJT STRIKE TO END AS TENTATIVE LABOR AGREEMENT WITH BLET REACHED: New Jersey Transit engineers represented by the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen will return to work on Tuesday, May 20, following a tentative contract agreement. [Railway Age, 5-19-25]
UNION PACIFIC CEO JIM VENA NAMED 2025 RAILROAD INNOVATOR: Progressive Railroading and RailTrends have named Union Pacific CEO Jim Vena the 2025 recipient of the Railroad Innovator award. He became CEO in 2023 after serving as chief operating officer from 2019 to 2020, and as a senior adviser to the chairman in 2021. He began is rail career in 1977 with Canadian National as a brakeman. [Progressive Railroading, 5-19-25]
BRITAIN'S HISTORIC PONTS MILL VIADUCT UPGRADE PROJECT COMPLETED: Britain's Network Rail has completed its upgrade to the 152-year-old Ponts Mill Viaduct near St. Blazey. Work took place to the structure on the Newquay branch line over the River Par assuring that it remains safe and reliable long into the future. [Rail Business Daily, 5-19-25]
WEEKLY AMTRAK LONG-DISTANCE TRAIN PERFORMANCE: Thirty-one percent of Amtrak's named long-distance trains arrived at their scheduled final destination on time or earlier in the week ending May 18, 2025. The remaining trains, on average, arrived one hour and 42 minutes late. MORE.. [Bull Sheet Statistical Dept., 5-19-25]
AMTRAK'S CITY OF NEW ORLEANS DELAYED SEVEN HOURS BY DOWNED POWER LINES: Amtrak's northbound City of New Orleans was delayed seven hours in Jackson, Mississippi, due to downed power lines. [Amtrak, 5-19-25]
BLET INITIATES STRIKE AT N.J. TRANSIT: The locomotive engineers of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen have voted to strike, which means the complete suspension of N.J. Transit rail service, including Metro-North west of Hudson service. N.J. Transit has developed a contingency plan which includes adding very limited capacity to existing New York commuter bus routes in close proximity to rail stations, and contracting with private carriers to run buses from key park & ride locations during weekday peak periods. [N.J. Transit, 5-16-25]
ONTARIO INTRODUCES TAX CREDIT FOR SHORT LINE RAILS: The government of Ontario and ministry of finance have introduced a tax credit for short line railroads in the province. The Railway Association of Canada says each dollar invested through the tax credit in Ontario is expected to create $10.58 in economic output. [Railway Track & Structures, 5-16-25]
SEVERE WEATHER DISRUPTS CSX IN MD, PA, WV: Severe weather on May 13 led to shipment delays for CSX across portions of Maryland, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. Stuart Tunnel on the Cumberland subdivision was closed on both tracks; landslides occurred on the Mountain subdivision west of Keyser, W.Va.; and there was a 200-foot washout on the Keystone subdivision west of Cumberland, Md. [Railway Track & Structures, 5-15-25]
LANCASTER, PA., AMTRAK STATION GETTING UPGRADES: Amtrak has been making upgrades and repairs to the historic station in Lancaster, Pa. These include replacing the existing platforms, foundations, HVAC equipment, and windows with historically accurate fenestrations. [Railway Track & Structures, 5-15-25]
CN REPORTS 2025 CAPEX PROGRAM: Canadian National plans to spend $3.4-billion (C) this year on capital projects. The program includes $2.9-billion (C) allocated to maintenance and strategic infrastructure initiatives across Canada and the U.S. [Progressive Railroading, 5-15-25]
MBTA BEGINS PILOT PROJECT USING RENEWABLE DIESEL FUEL IN LOCOMOTIVES: Boston's MBTA and Keolis Commuter Services have launched a pilot project to use renewable diesel fuel in locomotives at the Newburyport facility. The locomotives are now being fueled with hydrotreated vegetable oil, which is expected to reduce CO2 emissions. [Progressive Railroading, 5-15-25]
BRITAIN'S LONDON LIVERPOOL STREET STATION TO GET 'FUTUREPROOFED': Network Rail has developed a vision to transform Britain's busiest station, London Liverpool Street. Opened in 1875, it currently connects 118 million people a year within London, East Anglia, and the east of England. The proposals would 'futureproof' the stations for decades to come, providing more space and creating a connected station across the rail network, London Underground, Elizabeth line and buses. [Rail Business Daily, 5-15-25]
MAN KILLED BY CSX TRAIN IN ABERDEEN, MD.: A 28-year-old man was struck and killed late May 14 by a CSX train in Aberdeen, Md. [WMAR, 5-15-25]
WEEKLY U.S. RAIL FREIGHT TRAFFIC REPORT: U.S. railroads originated 495,552 carloads and intermodal units in the week ending May 10, 2025, up 5.7 pct compared with the corresponding week last year. Calculated separately, carloads were up 6.2 pct, and intermodal was up 5.4 pct. [Assn. of American Railroads, 5-14-25]
STRIKE POSSIBLE AT VIA RAIL IN JUNE: Unifor is preparing a vote to strike at VIA Rail Canada in the coming weeks after the union and the passenger rail company failed to come to an agreement on a labor contract during negotiations. If a tentative agreement is not reached, Unifor could legally begin a strike on June 22. [Progressive Railroading, 5-14-25]
AMTRAK APPLIES CRAYOLA CRAYON DESIGNS TO TWO ELECTRIC LOCOMOTIVES: Amtrak has applied two ACS-64 Sprinter electric locomotives with Crayola crayon designs to commemorate Crayola's limited-edition collection of 'unretired' crayon colors. [Progressive Railroading, 5-14-25]
FIRST OF EIGHT ORANGE COUNTY, CALIF., STREETCARS DELIVERED: Orange County, California, has taken delivery of the first of eight vehicles for its streetcar line expected to open in spring of next year. The route between Santa Ana regional transportation center and Harbor boulevard in Garden Grove will serve densely populated neighborhoods in the L.A. metropolitan area, connecting with bus and Metrolink. [Progressive Railroading, 5-14-25]
TRAIN TRAVEL EXPACTED TO SOAR VS. FLYING IN COMING YEARS, STUDY SAYS: Hitachi Rail published a new study finding that ciizens around North American and Europe anticipate train travel to soar in the coming years at the expense of flying. Almost two-thirds back legislation supporting a ban on short-haul flights where high-speed rail alternatives exist. The survey collected the opinions of 11,000 people from cities and countries across the globe. [Progressive Railroading, 5-14-25]
WAREHOUSE FIRE IN BALTIMORE DISRUPTS AMTRAK, MARC SERVICE: A seven alarm warehouse fire next to Amtrak's Northeast corridor disrupted train service May 13 between Baltimore and Washington for the morning commute. Service was reopened to one track later in the morning, but with residual delays. MARC trains began running on a Saturday schedule. [6ABC Philadelphia, 5-13-25]
BELT REACHES TENTATIVE LABOR AGREEMENT WITH CSX FOR ENGINEERS: The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen has reached a tentative agreement with CSX for locomotive engineers. If ratified, it would run through Dec. 31, 2029. [BLET, 5-13-25]
FEDS AWARD $157-M TOWARD SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS, RAIL PROJECT: The U.S. Dept. of Transportation has fully obligated $157-million in federal funding for the final segment of the Springfield, Illinois, rail improvement project. It is designed to alleviate rail congestion in downtown Springfield by consolidating train traffic between Third and Tenth streets and constructing a series of overpasses and underpasses along the route. The funding wail also provide for building a new transportation center. [Progressive Railroading, 5-13-25]
SERRMI PRODUCTS ACQUIRES MODERN MANUFACTURING: Serrmi Products, manufacturer of enclosures and structures for the rail sector, has acquired all assets of Modern Manufacturing, now operating as a division of Serrmi. It will continue to design and produce aluminum equipment enclosures and custom-fabricated metal products from its facility in Eudora, Kansas. [Rail Market Reporter, 5-13-25]
CAPACITY CRUNCH BECKONS FROM U.S.-CHINA TRADE DEAL: Much of the volume that has been locked up over the past month will come flooding back into the market after U.S. and China agreed to significantly slash their respective tariffs for 90 days. [Journal of Commerce, 5-13-25]
SOUND TRANSIT'S DOWNTOWN REDMOND LINK EXTENSION OPENS: On May 10, Sound Transit passengers were able to take light-rail from downtown Redmond to South Bellevue, Washington, now that the 3.4-mile extension of the number 2 line is open. This includes Marymoor Village and downtown Redmond stations. [Railway Track & Structures, 5-13-25]
GEORGIA STUDYING ATLANTA-SAVANNAH HIGH SPEED RAIL OPTIONS: The Georgia Dept. of Transportation is exploring several options for high-speed rail between Atlanta and Savannah. While planning continues through 2027, a possible service opening could occur by 2035, with stations in Augusta, Athens and Macon. The department will be hosting public meetings to gather input. [Railway Track & Structures, 5-13-25]
AMTRAK'S FLORIDIAN 10 HOURS LATE ARRIVING INTO MIAMI: Amtrak's southbound Floridian originating May 10 arrived into Miami 10 hours late. According to Amtrak's on-line performance report, most of the train's en route delay was due to locomotive issues. [Amtrak, 5-13-25]
CSX LOST $1-MILLION REVENUE EACH DAY IN 1-Q AMID HURRICANE, TUNNEL WORK: Rebuilding from hurricane damage and the Howard street tunnel project cost CSX a million dollars a day in lost revenue in the first three months of the year, Sean Pelkey, chief financial officer, said at a recent conference in New York. CSX continues to rebuild its 60-mile line through eastern Tennessee and western North Carolina after hurricane Helene struck the region in Sept. 2024, and detours due to tunnel construction have impacted operations. [Freight Waves, 5-13-25]
CONSTRUCTION BEGINS ON AMTRAK MAINTENANCE FACILITY IN SEATTLE: Crews have begun building the foundation for a 100,000-square-foot maintenance facility in Seattle to support new Cascades trains as well as maintenance for long-distance trains Empire Builder and Coast Starlight. The project is expected to be finished in 2027. [Railway Track & Structures, 5-12-25]
WEEKLY AMTRAK LONG-DISTANCE TRAIN PERFORMANCE: Thirty-seven percent of Amtrak's named long-distance trains arrived at their scheduled final destination on time or earlier in the week ending May 11, 2025. The remaining trains, on average, arrived one hour and 12 minutes late. MORE.. [Bull Sheet Statistical Dept., 5-12-25]
RUSSIAN RAILWAY FREIGHT TRAFFIC DECLINING: The decline in freight traffic on the Russian railway network that has become apparent over the last year is becoming more pronounced, according to data published by Russian Railways. Just 92.9 million tons of freight moved by rail in Russia in April, a year-on-year decline of 8.6 pct and a 16-year low. [International Railway Journal, 5-12-25]
FIVE INJURED AS SEPTA TRAIN STRIKES BUMPING BLOCK AT STATION: Five people were injured after a SEPTA train crashed at the Norristown, Pa., transportation center May 11. The single-car Norristown high-speed line train collided with the bumping block at the end of the tracks at about 10 miles per hour. One of the passengers was airlifted to a hospital, and the remaining individuals had minor injuries. [RandSpear, 5-11-25]
RAIL EMPLOYEE INJURED WHEN TRAIN COLLIDES WITH VEHICLE IN K.C.: A rail employee was injured May 10 after a vehicle was driven around lowered crossing gates and collided with a remote-controlled train in Kansas City. The employee was standing on the rear platform of a train of cars being shoved. The employee was seriously injured, but the driver of the vehicle was not injured. [Kansas City Star, 5-11-25]
AMTRAK CUTTING MANAGEMENT BY 450 POSITIONS: Amtrak has cut about 450 management roles, over 10 pct of its management team, throughout layoffs and eliminating open positions. This work force adjustment, combined with other cost-saving actions, will help the company save $100-million annually, its officials said. [Progressive Railroading, 5-9-25]
UNION PACIFIC PRESIDENT TO TRANSITION TO ADVISOR: Beth Whited, Union Pacific's president, will transition to company adviser effective July 1. She will remain an adviser until early 2026. A new president to replace her has not been named. [Progressive Railroading, 5-9-25]
PORTLAND & WESTERN R.R. TO ACQUIRE TRACKAGE FROM PORT OF TILLAMOOK BAY: Genesee & Wyoming-owned Portland & Western Railroad has filed for approval to acquire about one mile of rail line near Banks, Oregon, from the Port of Tillamook Bay. [Progressive Railroading, 5-9-25]
U.K. TO SWITZERLAND HSR WORKING GROUP TO BE ESTABLISHED: A joint working group is to bring together the British and Swiss governments and rail industry experts to examine how to overcome the commercial and technical barriers to creating a direct high-speed train service between the two countries. [Railway Gazette, 5-9-25]
BNSF REDUCES TECH STAFF IN RESTRUCTURING EFFORT: BNSF has laid off a portion of its technology services staff as part of a departmental restructuring effort. The cuts are believed to have affected between 140 and 175 workers. The company noted that some positions are being repurposed or eliminated, and a reduced reliance on contractors and third-party vendors over time. [Freight Waves, 5-9-25]
BLET, WNYP REACH TENTATIVE FIVE-YEAR LABOR PACT: The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen has reached a tentative five-year agreement with the Western New York & Pennsylvania Railroad. If approved by the membership, the agreement will run through 2030. [BLET, 5-8-25]
MANY COMMUTER RAIL SYSTEMS STILL STRUGGLE POST-PANDEMIC: The U.S. Government accountability office has reported that many commuter rail systems are still struggling post-pandemic. Although a number of workers are now returning to their offices, rail demand has not bounced back to pre-pandemic levels, and travel patterns may be shifting. Commuter rare revenue was down 31 pct overall in FY-2023 compared to FY-2019. [Railway Track & Structures, 5-8-25]
CONNECTING TRACK ADDED AT WEST HARBOUR STATION IN ONTARIO: Starting May 17, all Metrolinx passenger trains on the Lakeshore West GO line in the Niagara Falls area of Ontario will begin stops at the West Harbour GO Transit station. The new stop is the result of a new connecting track that will enable trains to travel directly through the station rather than back in and return to the main line. Riders will now have four more train trips on weekdays and six more on weekends. [Progressive Railroading, 5-8-25]
PRESIDENT TRUMP PLANS TO ELIMINATE FUNDING FOR CALIF. HSR PROJECT: President Trump has announced that he will eliminate funding for the California High-Speed Rail project. One of his concerns is cost overruns. Initially, the entire project was to cost $40-billion. But over time it increased to $89-billion, then to $128-billion. Meanwhile, there is active construction along 119 miles in the Central Valley, and design and pre-construction activities are underway on the extensions in Merced Bakersfield, totaling 171 miles. [Railway Track & Structures, 5-7-25]
AMTRAK OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL INVESTIGATES HEALTH CARE FRAUD BY EMPLOYEES: Amtrak's office of inspector general has issued an investigative report detailing a widespread scheme in which at least 119 employees conspired with New York health care providers to bilk Amtrak's of more than $12-million from 2019 to 2022. A dozen employees have already been criminally charged, seven have pleaded guilty with sentences pending, 28 resigned or retired as a result of the investigation, and 30 left the company for other reasons. Findings on remaining active employees have been given to Amtrak for further action. The scheme involved cash kickbacks from three health care providers in exchange for the use of their insurance information. [Railway Track & Structures, 5-7-25]
NORFOLK SOUTHERN TRAINS OPERATING AGAIN ON BERRY BRANCH IN ALABAMA: Norfolk Southern has announced its trains are now operating on the Berry branch in Alabama. The railroad has invested over $200-million in upgrades. Along with increasing capacity, it has expanded sidings and enhanced its crossings. [Railway Track & Structures, 5-7-25]
EAST RIVER TUNNEL PROJECT DELAYED UNTIL MAY 23: Amtrak's eastbound reroute project, which was already six months behind schedule, is once again experiencing delays and will not be completed on schedule. Because of this, the planned closure of the East River tunnel first tube will need to be delayed, and Amtrak is working to move the beginning of construction to May 23. [Railway Track & Structures, 5-7-25]
CSX PROVIDES TABLES TO TRAIN, ENGINE CREWS: More than 8,000 train and engine employees across the CSX network are now equipped with iPads, providing tools to support their on-duty job functions. They are equipped with custom technology to enable distraction-free access to the CSX T&E portal and other essential work applications during duty hours. The rollout reached more than 260 work sites. [Progressive Railroading, 5-7-25]
WEEKLY U.S. RAIL FREIGHT TRAFFIC REPORT: U.S. railroads originated 498,693 carloads and intermodal units in the week ending May 3, 2025, up 7.6 pct compared with the corresponding week last year. Calculated separately, carloads were up 5.6 pct, and intermodal was up 9.4 pct. [Assn. of American Railroads, 5-7-25]
AAR SEEKS REPEAL OF FEDERAL TWO-PERSON CREW RULE: The biggest U.S, railroads are asking the Trump administration to repeal the federal rule requiring two-person crews on freight trains. The trade group Association of American Railroads, representing six Class-I railroads, terms the rule 'an unsubstantiated mandate' that conflicts with goals of regulatory reform, technological advancements, and data-driven rule-making. The filing marks a resumption of the carriers' campaign for single-person crews, which they say have been successfully implemented by many smaller railroads. [Freight Waves, 5-7-25]
NEW LEASE AGREEMENT FOR MOFFAT TUNNEL SIGNED: A new lease agreement was signed May 5 for use of Moffat Tunnel in Colorado, replacing its original 1926 lease. It includes a 25-year access agreement ensuring continued freight and passenger operations through the 6.2-mile tunnel. Included is access for the future Mountain Passenger Rail, and finalizes the purchase and sale of the Burnham lead line that will unlock transit-oriented development potential for the Burnham Yard property. Progressive Railroading, 5-6-25]
PAUL DUNCAN NAMED CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER OF CANDO RAIL & TERMINALS: Cando Rail & Terminals has announced the appointment of Paul Duncan as chief operating officer. He was most recently Norfolk Southern's executive vice-president and chief operating officer. He will succeed Steve Bromley, who plans to retire at the end of the year. [Progressive Railroading, 5-6-25]
WEEKLY AMTRAK LONG-DISTANCE TRAIN PERFORMANCE: Thirty-four percent of Amtrak's named long-distance trains arrived at their scheduled final destination on time or earlier in the week ending May 4, 2025. The remaining trains, on average, arrived one hour and six minutes late. MORE.. [Bull Sheet Statistical Dept., 5-5-25]
BNSF REPORTS 1-Q EARNINGS: BNSF's pretax profit increased 5.5 pct in the first-quarter to $1.6-billion, and revenue increased 0.6 pct to $5.67-billion. Net income rose 6.2 pct to $1.2-billion. Railway operating ratio was 67.9 pct, a 1.6-pct improvement compared to last year's first-quarter, as expenses fell 1.7 pct. [Freight Waves, 5-5-25]
NJ TRANSIT DRAFTS PLAN FOR POTENTIAL MAY 16 STRIKE: New Jersey Transit has released a contingency plan for a potential strike by locomotive engineers. It calls for adding limited capacity to existing New York commuter bus routes near rail stations and contracting private carriers to run buses from key locations during peak travel periods. Unless there is a settlement, a strike could begin May 16. [Progressive Railroading, 5-5-25]
PSR EXACERBATES CARGO THEFT, BLET CLAIMS: Eddie Strom, president of a Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen local in Tucson, Arizona, recently testified at a Congressional discussion, saying that excessive train length under the precision scheduled railroading model has contributed to the growth in train cargo thefts. According to the Association of American Railroads, train cargo thefts in 2024 increased 40 pct over 2023. He also said that PSR-driven job cuts of carmen and railroad police have made it more difficult for railroads to respond to raids by thieves. [Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen, 5-5-25]
SOUTHWEST CHIEF 10 & ONE-HALF HOURS LATE INTO CHICAGO: Amtrak's eastbound Southwest Chief was ten and one-half hours late arriving into Chicago the early morning of May 5. According to Amtrak's on-line disruption report, the train had been delayed en route by 'mechanical assessment' and resulting hours of service issues with crews. [Amtrak, 5-5-25]
BLET, UNION R.R. OF PITTSBURGH REACH TENTATIVE LABOR PACT: The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen has reached a tentative agreement with the Union Railroad of Pittsburgh governing pay, benefits and work rules. If approved by members, it will run through July 2028. [BLET, 5-2-25]
FORMER AMTRAK OFFICIAL INDICTED ON CHARGES OF FRAUD, BRIBERY: Richard Thompson, a 57-year-old former director of network planning and engineering with Amtrak, has been indicted on charges of fraud and bribery in an alleged scheme to take kickbacks from companies seeking consulting and computer-related services. It is alleged that from about 2015 through 2021, he engaged in schemes with each of three companies which were vendors in the Amtrak contracting process. [Railway Track & Structures, 5-2-25]
UNION PACIFIC UNVEILS ABRAHAM LINCOLN LOCOMOTIVE: Union Pacific on April 30 unveiled its newest locomotive, No. 1616, paying tribute to President Abraham Lincoln. It was he who signed the Pacific Railway Act in 1862. [Railway Age, 5-1-25]
APRIL 2025 AMTRAK LONG-DISTANCE TRAIN PERFORMANCE: Forty-three percent of Amtrak's named long-distance trains arrived at their scheduled final destination on time or earlier in April 2025. The remaining trains, on average, arrived one hour and 12 minutes late. MORE.. [Bull Sheet Statistical Dept., 5-1-25]
CN REPORTS 1-Q RESULTS: Canadian National reported revenues in the first-quarter grew by $111-million to $3.18-billion, a 4 pct increase. Operating income rose by $46-million to $1.2-billion, a 4 pct improvement. Revenue ton miles saw a 1 pct increase to 60 billion. [Freight Waves, 5-1-25]
LEGISLATION INTRODUCED TO INCREASE SHORT-LINE R.R. TAX CREDIT: Legislation introduced in the U.S. Senate seeks to modernize the short-line railroad maintenance tax credit that has driven more than $8-billion in private spending for short-line infrastructure since 2005. That credit covers 40 cents of every dollar of qualified track expenditures, capped at $3,500 per mile. The new legislation would raise the credit to $6,100 per mile. [Freight Waves, 5-1-25]
TWO MORE UNIONS RATIFY BARGAINING CONTRACTS WITH CSX: CSX on April 30 announced the Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen and the Brotherhood of Boilermakers have ratified new five-year collective bargaining agreements with the company. CSX now has ratified contracts with 13 unions accounting for 54 pct of its unionized work force. [Progressive Railroading, 5-1-25]
CPKC REPORTS 1-Q RESULTS: Canadian Pacific Kansas City has announced first-quarter 2025 revenues of $3.8-billion, diluted EPS of 97 cents, and core adjusted diluted EPS of $1.06. Reported operating ratio decreased to 65.3 pct from 67.4 pct. [CPKC, 4-30-25]
WEEKLY U.S. RAIL FREIGHT TRAFFIC REPORT: U.S. railroads originated 502,105 carloads and intermodal units in the week ending April 26, 2025, up 5.5 pct compared with the corresponding week last year. Calculated separately, carloads were up 9.0 pct, and intermodal was up 2.6 pct. [Assn. of American Railroads, 4-30-25]
N.Y. GOVERNOR ASKS AMTRAK TO CONSIDER 'REPAIR-IN-PLACE' FOR EAST RIVER TUNNEL REHAB: New York's governor is urging Amtrak to reevaluate its plans to shut down the East River tunnels for its rehab project. Instead, she asked that it shift to a 'repair-in-place' method, overnight and on weekends, to mitigate passenger service disruptions. [Railway Track & Structures, 4-30-25]
CUMBERLAND & KNOX R.R. TO RESTART SERVICE ON ROCKLAND BRANCH: Cumberland & Knox Railroad will restart operations on the Rockland branch on the southern Maine coast. The railroad will serve longtime branch customer Dragon Cement Products of Thomaston, which is resuming rail freight transportation. [Freight Waves, 4-30-25]
NORFOLK SOUTHERN TESTING CARBON-CAPTURING RAIL CAR: Norfolk Southern is piloting what it says is the rail industry's first carbon-capturing rail car, working with Remora, which retrofits locomotives and trucks with zero-backpressure carbon capture. The project places a tender car behind a locomotive to scrub emissions, preventing them for entering the atmosphere. The technology is built to capture 70 pct of carbon dioxide and reduce other air pollutants by 90 pct, but not affecting the train's power. [Progressive Railroading, 4-29-25]
HOTEL-THEME DELUXE TRAIN PRODUCED FOR CHINA'S HENAN PROVINCE: Chinese companies have produced a hotel train themed on the Yellow River which will take tourists to scenic destinations in Henan province. There are 14 sleeping cars with two, three or four berth compartments, a dining car, a multifunctional car and a staff car. The train is intended to act as a mobile exhibition of the province's history. [Railway Gazette, 4-29-25]
POWER OUTAGES DISRUPT TRAVEL IN SPAIN, PORTUGAL: Widespread power outages across Spain and Portugal on April 28 severely disrupted travel, affecting train networks, underground railways and airports. Train services in Spain were halted, causing chaos for travelers. [Rail Business Daily, 4-29-25]
FREIGHT CAR AMERICA RECEIVES $141-M IN 1-Q ORDERS: FreightCar America has received total orders valued a $141-million, representing 1250 rail cars, during the quarter ending March 31. These orders reflect ongoing demand for the company's offerings. [Progressive Railroading, 4-28-25]
WEEKLY AMTRAK LONG-DISTANCE TRAIN PERFORMANCE: Forty-nine percent of Amtrak's named long-distance trains arrived at their scheduled final destination on time or earlier in the week ending April 27, 2025. The remaining trains, on average, arrived one hour and four minutes late. MORE.. [Bull Sheet Statistical Dept., 4-27-25]
AMTRAK'S CARDINAL TERMINATED EN ROUTE IN INDIANAPOLIS: Amtrak's westbound Cardinal on April 26 was annulled beyond Indianapolis following its nearly eight-hour arrival at that location, having been delayed en route by locomotive trouble. Passengers traveling further were transported by bus. [Amtrak, 4-26-25]
'MARDI GRAS' IS NAME FOR NEW NEW ORLEANS-MOBILE AMTRAK SERVICE: Amtrak on April 24 announced the new train service between New Orleans and Mobile will be called the Mardi Gras service. The route will feature morning and evenings departures from both cities. A specific start-up date has not yet been announced. [Progressive Railroading, 4-25-25]
GROUND BROKEN FOR NEW RIVER VALLEY AMTRAK SERVICE: Officials on April 24 broke ground on the $265.4-million Virginia Passenger Rail Authority New River Valley rail project in Christianburg. The project will extend Amtrak service from Roanoke to Christiansburg for the first time since 1979. [Progressive Railroading, 4-25-25]
CALIF. HSR AUTHORITY COMPLETES WHITLEY AVE. UNDERPASS PROJECT: The California High-Speed Rail Authority has completed the underpass at Whitley Avenue, east of Corcoran in Kings County, making it the second rail structure the authority has completed so far this year. Over 170 miles of the project from Merced to Bakersfield are under design and construction. [Railway Track & Structures, 4-25-25]
NICKEL PLATE STEAM LOCOMOTIVE 765 RETURNS FOR STEAM IN THE VALLEY EVENT: Nickel Plate steam locomotive 765 has returned to Independence, Ohio, for the Steam in the Valley event to be held April 25-27 and May 2-4 by Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad. The engine, owned by the Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society, made its journey on April 22 via Norfolk Southern and Wheeling & Lake Erie. [Railway Age, 4-24-25]
UNION PACIFIC REPORTS 1-Q RESULTS: CSX said net income for the first-quarter was $1.6-billion or $2.70 per diluted share, basically flat from the year before. Operating income of $6-billion was flat on 7 pct volume growth and solid pricing gains offset by business mix, reduced fuel surcharge revenue and the impact from leap year in 2024. [Freight Waves, 4-24-25]
BLET PRESIDENT EDDIE HALL ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT: Eddie Hall is retiring as national president of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen effective May 1. Mark Wallace, first vice-president, will assume the office of national president, and vice-president Gary Best will elevate to first vice-president. [BLET, 4-24-25]
SPEED RESTRICTIONS ON THREE DENVER COMMUTER RAIL LINES LIFTED: Denver's Regional Transport District has eliminated speed restrictions on its D, H and R lines, and will complete needed maintenance work on the A line between the airport and Union Station from April 26 to May 8. [Railway Track & Structures, 4-24-25]
IRON MINE IN UTAH CLOSES, IMPACTING RAILROADS: Citing the recent tariff situation with China, an iron ore mine in Utah closed so suddenly that nearly 200 workers found out on social media that they no longer had jobs. The mine had supplied Chinese steelmakers with iron ore. The closure will have a ripple effect on Union Pacific and Pacific Harbor Line. [Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen, 4-24-25]
CHINESE LOCOMOTIVES BEING DELIVERED TO MOZAMBIQUE: CRRC Ziyang has begun delivering six-axle SDD1 diesel locomotives to Mozambique's state-owned rail and port authority. [Railway Gazette, 4-24-25]
WEEKLY U.S. RAIL FREIGHT TRAFFIC REPORT: U.S. railroads originated 496,053 carloads and intermodal units in the week ending April 19, 2025, up 4.5 pct compared with the corresponding week last year. Calculated separately, carloads were up 3.4 pct, and intermodal was up 5.4 pct. [Assn. of American Railroads, 4-23-25]
NORFOLK SOUTHERN REPORTS 1-Q EARNINGS: Norfolk Southern's first-quarter railway operating revenues of $3-billion were down $11-million compared with the same quarter in 2024. Income from railway operations was $1.1-billion, an increase of $933-million. Operating ratio was 61.7 pct compared with 92.9 pct last year. Diluted EPS was $3.31, up from 23 cents, when the company agreed to a $600-million settlement following the 2023 derailment and fire in East Palestine, Ohio. [Freight Waves, 4-23-25]
NEW SWITCHING RAILROAD OPENS IN INDIANA: The Mount Vernon Railroad opened April 22 serving the Ports of Indiana-Mount Vernon. It will coordinate rail connections and assemble outbound trains for interchange with the Evansville Western Railway, which provides direct access to BNSF, CSX, Norfolk Southern and Union Pacific. [Progressive Railroading, 4-23-25]
AMTRAK'S N.J. DOCK BRIDGE REHAB PROJECT SCALED BACK, CUTTING COST: Amtrak's New Jersey Dock Bridge rehabilitation project will be scaled back to lower costs and reduce its time of completion by nearly two years. The process will shave $140-million off the original $375-million cost by removing 'unnecessary aesthetic costs,' such as enhanced lighting and deferring rehab work on structural elements still having a useful life. [Progressive Railroading, 4-23-25]
AMTRAK'S LATROBE, GREENSBURG STATIONS IN PA. GETTING UPGRADES: Improvement and repair projects at Amtrak's Latrobe and Greensburg stations in western Pennsylvania are beginning. Both date to the early 1900's and are served by the Pennsylvanian route. [Progressive Railroading, 4-22-25]
N.Y. SUBWAY MAP RESTYLED: The New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority has introduced a redesigned network map. The first such full redesign since 1979, it comprehends a more diagrammatic style, designed to help simplify wayfinding, with lines shown either on a rectilinear grid or at 45 degrees, instead of the previous flowing curves and irregular geometry. [Railway Gazette, 4-22-25]
SUPREME COURT DECLINES TO HEAR CSX'S ANTITRUST SUIT OVER ACCESS TO NORFOLK PORT: The U.S. Supreme Court has declined to hear CSX's bid to revive its antitrust lawsuit accusing Norfolk Southern of restricting access to Norfolk International Terminals. The court rejected an appeal to a lower court's ruling that it sued too late, missing a four-year window to bring claims for antitrust law violations. [Railway Age, 4-21-25]
WEEKLY AMTRAK LONG-DISTANCE TRAIN PERFORMANCE: Forty-five percent of Amtrak's named long-distance trains arrived at their scheduled final destination on time or earlier in the week ending April 20, 2025. The remaining trains, on average, arrived one hour and seven minutes late. MORE.. [Bull Sheet Statistical Dept., 4-21-25]
FORMER PITTSBURGH RAIL CORRIDOR TO BECOME TRAIL: A former 3.6-mile rail corridor will be transformed into a trail that stretches across the Allegheny River from Pittsburgh to Aspinwall, Pa. The Redevelopment Authority of Allegheny County has completed acquisition of the Brilliant Branch line from the Allegheny Valley Railroad, and the trail will connect neighborhoods to Aspinwalls' Allegheny River Trail Park, and ultimately to the Allegheny Shores development in Sharpsburg. Officials say the trail will also link to the Three Rivers Heritage Trail into downtown Pittsburgh. [Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 4-19-25]
MAN CHARGED WITH BRINGING WEAPONS ABOARD AMTRAK TRAIN IN N.J.: A 34-year-old Florida man has been indicted for having a 'small arsenal' of weapons on an Amtrak train in Trenton, N.J. Authorities found a handgun with a loaded 18-round magazine an AR-style magazine, and an AK47-style rifle with multiple loaded magazines, silencers, and a booby-trapped rifle that discharged during his arrest. [700wlw, 4-19-25]
U.S. DOT TO ASSUME CONTROL OVER N.Y. PENN STATION RECONSTRUCTION: The U.S. Dept. of Transportation will be asserting federal control over the Penn Station reconstruction project in New York City, replacing the Metropolitan Transportation Authority as project lead. Amtrak, backed by USDOT, will take over management of the project that USDOT deemed 'critical.' [Rail Passengers Assn., 4-18-25]
FEDS CANCEL TEXAS HIGH-SPEED RAIL PROJECT GRANT: The U.S. Dept. of Transportation has canceled a $63.9-million grant awarded to Amtrak toward the Texas high-speed rail corridor, previously known as the Texas Central railway project, comprehending a bullet-train running between Dallas and Houston. The grant funding will now be allocated to other rail projects. Meanwhile, the main investor to the project, who has bought out the previous Japanese interest in the project, still intends pursue the project using Japanese Shinkansen technology. [Railway Gazette, 4-17-25]
RAILROAD RETIREMENT BOARD FIELD OFFICES TO REMAIN OPEN: The Railroad Retirement Board has been advised that an earlier decision to close upwards of 40 field offices has been reversed, and that the nine offices that had their leases scheduled to be terminated will stay open. The decision will ensure that 680,000 active and retired rail employees and their families will continue to receive in-person services. [Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen, 4-17-25]
CSX REPORTS 1-Q RESULTS: CSX has announced first-quarter operating income of $1.04-billion, compared with $1.34-billion in the prior year quarter. Net income was $646-million or 34 cents per diluted share, compared with $880-million or 45 cents per diluted share. Revenue totaled $3.42-billion, decreasing 7 pct year-over-year, as declines in coal revenue, fuel surcharge, and merchandise volume were only partially offset by the effects of higher merchandise pricing and growth in intermodal traffic. [CSX, 4-16-25]
CSX COMPLETES UPGRADE TO CUMBERLAND, MD., YARD: CSX on April 15 announced it has completed its upgrade to its Cumberland yard in Maryland, doubling its switching capacity, removing its hump, and replacing it with a new lead. Additional yard upgrades are underway at CSX facilities in Avon, Indiana; Montgomery, Alabama; Hamlet, N.C.; and Walbridge, Ohio. [Progressive Railroading, 4-16-25]
WEEKLY U.S. RAIL FREIGHT TRAFFIC REPORT: U.S. railroads originated 491,908 carloads and intermodal units in the week ending April 12, 2025, up 5.4 pct compared with the corresponding week last year. Calculated separately, carloads were up 4.3 pct, and intermodal was up 6.3 pct. [Assn. of American Railroads, 4-16-25]
D.C. METRO TO DELAY FURTHER ATC IMPLEMENTATION BEYOND RED LINE: The Washington Metrorail Safety Commission has directed D.C. Metro to stall its expansion of automatic train control beyond the Red line for the time being. The Red line's ATC reactivation occurred in Dec. 2024. [Railway Track & Structures, 4-16-25]
STEAM LOCOMOTIVE IN U.K. FITTED WITH TRAIN-CONTROL SYSTEM: Hitachi Rail's European train-control system has been fitted onto historic Peppercorn class A1 Tornado 60163, said to be the first steam locomotive in the world to operate on a digital signaling route. [Progressive Railroading, 4-16-25]
COAST STARLIGHT DELAYED 11 HOURS BY DISABLED FREIGHT TRAIN: Amtrak's southbound Coast Starlight was delayed 11 hours overnight April 15-16 between Eugene and Chemult, Oregon, due to a disabled freight train blocking the route. [Amtrak, 4-15-25]
BLET MEMBERS AT N.J. TRANSIT REJECT TENTATIVE CONTRACT OFFER: Locomotive engineers at New Jersey Transit, represented by the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen, have rejected a tentative contract offer with the commuter agency. The rejection sets the clock for self-help where engineers are permitted to strike of be locked out as soon as May 15. [BLET, 4-15-25]
SEPTA RELEASES BUDGET PROPOSAL CUTTING SERVICES, INCREASING FARES: The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority has released a budget proposal that would require a 45 pct cut in services, significant fare increases, work force reductions, and a 9 P.M. curfew on all rail services to address a budget deficit in FY-2026. [Progressive Railroading, 4-14-25]
U.K. TO ABANDON PRIVATIZATION OF PASSENGER RAIL: While the current U.S. administration is talking of privatizing passenger rail, the British will begin nationalizing its passenger rail next month after decades of failed privatization. British rail unions welcome the change. Railways will now be run as a public service, not for private profit, said the general secretary of the country's locomotive engineers' union. [Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen, 4-14-25]
KENTUCKY AWARDS GRANT TOWARD 580-FOOT RAIL SPUR IN MADISON COUNTY: Pittsburgh Glass Works has been awarded a $1.4-million Kentucky state grant toward construction of a 580-foot spur line in Madison County which will connect to CSX and improve rail car storage capacity. [Railway Track & Structures, 4-14-25]
YARDMASTERS, BNSF REACH TENTATIVE FIVE-YEAR AGREEMENT: BNSF yardmasters represented by SMART-YM reached a tentative five-year collective bargaining agreement on April 11. If ratified, the agreement would cover about 320 yardmasters and bring the percentage of BNSF's work force covered under agreements to 42 pct. [Progressive Railroading, 4-14-25]
WEEKLY AMTRAK LONG-DISTANCE TRAIN PERFORMANCE: Forty-two percent of Amtrak's named long-distance trains arrived at their scheduled final destination on time or earlier in the week ending April 13, 2025. The remaining trains, on average, arrived one hour and 16 minutes late. MORE.. [Bull Sheet Statistical Dept., 4-14-25]
METRO-NORTH HUDSON LINE CLIMATE CHANGE, FLOODING PROTECTION PLANS ANNOUNCED: Plans have been announced to protect the Metro-North Hudson line from the future effects of climate change, stormwater runoff and flooding. It is a blueprint to rebuild critical infrastructure, such as culverts, drainage, retaining walls, slopes and shorelines. Focus is on a 20-mile stretch between Riverdale and Croton-Harmon, but will also include guidance on the best course of action to protect the entire line. [Railway Track & Structures, 4-11-25]
STOCKTON, CALIF., RAIL BOTTLENECK ISSUE TO BE ADDRESSED: The San Joaquin Council of Governments in California has approved $14-million in funding for its Stockton diamond grade separation project. It seeks to resolve bottleneck issues at the intersection of BNSF and Union Pacific lines south of downtown. The project will provide better efficiency and improve on-time performance for Altamont Corridor Express and Amtrak San Joaquins trains. [Railway Track & Structures, 4-11-25]
D.C METRO APPROVES FY-26 BUDGET: The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority's board has approved a $4.9-billion capital and operating budget that the agency says will improve service while not raising fares. [Railway Age, 4-11-25]
LEGISLATION WOULD ADDRESS CARGO THEFT ON RAILROADS: Legislation introduced April 10 in the U.S. Senate would create a coordinated federal response to a rising wave of cargo thefts, many of which target freight in containers carried in double-stack trains. The bill would enhance federal law enforcement tools and establish a centralized center that would bring together federal, state, local law enforcement, and railroad police to counter organized theft operations. [Freight Waves, 4-11-25]
NORFOLK SOUTHERN COMPLETED $1-B IN IMPROVEMENTS IN 2024: Norfolk Southern's engineering teams completed $1-billion worth of infrastructure improvements along its system in 2024, including the replacement of 43 bridges. More than 5000 employees worked over one million collective hours and reached more than 50 consecutive days without a reportable injury. [Progressive Railroading, 4-11-25]
SEIMENS CEO OF RAIL INFRASTRUCTURE DIES IN HUDSON RIVER HELICOPTER CRASH: Agustin Escobar, CEO of rail infrastructure at Siemens Mobility, along with his wife and three children, and the pilot were killed when a sightseeing helicopter crashed into the Hudson River on April 10. His wife was global commercialization manager at Siemens Energy. [Railway Gazette, 4-11-25]
PROGRESS RAIL TO MODERNIZE, SUPPORT LOCOMOTIVES IN EGYPT: Egyptian National Railways has awarded Progress Rail long-term contracts to modernize 100 AA22T diesel locomotives and provide technical services and parts support for a total of 141 locomotives for up to 15 years. [Railway Gazette, 4-11-25]
BLET MEMBERS RATIFY QUALIFY-OF-LIFE AGREEMENT WITH BELT RWY OF CHICAGO: For the first time, Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen members will have paid sick days and access to the company's 401k program under a new quality-of-life agreement with the Belt Railway of Chicago ratified late last month. [BLET, 4-10-25]
WEEKLY U.S. RAIL FREIGHT TRAFFIC REPORT: U.S. railroads originated 500,584 carloads and intermodal units in the week ending April 5, 2025, up 11.2 pct compared with the corresponding week last year. Calculated separately, carloads were up 8.5 pct, and intermodal was up 13.6 pct. [Assn. of American Railroads, 4-9-25]
CONSTRUCTION BEGINS ON FINAL TUNNEL SEGMENT OF EGLINTON CROSSTOWN WEST EXTENSION: Ontario has begun construction of the last tunnel segment of the Eglinton Crosstown West extension. The 5.6-mile line will provide service to seven additional stations and provide transit access to over 37,500 people. [Railway Track & Structures, 4-9-25]
SIERRA NORTHERN RWY COMPLETES TESTING OF HYDROGEN-FUELED SWITCHING LOCOMOTIVE: Sierra Northern Railway has completed testing of the first four-axle, hydrogen-fueled, zero-emission switching locomitve in West Sacramento. The test proved that short lines can retire pre-Tier 0 to Tier 4 diesel locomotives and replace them with a hydrogen-powered units. [Progressive Railroading, 4-9-25]
GREENBRIER COS. REPORT 2-Q RESULTS: The Greenbrier Cos. reported results for its second-quarter ending Febr. 28, posting net earnings of $52-million or $1.56 per diluted share on revenue of $762-million. Greenbrier reported lease fleet utilization of 98 pct, and it ordered 3100 fleet units. [Progressive Railroading, 4-9-25]
STATES SEEK TO EMULATE VA. PASSENGER RAIL EXPANSION MODEL: Virginia is making progress with its passenger rail investment, which will see the number of passenger trains operating within the state double from the year 2019 to 2030. The current priority is completing a series of upgrades to the former RF&P main line between Washington and Richmond, used by both Amtrak and Virginia Railway Express. Virginia has a close collaboration with North Carolina, which is also investing a lot of their money by adding new infrastructure. Other states interested are Tennessee and Ohio, which do not yet have state-supported rail services. [Railway Gazette, 4-9-25]
ONE DEAD AS AUTO PLUNGES FROM OVERPASS, GETS PINNED BETWEEN WALL AND TRAIN: At least one person died April 8 after a car drove off of a highway overpass and landed on train tracks in Lone Tree, Colorado, causing a crash with a light-rail train, pinning the car between the train and a wall. [Denver Post, 4-8-25]
ITALIAN OPERATOR PLANS HSR SERVICE BETWEEN PARIS AND LONDON: Italian national railway FS Group has announced plans to begin a high-speed train service connecting Paris and London through the Channel Tunnel by 2029. This is the latest operator to announce a proposal to compete with Eurostar. Plans are also being developed by Gemini and Virgin. [Railway Gazette, 4-8-25]
RED RIVER VALLEY & WESTERN R.R. JOINS BNSF'S SHORT LINE SELECT PROGRAM: BNSF has announced that the Red River Valley & Western Railroad has joined BNSF's short line select program. The short line serves more than 70 customers along over 500 miles of track in southeast North Dakota. Other short lines that have joined the program are Alabama & Gulf Coast, Portland & Western, Burlington Junction, and Texas Northwestern. [Progressive Railroading, 4-8-25]
N.C., VA. STATIONS AMTRAK'S BUSIEST IN SOUTHEAST: North Carolina and Virginia passenger rail stations are among Amtrak's busiest in the U.S. Southeast, with multiple departures and flexible service boosting ridership. In FY-2024, the busiest were Richmond, Alexandria, Lorton, Norfolk, Charlotte and Raleigh. [Progressive Railroading, 4-8-25]
CPKC NAMES BRETT REYNOLDS, TRACK FOREMAN, RAILROADER OF THE YEAR: Canadian Pacific Kansas City has named track maintenance foreman Brett Reynolds the company's 2025 Railroader of the Year. With 36 years of service, he exemplifies what it means to be a railroader - working though snow, wind and sub-zero temperatures on the Maple Creek subdivision in Saskatchewan - he leads by example to keep trains moving safely, BNSF said. [Progressive Railroading, 4-8-25]
CANADIAN ARBITRATOR AWARDS CN TEAMSTERS MEMBERS TERMS OF NEW THREE-YEAR CONTRACT: Teamsters Canada Rail Conference received an arbitrator's decision regarding the terms of its new collective agreement with Canadian National. It closely resembles the status quo and includes annual 3 pct wage increases. The company failed to secure any concessions related to scheduling, rest or fatigue protections, and the arbitrator emphasized that these issues are best addressed through free collective bargaining. [Teamsters Canada, 4-8-25]
AMTRAK RESTORES ALL BOREALIS, HIAWATHA, CASCADES TRAINS: All Amtrak trains on the Borealis, Hiawatha and Cascades routes have been restored. This follows the recent sidelining of 70 Horizon rail cars from those routes after inspections uncovered corrosion. [Progressive Railroading, 4-7-25]
WEEKLY AMTRAK LONG-DISTANCE TRAIN PERFORMANCE: Thirty-eight percent of Amtrak's named long-distance trains arrived at their scheduled final destination on time or earlier in the week ending April 6, 2025. The remaining trains, on average, arrived one hour and 20 minutes late. MORE.. [Bull Sheet Statistical Dept., 4-7-25]
SEVERE WEATHER IMPACTS BNSF, CSX, NORFOLK SOUTHERN: BNSF, CSX and Norfolk Southern reported service delays due to last week's severe weather causing derailments, track damage and obscurement. The carriers are still assessing their infrastructure and implementing recovery plans. A BNSF train derailed April 5 in Arkansas when a bridge it was stopped upon was washed out by floodwaters. CSX's Southwest region was hit with high winds and heavy rainfall April 3-6. Flooding caused a washout and power outages on the Memphis sub; weather-related conditions slowed traffic into and out of the CC sub and Henderson sub in Kentucky. A flash flood warning April 6 in Birmingham is impacting service. Norfolk Southern reported delays and reroutes due to storms across four states. [Progressive Railroading, 4-7-25]
MD. PURPLE LIGHT-RAIL LINE VEHICLE DYNAMIC TESTING BEGINS: The Maryland Transit Administration has begun dynamic testing of the Purple line light-rail vehicles. When it opens, the Purple line will be a 16-mile, 21-station line between Bethesda and New Carrollton. [Progressive Railroading, 4-7-25]
NORTHBOUND FLORIDIAN 14 HOURS LATE INTO TOLEDO, TERMINATED FROM THERE TO CHICAGO: Amtrak's northbound Floridian was over 14 hours late when it arrived into Toledo on April 6, and it was terminated at that point with bus transportation provided to Chicago. [Amtrak, 4-6-25]
TRAIN CARS FALL INTO RIVER FROM DAMAGED BRIDGE IN ARKANSAS: Several train cars derailed as torrential rains led to swollen rivers that wiped out a bridge in northern Arkansas early April 5, Photos from Mammoth Spring State Park showed multiple cars toppled and heavily-damaged train tracks spanning Warm Fork Spring River. [Fox Weather, 4-5-25]
CN SETS MONTHLY GRAIN MOVEMENT RECORDS IN MARCH: Canadian National last month moved more than 2.85 million metric tons of grain from western Canada and 2.98 million metric tons nationally, setting new monthly records. This follows severe weather conditions in January and February, when reduced train lengths impacted volumes. [Progressive Railroading, 4-4-25]
CSX BLUE RIDGE SUB RECOVERY UNDERWAY: CSX reports work is underway on its Blue Ridge Subdivision recovery effort following damage from hurricane Helene. Crews have been operating in the Nolichucky River to remove rail, ties and other equipment. About 60 miles of the line between Tennessee and North Carolina suffered damage. [Railway Track & Structures, 4-4-25]
GROUND BROKEN ON LIRR YAPHANK STATION: Ground was broken April 3 on a Long Island Rail Road station in Yaphank, N.Y. The new $20-million facility, a relocation of one at Ronkankoma Beach, will be closer to east end highways and Brookhaven National Laboratory research facility. The existing station dates to 1844, which will be demolished when the new station opens. [Progressive Railroading, 4-4-25]
INDIANA'S WEST LAKE CORRIDOR SET TO OPEN BY EARLY FALL: The Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District seeks to open its West Lake corridor branch to Dyer sometime in late summer or early fall. Construction if now about 96 pct complete. [Railway Track & Structures, 4-4-25]
N.Y.-PHILADELPHIA AMTRAK SERVICE SUSPENDED BY FATAL ACCIDENT IN PA.: Amtrak suspended service for about four hours late April 3 between New York and Philadelphia after one of its trains struck and killed a family of three in Bristol, Pa. [Progressive Railroading, 4-3-25]
STRONG WINDS TIP OVER RAIL CARS IN OHIO: There were no injuries when 18 intermodal rail cars tipped over in strong winds early April 3 in Washington Twp., Ohio. The train was stationary at the time, Hancock County sheriff's office said. [WTVG, 4-3-25]
OMNITRAX NAMES COLBY TANNER CEO: OmniTRAX has named Colby Tanner as its new chief executive officer effective April 15. He joins the company from BNSF where he has been a sales and marketing executive. [Progressive Railroading, 4-3-25]
NEW COMPOUND INTRODUCED TO EXTEND LIFE OF WOOD TIES: Tietan, an advanced asphalt coating to help increase wood tie longevity, has been introduced by Railway Innovation Solutions. The asphalt is applied hot to the top of the tie, where the Tietan goes into the cracks and grooves of the tie and flexes with the expansion and contraction of the wood. Once cooled, it forms a flexible membrane that bonds with solvent-based treatments, protecting against UV rays and water damage. [Railway Track & Structures, 4-3-25]
BNSF, NS PARTNER TO OFFER FASTER SERVICE FROM PACIFIC N.W. TO CHICAGO: BNSF and connecting partners Norfolk Southern and the Northwest Seaport Alliance have collaborated to redesign and develop a three-day faster service product for inland point intermodal traffic from he Pacific Northwest to Chicago. The plan encompasses the alliance building trains in fewer than two days dwell off the dock with the density to seamlessly connect to and through Chicago. [Progressive Railroading, 4-3-25]
PARIS-MILAN RAIL SERVICE RESTARTED AFTER 19 MONTHS OF REPAIR WORK: Through rail services between Paris and Milan restarted on March 31 after 19 months of work to repair landslide damage near Maurienne in Aug. 2023. Freight traffic and French regional services along the route will restart gradually. [Railway Gazette, 4-3-25]
PANAMA CANAL RAILWAY SOLD TO NEW OWNER: APM Terminals, a global terminal operator, has bought the 47.6-mile ocean-to-ocean passenger and freight Panama Canal Railway from CPKC and Lanco Group/MiJack. In a typical year, the railway handles about 300,000 containers. [Freight Waves, 4-2-25]
WEEKLY U.S. RAIL FREIGHT TRAFFIC REPORT: U.S. railroads originated 513,553 carloads and intermodal units in the week ending March 29, 2025, up 8.6 pct compared with the corresponding week last year. Calculated separately, carloads were up 7.8 pct, and intermodal was up 9.4 pct. [Assn. of American Railroads, 4-2-25]
SOUND TRANSIT TO OPEN DOWNTOWN REDMOND LINK EXTENSION IN MAY: Seattle's Sound Transit's Downtown Redmond Link light-rail extension is set to open on May 10. Two new stations will be added to the line. [Railway Track & Structures, 4-2-25]
CPKC ISSUES NOTES FOR REFINANCING AND CORPORATE PURPOSES: Canadian Pacific Kansas City has issued $600-million 4.8% notes due 2030 and $600-million 5.2% notes due 2035 to be used primarily for refinancing of outstanding debt and general corporate purposes. [Railway Gazette, 4-2-25]
TEXAS HIGH-SPEED RAIL PLAN HITS ANOTHER OBSTACLE: The Texas legislature has filed a bill that would pevent the construction of high-speed rail service between Houston and Dallas from interfering with or altering any existing roads or highways, making routing of the proposed service much more difficult. [Railway Track & Structures, 4-2-25]
BRITISH REGULATOR OPENS DOOR TO CROSS-CHANNEL COMPETITION: An independent report for Britain's rail regulator says that Eurostar's maintenance depot in East London is able to accommodate additional trains, offering encouragement to new entrants on cross-channel services. [International Railway Journal, 4-2-25]
NEW ZEALAND FUNDS NEW TRAIN FERRIES: New Zealand's rail ministry has announced that the government will fund two new inter-island train ferries, which will enter service in 2029. [International Railway Journal, 4-2-25]
MARCH 2025 AMTRAK LONG-DISTANCE TRAIN PERFORMANCE: Forty-three percent of Amtrak's named long-distance trains arrived at their scheduled final destination on time or earlier in March 2025. The remaining trains, on average, arrived one hour and 30 minutes late. MORE.. [Bull Sheet Statistical Dept., 4-1-25]
INLAND PORT GREER EXPANSION COMPLETED: South Carolina Ports Authority has marked the completion of its $55-million expansion at Inland Port Greer, designed to strengthen its statewide intermodal capabilities and connection from the Port of Charleston to inland markets. The port can now handle 300,000 rail lifts annually and meet projected customer demand through 2040. [Progressive Railroading, 4-1-25]
CHICAGO TRANSIT BREAKS GROUND ON UPGRADES AT AUSTIN STATION: The Chicago Transit Authority has broken ground on major accessibility upgrade work on the Austin Green line station. [Railway Track & Structures, 4-1-25]
ILLINOIS TO IMPLEMENT SAFETY UPGRADES AT CROSSING LOCATIONS: The Illinois Commerce Commission has approved its FY-2026-2030 crossing improvement program seeking to implement safety upgrades at more than 900 crossing locations across the state. [Railway Track & Structures, 4-1-25]
ORANGE COUNTY, CALIF., SEEKS TO EXPEDITE STABILIZATION WORK AT SAN CLEMENTE: Orange County Transportation Authority has submitted an emergency permit to allow it to expedite work to stabilize four landslide-prone areas along the rail line through San Clemente. Work on the four areas is expected to occur at different times due to the complexity of the project and the availability of contractors and material. [Railway Track & Structures, 4-1-25]
SOUTHWEST CHIEF DELAYED BY LOCOMOTIVE TROUBLE: Eastbound Southwest Chief arrived into Chicago six hours and 50 minutes late on April 1. According to Amtrak, the train's principal en route delays were because of locomotive trouble. [Amtrak, 4-1-25]
STEAM LOCOMOTIVE 80080 TO JOIN BRITAIN'S NORTH NORFOLK RWY.: Britain's North Norfolk Railway has announced that locomotive 80080 is set to join their steam locomotive fleet in late-May. Built in 1954, the engine initially work commuter runs on the London Tilbury & Southend line. It is owned by the Princess Royal Class Locomotive Trust, and has worked on a number of heritage railways since 2010. [Rail Business Daily, 4-1-25]
INVESTIGATION REPORT ON FEBR. 2024 REAR-END COLLISION IN B.C. ISSUED: The Transportation Safety Board of Canada has issued its investigation report into a Febr. 16, 2024, accident in which CPKC train 805 collided into the rear of stationary train 301 near Greely, B.C., derailing four locomotives of train 805, one of which caught fire, and four cars of train 301, one of which also caught fire. Both crew members of train 805 were injured. The investigation determined that the crew of train 805 had missed a signal indicating that the train should be prepared to stop at the next signal. This happened when the crews' attention was diverted by a call from the train dispatcher. They were then unable to stop at the next signal, and then plowed into the standing train just beyond that point. [Progressive Railroading, 4-1-25]
AMTRAK, MARC TRAINS DELAYED BY OVERHEAD POWER LINE FAILURE IN BOWIE, MD.: An overhead power line failure near Bowie State University station in Maryland caused a number of Amtrak and MARC delays between Washington and Baltimore late in the day March 31. [MARC, 3-31-25]
MBTA REOPENS WALPOLE STATION FOLLOWING ACCESSIBILITY UPGRADES: Boston's MBTA reopened its Walpole station on March 31 following accessibility upgrades. Crews installed mini-high free-standing platforms on top of the current inbound and outbound platforms. Other stations to receive similar upgrades include Concord, Wyoming Hill, Endicott and Lincoln. [Railway Track & Structures, 3-31-25]
GRAND CENTRAL 42ND STATION IMPROVEMENT PROJECT SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLETED: Skanska has announced the substantial completion of the $74.2-million circulation improvement project at the Grand Central 42nd street station in New York City. The newly-unveiled passageway creates a direct connection between the Flushing, Queens, 7 train and the 4, 5 and 6 subway lines. [Progressive Railroading, 3-31-25]
WEEKLY AMTRAK LONG-DISTANCE TRAIN PERFORMANCE: Forty-four percent of Amtrak's named long-distance trains arrived at their scheduled final destination on time or earlier in the week ending March 30, 2025. The remaining trains, on average, arrived one hour and 12 minutes late. MORE.. [Bull Sheet Statistical Dept., 3-31-25]
PUNK BAND IN OHIO RELEASES PROTEST SONG 'PRECISION SCHEDULED DISASTERS': Ohio-based progressive punk band Abertooth Lincoln has released a protest song about the East Palestine derailment and fire. Titled 'Precision Scheduled Disasters,' the song is described by Metal Planet Music as a Molotov cocktail hurled at the railroad's 'profit-driven neglect' leading to the 2023 incident. [Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen, 3-30-25]
TEXAS EAGLE EIGHT HOURS LATE INTO CHICAGO: Amtrak's northbound Texas Eagle on March 30 was eight hours late arriving into Chicago, having been delayed en route by engine trouble. [Amtrak, 3-30-25]
ONE KILLED, DOZENS INJURED AS TRAIN DERAILS IN INDIA: A 22-year-old man from Bengal was killed and more than 30 passengers were injured March 30 when 11 rail cars of an express passenger train carrying over 1000 passengers derailed near Manguli-Choudwar, India. [Times of India, 3-30-25]
R.R. SAFETY ADVISORY COMMITTEE WORKING GROUP DEACTIVATED: The Federal Railroad Administration has deactivated the Railroad Safety Advisory Committee Working Group. It had been charged with exploring industry-wide implementation of the program known as Confidential Close-Call Reporting (or C3RS). The process was to allow rail workers to confidentially report near-miss accidents and safety lapses without fear of reprisal. Freight railroads promised to join the program following the disastrous derailment and fire in East Palestine, Ohio, in 2023. But a sweeping investigative report by the New York Times exposed how freight carriers lobbied to try and weaken the system. They wanted to be allowed to discipline workers under a softened version of the program. [Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen, 3-28-25]
SOUTH JORDAN, UTAH, DOWNTOWN STATION OPENS ON TRAX RED LINE: Utah Transit Authority has opened the South Jordan downtown station on the TRAX Red line. It provides a connection to the Ballpark at America First Square. This is the third TRAX station for South Jordan. [Railway Track & Structures, 3-28-25]
PORTLAND TO IMPROVE OVERHEAD LIGHT-RAIL WIRE SYSTEM: Portland's TriMet will undertake a project to improve its overhead wire system for light-rail. Crews will replace and upgrade equipment on the MAX Blue line from April 27 to May 10. At issue is the need for wires to remain tight for trains while heat above 90 degrees causes the wires to sag due to thermal expansion. The agency has used weight stacks to keep wires tight during high temperatures, but due to record-setting temperatures over recent years, those weights stacks have been known to hit the ground. An improved process is expected to fix the situation. [Railway Track & Structures, 3-28-25]
CO-CHAIR NAMED FOR B&O MUSEUM'S CAPITAL CAMPAIGN FOR BICENTENNIAL: Brown Advisory partner and senior adviser Ben Griswold will join CSX CEO Joe Hindrichs as co-chair of the B&O Railroad Museum's $38-million capital campaign to raise funds to transform the museum's Baltimore campus in preparation for the 200th anniversary of American railroading in 2027. [Progressive Railroading, 3-28-25]
JUDGE ORDERS STRIKING SANTA CLARA VALLEY TRANPORATION WORKERS BACK TO WORK: A judge has ordered 1500 striking Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority front-line workers back to work. They have been on strike for the past 17 days at the California agency. [Progressive Railroading, 3-28-25]
SOUND TRANSIT NAMES NEW CEO: Seattle's Sound Transit has approved the hiring of Dow Constantine to serve as its CEO beginning April 1. He is the county executive of King County, Washington. [Progressive Railroading, 3-28-25]
AMTRAK MULLS CUTS TO MANAGEMENT, OTHER COST-CUTTING MEASURES: In the wake of the departure of its CEO and threats of potential privatization, Amtrak is considering cuts to management and other cost-cutting moves. [Trains Magazine, 3-28-25]
BRITAIN'S SEVERN VALLEY RWY READIES FOR RAILWAY 200 CELEBRATION: Britain's Severn Valley Railway will be joined by two distinguished locomotives for 'Trains Through the Ages' celebration of Railway 200 the weekend of July 5 and 6. LNER Peppercorn Class A1 No. 60163 will haul the railway's set of rail cars dating back to 1922, and U.K.'s HydroFLEX hydrogen-ready passenger train will also be there. [Rail Business Daily, 3-28-25]
MINING COMPANY IN BRAZIL ORDERS 50 WABTEC LOCOMOTIVES: Brazilian mining company Vale has ordered 50 Wabtec Evolution Series diesel locomotives to modernize operations and lower carbon emissions on its Vitoria a Minas and Carajas railways. [Railway Gazette, 3-28-25]
AMTRAK REMOVES 70 HORIZON RAIL CARS FROM SERVICE TO CHECK FOR CORROSION: Amtrak on March 26 removed 70 of its Horizon rail cars from service after routine inspections discovered corrosion in some of them. Removal of the cars impacts service on its Borealis, Hiawatha, Downeaster and Cascades runs. Certain trains are annulled, or reduced to fewer cars than normal. [Progressive Railroading, 3-27-25]
MARYLAND SEEKS PARTNER TO OPERATE, MAINTAIN FREIGHT LINES ON STATE'S EASTERN SHORE: The Maryland Dept. of Transportation is seeking a private partner for an anticipated 40-year lease to operate, maintain and improve about 92 miles of freight-rail corridors on the state's eastern shore. Goals will be to modernize the rail infrastructure, increase efficiency and stimulate economic growth in the region. [Progressive Railroading, 3-27-25]
JAGUAR TRANSPORT PARTNERING WITH UNION PACIFIC WITH NEW SHORT LINE IN K.C.: Union Pacific has announced a new partnership with multimodal logistics provider Jaguar Transport Holdings to enhance rail services in Kansas City, Mo. Union Pacific will lease about 12 acres and four miles of track to Jaguar to operate a new short line called Kansas City West Bottoms Railroad. [Freight Waves, 3-27-25]
OVERHEAD POWER ISSUES INTERRUPT AMTRAK N.Y.-BOSTON SERVICE: Downed power lines in New Haven, Connecticut, caused Amtrak delays between New York and Boston for several hours early March 27. Partial service was restored about 1 p.m., but residual delays followed. One Acela train was canceled. [ABC Boston, 3-27-25]
MASSACHUSETTS SOUTH COAST RAIL PROJECT PHASE 1 SERVICE BEGINS: Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority and operator Keolis Commuter Services have launched passenger services on Phase 1 of the South Coast Rail project, providing Fall River and New Bedford with trains to Boston for the first time in more than 65 years. [Railway Gazette, 3-26-25]
WEEKLY U.S. RAIL FREIGHT TRAFFIC REPORT: U.S. railroads originated 496,214 carloads and intermodal units in the week ending March 22, 2025, up 5.5 pct compared with the corresponding week last year. Calculated separately, carloads were up 4.5 pct, and intermodal was up 6.3 pct. [Assn. of American Railroads, 3-26-25]
HYUNDAI STEEL INVESTING IN A NEW UNION PACIFIC-ACCESSED FACILITY IN LOUISIANA: Hyundai Steel is investing $5.8-billion in a new steel manufacturing facility in Donaldsonville, La., to boost auto production. It will be located in the existing RiverPlex MagaPark, which offers access to Union Pacific. [Progressive Railroading, 3-26-25]
COLUMBUS & OHIO RIVER R.R. GETS STATE GRANT TOWARD SIDING EXTENSION: The Ohio Rail Development Commission has approved a $705,994 grant to Columbus & Ohio River Rail Road toward extending an existing rail siding by about 4800 feet and add a crossover. [Railway Track & Structures, 3-26-25]
MARYLAND PURPLE LINE PROGRESS REPORT: Currently 20 Maryland Purple light-rail line stations are under construction, and 67,500 feet of track has been installed. At the Glenridge operations and maintenance facility, crews continue to install the overhead catenary system poles and track switches. [Railway Track & Structures, 3-25-25]
CSX, SIGNALMEN HAVE TENTATIVE FIVE-YEAR BARGAINING PACT: CSX and the Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen have tentatively agreed to a new five-year collective bargaining pact, it was announced March 25. [Progressive Railroading, 3-25-25]
BART RESOLVES FY-26 BUDGET DEFICIT, FOLLOWING YEARS UNCERTAIN: San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District on March 24 reported eliminating what was projected to be a $35-million budget deficit for FY-2026, starting July 1, 2025. But structural deficits of $350-million to $400-million loom in the following years, unless long-term, stable funding sources can be identified. [Railway Age, 3-25-25]
ASCE GIVES U.S. RAIL INDUSTRY B-MINUS GRADE: The American Society of Civil Engineers has graded U.S. railroads a B-minus, a downgrade from the B received on the 2021 report card. For the rail industry to raise its grade, some of the recommendations made include encouraging passenger rail infrastructure investment in high-population centers, enacting public-private programs to enhance both freight and passenger service, implementing safety technologies on additional defect detection systems, and enacting renewed legislation addressing highway grade crossings, hazardous materials, rail-car inspections, and emergency response. [Progressive Railroading, 3-25-25]
BMWED WORKERS RATIFY NATIONAL RAIL CONTRACT: Over 8,700 members of the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees of the Teamsters Rail Conference have voted to approve a new contract with the National Carriers' Conference Committee. [Freight Waves, 3-24-25]
CANADA TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL FUNDING TOWARD TO QUEBEC TRANSIT PROJECTS: The Canadian government has announced an additional federal contribution of more than $1.1-billion (C) to help complete the Quebec City electric tramway and Montreal Metro Blue line extension projects. They will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and consolidate the public transit network in both cities. [Railway Track & Structures, 3-24-25]
WEEKLY AMTRAK LONG-DISTANCE TRAIN PERFORMANCE: Forty-one percent of Amtrak's named long-distance trains arrived at their scheduled final destination on time or earlier in the week ending March 23, 2025. The remaining trains, on average, arrived one hour and 46 minutes late. MORE.. [Bull Sheet Statistical Dept., 3-24-25]
AMTRAK TRAIN STRIKES, KILLS MAN IN FLORIDA: A man was struck and killed by Amtrak's southbound Floridian the afternoon of March 24 in Dover, Florida. The train was delayed several hours as a result of the incident. [WFLA, 3-24-25]
GEMINI ANNOUNCES CROSS-CHANNEL PASSENGER TRAIN AMBITIONS: Gemini Trains is the latest company to announce ambitions to begin cross-channel passenger services to compete against Eurostar. It aims to use 'brand new cutting-edge trains' and a 'fresh approach' to offer competitive fares and high-quality, frequent services. [Railway Gazette, 3-24-25]
AMTRAK'S CITY OF NEW ORLEANS ARRIVES INTO CHICAGO EIGHT HOURS LATE: Amtrak's northbound City of New Orleans was over eight hours behind schedule arriving into Chicago on March 23. According to Amtrak, its principal delay was because of mechanical issues. Between Carbondale and Chicago the train was combined with Saluti train 390, itself five and one-half hours late. [Amtrak, 3-23-25]
MBTA'S SOUTH COAST RAIL SERVICE BEGINS MARCH 24: The Federal Railroad Administration has approved Boston's MBTA rail service to Fall River and New Bedford, and the service is planned to begin on Monday, March 24. South Coast Rail will bring service to Fall River, Freetown, Middleborough, New Bedford and Taunton for the first time in 65 years. [WJAR, 3-21-25]
AMTRAK DEDICATES LOCOMOTIVE TO MARK KENNY, LATE BLET GENERAL CHAIRMAN: Amtrak on March 14 dedicated locomotive 174 in honor of the late Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen general chairman Mark B. Kenny at a ceremony in Philadelphia. He died in late 2024 after a railroad career spanning over 40 years. [BLET, 3-21-25]
UNION PACIFIC NAMES CHRISTIANA CONLIN SENIOR V.P., CORPORATE SECRETARY, CHIEF LEGAL OFFICER: Union Pacific has announced the appointment of Christiana Conlin as senior vice-president, corporate secretary and chief legal officer to replace the retiring Craig Richardson at the end of March. [Union Pacific, 3-21-25]
RIVERVIEW INDUSTRIAL PARK ACCESS IN TENNESSEE TO BE RESTORED FOLLOWING STORM DAMAGE: After sustaining damage from hurricane Helene last fall, $2.1-million has been awarded to restore access to the Riverview Industrial Park in Unicoi County, Tennessee. The project will cover eligible costs to repair over 6700 linear feet of track. [Railway Track & Structures, 3-21-25]
OMNITRAX ENTERS BATTERY-ELECTRIC LOCOMOTIVE INTO REVENUE SERVICE: OmniTRAX's Ohio-based Newburgh & South Shore Railroad has entered its first battery-electric locomotive into revenue service in the U.S. The AMPS Traction G9 locomotive operates at 1700 gross horsepower and is designed to reduce fuel consumption and emissions while maintaining the reliability required for freight operations, the company said. [Progressive Railroading, 3-21-25]
HUEY P. LONG BRIDGE IN NEW ORLEANS NEEDS EVALUATION FOR RISK OF COLLAPSE FROM VESSEL STRIKE, NTSB SAYS: The New Orleans Public Belt Railroad is among 30 bridge owners identified in a report by the National Transportation Safety Board recommending that 68 bridges in 19 states be evaluated for risk of collapse from a vessel strike. NOPB owns the Huey P. Long Bridge which supports both vehicular and rail traffic across the Mississippi River. [Progressive Railroading, 3-21-25]
BERNARD JACKSON TO BE CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER AT MTA IN N.Y.: Dallas Area Rapid Transit has announced that its senior executive vice-president and chief operations officer Bernard Jackson has accepted a position as chief operating officer at the Metropolitan Transportation Authority in New York. His last day at DART is May 2. [Progressive Railroading, 3-21-25]
UNION PACIFIC TRAIN DERAILS IN TEXAS, NO INJURIES: About 33 cars of a Union Pacific train derailed March 21 near Kent, Texas. No injuries were reported, and no hazardous materials were involved. KWES-TV, 3-21-25]
CSX TRAIN DERAILS IN CONNELLSVILLE, PA.: Three intermodal cars of a CSX train derailed late March 20 in Connellsville, Pa. One of the cars cut down a utility pole resulting in a local power outage. No injuries were reported. [KDKA, 3-21-25]
BNSF'S SOUTHERN TRANSCON IMPACTED BY EXTREME WIND CONDITIONS: BNSF's Southern Transcon has been affected by 'excessive and extended winds' often exceeding 75 MPH. The railroad said that the winds have impacted service consistency and unexpected service incidents. [Railway Track & Structures, 3-21-25]
STEPHEN GARDNER, CEO OF AMTRAK, RESIGNS: Amtrak's CEO Stephen Gardner has resigned and is leaving the organization, the railroad announced March 19. He had served with Amtrak for 16 years. No specific reason for his abrupt resignation was given, but Reuters later reported that his resignation was due to pressure from the White House. [Progressive Railroading, 3-20-25]
CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR HELD 20 HOURS IN DENVER DUE TO SEVERE WEATHER: Amtrak's eastbound California Zephyr was held in Denver for 20 hours on March 20 due to the effects of severe weather conditions and subsequent track repairs ahead. [Amtrak, 3-20-25]
AMTRAK'S CRESCENT STRIKES, KILLS MAN IN MISSISSIPPI: A 33-year-old man was struck and killed by Amtrak's Crescent in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, on March 20. [3-20-25]
LUXURY TRAIN CANYON SPIRIT ADDS SALT LAKE CITY TO SOUTHWEST ROUTE: The Canyon Spirit, formerly known as the Rocky Mountaineer, is expanding its itinerary to include Salt Lake City beginning in 2026. The new three-day journey from Denver will include overnight stops in Glenwood Springs, Colorado, and Moab, Utah. The Salt Lake City route will operate in addition to its existing two-day Rockies to the Red Rocks route between Denver and Moab. [Progressive Railroading, 3-19-25]
WEEKLY U.S. RAIL FREIGHT TRAFFIC REPORT: U.S. railroads originated 503,473 carloads and intermodal units in the week ending March 15, 2025, up 6.2 pct compared with the corresponding week last year. Calculated separately, carloads were up 3.1 pct, and intermodal was up 8.8 pct. [Assn. of American Railroads, 3-19-25]
EXPANSION OF TRAIN STATION IN WELLS, MAINE, BEGINS: Work to expand the facilities at the Wells Transportation Center in Maine has begun. Crews will replace the high-level boarding platform that is next to the building and build another platform across the tracks that will connect to an overhead pedestrian bridge. By having the second platform, Amtrak Downeaster platform can board and detrain at the same time. [Railway Track & Structures, 3-19-25]
CONSTRUCTION TO BEGIN ON HIGH-SPEED TRAINS FOR TAIWAN: Production of 12 high-speed trains ordered by Taiwan from the Hitachi Toshiba Supreme Consortium will now begin following the signing of a supplementary agreement finalizing the interior design of the new trains. [International Railway Journal, 3-19-25]
MARCH 18 NATIONAL TRANSIT EMPLOYEE APPRECIATION DAY: March 18 is National Transit Employee Appreciation Day, dedicated to those who operate and maintain U.S. public transit systems. The date was chosen to mark the day in 1662 when public buses were first introduced in France. In 2009 it was first observed as National Bus Driver Appreciation Day, but in 2014 the day was expanded to include all transit employees, including those in commuter rail. [SMART-TD, 3-18-25]
PROPOSED PASSENGER RAIL IN SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, CALIF., WOULD REQUIRE $1-B TO REPLACE BRIDGES: Officials say that in order to bring passenger rail service to Santa Cruz County, Calif., it would require replacing 28 out of 33 bridges at a cost of up to $1-billion. Most of the current bridges were installed by Southern Pacific as far back as the early 1900's. [Railway Track & Structures, 3-18-25]
UNION REPRESENTING CPKC CLERICAL, INTERMODAL EMPLOYEES IN CANADA RATIFY LABOR PACT: The union representing 600 Canadian Pacific Kansas City clerical and intermodal employees in Canada has ratified a four-year collective bargaining agreement with the railroad. The pact is the third collective agreement ratified so far this year by Canadian CPKC employees. [Progressive Railroading, 3-18-25]
FRA DELAYS PROPOSED DISPATCHER, SIGNAL EMPLOYEE CERTIFICATION RULES BY ONE YEAR: The Federal Railroad Administration has granted a one-year delay in its planned March 17 implementation of its dispatcher and signal employee certification rules. The agency is also reopening petitions for reconsideration of the rules. [Progressive Railroading, 3-18-25]
CONTRACT AWARDED TO DEVELOP, OPERATE RAIL INDUSTRIAL PARK IN LAREDO, TEXAS: Ironhorse Resources has signed a contract to develop and operate the Gateway Rail Industrial Park in Laredo, Texas. The future facility will provide short-line access to Union Pacific for tenants to support U.S.-Mexico trade. [Progressive Railroading, 3-18-25]
CURRY RAIL SERVICES OPENS RAIL CAR REPAIR FACILITY IN WYOMING: Curry Rail Services has opened a rail car repair and coatings facility in Shoshoni, Wyoming. The new site marks the third facility of the company, joining locations in Pennsylvania and Texas. [Progressive Railroading, 3-18-25]
WABTEC TO ACQUIRE DELLNER COUPLERS: Wabtec will acquire Dellner Couplers, manufacturer of equipment and services for passenger rail rolling stock. Dellner is based in Sweden, and has an 84-year history in train connections systems with facilities in 13 countries. [Freight Waves, 3-18-25]
NINE RAILROAD RETIREMENT FIELD OFFICES LISTED TO BE CLOSED: It appears that nine Railroad Retirement Board field offices may be closed later this year or the next by actions initiated by the Dept. of Government Efficiency. They include Mesa, Ariz.; Joliet, Ill.; Wichita, Kan.; Covina, Calif.; Scranton, Pa.; Jacksonville, Fla.; Cincinnati, Ohio; St. Paul, Minn.; and Altoona, Pa. [Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen, 3-18-25]
CANADIAN PORTS HAMPERING WITH INTERMODAL DELAYS, RAIL DWELL TIMES CITED: Delays are hampering intermodal operations at container ports in Canada as railroad woes hit gateways. Port of Halifax is seeing significant vessel delays due to North Atlantic weather, compounded by rail dwell time averaging 18 days. Vancouver is experiencing delays while dwell time for outbound containers is 20 to 30 days due to major rail issues. At Port of Montreal, current rail dwell is over five days, but inconsistent rail car supply is expected to take seven to 10 days to recover. [Freight Waves, 3-18-25]
WEEKLY AMTRAK LONG-DISTANCE TRAIN PERFORMANCE: Thirty-nine percent of Amtrak's named long-distance trains arrived at their scheduled final destination on time or earlier in the week ending March 16, 2025. The remaining trains, on average, arrived one hour and 37 minutes late. MORE.. [Bull Sheet Statistical Dept., 3-17-25]
COUNTY LINE RAIL ACQUIRES SABINE RIVER & NORTHERN: County Line Rail has acquired the Sabine River & Northern Railroad, a 40-mile short-line in east Texas. The acquired line runs from Bessmay to Echo, with a branch line from Buna to Evandale. It connects with CPKC, UP and BNSF. [Freight Waves, 3-17-25]
TEXAS EAGLE DELAYED TWO & ONE-HALF HOURS AWAITING RESTED CREW: Amtrak's westbound Texas Eagle of March 16 was delayed over two and one-half hours in St. Louis on availability of a rested crew. [Amtrak, 3-16-25]
CHICAGO TRANSIT TRAIN DERAILS, DISRUPTS SERVICE: A Chicago Transit train derailed Saturday afternoon March 15, disrupting service between 87th and 95th streets. The agency called the derailment 'minor,' and said no passengers were on the train when it happened. [ABC Chicago, 3-15-25]
EMPIRE BUILDER OVER EIGHT HOURS LATE INTO CHICAGO: Eastbound Empire Builder of March 12 arrived into Chicago eight hours and 40 minutes behind schedule. According to Amtrak, the train was extensively delayed en route by mechanical issues and a locomotive addition, also because of rail congestion and speed restrictions. [Amtrak, 3-15-25]
HISTORIC BRITISH TRAIN BEING RESTORED: Work has begun to restore a U.K. train bought by enthusiasts. Class 507 electric multiple-unit was one of the oldest trains on the U.K. network when it was withdrawn from service in Nov. 2024. Back in 1978, it carried Queen Elizabeth when she officially opened the Merseyrail network. The three-car train is being restored by apprentices at Alstom ahead of its transfer to the Tanat Valley Light Railway in Shropshire. [Rail Business Daily, 3-15-15]
TWO INJURED AS CSX TRAIN COLLIDES WITH ANOTHER TRAIN IN BALTIMORE: Two crew members were injured and taken to hospitals early March 14 after a train derailed when colliding with another train in CSX's Curtis Bay yard in Baltimore. A locomotive and four rail cars were derailed, according to officials. [WBFF, 3-14-25]
STB TO REVIEW PROPOSAL BY NORFOLK SOUTHERN TO ACQUIRE NORFOLK & PORTSMOUTH BELT LINE R.R.: The Surface Transportation Board on March 14 reported it will review Norfolk Southern's proposal to acquire Norfolk & Portsmouth Belt Line Railroad as a 'significant' transaction. [Railway Age, 3-14-25]
BNSF-SERVED SHUTTLE LOADING FACILITY OPENS IN WISCONSIN: ALCIVIA, a member-owned agricultural and energy cooperative, has opened a new train shuttle loading facility in Hager City, Wisconsin, on BNSF's network. With access to year-round rail shipping, ALCIVIA will have the flexibility to sell and move grain during the winter months when other terminals are closed. [Progressive Railroading, 3-14-25]
BRITISH RAIL LINE INSTALLS BIRD, BAT BOXES AT TRAIN STATIONS: Dozens of bird and bat boxes have been installed at nine of Britain's TransPennine Express stations to provide additional habitats for native wildlife. They are part of the railroad's plan to grow biodiversity at its stations and create spaces that are good for nature across its network. [Rail Business Daily, 3-14-25]
OMNITRAX IN JOINT-VENTURE TO ACQUIRE SHORT-LINE IN CALIFORNIA: OmniTRAX has entered into a joint-venture partnership with Coast Belle Rail for the acquisition of Santa Maria Valley Railroad. Santa Maria's system consists of 14.7 miles of main line track track which interchanges with Union Pacific in Guadalupe, California. [Progressive Railroading, 3-13-25]
LIRR'S MASTIC-SHIRLEY STATION RENOVATIONS COMPLETED: Renovations to Long Island Rail Road's Mastic-Shirley station on the Montauk branch have been completed. LIRR crews and Orange County Engineering Contracting worked together to perform the $7.49-million work needed at the station. [Railway Track & Structures, 3-13-25]
FREIGHTCAR AMERICA REPORTS INCREASED REVENUE, PROFIT: FreightCar America reported results for the fourth-quarter and full year ending Dec. 31, 2024, that included full-year revenue and gross profit up 56 pct and 60 pct respectively. [Railway Age, 3-13-25]
SWISS LOOKING AT ORDERING UP TO 40 HIGH-SPEED TRAIN SETS FOR INTERNATIONAL RUNS: Swiss Federal Railways is looking at ordering up to 40 high-speed train sets for use on international services to Italy and France, and potentially to Barcelona and London. [Railway Gazette, 3-13-25]
TRAIN SLAMS INTO MINIBUS IN EGYPT, KILLING EIGHT, INJURING 12: A passenger train slammed into a minibus in Egypt's Ismailia province on March 13, killing at least eight people and injuring 12. Authorities said the vehicle was crossing the tracks in an unauthorized location. [AP News, 3-13-25]
WEEKLY U.S. RAIL FREIGHT TRAFFIC REPORT: U.S. railroads originated 497,412 carloads and intermodal units in the week ending March 8, 2025, up 5.4 pct compared with the corresponding week last year. Calculated separately, carloads were up 2.6 pct, and intermodal was up 7.7 pct. [Assn. of American Railroads, 3-12-25]
GO TRANSIT BI-LEVEL COACHES TO BE REFURBISHED: The province of Ontario has awarded Ontario Northland a $350-million (C) contract to refurbish 121 GO Transit bi-level coaches used on Toronto commuter services. The work will extend their lives by 20 years. Ontario Northland is also refurbishing 13 F59 diesel locomotives that were purchased from California's Metrolink. [Railway Gazette, 3-12-25]
STRIKE AT SANTA CLARA VALLEY TRANSPORTATION: The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority on March 11 filed a legal complaint against Amalgamated Transit Union claiming that a strike that began the day before is a breach of a no-strike clause in the parties' agreement. [Progressive Railroading, 3-12-25]
AMTRAK LEASE MANAGEMENT CASE ON D.C. UNION STATION OFFICIALLY CLOSES: A judge has formally ended the case regarding the lease of the majority of the customer-facing area of Washington Union Station involving Amtrak and Rexmark. Amtrak is responsible for the day-to-day management, security, maintenance and operation of the station, including the drop-off lanes between the station and Columbus Circle. [Progressive Railroading, 3-12-25]
PATRIOT RAIL, CPKC PARTNER TO ESTABLISH TRANSLOAD FACILITY IN TEXAS: Patriot Rail and Canadian Pacific Kansas City will establish a multi-commodity transload facility on CPKC's network in Denton, Texas. Patriot Rail owns 31 short lines and three tourist railroads. [Progressive Railroading, 3-12-25]
LEAGUE OF RAILWAY WOMEN SELECT AMTRAK'S ELDIE ACHESON AS 2024 RAILWAY WOMAN OF THE YEAR: The League of Railway Women has selected Amtrak's Eldie Acheson as the 2024 Railway Woman of the Year. She served an 18-year career with Amtrak, mostly as chief legal officer. [Progressive Railroading, 3-12-25]
EMPIRE BUILDER 10 HOURS LATE INTO CHICAGO: Amtrak's Empire Builder of March 9 was over 10 hours late arriving into Chicago in the early morning of March 12. Amtrak said most of the train's en route delays were due to equipment issues. [Amtrak, 3-12-25]
RECONFIGURED CSX YARD IN CUMBERLAND, MD., IMPROVES FLUIDITY, LOCOMOTIVE UTILIZATION: CSX has completed a reconfiguration of its yard in Cumberland, Md., that nearly doubles the flat-switching capacity of the former hump yard. This allowed the former B&O main line to handle merchandise traffic between Midwest and Mid-Atlantic that had previously been routed the long way around via. Selkirk, N.Y., on the former NYC route. CSX has reduced train starts by 1000 per week, or roughly 10 pct, which has pushed locomotive utilization to the highest level since 2016. [Freight Waves, 3-11-25]
CPKC DEPLOYS HYDROGEN LOCOMOTIVE FOR MAINLINE SERVICE: Canadian Pacific Kansas City's hydrogen locomotive CP1201 and its tender, now based in Golden, B.C., have become the first high-horsepower unit to be deployed to a field location for regular mainline service. CP1201 has resumed runs in bulk service in collaboration with Elk Valley Resources as the railroad continues to test performance in challenging operating conditions. [Progressive Railroading, 3-11-25]
WINTER HAVEN, FLA., GETS STATE GRANT TO EXTEND RAIL ACCESS AT LOGISTICS PARK: Florida's governor has awarded $1.5-million to the city of Winter Haven to extend rail access within the Central Florida Integrated Logistics Park. The park is close to major thoroughfares and a dedicated CSX intermodal facility. [Progressive Railroading, 3-11-25]
COLUMBIA BASIN R.R. DONATES THREE-MILE TRACK TO ADVANCE PORT PROJECT: The Port of Moses Lake in central Washington State has accepted a three-mile track donation from Columbia Basin Railroad to advance the port's northern Columbia Basin Railroad project. The donated segment is an inactive line that will connect rail in the industrial corridor with a line to be built near the airport. [Progressive Railroading, 3-11-25]
TRANSLINK BEGINS TESTING OF NEW MARK V TRAIN SETS: British Columbia's TransLink has begun testing the first of its new Mark V train sets which will run on the Sky Train automated rapid-transit system in metro Vancouver. [Progressive Railroading, 3-11-25]
ROB GLEASON NAMED TO AMTRAK BOARD: Rob Gleason of western Pennsylvania has been named to the Amtrak Board of Directors. He has been an advocate for expanding rail service, and is a former chair of the state's Republican Party. [Pa. Capital-Star, 3-11-25]
E. JAPAN RWY FINALIZES DESIGNS OF E10 SHINKANSEN TRAINS: East Japan Railway has finalized exterior and interior designs of its planned next-generation 199-MPH E10 series Shinkansen trains incorporating new technology trialled on its Alta-X experimental trains. They are expected to enter service in 2030 and replace E2 and E5 fleets on the Tohoku line. [International Railway Journal, 3-11-25]
FRANCE SEEKS BIDS ON NEW LOCOMOTIVES, CARS FOR OVERNIGHT TRAINS: The French transport ministry has published a tender notice worth $2.3-billion seeking bids to supply new locomotives and cars for the overnight trains that form part of the TET network of long-distance services funded by the government. [International Railway Journal, 3-11-25]
AMTRAK TEASES S.W. AIRLINES OVER CHECKED BAG FEES: Southwest Airlines made waves when it announced charges to their checked bag policies, and Amtrak took a shot at the company. "Guess we're the only ones doing free baggage, now," the rail carrier said. According to Amtrak, passengers are permitted to bring one personal item less than 25 pounds up to 14x11x7 inches, and two carry-on pieces of luggage of no more than 50 pounds up to 28x22x14 inches. [NBC Chicago, 3-11-25]
NJT, BLET REACH TENTATIVE LABOR CONTRACT, AVERT STRIKE: New Jersey Transit and the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen have reached a tentative contract agreement, averting a possible locomotive engineer strike or lockout. [Railway Age, 3-10-25]
METRA ASKS STB TO REQUIRE UNION PACIFIC TO ALLOW SERVICE ON THREE LINES: Chicago's Metra has asked the Surface Transportation Board to require Union Pacific to allow Metra to continue operating on three Union Pacific lines. Metra said it was applying for terminal trackage rights since Union Pacific could terminate Metra's use on July 1. Metra claims that Union Pacific is demanding excessive rates to continue use of the lines for commuter trains. [Progressive Railroading, 3-10-25]
VIA RAIL NAMES JONATHAN GOLDBLOOM CHAIRMAN: VIA Rail Canada has appointed Jonathan Goldbloom to serve as chairman for a five-year term beginning April 12. He has been a board member since 2017 and has served on multiple VIA Rail committees. [Progressive Railroading, 3-10-25]
VIRGIN GROUP SEEKS TO RUN CROSS-CHANNEL RAIL, COMPETING WITH EUROSTAR: Virgin Group is aiming to raise funding for its plan to launch high-frequency cross-channel rail services that would compete with Eurostar. The company is seeking to become the first direct rival to Eurostar, which has run services across the English Channel for 30 years. [Rail Business Daily, 3-10-25]
WEEKLY AMTRAK LONG-DISTANCE TRAIN PERFORMANCE: Forty-nine percent of Amtrak's named long-distance trains arrived at their scheduled final destination on time or earlier in the week ending March 9, 2025. The remaining trains, on average, arrived one hour and 23 minutes late. MORE.. [Bull Sheet Statistical Dept., 3-10-25]
METRA PLANS RENAMING ITS RAIL LINES: Chicago's Metra is launching a survey and scheduling public outreach events this month to ask riders what they think of potentially renaming rail lines to make them simpler and easier to understand. Some of the current line designations are ambiguous. For example, there are two lines with 'Milwaukee' in their names, but neither of them go there. They were originally named for the now-former 'Milwaukee Road,' not for the city. Metra patrons have been asked to participate in a survey to select one of three suggested options for new line designations. [Metra, 3-10-25]
PROVIDENCE & WORCESTER TRAIN DERAILS IN WORCESTER, NO INJURIES: Six cars of a Providence & Worcester Railroad train derailed March 9 in Worcester, Mass., with two of the cars containing ethanol crashing into an industrial building. Neither cars appeared to be leaking, and the building was not damaged, officials said. No injuries were reported. [Telegram & Gazette, 3-9-25]
CAMPAIGN IN DETROIT CALLS FOR RAIL TRANSIT ALONG MICHIGAN AVE.: A new campaign called 'Bring Back the Tracks' aims to boost Detroit's transit system. The campaign raises concerns about the state's lack of attention to public transit in plans to reconstruct Michigan avenue, which is set to start next year. [Click-on Detroit, 3-9-25]
CALIFORNIA ZEPHYRS DELAYED BY BOULDER INCIDENT WITH FREIGHT TRAIN: Both east- and westbound-sections of Amtrak's California Zephyr of March 5 were extesively delayed the following day in the mountains of Colorado because a freight train came into contact with a boulder, blocking the track ahead. Both Zephyrs were more than 10 and one-half hours behind schedule when they finally arrived into their respective destinations. [Amtrak, 3-8-25]
BNSF TRAIN DERAILS IN IOWA, NO INJURIES: A BNSF freight train derailed during the afternoon of March 6 near Templeton, Iowa. No injuries were reported. BNSF said the main track was returned to service early March 7. [BNSF, 3-7-25]
VALLEY METRO TO BEGIN TESTING OF SOUTH CENTRAL AVE. LIGHT-RAIL EXTENSION: The city of Phoenix and Valley Metro will begin testing of its new South Central avenue light-rail extension on March 8. The 5.5-mile extension will connect South Phoenix with a new downtown hub. It will include eight stations, and it is expected to be ready for service in several months. [Rail Passengers Assn., 3-7-25]
NORFOLK SOUTHERN EXPECTS TO REBUILD STORM-DAMAGED ASHEVILLE-OLD FORT LINE: While there is no exact timeline for the repairs, Norfolk Southern has reportedly told the North Carolina Dept. of Transportation that the line between Asheville and Old Fort will be rebuilt. Hurricane Helene caused historic flooding in the area, washing away part of the line. [Railway Track & Structures, 3-7-25]
AMTRAK'S CRESCENT DELAYED NINE HOURS DUE TO DISABLED FREIGHT TRAIN IN ALABAMA: Amtrak's northbound Crescent, while en route March 5 was delayed over nine hours north of Anniston, Alabama, due to a disabled freight train blocking the track and compounding congestion. The Crescent was over 10 hours late when it finally arrived into its destination New York in the early morning hours of March 7. [Amtrak, 3-7-25]
EUROSTAR LONDON-PARIS TRAINS CANCELED AFTER WW-II BOMB WAS FOUND ALONG RIGHT-OF-WAY: Eurostar trains between London and Paris were canceled March 7 after an unexploded World War II bomb was found along the tracks in the Saint-Denis area of Paris during overnight work. The disruption also impacted services to Belgium and Holland. [Rail Business Daily, 3-7-25]
AMTRAK DEVELOPS COLOR-CODE SYSTEM TO HELP PASSENGERS FIND BOARDING LOCATIONS: A new color-coded system is making it easier for Amtrak passengers to find boarding locations at a glance. The first trains featuring the design went into service from Bear, Delaware, on March 3. [Railway Age, 3-7-25]
ELON MUSK URGES PRIVATIZATION OF AMTRAK: Elon Musk, the appointed consultant to oversee the Dept. of Government Efficiency, told attendees at a technology conference that Amtrak is among government services that should be privatized. He advised U.S. visitors not to ride Amtrak, calling the national railroad 'embarrassing.' In response, Amtrak said, in part: "Amtrak's business performance is strong. Ridership and revenue are at all-time highs, and transformative projects are underway that will greatly improve the customer experience. By maintaining this momentum and the ongoing support we've built with our federal, state and private-sector partners, the train service we operate across out nationwide network, as mandated by law, is on-track to reach operational profitability - for the first time in history - during this administration." [Progressive Railroading, 3-7-25]
CSX APPLIES FOR USE OF AIR-BRAKE CONTROL FEATURE OF TRIP OPTIMIZER: CSX has submitted a petition for approval of a product safety plan for the Wabtec trip optimizer air-brake control. Wabtec says the feature can automatically start and stop the train using brake control, and CSX has been testing the feature. Meanwhile, labor unions believe implementation would bring it closer to automated train operation, resulting in one-person crews, or even no crews at all. According to SMART-TD, trip optimizer has been in use for basic functions for nearly 20 years, but it often struggles with throttle control, making erratic adjustments that violate CSX's own operating rules. [Railway Track & Structures, 3-7-25]
FEDS INVESTIGATING NORFOLK SOUTHERN, NORFOLK & PORTSMOUTH BELT LINE, OVER CONDUCT AGAINST CSX: The U.S. Justice Department's antitrust division is investigating Norfolk Southern and Virginia terminal railroad Norfolk & Portsmouth Belt Line for alleged anticompetitive conduct against CSX at the Norfolk International Terminal. CSX alleges, among other things, that the two railroads set a switching rate that effectively prevents CSX from competing at the terminal. [Freight Waves, 3-7-25]
ALASKA R.R. GETS STATE FUNDING APPROVAL TOWARD NEW DOCK, TERMINAL FACILITY IN SEWARD: Alaska's governor has signed legislation that grants Alaska Railroad the ability to issue up to $135-million in revenue bonds to fund the construction of a new passenger dock and terminal facility in Seward. The existing dock and terminal facility date to the mid-1960's, and replacement is needed for Seward to continue to receive cruise ships. [Progressive Railroading, 3-7-25]
PROPOSAL WOULD MOVE MADISON SQUARE GARDEN, REDESIGN N.Y. PENN STATION: A public-interest group is suggesting moving Madison Square Garden across the street and replacing it with a much larger train station and park. Madison Square Garden currently sites on top of the station, but the group proposes demolishing it and moving it across Seventh avenue to make room for a new station. They are also suggesting replacing it with a green space the size of Bryant Park, and the station itself would feature a 604,000-square-foot concourse with additional capacity. [ABC7 New York, 3-7-25]
PORTAL BRIDGE SET TO BE FINISHED IN MID-2026: The Portal Bridge spanning the Hackensack River in Kearny, N.J., is set to finish in mid-2026. It will replace its 114-year-old counterpart that has been the cause of many train delays over the last decade. The $2.3-billion project is about 80 pct of the way through construction. [N.J. Digest, 3-7-25]
TRI-RAIL SEES RIDERSHIP GROWTH, BUT FUNDING SHORTAGE LOOMS: Tri-Rail's service now averages 15,000 riders daily, but the South Florida Regional Transportation Authority says with rising costs from equipment to labor, and covid money running out, the three counties in the service area need to increase their funding and pay $6-million more than they currently do, or eventually the service will have to be reduced. [CBS News Miami, 3-7-25]
WATCO TO ACQUIRE GREAT LAKES CENTRAL R.R.: Watco has announced that it is acquiring the Great Lakes Central Railroad, the largest Class-III regional railroad in Michigan. The road's lines run north from Ann Arbor to Cadillac with branches to Thompsonville, Traverse City and Petoskey. [Railway Track & Structures, 3-6-25]
MICHAEL NAATZ NAMED CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER OF ANACOSTIA RAIL HOLDINGS: Anacostia Rail Holdings has hired Michael Naatz to be chief operating officer of the short-line holding company. Most recently he was chief marketing officer of Kansas City Southern. [Progressive Railroading, 3-6-25]
WABTEC APPROVED AS RAILPULSE CERTIFIED TELEMATICS VENDOR: Wabtec has been approved as a RailPulse certified telematics vendor. The certification marks a milestone in Wabtec's commitment to safety and productivity of rail shipments, Wabtec said. [Progressive Railroading, 3-6-25]
PORT BIENVILLE R.R. STORAGE YARD IN MISSISSIPPI COMPLETED: The Hancock County Port & Harbor Commission announced on March 6 the completion of the Port Bienville Railroad storage yard in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. [Railway Age, 3-6-25]
NJT TO REPLACE WINDOWS OF MULTILEVEL I & 2 RAIL CARS: New Jersey Transit will replace all the windows of its fleet of nearly 400 multilevel I and 2 rail cars in revenue service over the next three years. [Progressive Railroading, 3-6-25]
DART TO REMOVE CENTER CROSSWALKS AT SEVEN LIGHT-RAIL STATIONS: Dallas Area Rapid Transit will remove the center crosswalks at seven light-rail station platforms to improve safety. [Railway Track & Structures, 3-6-25]
MINERAL EXPORTS FROM PORT OF CHURCHILL TO INCREASE: The Arctic Gateway Group will ramp up its critical mineral export partnership with Hudbay Minerals, which will double the volume of critcal minerals shipped through Manitoba's Port of Churchill and use of the Hudson Bay Railway. [Progressive Railroading, 3-6-25]
DAVRAIL, AFFECTIVE RAIL & PLANT PARTNER IN DISTRIBUTION RIGHTS: DavRail has announced its partnership with Affective Rail & Plant allowing DavRail distribution rights to Affective Rail & Plant's rail handling and logistics equipment in North and South America. [Railway Track & Structures, 3-6-25]
WEEKLY U.S. RAIL FREIGHT TRAFFIC REPORT: U.S. railroads originated 508,531 carloads and intermodal units in the week ending March 1, 2025, up 5.4 pct compared with the corresponding week last year. Calculated separately, carloads were up 1.4 pct, and intermodal was up 8.8 pct. [Assn. of American Railroads, 3-5-25]
BELT RWY OF CHICAGO NAMES JERRY PECK PRESIDENT, GENERAL MGR.: The Belt Railway of Chicago has named longtime railroad executive Jerry Peck as its president and general manager. Belt Railway is collectively owned by the six Class-I railroads that connect with it. It dispatches more than 8400 rail cars per day through its clearing yards, and operates 28 miles of main line track with more than 300 miles of switching track. [Freight Waves, 3-5-25]
IAM MEMBERS RATIFY AGREEMENT WITH CSX: CSX has announced that employees represented by the International Association of Machinists (IAM) have voted to ratify a five-year collective bargaining agreement. To date, CSX has ratified agreements with 11 labor unions covering 47 pct of its unionized work force. [Freight Waves, 3-5-25]
N..Y. CITY TRANSIT ADDS OPEN-GANGWAY CARS TO G-LINE: New York City Transit on March 4 introduced two of what will be four open-gangway cars on the G-Line. Open gangway cars are open from end to end, enabling riders to walk from car-to-car, making it easier to find more seating or space for standing. [Progressive Railroading, 3-5-25]
CLEVELAND ORDERS ADDITIONAL S200 LIGHT-RAIL VEHICLES: Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority has exercised an option for Siemens to supply an additional 18 S200 light-rail vehicles to replace the current fleets on the Red, Blue and Green lines. The latest order advances the total ordered so far to 48. [Railway Track & Structures, 3-5-25]
STRIKE ACTIONS PLANNED FOR EUROTUNNEL: Union United says around a dozen of its driver and maintenance members working at Eurotunnel Services plan to strike on five Sundays beginning March 9 following a breakdown in labor negotiations. [Rail Business Daily, 3-5-25]
BOWLING GREEN, KY., SEEKS MAJOR PASSENGER RAIL SERVICE: Plans are moving ahead as discussions of putting Bowling Green, Ky., back on the map of a major rail route continue. The city released a recent survey asking the public if they would use the service, and 98 pct of respondents said that they would. The next step is to apply to a federal development program to help fund and develop passenger rail service. [WBKO, 3-5-25]
UNION PACIFIC-SERVED FEED GRAIN FACILITY TO BE DEVELOPED IN DALHART, TEXAS: 5V, a newly-formed partnership between Five Rivers Cattle Feeding and Viserion Grain, will develop a new Union Pacific-served facility in Dalhart, Texas. [Railway Age, 3-5-25]
FRA DATA CONFIRM RAIL SAFETY PROGRESS: Data from the Federal Railroad Administration confirm that continued investments in innovation, infrastructure and work force expertise are making rail transportation safer. Class-I railroads set a second consecutive all-time record-low rate of injuries and fatalities last year. The train accident rate declined for all railroads by 33 pct since 2005, and 15 pct year-over-year. Despite these gains, grade-crossing and trespassing accidents remain the leading causes of rail-related injuries and fatalities, accounting for 95 pct of all incidents. [Assn. of American Railroads, 2-5-25]
CARGO THEFT COST U.S. CLASS-I RAILROADS $100-M LAST YEAR: Cargo theft cost U.S. Class-I railroads more than $100-million in 2024, the Association of American Railroads said, calling for more federal efforts to address the problem and more effective prosecution of those arrested. Many of those arrested are repeat offenders, the association said. [Railway Age, 3-4-25]
AMTRAK L.D. DISRUPTIONS MARCH 4: Southbound Crescent on March 4 was delayed about four hours in Meridian, Mississippi, due to high wind warnings. Southbound Texas Eagle was annulled with bus substitution offered at Marshall, Texas, because of mechanical issues. Southbound City of New Orleans arrived at its destination three hours and 24 minutes late. Southbound Floridian arrived into Miami two hours late. Northbound Auto Train arrived into Lorton three hours and 13 minutes late. [Amtrak, 3-4-25]
WATCO EMPLOYEES VOTE TO JOIN BLET: Employees at Watco have voted to join the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen. Watco owns and operates 45 regional short lines throughout the U.S. [Progressive Railroading, 3-4-25]
BRITISH RAIL LINE USES HAWKS TO SCARE PIGEONS AWAY FROM STATIONS: Britain's Northern Rail has deployed a pair of trained hawks to take to the skies above three of its stations to scare away trouble-making pigeons and stop them from nesting. The 12-week trial began last month in East Yorkshire, and it is intended to chase away the pigeons, but not to hunt them. [Rail Business Daily, 3-4-25]
IOWA NORTHERN MERGES OPERATIONS WITH CANADIAN NATIONAL: Canadian National and Iowa Northern Railway on March 1 officially merged their operations. The joining of Iowa Northern's 175 route miles with CN's nearly 20,000-mile network will offer single-line service to CN's North American network. [Progressive Railroading, 3-3-25]
BLET SUES CSX OVER USE OF MANAGERS AS LOCOMOTIVE PILOTS: CSX has been rerouting trains over Norfolk Southern tracks as a detour around Howard street tunnel reconstruction in Baltimore using managers as pilots. The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen filed a suit in federal court claiming the use of managers as pilots violates labor agreements. The carrier has now backed off, and CSX is no longer using managers as locomotive pilots. [BLET, 3-3-25]
FEBRUARY 2025 AMTRAK LONG-DISTANCE TRAIN PERFORMANCE: Forty-three percent of Amtrak's named long-distance trains arrived at their scheduled final destination on time or earlier in February 2025. The remaining trains, on average, arrived one hour and 34 minutes late. MORE.. [Bull Sheet Statistical Dept., 3-1-25]
PITTSBURGH'S DOWNTOWN LIGHT-RAIL TUNNELS REOPENING FOLLOWING REFURBISHMENT: The Pittsburgh Regal Transit's downtown light-rail tunnels reopen Febr. 28 following completion of their refurbishment project. [Railway Track & Structures, 2-28-25]
MARYLAND PURPLE LINE PROJECT ADVANCES: The Maryland Purple line project is now more than 74 pct complete with 35 pct of the track installation finished. Several miles of sidewalk have been installed, and 20 of 21 future stations are currently under construction. [Railway Track & Structures, 2-28-25]
SEPTA EXPLAINS REASON FOR FEBR. 25 SERVICE DISRUPTION: SEPTA addressed the reason for a service disruption during the Febr. 25 evening commute. Equipment located on top of a train car had become entangled with an overhead wire which led to a power outage resulting in delays of two hours or more to passengers. [Railway Track & Structures, 2-28-25]
CONSTRUCTION BEGINS ON ALABAMA'S MONTGOMERY INTERMODAL TRANSFER FACILITY: The Alabama Port Authority and CSX on Febr. 27 began construction of the Montgomery Intermodal Container Transfer facility, which is expected to be in operation by 2027. [Railway Age, 2-28-25]
METRO-NORTH UNVEILS HERITAGE LOCOMOTIVE HONORING NEW HAVEN R.R.: Metro-North has unveiled a sixth locomotive as part of its heritage series with a special design used by the then New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad, Genesis-model dual-mode P32AC-DM locomotive No. 222. Other designs for heritage locomotives already in use include No. 208 in Metro-North's original scheme; No. 201 in Conrail scheme; No. 211 in New York Central scheme; No. 217 in Penn Central scheme; and No. 214 in a special scheme in tribute to Metro-North's work force. [Railway Age, 2-28-25]
AMTRAK L.D. DISRUPTIONS FEBR. 28: Southbound Palmetto of Febr. 28 arrived Savannah two hours and 18 minutes late (assisting another train account locomotive failure); southbound Carolinian arrived Charlotte three hours and 40 minutes late (equipment issues); northbound Silver Meteor arrived New York two hours late; southbound Silver Meteor arrived Miami four hours and 17 minutes late; northbound Auto Train arrived Lorton eight hours late (emergency services hold in Florida, equipment issues in Virginia); southbound Auto Train was an hour and 42 minutes late arriving Sanford (rail congestion); westbound Sunset Limited arrived Los Angeles seven hours late (freight train interference), and eastbound Sunset Limited arrived New Orleans five and one-half hours late (freight train interference and crew availability). [Amtrak, 2-28-25]
GROUND BROKEN FOR NEW U.P.-SERVED GRAIN FACILITY IN TEXAS: Viterra on Febr. 25 broke ground on a new grain-handling facility in Dalhart, Texas, while will have a loop track served by Union Pacific. [Progressive Railroading, 2-28-25]
BRITAIN'S GB RAILFREIGHT TO POWER LOCOMOTIVES WITH HYDRO-TREATED VEGETABLE OIL: Britain's GAB Rail freight has signed a year-long agreement with Drab to use hydro-treated vegetable oil for its rail freight services from the ports of Liverpool and Tyne to Drax Power station in Selby. [Rail Business Daily, 2-28-25]
AMTRAK MOVES FORWARD WITH PLANS FOR DALLAS-HOUSTON HSR: Amtrak has moved forward with plans for a high-speed rail line between Dallas and Houston as it launches a procurement process for a delivery partner. Amtrak says the project will construct a new grade-separated system with top speeds up to 205 MPH. [Railway Track & Structures, 2-27-25]
UNION PACIFIC TRAIN DERAILS IN OREGON, NO INJURIES: Eleven intermodal rail cars of a Union Pacific train derailed late Febr. 27 blocking two grade crossings west of La Grange, Oregon. Officials said there were no injuries and no hazardous materials involved. [Union County Emergency Services, 2-27-25]
SUNSET LIMITED ONE DAY LATE ARRIVING LOS ANGELES: Amtrak's westbound Sunset Limited of Febr. 24 was a full day behind schedule when it arrived into its destination Los Angeles, having been delayed in Arizona by a freight train derailment blocking the track ahead. [Amtrak, 2-27-25]
AAR RELEASES STUDY OF CHALLENGES TO ELECTRIFICATION OF RAIL FREIGHT NETWORK: The Association of American Railroads has released a new independent analysis highlighting the challenges of transitioning the U.S. freight rail network to overhead catenary electrification. The study estimates the cost for the nation's 139,000-mile freight rail network at $1.1-trillion, equivalent to 47 years of combined net income from all Class-I carriers. [Assn. of American Railroads, 2-26-26]
WEEKLY U.S. RAIL FREIGHT TRAFFIC REPORT: U.S. railroads originated 458,513 carloads and intermodal units in the week ending Febr. 22, 2025, down 5.1 pct compared with the corresponding week last year. Calculated separately, carloads were down 13.6 pct, and intermodal was up 2.3 pct. [Assn. of American Railroads, 2-26-25]
MINNESOTA'S NORTHSTAR COMMUTER RAIL SERVICE MAY BE ON THE WAY OUT: Local media outlets report that Minnesota's Northstar commuter rail service between Minneapolis and Big Lake may be replaced by buses. A state study found that transitioning to buses would cost millions less than the status quo. It costs about $12-million a year to operate Northstar, but would shrink to $2-million if buses were used instead. The 40-mile Northstar opened in Nov. 2009. It was originally envisioned to link with St. Cloud, but connects to that city via bus. [Railway Track & Structures, 2-26-25]
BNSF REPLACES 350-FOOT-LONG BRIDGE IN FENNER, CALIF.: BNSF has replaced a 350-foot-long, double-track concrete beam bridge in Fenner, California, with new steel beams and track panels. The work was done in two phases, one track at a time, and completed ahead of schedule. [Railway Track & Structures, 2-26-25]
NEW TRAIN STATION PLANNED FOR HILLSBOROUGH, N.C.: Various entities are working together to build a new train station in Hillsborough, N.C. The project is estimated to cost around $8-million, with $7-million toward the structure and $1-million toward the platform. [Railway Track & Structures, 2-26-25]
CHICAGO TRANSIT AWARDS FUNDING TO TEST INTRUSION DETECTION SYSTEM: Chicago Transit Authority's Innovation Studio has awarded $60,000 in funding to test the use of a machine-vision track intrusion detection system at two stations. The authority says it receives about 2000 reports every year of people on the track. The most common reason is people jumping off a platform to retrieve a dropped mobile phone. [Railway Gazette, 2-26-25]
BNSF COAL TRAIN DERAILS IN MONTANA, NO INJURIES: A BNSF coal train derailed late Febr. 24 on the Forsyth subdivision west of Miles City, Custer County, Montana, involving between 25 and 27 cars. No injuries were reported. [KULR, 2-25-25]
CPKC INTERMODAL TRAIN DERAILS IN SASKATCHEWAN: Railway crews are responding to the scene of a Canadian Pacific Kansas City train derailment 15 miles west of Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, that occurred shortly after midnight Febr. 25. About 18 intermodal rail cars were involved. No injuries were reported. [Northeast Now, 2-25-25]
CANADA TO FUND PIER CONSTRUCTION AT PORT OF TROIS-RIVIERES: The Canadian government has announced it would award up to $87.1-million (C) to the Port of Trois-Riieres, Quebec, for the construction of a new Pier 16 and the reconstruction of Pier 17 to improve the flow of cargo traffic. [Progressive Railroading, 2-25-24]
S.F. MUNI TO CLOSE CENTRAL SUBWAY FOR WATER MITIGATION: San Francisco's Muni will be closing its central subway from Febr. 26 to March 14 to allow for water mitigation work. The Chinatown station sits 100 feet below ground, and water has begun to cause damage to the subway structure and wall panels. [Railway Track & Structures, 2-25-25]
UNIFOR MECHANICAL EMPLOYEES RATIFY AGREEMENT WITH CPKC: Unifor members employed as mechanical employees at Canadian Pacific Kansas City in Canada have ratified a new four-year collective agreement with the railroad. [Progressive Railroading, 2-25-25]
PATH HOBOKEN STATION REOPENS FOLLOWING IMPROVEMENTS: Port Authority of New York & New Jersey reopened on schedule following a 25-day closure to address critical infrastructure repairs and improvements across several elements of the 117-year-old system. Tracks and a switch system were replaced, and many components of the station were refreshed and renewed. [Port Authority of NY & NJ, 2-25-25]
CSX TRAIN STRIKES CAR IN ABERDEEN, MD.: A CSX freight train struck a car early Febr. 25 in Aberdeen, Md., after a driver failed to stop at the automatic crossing device, officials said. Neither the driver nor anyone on the train was injured, according to a news release. [WBAL, 2-25-25]
AMTRAK ADJUSTING SPRING SCHEDULE FOR N.Y. TO ALBANY, NIAGARA FALLS SERVICES: On Monday, April 28, the new spring schedule will take effect to allow Amtrak to rehabilitate the East River tunnel in New York City. This schedule will provide 10 round-trips between Albany and New York, and a fifth car will be added to 28 trains per week for certain trains trains between New York and Albany and between New York and Niagara Falls, to offer increased capacity. [Railway Age, 2-24-25]
METRO-NORTH PLANS TO ADD SERVICE ON NEW HAVEN LINE TO THE BRONX AND PENN STATION: Metro-North has shared details of a future expansion of the agency's service by adding new trains that will provide New Haven line service to New York Penn Station and four other stations in the Bronx. In a first for North America. the passenger trains will be powered by electric-battery locomotives. They will draw their power from catenary, but switch to battery mode in and around Penn Station where electrical traction has different characteristics. [Railway Age, 2-24-25]
AMTRAK TRAIN STRIKES, KILLS MAN IN MASSACHUSETTS: A 60-year-old man was struck and killed by Amtrak's northbound Vermonter on Febr. 24 in South Deerfield, Mass. There were no injuries to those on board the train, but the train was substantially delayed by the incident. [Western Mass News, 2-24-25]
CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR NEARLY NINE HOURS LATE INTO CHICAGO: Amtrak's eastbound California Zephyr of Febr. 22 arrived into its destination Chicago eight hours and 47 minutes late Febr. 24. Principal delays involved debris and downed power lines east of Glenwood Springs, Colorado, and a disabled freight train blocking the track ahead. [Amtrak, 2-24-25]
RAILWAY AGE RECOGNIZES SHORT LINE, REGIONAL RAILROADS OF 2025: Railway Age magazine has recognized Rochester & Erie Railway as short line railroad of 2025, and Iowa Interstate Railroad as regional railroad of 2025. [Railway Age, 2-24-25]
BNSF'S PRETAX PROFITS INCREASE SLIGHTLY IN 2024: BNSF's pretax profits increased slightly in 2024 as traffic-mix changes saw more intermodal and less coal, and lower fuel surcharge revenue offset an overall 6.5 pct increase in freight volume. Pretax earnings increased 0.5 pct. to $6.64-billion, while revenue declined 0.5 pct to $23.35-billion, Net income declined 1.1 pct to $5.03-billion, and operating ratio improved 0.4 points to 68 pct. [Freight Waves, 2-24-25]
WEEKLY AMTRAK LONG-DISTANCE TRAIN PERFORMANCE: Thirty-six percent of Amtrak's named long-distance trains arrived at their scheduled final destination on time or earlier in the week ending Febr. 23, 2025. The remaining trains, on average, arrived one hour and 26 minutes late. MORE.. [Bull Sheet Statistical Dept., 2-24-25]
ELEVEN ARRESTED IN NIKE SHOE HEIST FROM BNSF TRAIN IN ARIZONA: Eleven people have been detained as suspects in a Jan. 13 robbery of Nike shoes worth more than $440,000 from a BNSF train in a remote section of Arizona. Ten of the suspects were in the country illegally. [AP News, 2-24-25]
WESTBOUND EMPIRE BUILDER ANNULLED EN ROUTE IN MONTANA: Amtrak's westbound Empire Builder was annulled at Shelby, Montana, on Febr. 23 due to 'impending severe weather conditions.' [Amtrak, 2-23-25]
BRIAN ROSENWALD DIES, FORMER V.P. AT AMTRAK: Brian D. Rosenwald, 72, a retired vice-president at Amtrak, died Febr. 19. Those who are familiar with the Pacific Parlour Car, that formerly adorned the Coast Starlight on its daily run between Seattle and Los Angeles, will be endeared to the efforts this man undertook to make their first-class journey uniquely memorable. It was he who had arranged for five former ATSF El Capitan cars to be rebuilt with a bar and lounge with swivel chairs on the upper level, and a movie theater on the lower level, replete with wine tastings and stylish service for the exclusive domain of first-class patrons. One could only wish that such finery might some day be repeated. (NOTE: The Bull Sheet previously mis-spelled Mr. Rosenwald's name. We regret the mistake.)
BERKSHIRE & EASTERN TRAIN DERAILS IN CONNECTICUT, NO INJURIES: Roads in Plainville, Connecticut, were blocked for more than three hours after a Berkshire & Eastern Railroad train derailed early Febr. 22. Officials said the derailment was caused by an accumulation of ice. No injuries were reported. [WTNH, 2-22-25]
AMTRAK L.D. DISRUPTIONS FEBR. 22: Southbound Carolinian of Febr. 22 was delayed shortly after departure from Washington more than three hours due to a locomotive problem. A rescue engine was needed. Both sections of the Empire Builder were delayed by a disabled freight train blocking the track east of Havre, Montana, westbound by more than three hours, and eastbound by more than four hours. [Amtrak, 2-22-25]
FRA LAUNCHES COMPLIANCE REVIEW OF CALIFORNIA HSR, CENTRAL VALLEY PROJECT: The Federal Railroad Administration has launched a compliance review of the California High-Speed Rail Authority and its project to build a system in the state's Central Valley between Merced and Bakersfield. The review is to determine whether the high-speed rail authority will receive $4-billion in federal funding, granted under the Biden administration, for the project. The entire San Francisco-to-Los Angeles project was initially to be completed by 2020 at a cost of $33-billion. Now the estimate is more than three times its original estimate. Moreover, the Merced-to-Bakersfield segment alone would now cost more than the original $33-billion estimate for the entire project. [Progressive Railroading, 2-21-25]
CN'S MONTREAL-TORONTO RAIL CORRIDOR CONGESTED FOLLOWING EXCESSIVE SNOW, DERAILMENT: Canadian National is working to relieve congestion along its Montreal-to-Toronto due to excessive snow and a derailment in Taschereau Yard. Two storms dropped nearly 29 inches of snow in Montreal in four days, and the derailment involved 12 cars, contained within the yard, but with no fires, leaks or injuries to report. [Railway Tracks & Structures, 2-21-25]
GROUND BROKEN ON SACRAMENTO'S DOS RIOS LIGHT-RAIL STATION: Sacramento Regional Transit has broken ground of the future Dos Rios light-rail station on the agency's Blue line. The station will provide riders with a connection to the River District and Mirasol Village. [Railway Track & Structures, 2-21-25]
UNION PACIFIC TO LEASE 1.25 MILES OF TRACK TO NEW SHORT LINE IN K.C.: Union Pacific will lease 1.25 miles of trackage in Kansas City to a new Jaguar Transport short line beginning in March. The Kansas City West Bottoms Railroad will serve a cluster of customers off KC Big Mary subdivision, and will also lease and operate the adjacent State Line yard trackage. [Freight Waves, 2-21-25]
TRINITY INDUSTRIES' REVENUE, PROFIT FALL IN 4-Q: Trinity Industries saw its revenue and profit fall in the fourth-quarter on fewer rail car deliveries. Pretax earnings fell to $191-million from $225-million a year ago, and diluted EPS totaled 39 cents from 82 cents. The company delivered 3,760 rail cars in the quarter and recorded 1,500 new orders. [Freight Waves, 2-21-25]
AMTRAK ADDING CARS THIS SPRING TO TEXAS EAGLE, CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR: Amtrak's spring 2025 consist plan includes putting a sightseer lounge back on the Texas Eagle by March 3. The California Zephyr is slated to add a third full sleeper and a third coach to accommodate increased capacity. [Rail Passengers Assn., 2-21-25]
SAUDI ARABIA TO ADD LUXURY PASSENGER TRAIN NEXT YEAR: 'Dream of the Desert' is to be a luxury passenger train Saudi Arabia Railways plans to enter service in the third-quarter 2026 to run between Riyadh and Qurayyat. It will have 34 suites in 14 cars, and the dining car will feature panoramic views of the desert with a menu designed by both local and international chefs. [Rail Passengers Assn., 2-21-25]
HISTORIC WROUGHT IRON RAILROAD VIADUCT IN BRITAIN GETS REFURBISHMENT: Britain's Network Rail has completed a $4.4-million project to refurbish its Awe Viaduct near Taynuilt on the Oban branch of the West Highland line. The three-span, wrought iron viaduct, completed in 1879, carries the railway over the River Awe. [Rail Business Daily, 2-21-25]
COLAS RAIL JOINS EXEC. COMMITTEE OF U.S. HIGH-SPEED RAIL ASSN.: Colas Rail, an international railway infrastructure company, has joined the executive committee of the U.S. High-Speed Rail Association. [Railway Gazette, 2-21-25]
AUSTRALIAN SUGAR CANE FIRM ORDERS HYBRID NARROW-GAUGE LOCOMOTIVES: Mackay Sugar has awarded a British company a contract to supply five diesel-battery hybrid locomotives and radio-controlled brake vans for use on its vast two-foot-gauge rail network in Queensland. [Railway Gazette, 2-21-25]
NTSB ISSUES FINAL REPORT, PROBABLE CAUSE OF APRIL 2024 CSX HEAD-ON COLLISION: The National Transportation Safety Board has determined that the probable cause of the CSX head-on collision on April 15, 2024, near Folkston, Ga., was an improperly-lined dual-control switch that an employee did not know how to properly operate, and failure to verify its position as required. Prior to the collision, the track signals were suspended for maintenance, and movement through the area was controlled by track warrants. Contributing to the accident was recurring insufficient training along with failure to implement operational procedures. [Railway Track & Structures, 2-20-25]
SOUNDER SERVICE BEING SLOWLY RESTORED: Seattle's Sounder system was impacted Febr. 13 with S-line commuter runs being canceled due to equipment being taken out of service. Amtrak is responsible for the maintenance of Sound Transit rolling stock. Sounder officials now report that Amtrak has been working around the clock to restore service, and all but four trains have been returned to service. [Railway Track & Structures, 2-20-25]
METRA TO RENOVATE MORGAN PARK STATION: The board of Chicago's Metra has approved an $8.69-million contract to renovate the 115th street/Morgan Park station on the Rock Island line. [Progressive Railroading, 2-20-25]
DONNIE STILWELL NAMED V.P. OPERATIONS SOUTH AT R.J. CORMAN R.R.: R.J. Corman Railroad has named Donnie Stilwell as vice-president of operations south. He has 27 years of railroad experience, including leadership positions at BNSF. [Progressive Railroading, 2-20-25]
N.M. HOUSE BILL WOULD REQUIRE RAIL DETECTORS EVERY 10 MILES: A House bill in the New Mexico legislature would require railroads to install wayside defect detector systems every 10 miles. [BLET, 2-20-25]
PA. DOT BEARISH ON FEDERAL FUNDING FOR PASSENGER RAIL PROJECTS: Pennsylvania's secretary of transportation is wary about moving forward with projects involving a capacity increase to accommodate a second Pennsylvanian train and efforts to commit to passenger service between Reading and Philadelphia, both due to the uncertainty of federal funds under the Trump administration. [Railway Track & Structures, 2-20-25]
AMTRAK L.D. DISRUPTIONS FEBR. 20: Amtrak's northbound Floridian arrived into destination Chicago four hours late, having reportedly been delayed en route by freight train interference and 'technical issues with the train's equipment.' Westbound Cardinal was almost ten hours late arriving into Chicago, having been delayed en route by locomotive trouble and the need of a rescue engine to be added in Clifton Forge, Va. Eastbound Cardinal of Febr. 20 did not leave Chicago until it was over eight hours behind schedule due to late arrival of westbound section (see above). Northbound Vermonter was two hours and 25 minutes late arriving into destination St. Albans, resulting from delays from rail congestion. Northbound Auto Train was one hour and 48 minutes late arriving into Lorton. Eastbound Lake Shore Limited did not leave from Chicago until it was more than three hours behind schedule due to mechanical issues. Southbound Coast Starlight left Seattle two hours and 48 minutes late due to mechanical issues with the dining car. [Amtrak, 2-20-25]
TRAIN IN SRI LANKA STRIKES HERD OF ELEPHANTS, DERAILS: A passenger train derailed after striking a herd of elephants near a wildlife preserve in central Sri Lanka in the early hours of Febr. 20. There were no injuries among the passengers, but six elephants died from the incident. Two other elephants were injured, and were being treated at the scene. [BBC News, 2-20-25]
TRESPASSER ON BRITISH RAIL LINE CAUSES MASSIVE DELAYS, CANCELLATIONS: A man who trespassed upon one of Britain's busiest rail lines caused hundreds of trains to be delayed or canceled. While being pursued by police, the man ran across four live tracks where, on average, trains pass every two minutes. One train operator was forced to initiate an emergency stop at 75 MPH, and power was turned off requiring trains to come to a halt outside of stations. This in turn resulted in a domino-effect of disruptions impacting a total of 921 train services at a cost to the rail system and taxpayers of an estimated $1.5-million. The man was apprehended, and has been sentenced to 18 months in prison. [Rail Business Daily, 2-19-25]
NS, CSX IMPACTED BY FLASH FLOODING, WASHOUTS: Norfolk Southern crews are working around the clock to restore service due to severe flooding and washouts in southern West Virginia, eastern Kentucky, southwest Virginia and eastern Ohio. CSX teams, meanwhile, are responding to the impact of extreme weather with flash flooding, bitter temperatures, ice, snow and downed power lines.across multiple regions. [Progressive Railroading, 2-19-25]
WEEKLY U.S. RAIL FREIGHT TRAFFIC REPORT: U.S. railroads originated 480,740 carloads and intermodal units in the week ending Febr. 15, 2025, up 1.5 pct compared with the corresponding week last year. Calculated separately, carloads were down 4.8 pct, and intermodal was up 7.0 pct. [Assn. of American Railroads, 2-19-25]
CONSORTIUM SELECTED TO CREATE TORONTO-QUEBEC CITY HSR: Canada is getting high-speed rail. The Cadence consortium has been selected to co-design, build, finance, operate and maintain the planned 186-MPH high-speed rail line between Toronto and Quebec City. The line will have dedicated tracks with intermediate stops in Peterborough, Ottawa, Montreal, Laval and Trois-Rivieres, with an end-to-end journey time of three hours. [Railway Gazette, 2-19-25]
FRA RECOMMENDS RE-EXAMINATION OF RAIL ELECTRIFICATION: The Federal Railroad Administration thinks it has a plan to help freight railroads switch from diesel to electric power. A study on main line electrification recommends that the industry develop a prototype dual-mode freight locomotive and battery tender that could test the feasibility of leaving cost-saving gaps between sections of overhead catenary. North American railroads have heretofore concluded that stringing wire over every mile of main line is prohibitively expensive. But the study, released last month, notes that locomotive technology has changed considerably since the completion of the last such study 45 years ago. Chief among those changes are the shift to AC power and rapid improvements in batteries. [Freight Waves, 2-19-25]
NTSB ISSUES FINAL REPORT, PROBABLE CAUSE OF OCT. 2023 BNSF DERAILMENT, BRIDGE COLLAPSE: The probable cause of the Oct. 15, 2023, BNSF derailment and collapse of bridge spanning Interstate 25 in Pueblo, Colorado, killing a driver, was the train encountering a rail break from a mismatched thermite weld failure. It is likely that the welder had not used a required compromise kit during the earlier welding process, according to the National Transportation Safety Board in its final report. [Railway Track & Structures, 2-19-25]
FRANCE PLANS NIGHT TRAIN FLEET REPLACEMENT: The French government has called for expressions of interest to supply locomotives and rail cars to renew the national night train fleet. About 950,000 passengers were carried last year, a 23 pct increase from the previous year. [Railway Gazette, 2-19-25]
VIETNAM APPROVES PLANS FOR RAIL LINK WITH CHINA: Vietnam's parliament has approved plans for an $8-billion rail link from the port city of Haiphong to the mountainous city of Lao Cai, which borders China's Yunnan province, also serving the capital Hanoi. [Rail Business Daily, 2-19-25]
AMTRAK, RAIL COMPANIES MEET OVER INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS: Amtrak and dozens of industry partners in construction, manufacturing, supply, engineering and other sectors convened Febr. 14 for a roundtable discussion of trends and the many rebuilding projects that Amtrak and its partners are delivering across the country. Collectively, the projects are creating the largest boom in improvements in the railroad's history, Amtrak officials said. [Progressive Railroading, 2-18-25]
COASTER, SURFLINER SERVICES SUSPENDED FEBR. 22-23 FOR INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS: Due to maintenance and infrastructure improvements along the Southern California Coastal rail corridor, Coastal and Surfliner trains are suspended the weekend of Febr. 22-23, according to the North County Transit District. [Railway Track & Structures, 2-18-25]
GULF GATEWAY TERMINAL EXPANDS AT PORT NOLA: Gulf Gateway Terminal is doubling its liquid bulk storage capacity at the Port of New Orleans following the addition of a new storage tank. The facility is served by New Orleans Public Belt Railroad, which connects with BNSF, CN, CSX, CPKC, NS and UP. [Railway Age, 2-18-25]
WEEKLY AMTRAK LONG-DISTANCE TRAIN PERFORMANCE: Forty-four pct of Amtrak's named long-distance trains arrived at their scheduled final destination on time or earlier in the week ending Febr. 16, 2025. The remaining trains, on average, arrived one hour and 25 minutes late. MORE.. [Bull Sheet Statistical Dept., 2-17-25]
UNION PACIFIC HONORS PRESIDENT LINCOLN WITH COMMEMORATIVE LOCOMOTIVE: Union Pacific has unveiled commemorative locomotive 1616 in honor of President Abraham Lincoln. It was he who connected the nation through the transcontinental railroad. This is the second presidential locomotive in the company's heritage fleet, joining 4141 honoring President George H.W. Bush. [Union Pacific, 2-17-25]
CONSORTIUM AGREES TO ACQUIRE TALGO STAKE: A Basque consortium has agreed to acquire about 29.7 pct of the share capital of Talgo from largest shareholder Pegasco Transportation International, which owns 40 pct of Talgo. [Railway Gazette, 2-17-25]
BNSF TRAIN DERAILS IN MONTANA, NO INJURIES: A BNSF freight train derailed near Poplar, Montana, early Febr. 16. Poplar is 60 miles east of Glasgow. There were no injuries, and the company estimates that the main track will be reopened about mid-day Febr. 17. [BNSF 2-16-25]
AMTRAK L.D. DISRUPTIONS FEBR. 16: Westbound Empire Builder on Febr. 16 was delayed east and west of Libby, Montana, about 10 hours due to a disabled freight train ahead, availability of a re-crew, and equipment problems. Eastbound Cardinal was canceled between Huntington, W.Va., and Washington, due to severe weather conditions, with passengers returned to their origin points. Vermonters in both directions were canceled between Springfield, Mass., and St. Albans due to severe weather. Northbound Carolinian was delayed two and one-half hours due to fallen trees in North Carolina. Northbound Palmetto was delayed two hours by downed trees north of Dillon, S.C. [Amtrak, 2-16-25]
STAMPEDE AT TRAIN STATION IN INDIA KILLS AT LEAST 18: At least 18 people were killed late Febr. 15 at a railway station in New Delhi, India, according to a news agency. Many of the victims were Hindu pilgrims who were planning to travel to a festival. The incident happened after some of the passengers slipped and fell on others when descending from a footbridge that connects train platforms. [CBS News, 2-16-25]
SOUND TRANSIT CANCELS SOUNDER S-LINE COMMUTER SERVICE DUE TO MAINTENANCE ISSUE: Seattle's Sound Transit canceled its Sounder S-line commuter service for the Febr. 13 morning rush. Amtrak is responsible for the maintenance of Sound Transit rolling stock. Thousands of riders from Everett to Tacoma were stranded. Amtrak explained that while reviewing inspection records, its personnel proactively identified an inspection data discrepancy that required a number of Sound Transit cars to be removed from service. Meanwhile, inspections and maintenance of certain cars are being expedited, and it is expected that a sufficient number of affected cars will be returned to service over the coming weeks to permit normal service. [Railway Track & Structures, 2-14-25]
MBTA TO OPEN WELLESLEY STATION FEBR. 17: Boston's MBTA commuter rail station in Wellesley will open on Febr. 17. This is Wellesley's first accessible commuter rail station. [Railway Track & Structures, 2-14-25]
WABTEC REPORTS 4-Q RESULTS: Locomotive builder Wabtec's revenue and profits increased in the fourth-quarter 2024, but the company's stock tumbled 11 pct July 12 after the results and new five-year outlook both came in below Wall street expectations. Quarterly operating income increased 8.4 pct to $334-million, as revenue grew 2.3 pct to $2.58-billion. Earnings per share increased 2.5 pct to $1.23. [Freight Waves, 2-14-25]
S.F. MUNI'S RAIL SIGNALING SYSTEM TO BE MODERNIZED: Hitachi Rail has won a contract to modernize signaling on San Francisco's Muni light-rail network using SelTrac communications-based train-control equipment. The Muni network has a mixture of light-rail, streetcar, heritage, and cable cars operating on streets and through tunnels. The upgrade project will provide a single network-wide system to regulate the flow of vehicles. [Railway Gazette, 2-14-25]
WOMAN GIVES BIRTH ON NYC SUBWAY TRAIN: A 25-year old woman gave birth to a baby girl on a New York City subway train early Febr. 12. The train stopped at the Herald Square station under Macy's flagship store. Several passengers assisted her in the delivery, with one even cutting the umbilical cord with a pocket knife. [Rail Business Daily, 2-14-25]
PORTS OF INDIANA MARKS SECOND-HIGHEST VOLUME IN ITS HISTORY: Ports of Indiana on Febr. 13 reported shipping 13 million tons of cargo in 2024, the second-highest annual volume in its 60-year history. [Railway Age, 2-14-25]
NORFOLK SOUTHERN TRAIN DERAILS IN ATTICA, OHIO, NO INJURIES: About 20 cars of a Norfolk Southern train derailed late Febr. 11 in Attica, Ohio. Four of the cars were leading, one of which was carrying ethanol. Cleanup will take one or two days, according to the railroad. No injuries were reported. [WKYC, 2-13-25]
TRAIN DERAILS IN N.M., NO INJURIES: Multiple train cars derailed early Febr. 13 near Abeytas, N.M., south of Belen. Some of the cars were carrying hazardous materials, according to police, but they say there is no danger to the public. There were no injuries. [KRQU, 2-13-25]
BREACHED BEAVER DAM BLAMED ON APRIL 2023 DERAILMENT IN RURAL MAINE: An April 2023 derailment in rural Maine that spilled hundreds of gallons of fuel, injured three workers and led to a forest fire, has been blamed on a flood resulting from a breached beaver dam. Canadian Pacific Kansas City led cleanup and repair efforts after the derailment in which three locomotives and six rail cars went off the track. Three rail workers were treated for minor injuries. Restoration at the site was completed by late 2024. [Our Midland, 2-13-25]
NS, CSX SHARE SIMILAR PERFORMANCE LEVELS IN JANUARY: Norfolk Southern and CSX have shown relatively similar performance levels to start 2025, with some variations across metrics. Norfolk Southern had a slightly higher manifest on-time percentage at 88 pct in January vs. CSX's 86 pct. CSX had a small advantage in average train speeds at 22.8 MPH vs. Norfolk Southern at 22.1 MPH. Terminal dwell times were nearly identical with CSX averaging 24.9 hours, and Norfolk Southern at 25.2 hours. [Freight Waves, 2-13-25]
N.Y. STATE TO FUND $150-M PROJECT LINKING LIRR FROM RONKONKOMA TO NORTH TERMINAL MACARTHUR AIRPORT: New York will fund $150-million to a project to connect the Long Island Rail Road station with the proposed north terminal at Long Island MacArthur Airport. [Progressive Railroading, 2-13-25]
CANDO SOUTHLANDS RAIL YARD OPENS IN ALBERTA: Cando Rail & Terminals has opened its Cando Southlands rail yard in Strathcona County, Alberta. It will provide rail capacity to serve Imperial's Strathcona refinery, which is adjacent to the new terminal, along with other area customers. [Progressive Railroading, 2-13-25]
BLET, MARC LOCOMOTIVE ENGINEERS REACH TENTATIVE FIVE-YEAR PACT: The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen has reached a tentative contact with Alstom for 20 locomotive engineers of MARC commuter trains in the Washington-Baltimore area. The tentative agreement covers the period 2024 through the end of 2028. [BLET, 2-13-25]
EUROSTAR RESUMES LONDON-AMSTERDAM SERVICE: A larger, more modern terminal for UK-bound passengers at Amsterdam Central station opened on Febr. 10 when Eurostar resumed direct services through to London. Eurostar is now offering three daily services between the two cities Sunday-Friday, and two on Saturdays. [Railway Gazette, 2-13-25]
RUNAWAY ENGINE DERAILS ON BIG SOUTH FORK RWY IN KENTUCKY: A runaway SW9 locomotive on Big South Fork Railway in Kentucky derailed after employees made a failed attempt to get it started after it had stalled. The incident occurred Jan. 28 on an off-season inspection run from Stearns to Blue Heron. The employees left the scene to get help of an additional locomotive, and it appears that the hand brakes they had applied on the unit along with chocks failed. The unit rolled downhill at increasing speed with nobody on board for about two miles when it came off the track. [McCreary Journal, 2-12-25]
BNSF TRAIN DERAILS ON CHICAGO'S WEST SIDE: Six cars of a BNSF train derailed Febr. 12 on Chicago's West Side. There were no injuries. [ABC-7 Chicago, 2-12-25]
TWO HONORED FOR RAIL SAFETY: The American Short Line & Regional Railroad Association has selected Matthew Lane, general manager Pioneer Valley Railroad as the 2025 safety person of the year; and Herman Crosson, chief safety officer Anacostia Rail Holdings as the 2025 safety professional of the year. [Freight Waves, 2-12-25]
TAX CREDIT LEGISLATION REINTRODUCED TO UPGRADE, EXPAND U.S. FREIGHT CAR FLEET: Legislation reintroduced Febr. 11 in the House of Representatives would establish a 10 pct tax credit to help upgrade and expand the U.S. freight car fleet. The three-year tax credit is designed to help offset the costs of replacing two existing rail cars with one new car that improves fuel efficiency or capacity by at least 8 pct, or modernizing one existing rail car to improve fuel efficiency or capacity by at least 8 pct, or to upgrade tank cars to DOT-117 specifications. [Freight Waves, 2-12-25]
U.S. RAIL FREIGHT TRAFFIC REPORT: U.S. railroads originated 502,449 carloads and intermodal units in the week ending Febr. 8, 2025, up 3.7 pct compared with the corresponding week last year. Calculated separately, carloads were down 0.7 pct, and intermodal was up 7.4 pct. [Assn. of American Railroads, 2-12-25]
AMTRAK TO CONTROL WASHINGTON UNION STATION LEASEHOLD: Amtrak has agreed to pay real estate firm Rexmark $505-million to control Washington Union Station's commercial spaces. If the move is approved by a federal court, it would end a ears-long dispute. [Railway Age, 7-12-25]
FRIGID TEMPS IMPACT BNSF NORTHERN TRANSOM: The BNSF Northern Transcon through Montana and North Dakota, route of the Empire Builder, is seeking a disruption of operations due to a winter weather blast that has brought temperatures down to 20 degrees below zero. Train-length restrictions have been implemented to support braking performance in the impacted areas and will remain in effect until conditions improve, the company said. Some trains have been re-routed on a more southerly route to help minimize disruption, when possible. [Railway Track & Structures, 7-12-25]
KANSAS STATE TEAM DEVELOPING IN-TRACK MEASUREMENT FOR RAIL STRESS: Engineers from Kansas State University are working to develop advanced technology to monitor stress in tracks without physical contact. It will monitor rail neutral temperature and the state of rail stress through simultaneous non-contact measurement of rail axial displacement and rail temperature. Detecting rail stress in a number of extreme temperatures under heavy traffic loads is necessary to prevent derailments and other issues. [Railway Track & Structures, 7-12-25]
GROUND-BREAKING SET FOR RAIL DEPOT RESTORATION IN PONCA CITY, OKLA.: A ground-breaking will be held for the $2.1-million former ATSF depot restoration project in Ponca City, Oklahoma, on Febr. 17. Ponca City has been identified as a stop on the planned extension of Amtrak's Heartland Flyer route northward into Kansas. [Ponca City govt., 2-12-25]
BLET, NJT CEO MEET TO DISCUSS CONTRACT DISPUTE: Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen representatives met this week for the second time with New Jersey Transit CEO Kris Kolluri in an effort to reach a voluntary resolution to their lengthy contract dispute. BLET and NJT are in the midst of a 60-day cooling-off period with a deadline of March 21 to reach an agreement, unless blocked by new legislation to impose a contract. [BLET, 2-11-25]
METRA TO ASSUME TRAIN OPERATION ON UNION PACIFIC LINES IN MID-APRIL: Chicago's Metra in mid-April will assume train operations on Union Pacific's North, Northwest and West lines. Mechanical and station services, along with some management services, have already been assumed by the agency. Negotiations continue over trackage compensation and other financial agreements. [Progressive Railroading, 2-11-25]
BRITAIN'S ROYAL TRAIN ENDORSEMENT EXTENDED TO DB CARGO UK: Britain's King Charles has awarded DB Cargo UK a new endorsement for the operation and maintenance of the Royal Train. The royal cypher will be updated on its locomotives 67005 'Queen's Messenger,' which will be renamed 'King's Messenger,' and 67006 'Royal Sovereign.' [Railway Gazette, 2-11-25]
MBTA TO BEGIN SOUTH COAST SERVICE MARCH 24: Boston's MBTA expects to begin its South Coast rail passenger service on March 24, pending final approval from the Federal Railroad Administration. It will be the first passenger rail service to operate between Boston and Taunton, New Bedford and Fall River in 65 years. [Progressive Railroading, 2-11-25]
HUDSON RIVER RAIL EXCURSIONS TO TAKE HIATUS: Due to upcoming operational changes at Amtrak, Hudson River Rail Excursions has announced that their day trips using historic rail cars will be going on an indefinite hiatus. The excursions use cars with special amenities attached to scheduled trains from New York City to Albany and return on selected dates. Final trip is March 2. [Hudson River Rail Excursions]
AMTRAK'S CRESCENT STRIKES TRUCK ON CROSSING IN N.C.: Amtrak's Crescent struck a truck at a crossing early Febr. 11 in Gaston County, N.C. There were 113 people aboard the train, which was en route to New York. There were no injures, but the train was significantly delayed by the incident. [WCNC, 2-11-25]
TEXAS EAGLE SEVEN HOURS & 45 MINUTES LATE INTO CHICAGO: Amtrak's Texas Eagle of Febr. 10 arrived into Chicago seven hours and 45 minutes behind schedule on Febr. 11, having been delayed en route by mechanical issues, rail congstion and speed restrictions. [Amtrak, 2-11-25]
HISTORIC FLYING YANKEE STREAMLINER TO BE RESTORED: The Flying Yankee Association in Nashua, N.H., will begin restoring the Budd-built 1935 Flying Yankee diesel streamliner of the Boston & Maine, a contemporary of Burlington's (later Pioneer) Zephyr. The three-car articulated train was acquired from the New Hampshire Dept. of Transportation, and will be restored with a traction motor rebuild project costing about $30,000. Once the design process has been completed, later this year, the association will initiate a capital campaign. [Railway Age, 2-10-25]
SUNSET LIMITED STRIKES CAR IN LOUISIANA, ONE INJURED: A man is recovering after a crash involving his car and Amtrak's westbound Sunset Limited in Lafayette, Louisiana, on Febr. 10. All passengers on the train were reported safe. [KATC, 2-10-25]
SIERRA NORTHERN RWY ACQUIRES RAILPOWER LLC: Sierra Northern Railway on Febr. 7 reported acquiring the assets of locomotive manufacturer RailPower LLC in an aim to build additional hydrogen-powered units. [Railway Age, 2-10-25]
MEXICO PLANS EXTENSION OF TREN MAYA RAIL NETWORK: Mexico's president has set out plans to extend the country's 918-mile Tren Maya rail network to Belize and Guatemala, adding about 186 miles of new lines. [Railway Gazette, 2-10-25]
D.C. METRO TO MODERNIZE 27 STATION ELEVATORS: Washington DC Metro will modernize 27 elevators across more than 12 stations beginning Febr. 10. The first station receiving the work is the Archives-Navy Memorial-Penn Quarter station, other stations to follow. Each project will take up to three months to complete. Passengers with disabilities will be accommodated via shuttle to nearby stations. [Railway Track & Structures, 2-10-25]
CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR DELAYED OVER TWO HOURS BY EQUIPMENT PROBLEMS: Amtrak's California Zephyr of Febr. 10 was delayed leaving Chicago by two hours and 15 minutes because of equipment problems. [Amtrak]
MBTA TRAIN COLLIDES WITH ANOTHER TRAIN IN SOMERVILLE, MASS.: A Boston MBTA Green line train with passengers collided with an out-of-service train at a station in Somerville, Mass., early Febr. 9. One passenger and four train crew members were transported to a hospital, the agency said. [NBC Boston, 2-9-25]
TWO UNION PACIFIC TRAINS DERAIL IN NEBRAKA: Two separate Union Pacific train derailments occurred early Febr. 9 in Nebraska. One happened west of Dix involving about 60 double-stacked intermodal containers with several other cars remaining on the track while blocking a railroad crossing. The other happened east of North Platte near Highway 30. According to law enforcement, 25 rail cars carrying corn derailed blocking the three-track main line. No injuries were reported in either incident. [Panhandle News, 2-9-25]
ONE KILLED AS AMTRAK TRAIN STRIKES VEHICLE IN N.Y. STATE: A 19-year-old male was killed late Febr. 7 when his vehicle was struck by Amtrak's westbound Lake Shore Limited in Manlius, N.Y. The train was significantly delayed by the incident with damage to its locomotive. [Syracuse.com, 2-8-25]
EMPIRE BUILDER DELAYED NINE HOURS BY LOCOMOTIVE PROBLEMS: Amtrak's westbound Empire Builder of Febr. 7 was delayed about nine hours while en route in North Dakota and Montana on Febr. 8 because of locomotive problems. [Amtrak]
SEPTA TRAIN CATCHES FIRE ALONG NORTHEAST CORRIDOR IN PA., NO INJURIES: Amtrak service along the Northeast corridor was impacted after a SEPTA train traveling from Philadelphia to Wilmington went up in flames late Febr. 7 near the Crum Lynne station in Ridley Park, Pa. The six-car train was carrying about 350 people, all of whom evacuated safely. Crews were credited with 'very quick action' to avoid an unsafe outcome. [ABC-7 NY, 2-8-25]
MBTA COMMUTER TRAIN DERAILS, NO INJURIES: A Massachusetts Bay Keolis commuter train with about 130 passengers on board derailed at low speed Febr. 8 causing delays and Boston's South Station. No injuries were reported. [Boston 25 News, 2-8-25]
CPKC OFFICIALLY OPENS SECOND LAREDO CROSS-BORDER BRIDGE: Canadian Pacific Kansas City has officially opened its second cross-border bridge linking Laredo, Texas, with Neuvo Laredo in Mexico. Both bridges are in service. Named in honor of the late Patrick Ottensmeyer, who was CEO and president of Kansas City Southern from 2015 until 2023, the bridges span the Rio Grande 35 feet apart, and double the capacity at that location. [Railway Track & Structures, 2-7-25]
JUSTIN VONASHEK NAMED TO SUCCEED AS PRESIDENT OF METRO-NORTH: Metro-North's executive vice-president & chief operating officer Justin Vonashek has been named to succeed Catherine Rinaldi as president. [Railway Age, 2-7-25]
EMPIRE BUILDER 20 HOURS LATE INTO WESTERN DESTINATIONS: Amtrak's westbound Empire Builder of Febr. 5 arrived into its respective Seattle and Portland destinations an average of about 20 hours behind schedule. Amtrak's explanation of en route delays involved locomotive problems, for which a freight locomotive was summoned, and availability of crews due to late operation. [Amtrak]
CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR ARRIVES INTO DESTINATION NINE HOURS LATE: Amtrak's westbound California Zephyr of Febr. 4 arrived into Emeryville nine hours behind schedule early Febr. 7. The train was almost on time leaving from Chicago, but Amtrak's on-line explanation of en route delays only comprehended it having 'mechanical problems.' [Amtrak]
UTAH TRANSIT FINALIZES PLAN TO EXPAND LIGHT-RAIL CONNECTING AIRPORT, RESEARCH PARK: The Utah Transit Authority has finalized plans to expand the TRAX light-rail line to connect Salt Lake City International Airport with the University of Utah's Research Park.. The new Orange line will be open by 2032, two years before the region will host the Winter Olympics. Eight new stations will be built and existing rail lines will also be altered. [Rail Passengers Assn., 2-7-25]
RAILS SEEK USE OF DETROIT'S RESTORED MICHIGAN CENTRAL STATION: Michigan Central hosted a group of Amtrak, VIA Rail and other officials late last year after the train depot's grand reopening following Ford Motor Company's six-year restoration process. The last train left the station in 1988. The station would fit with a proposed Chicago-Detroit-Toronto corridor, rail official said, utilizing at least some portion of the station's campus. [Axios, 2-7-25]
DAVID MCLEAN, FIRST CHAIR OF CN FOLLOWING PRIVATIZATION, DIES: David McLean, Canadian National's first board chair following privatization in 1995, died late last month. He was 86. [Railway Age, 2-6-25]
NORTH CAROLINA R.R. LAUNCHES NEW ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM: The North Carolina Railroad has launched a new economic development program aimed at preserving land for future industrial users. The program will assist local governments and economic development organizations with site control. [Progressive Railroading, 2-6-25]
D.C. METRO UPDATES PREQUALIFICATION RULES: Washington DC Metro will change its prequalification rules for certain contracts valued at $500,000 or less, except for construction and public works contracts. Previously the prequalification was $100,000, so any contractor on a contract above that threshold had to go through a prequalification review. [Railway Track & Structures, 2-6-25]
AMTRAK'S FLORIDIAN ARRIVES INTO CHICAGO SIX HOURS & 46 MINUTES LATE: Amtrak's northbound Floridian of Febr. 4 arrived into Chicago six hours and 46 minutes behind schedule on Febr. 6. According the Amtrak's website, the only delays explained were due to heavy rail congestion en route. [Amtrak, 2-6-25]
WEEKLY U.S. RAIL FREIGHT TRAFFIC REPORT: U.S. railroads originated 513,622 carloads and intermodal units in the week ending Febr. 1, 2025, up 4.5 pct compared with the corresponding week last year. Calculated separately, carloads were down 0.1 pct, and intermodal was up 8.2 pct. [Assn. of American Railroads, 2-5-25]
CPKC, USW REACH TENTATIVE FOUR-YEAR AGREEMENT: Canadian Pacific Kansas City announced on Febr. 5 that it reached a tentative four-year collective agreement with United Steelworkers representing clerical and intermodal employees in Canada. [Railway Age, 2-5-25]
CANADA TO PROVIDE FUNDING TOWARD HUDSON BAY RWY: The Canadian government on Febr. 4 announced it would provide $43-million (C) to support rail operations and maintenance of the Hudson Bay Railway. The funding will support year-round transportation to 33,000 residents in northern Manitoba. [Progressive Railroading, 2-5-25]
SITE CHOSEN FOR PALMER, MASS., TRAIN STATION: The Massachusetts Dept. of Transportation on Febr. 3 announced South of Palmer Yard as the best site for the future Palmer train station. The site offers the amount of property needed for a platform to accommodate ADA requirements and passenger train length. [Progressive Railroading, 2-5-25]
COAST STARLIGHT DELAYED FIVE HOURS BY TRACK CLOSURE, POLICE ACTIVITY: Amtrak's northbound Coast Starlight on Febr. 5 was delayed more than five hours due to a track closure and police activity between Richmond and Berkeley, Calif. [Amtrak, 2-5-25]
CSX MOTHER-ROADSLUG SETS DOWN TO FOUR: As of Febr 5, 2025, only four (4) mother-roadslug locomotive sets were still known to be working on CSX. They are 6470+2239, 6925+2284, 6970+2370, and 6982+2382. Other mated sets are likely in storage. [Robert Michaels, 2-5-25]
WASHINGTON STATE LEGISLATIVE BILLS SET ENHANCED TARGETS FOR CASCADES RAIL SERVICE: Bills have been presented in both Washington State legislative houses setting targets for enhanced Amtrak Cascades service and accountability. Included in the 2035 goals are 2.5-hour trip times between Seattle and Portland with at least 14 daily round trips; and 2.75-hour trip times between Seattle and Vancouver, B.C., with at least five daily round trips. The goals comprehend corridor improvements over the next decade to reach the targeted characteristics. [The Urbanist, 2-5-25]
RAIL LINE TO BE BUILT LINKING TANZANIA, BURUNDI: The governments of Tanzania and Burundi have signed a $2.15-billion agreement with firms in China to build a standard-gauge railway between the two countries. [International Railway Journal, 2-5-25]
INDIA ANNOUNCES 2025-2026 BUDGET FOR RAILWAYS: India's finance ministry has announced a $30.44-billion allocation for Indian Railways in the national budget for 2025-26. This is unchanged from the previous budget, but a cut in real terms given the 5 pct annual inflation rate. [International Railway Journal, 2-5-25]
AG BUSINESS TO EXPAND RAIL FLEET FOR GRAIN, SUGAR IN BRAZIL: Global agribusiness firm Cofco International has announced a $204-million investment in 23 locomotives and 979 rail cars for use in grain and sugar shipments from the central-west region of Brazil and the state of Sao Paulo to a new terminal at the Port of Santos. [International Railway Journal, 2-5-25]
ADELAIDE COMMUTER NETWORK RETURNS TO PUBLIC SECTOR: South Australia's government took over operations of Adelaide's commuter network on Febr. 2 from Keolis Downer Adelaide. The private-sector joint venture ran the system for four years, just half the term of the original operating contract. [International Railway Journal, 2-5-25]
CSX REOPENS TWO MILES OF N.C. CLINCHFIELD LINE FROM STORM DAMAGE: Freight trains are once again running through the western North Carolina town of Spruce Pine after CSX crews reopened about two miles of its Clinchfield line from storm damage. The project gains access to local freight customer Quartz Corp. Its business, along with the railroad, was affected by flooding caused by hurricane Helene in Sept. 2024. [Freight Waves, 2-4-25]
CSX CLOSES HOWARD STREET TUNNEL FOR RECONSTRUCTION: CSX has closed its Howard street tunnel in Baltimore for reconstruction to allow for double-stack containers, slated for completion in the latter half of 2025. [Railway Track & Structures, 2-4-25]
METRA SLATED TO OPEN ROSEMOOR STATION, CLOSE CHICAGO STATE UNIVERSITY STATION: Chicago's Metra plans to reopen its 103rd street/Rosemoor station on March 3 following a year of rehab construction. Additionally, the 95th/Chicago State University station will close for two years. Both stations are on Metra's Electric line. [Railway Track & Structures, 2-4-25]
INTERMODEX DEVELOPING TRANSLOAD, LOGISTICS FACILITY AT PORT OF PRINCE RUPERT: IntermodeX is developing a transload and logistics facility at the Port of Prince Rupert, B.C., to support global cargo owners, ocean carriers and forwarders. The port if directly connected to Canadian National. [Progressive Railroading, 2-4-25]
AMTRAK FLORIDIAN STRIKES PICKUP TRUCK IN S.C., KILLING ONE: One person is dead following an early morning Febr. 4 crash involving an Amtrak train and a pickup truck in Columbia, S.C. The train was the northbound Floridian en route from Miami to Chicago while the truck was traveling westbound at the crossing at Sunset drive. Preliminary information is that the driver drove around the crossing gates. According to Amtrak, the train was delayed almost four hours by the incident. [WLTX, 2-4-25]
NEW VENTURE OFFERING END-TO-END U.S. INTERMODAL TRANSPORTATION SERVICES: Boxlink is a new joint venture of liner operator Ocean Network Express and South Korean forwarder LX Pantos. It is offering end-to-end U.S. domestic intermodal transportation services managing inland-to-coastal needs through a domestic reposition program by leveraging empty containers for intermodal operations. Boxlink has secured direct agreements with Union Pacific, Norfolk Southern and BNSF. [Freight Waves, 2-4-25]
PORT OF BALTIMORE INTRODUCES ELECTRIC RAIL CAR MOVER: The Port of Baltimore's Wallenius Wilhelmsen Terminal has rolled out an electric rail car mover in what the port says is a first for the contemporary U.S. maritime industry. The zero-emission LOK 16.150E, manufactured in Italy, features an 80-volt rechargeable battery system with on board charger powering two 30-Kw alternating current brushless motors. At just over 21 feet in length, the 63,900-pound unit has drawbar pull of 39,500-pound force. [Freight Waves, 2-3-25]
RAIL UNIONS URGE ALL CLASS-I CARRIERS TO JOIN CONFIDENTIAL CLOSE CALL REPORTING SYSTEM: On the second anniversary of the Norfolk Southern derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, the nation's rail labor unions are asking all Class-I railroads to fully-join the Federal Railroad Administration's confidential close call reporting system. The program allows workers to confidentially report close call safety incidents that could help prevent future incidents, without fear of discipline or retaliation. [Progressive Railroading, 2-3-25]
CALIFORNIA COMPLETES FARGO AVENUE OVERCROSSING PROJECT FOR HIGH-SPEED RAIL: The California High-Speed Rail Authority has completed the Fargo avenue overcrossing in Kings County. It will relocate traffic over the future high-speed line. [Railway Track & Structures, 2-3-25]
GENESIS RAIL NAMES RANCE RANDEL AS CEO: Genesis Rail Co. has announced the appointment of Rance Randle as its CEO. With more than two decades of railroad experience, he has served at BNSF, CN and Cathcart Rail. [Railway Track & Structures, 2-3-25]
IOWA INTERSTATE UNVEILS HAZMAT TRAINING TANK CAR: Iowa Interstate Railroad has introduced a hazmat training tank car fitted with telemetry technology including GPS location and load status monitoring to enhance preparedness of first-responders. [Railway Gazette, 2-3-25]
CONTRACT AWARDED FOR MANHATTAN TUNNEL PROJECT: The Gateway Development Commission has awarded a contract to Frontier-Kemper-Tutor-Perini JV to proceed with construction of the $1.8-billion Manhattan Tunnel project. Construction is expected to begin in the coming months, with substantial completion anticipated in 2029. [Railway Age, 2-3-25]
CALTRAIN'S RIDERSHIP UP 41 PCT DURING FIRST THREE MONTHS OF ELECTRIC SERVICE: Caltrain's ridership grew 41 pct during the first three months of electric service in 2024 compared with the same period in 2023. Ridership in Dec. 224 reached over a half million passengers. [Progressive Railroading, 2-3-25]
COMPOSITE R.R. TIE PRODUCER EVERTRAK PARTNERS WITH SUMITOMO IN EXPANSION: Evertrak, a producer of composite railroad ties, has entered a partnership with Sumitomo Corp. of America, a global trading company, to expand its production capabilities and scale operations. [Progressive Railroading, 2-3-25]
AMTRAK'S CASCADE TRAINS BRAKE RIDERSHIP RECORD: Amtrak's Cascades rail service linking Vancouver, B.C., with the Pacific Northwest broke ridership records in 2024. Currently, Amtrak operates two daily cross-border trains each way, six daily round-trip trains between Seattle and Portland, and two trains each way between Portland and Eugene. The line served over 984,000 passengers in 2024, up from 746,000 the year before. [Planetizen, 2-2-25]
JANUARY 2025 AMTRAK LONG-DISTANCE TRAIN PERFORMANCE: Forty-seven percent of Amtrak's named long-distance trains arrived at their scheduled final destination on time or earlier in January 2025. The remaining trains, on average, arrived one hour and 29 minutes late. MORE.. [Bull Sheet Statistical Dept., 2-1-25]
NORFOLK SOUTHERN TRAIN HITS ROCK SLIDE IN W.VA., DERAILS: Norfolk Southern says that a rock slide was the reason about 18 rail cars derailed late Jan. 31 in Crum, W.Va. No injuries were reported, and there were no leaks. [WOWK, 2-1-25]
CN REPORTS 2024 RESULTS: For the year 2024, Canadian National reported revenue of $17-billion (C) and net income of $4.4-billion, a 1 pct increase and a 21 pct decrease, respectively, compared to the previous year. The adjusted operating ration was 62.9 pct for the year, up from 60.8 pct a year ago. [Progressive Railroading, 1-31-25]
IBEW REACHES TENTATIVE AGREEMENT WITH NCCC: The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers has reached a new five-year tentative collective bargaining agreement with the National Carriers' Conference Committee. The agreement has terms similar to ones ratified last month with BNSF and CSX. [Progressive Railroading, 1-31-25]
MARTA UNVEILS FIRST OF NEW CQ400 TRAINS: Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority officials on Jan. 30 unveiled the first of the agency's new CQ400 trains. The units feature open gangway designs, upgraded lighting and seating, digital displays, charging stations and improved safety measures. [Progressive Railroading, 1-31-25]
SOUND TRANSIT TO OPEN REDMOND EXTENSION MAY 10: Seattle's Sound Transit's Link 2 line light-rail route between Redmond Technology station and downtown Redmond will open for passenger service May 10. The 3.4-mile extension includes two not stations. The initial segment of the line between South Bellevue and Redmond Technology opened in April last year. The full line is expected to open late this year. [Progressive Railroading, 1-31-25]
NORFOLK SOUTHERN IMPLEMENTS APPOINTMENT SYSTEM FOR TRUCKERS AT LANDER TERMINAL: Norfolk Southern has introduced a mandatory appointment system for truckers to retrieve containers at its Lander Terminal in Chicago to reduce congestion and improve efficiency. This is the third terminal the company has adopted the appointment system. Others were Memphis and Atlanta. [Journal of Commerce, 1-31-25]
SPARKS TS ACQUIRED BY RAILCUBE: Dutch rail freight software company RailCube has acquired Sparks TS, a U.S.-based rail industry compliance safety and drug & alcohol testing software and services provider to about 100 railways. It is RailCube's first add-on acquisition since the start of its partnership with Main Central Partners in 2023. [Railway Gazette, 1-31-25]
CPKC REPORTS 2024 EARNINGS: Canadian Pacific Kansas City reported 2024 revenue of $14.5-billion (C) and net income of $3.7-billion, compared with 2023 revenue of $12.6-billion and net income of $3.9-billion. [Progressive Railroading, 12-30-25]
PHOENIX RAIL ACQUIRES LEHIGH VALLEY RAIL MANAGEMENT: Short-line rail business Phoenix Rail has been launched by infrastructure investor Ancala. Its first deal was the acquisition of Lehigh Valley Rail Management, which owns short-line and terminal facilities in Bethlehem and Johnstown, Pa. [Railway Gazette, 12-30-25]
U.K. COMMUTERS PREFER MUSIC DURING TRAIN JOURNEYS, RESEARCH SHOWS: British rail operator c2c Trenitalia is celebrating new research that shows 98 pct of U.K. commuters listen to music during their train journeys. Forty percent of responders say that not listening to music would negatively impact their mood and mental wellbeing. [Rail Business Daily, 12-30-25]
WEEKLY U.S. RAIL FREIGHT TRAFFIC REPORT: U.S. railroads originated 454,797 carloads and intermodal units in the week ending Jan. 25, 2025, down 2.5 pct compared with the corresponding week last year. Calculated separately, carloads were down 8.8 pct, and intermodal was up 2.5 pct. [Assn. of American Railroads, 1-29-25]
NORFOLK SOUTHERN REPORTS 4-Q 2024 RESULTS: Norfolk Southern reported fourth-quarter 2024 revenue declined 2 pct to $3-billion, and income from railway operations rose 40 pct to $1.1-billion compared with the same period in 2023. The company posted diluted earnings per share of $3.23, and an operating ratio of 62.6 pct for the quarter. [Progressive Railroading, 1-29-25]
CATHCART TO PROVIDE REPAIRS FOR PORTLAND & WESTERN: Cathcart Rail will be the running repair agent for car inspection and mechanical services for Portland & Western Railroad's 478-mile network. [Railway Track & Structures, 1-29-25]
GRAND CENTRAL MADISON WINS CIVIL ENGINEERING AWARD: The Grand Central Madison passenger rail project won the 2025 American Society of Civil Engineering's outstanding civil engineering achievement award. The project was selected as one of 14 finalists. It expands the Long Island Rail Road capacity into Manhattan's East Side. [Railway Track & Structures, 1-29-25]
SEAN DUFFY SWORN IN AS U.S. SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION: Sean Duffy on Jan. 28 was officially sworn in as the 20th secretary of the U.S. Dept. of Transportation. [Railway Age, 1-29-25]
CN, IBEW REACH TENTATIVE AGREEMENT, AVOID STRIKE: Canadian National and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers of Canada have reached a tentative agreement on a new four-year contract, averting a strike that was slated to begin Jan. 28. The union represents 750 signal and communications employees across Canada. [Freight Waves, 1-28-25]
EAST PALESTINE, NORFOLK SOUTHERN AGREE TO $22-M SETTLEMENT: The town of East Palestine, Ohio, and Norfolk Southern have announced a $22-million settlement resolving all of the town's claims arising from the Febr. 2023 train derailment. The settlement is to be used for priorities the town identifies in connection with the derailment, but it also recognizes about $13.5-million that the railroad has already paid to the town. It also reaffirms the company's commitment of $25-million to ongoing improvements to East Palestine City Park. Both parties agreed that a proposed regional safety training center in the village is not feasible, and will not build it, but Norfolk Southern will transfer about 15 acres acquired for that purpose to the town. Additional legal actions are pending. Residents challenging the railroad's $600-million settlement have asked a court to reject a judge's order requiring them to put up an $850,000 bond to continue their appeal for higher compensation and more information about the contamination. [Fortune, 1-28-25]
LORI RYERKERK NAMED TO BOARD OF NORFOLK SOUTHERN: Norfolk Southern has appointed Lori J. Ryerkerk to its board of directors. She is former chair, chief executive officer and president of Celanese Corp. [Railway Age, 1-28-25]
CSX UNVEILS SPECIALIZED LOCOMOTIVE FOR FIRST-RESPONDER TRAINING: CSX on Jan. 27 unveiled training locomotive 911343, which is designed to simulate emergency scenarios to offer first-responders hands-on experience to mimic incidents. Former SD70AC unit 4507, it has been modified with custom features to enhance safety and facilitate the training. Its fuel tank is filled with water, not fuel. [Progressive Railroading, 1-28-25]
SEPTA TO UPGRADE FARE PAYMENT SYSTEM: Cubic Transportation Systems has been awarded a $211-million contract by SEPTA for the design, installation and operation of its Key 2.0 fare-payment system, which is an update to the agency's existing and outdated system. [Progressive Railroading, 1-28-25]
PHOENIX RAIL ACQUIRES LEHIGH VALLEY RAIL MANAGEMENT: Phoenix Rail, a joint venture of Ancala and Arkadia Rail Partners, has completed acquisition of Lehigh Valley Rail Management. [Railway Age, 1-28-25]
MBTA COMPLETES TRACK IMPROVEMENTS ON BRAINTREE BRANCH, INCREASES SPEED: Boston's MBTA has reached a milestone after work was completed for the Red line track improvement on the Braintree branch. On portions along the line maximum speed increased from 40 MPH to 50 MPH. [Railway Track & Structures, 1-28-25]
TRUMP ADMINISTRATION RESCINDS FUNDING FREEZE: The Trump administraion on Jan. 28 rescinded a freeze on federal grants and other funding that could have had far-reaching effects on the transportation sector, one day after a federal judge temporarily blocked the measure. Included were programs affecting rail, such as Consolidated Rail Infrastructure & Safety Improvements program; grants to Amtrak to fund new equipment and route expansion; capital assistance to states for intercity passenger service; high-speed rail corridors; federal-state partnerships for intercity passenger rail; Passenger Rail Investment & Improvements Act; grade crossing elimination programs; and other related programs. [Freight Waves, 1-28-25]
ONTARIO TO FUND OVERHAUL OF 121 GO TRANSIT CARS: The Ontario government is investing more than $350-million (C) to refurbish 121 GO Transit bi-level commuter rail cars at Ontario Northland's reanufacturing & repair center in North Bay. [Railway Age, 1-28-25]
AMTRAK'S FLORIDIAN OVER EIGHT HOURS LATE INTO CHICAGO: Amtrak's northbound Floridian of Jan. 26 arrived into its Chicago destination more than eight hours late on Jan. 28, having been significantly delayed en route by mechanical issues and the need to remove a bad-order car from the consist. There were also locomotive issues, rail congestion and speed restrictions. [Amtrak, 1-28-25]
WABTEC TO SUPPLY EVOLUTION SERIES LOCOMOTIVES TO GUINEA: Wabtec has landed a $248-million order for Evolution Series ES43ACmi dual-cab locomotives for operations on a high-grade iron ore project in eastern Guinea. [Railway Age, 1-28-25]
AMTRAK ANNOUNCES TWO-FOR-ONE ROOMETTE SALE: Amtrak has unveiled a flash sale on roomette fares ahead of Valentine's Day. The sale runs from Jan. 28 to Febr. 6 for selected long-distance routes for travel between Jan. 29 and April 17. [RailNews, 1-28-25]
AMTRAK COMMISSIONS QUILT DISPLAY AT LANCASTER, PA., STATION: Amtrak has commissioned an art installation at its Lancaster, Pa., station. Entitled 'A Place for Every Piece: Lancaster's Living Quilt,' it tells the story of the people of Lancaster through fabric donated by more than 100 local residents, using the station to celebrate the city;s heritage and present. [Amtrak, 1-28-25]
COUNCIL IN TEXAS GRANTING $100,000 TO KEEP HEARTLAND FLYER RUNNING: Amtrak's Heartland Flyer, which faced a shortfall of about $72,000 for FY-2024, will receive $100,000 after the Regional Transportation Council in Texas approved funds to avoid service interruptions. The council allocated the money from toll revenues. Each year, Texas pays about $2.6-million for the Heartland Flyer, an amount that has not increased in over a decade, despite costs having risen. Passenger rail ridership to Fort Worth increased more than 14 pct in 2024, funneled by both the Heartland Flyer and Texas Eagle. Extending the Heartland Flyer from Oklahoma City to Newton, Kansas, is under consideration. [Fort Worth Report, 1-28-25]
CSX ADDS ANN BEGEMAN TO ITS BOARD: CSX on Jan. 27 named former Surface Transportation Board chair Ann Begeman to its board of directors. [Freight Waves, 1-27-25]
GATX REPORTS 4-Q 2024 EARNINGS: Rail car and locomotive lessor GATX reported 2024 fourth-quarter net income of $76.5-million or $2.10 per diluted share, compared with $66-million or $1.81 per diluted share in the same quarter of 2023. [Freight Waves, 1-27-25]
SOUND TRANSIT DECLARES EMERGENCY OVER LIGHT-RAIL DELAY ISSUES: Seattle's Sound Transit has declared an 'emergency' because of light-rail issues resulting in delays. They include a damaged train wire next to University of Washington station, overhead wires in the downtown tunnel in need of tightening, grime on rails inside the downtown tunnel impeding the flow of power, flaws at the dispatch center, shifting ballast, fragile software, and North Tunnel power and rail car outages. [Railway Track & Structures, 1-27-25]
DOWNED POWER LINES DISRUPT COAST STARLIGHT: Amtrak's southbound Coast Starlight of Jan. 25 was annulled the following afternoon at San Luis Obispo, Calif., due to downed power lines near Los Angeles. [Amtrak, 1-26-25]
EAST PALESTINE RESIDENTS BALK AT NEED TO PUT UP $850,000 BOND TO CONTINUE SETTLEMENT LITIGATION: Residents challenging Norfolk Southern's $600-million settlement for the disastrous East Palestine train crash have asked a court to reject a judge's order requiring them to put up an $850,000 bond to continue their appeal for higher compensation and more information about the contamination. Nearly $300-million of the settlement has been on hold because of the appeal, even though a judge approved the deal in Sept. 2024. The holdout residents are urging the court to stop them from having to put up the sum to continue with their claims. An attorney for the clients said they are pressing ahead with the appeal in the belief that the settlement is not enough to compensate them for possible health effects in the future, and they want to know what the lawyers uncovered during their investigation so they can better judge the risks. [KDKA, 1-25-25]
AMTRAK TRAIN STRIKES VEHICLE IN OHIO, KILLING DRIVER: A 45-year-old man is dead following the collision of an Amtrak train and his vehicle in Columbiana, Ohio, early Jan. 24. The driver reportedly attempted to go around the gates at a crossing. The train was Amtrak's Floridian, en route to Miami. [The Review Online, 1-25-25]
KEOLIS SEEKS BATTERY-ELECTRIC TRAINS FOR MBTA FAIRMOUNT LINE: Keolis Commuter Services has issued a request for proposals for new battery-electric multiple-unit train sets for Boston's MBTA Fairmount rail line. Keolis is seeking seven trains, with an option for additional trains in the future. [Progressive Railroading, 1-24-25]
RAIL-SERVED LITHIUM REFINERY COMING TO OKLAHOMA: Stardust Power has broken ground on a battery-grade lithium refinery in Muskogee, Okla., that will be served by Union Pacific via Port Muskogee's Midland Valley Branch line. [Railway Age, 1-24-25]
DINING CAR STEWARDS RATIFY AGREEMENT WITH AMTRAK: Dining car stewards represented by SMART-TD have voted to ratify an agreement with Amtrak spanning the period July 1, 2022, through Dec. 1, 2028. [Railway Age, 1-24-25]
BNSF ANNOUNCES CAPITAL INVESTMENT PLAN FOR 2025: BNSF has announced a $3.8-billion capital investment plan for 2025, down from $3.92-million in 2024. The main component of the plan is $2.84-billion toward maintenance projects such as upgrading rail, ballast and ties, and maintaining rolling stock. [Progressive Railroading, 1-24-25]
METRO-NORTH POSTS RECORD ON-TIME PERFORMANCE IN 2024: Metro-North in 2024 posted its strongest on-time performance, hitting a record high of 98 pct. The record was reached in spite of several steel-structure replacements projects along the system. [Progressive Railroading, 1-24-25]
RAIL INDUSTRY, LABOR EXPRESS SAFETY CONCERNS AT HOUSE HEARING: Widespread support for a federal grade-crossing safety program emerged during a Jan. 23 House subcommittee hearing. Representatives of the rail industry and labor lay down their priorities, focusing on freight issues, cargo theft and blocked crossings. [Freight Waves, 1-24-25, from Trains Magazine]
HIGH WINDS HALT ALL TRAINS IN SCOTLAND: Storm Eowyn caused extraordinary travel chaos across Britain Jan. 24 as 92 MPH winds halted all trains in Scotland. Train operator ScotRail suspended all services, warning it would not be safe to run passenger services. [Rail Business Daily, 1-24-25]
CALIFORNIA STARTUP UNVEILS DESIGNS FOR PROPOSED LA-SF OVERNIGHT TRAIN: Dreamstar Lines, a California startup that has proposed a Los Angeles-San Francisco overnight rail service, has unveiled designs for its overnight train service. Accommodations would include a lounge, standard-class equivalent to first-class international air, a bedroom that sleeps two, a suite with a queen-size bed, and a family room for six. All rooms will feature a private bathroom with shower. The company needs to secure agreements with the three host carriers controlling the 470-mile route. [Progressive Railroading, 1-23-25]
UNION PACIFIC REPORTS 2024 EARNINGS: Union Pacific reported net income for the year 2024 was $6.7-billion or $11.09 per diluted share, compared with $6.4-billion or $10.45 per diluted share in 2023. Fourth-quarter profit increased 7 pct from the same quarter the previous year, with net income of $1.76-billion. Intermodal volumes during the quarter increased 6 pct. [Freight Waves, 1-23-25]
PATH TO CLOSE HOBOKEN STATION 25 DAYS FOR REPAIRS: Beginning Jan. 30, Port Authority Trans Hudson will close its Hoboken station for 25 days to perform round-the-clock track, infrastructure and rehabilitation work. [Railway Age, 1-23-25]
CANADIAN RAIL RIDERSHIP INCREASED IN 2024: Canadian passenger railways increased ridership in 2024. According to the Railway Association of Canada, the number of rail commuters increased 70.5 pct, and intercity passengers increased 30.7 pct. [Progressive Railroading, 1-23-25]
FRIGID TEMPS CAUSE SOME AMTRAK CANCELLATIONS: Due to frigid temperatures, Amtrak on Jan. 23 has annulled its Borealis, Illinois Zephyr, Wolverine trains 351-353, Hiawatha trains 330-353, and Lincoln service train 300. Northbound City of New Orleans will originate at Memphis. [Amtrak, 1-23-25]
CSX REPORTS 2024 EARNINGS: CSX reported 2024 operating income of $5.25-billion, down 5 pct from the previous year. Net income was $3.47-billion or $1.79 per share, compared with $3.67-billion or $1.82 per share in 2023. Adjusted for a pre-tax, non-cash goodwill impairment charge of $108-million in the fourth-quarter, operating income for 2024 was $5.35-billion. [Freight Waves, 1-23-25]
AMTRAK TRAIN STRIKES, KILLS PERSON IN MIDDLE RIVER, MD.: An Amtrak train en route from Washington to New York struck and killed a person early Jan. 23 in Middle River, Md. Amtrak said the train was No. 114, and the incident occurred at the Martin State Airport commuter station used by MARC. [Eldersburg Patch, 1-23-25]
SELF-PROPELLED FLATCAR SYSTEM TO BE TESTED ON G&W LINES: The Federal Railroad Administration will allow Parallel Systems to test its autonomous, self-propelled flatcar system on a pair of Genesee & Wyoming shortlines in Georgia. Parallel and G&W plan a seven-phase test program, and the complexity of the operations will increase with each phase. The FRA must deem each phase successful before the companies may move to the next phase. [Freight Waves, 1-23-25, from Trains Magazine]
WEEKLY U.S. RAIL FREIGHT TRAFFIC REPORT: U.S. railroads originated 500,160 carloads and intermodal units in the week ending Jan. 18, 2025, up 25.9 pct compared with the corresponding week last year. Calculated separately, carloads were up 25.1 pct, and intermodal was up 26.5 pct. [Assn. of American Railroads, 1-22-25]
ARMY TO EXPAND ITS RAIL YARD AT FORT BLISS: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has awarded Granite a contract to expand and update the rail yard at Fort Bliss in El Paso. The yard is served by Union Pacific. [Railway Age, 1-22-25]
N.Y. 14TH STREET SIXTH AVENUE SUBWAY STATION UPGRADED: New York City's 14th street Sixth avenue subway station is now fully-accessible, with upgraded technology and circulation, following a $300-million renovation. [Railway Track & Structures, 1-22-25]
READING BLUE MOUNTAIN & NORTHERN RECORDS RECORD RIDERSHIP IN 2024: Reading, Blue Mountain & Northern Railroad recorded an all-time high ridership of 340,000 passengers in 2024. The railroad opened new departure facilities, and spent $6-million on new equipment and train cars. [Progressive Railroading, 1-22-25]
BLET REJECTS PRESIDENTIAL EMERGENCY BOARD DECISION ON CONTRACT DISPUTE WITH NJT: The Presidential Emergency Board declared New Jersey Transit's final offer as the most reasonable in its labor negotiations with the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen, but the union rejected that decision. Accordingly, the union's rejection now sets off a 60-day cooling-off period before a strike can occur at N.J. Transit. [Progressive Railroading, 1-22-25]
BART TO ENHANCE NAVIGATION INFO SYSTEM: Bay Area Rapid Transit is upgrading its passenger information system to show line colors and connections as part of a larger effort to make its navigation system easier for passengers. [Railway Gazette, 1-22-25]
NORTHBOUND AUTO TRAIN EIGHT & ONE-HALF HOURS LATE ARRIVING LORTON: Amtrak's northbound Auto Train of Jan. 21 did not arrive into Lorton the following day until it was more than eight and one-half hour behind schedule. According to Amtrak, the train was significantly delayed north of Charleston, S.C., by a disabled freight train blocking the track ahead. [Amtrak, 1-22-25]
AMTRAK EXPLAINS NEED TO CANCEL TRAINS IN FRIGID WEATHER: Amtrak has shared its concerns for the occasional need to annul or truncate trains under obnoxious weather conditions. Amtrak never wants to delay or annul a train. But while Amtrak is often able to provide reliable service when other transportation modes are disrupted, sometimes adverse factors make it the right thing to do. Extreme conditions can take a significant toll on equipment, displacement of crews, loss of power, downed trees, risks of stranded trains, and potential interruption of service for days. Advice from host carriers is also considered. A delicate balance must be struck. [Railway Age, 1-21-25]
UNIVERSITY, UNION PARTNER TO ADVANCE RAIL SAFETY, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT: The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley has entered into a $9.7-million research partnership with the Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen to advance rail safety and workforce development to help integrate predictive technologies into PTC systems through lab testing and data analysis. [Progressive Railroading, 1-21-25]
NORFOLK SOUTHERN TOUTS 2024 SAFETY ACCOMPLISHMENTS: Norfolk Southern has reported on its safety accomplishments in 2024. Included are a 40 pct reduction in reportable mainline accidents, double the number of autonomous track inspection locomotives, five new digital train inspection portals, more than 130 new hot bearing detectors, and 17 new acoustic bearing detectors across its system. [Progressive Railroading, 1-21-25]
PATRICK FUCHS NAMED STB CHAIR: President Trump has named Patrick Fuchs, 36, chair of the five-member Surface Transportation Board, of which he was already a member. He succeeds Robert Primus, who was its chair since May 2024, and will remain a member of the board until the end of 2027. [Freight Waves, 1-21-25]
MBTA ANNOUNCES FIRST-HALF 2025 CONSTRUCTION AGENDA: Boston's MBTA says its first-half 2025 construction schedule will shift its focus to include upgrading signal systems and improving accessibility. Included are the Green line protection system to automatically stop trains at stop signals, completing bridge work, continue inspections of bridges, tunnels and stations, and making upgrades to station entrances, elevators and platforms. [Railway Track & Structures, 1-21-25]
SMART-TD TO REPRESENT WILMINGTON TERMINAL R.R. WORKERS: Workers at Wilmington Terminal Railroad, a subsidiary of Genesee & Wyoming, have voted to join SMART-TD, the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail & Transportation Workers Transportation Division. [Railway Age, 1-21-25]
FEDS AWARD CONNECTICUT $11.6-M TOWARD HARTFORD LINE PROJECT: The Federal Railroad Administration has awarded the Connecticut Dept. of Transportation $11.6-million toward increasing and extending service along the CTrail Hartford Line. The overall $25-million Hartford line expanded & enhancement project will increase service and reliability across the entire Hartford line, including stations in New Haven, Hartford, Windsor Locks, Connecticut, and Springfield, Mass. [Progressive Railroading, 1-21-25]
FREDERICK DOUGLAS TUNNEL TO SPEED NORTHEAST CORRIDOR SERVICE: Amtrak's Frederick Douglas tunnel in Baltimore will replace the 151-year-old B&P tunnel, which suffers from a variety of age-related issues. B&P tunnel is currently at capacity, and its tight curvature requires trains to run at just 30 MPH. The Frederick Douglas tunnel will feature a pair of two high-capacity tubes designed for Amtrak and MARC trains, with each tube about two miles in length. Other improvements include a new accessible MARC station in West Baltimore. Pre-construction activities are underway, and major work will begin later this year. [Railway Track & Structures, 1-21-25]
BRITAIN'S HISTORIC STOCKPORT VIADUCT TO BE RESTORED: Britain's Stockport Viaduct, built in 1840, is set to be restored as part of a $1.23-million project. The 1800-foot-long, 112-foot-tall structure spans a road and River Mersey. It carries almost 400 Network Rail trains each day between the West Coast main line and Manchester Piccadilly. [Rail Business Daily, 1-21-25]
TRAIN DERAILS IN ATCHISON, KANSAS, NO INJURIES: Investigations are underway in Atchison, Kansas, after six cars of a train derailed late Jan. 20, near its downtown area. No injuries were reported. [Fox-4 KC, 1-21-25]
ELECTRIC MULTIPLE-UNIT TRAINS COMING TO ITALY'S LAZIO REGION: The first of 38 electric multiple-unit trains ordered by Italy's Lazio region has been unveiled. The $294-million pact covers the supply along with 10 years of maintenance for three types of 62-MPH train sets for use by operator Cotral. [Railway Gazette, 1-21-25]
WEEKLY AMTRAK LONG-DISTANCE TRAIN PERFORMANCE: Fifty (50) percent of Amtrak's named long-distance trains arrived at their scheduled final destination on time or earlier in the week ending Jan. 19, 2025. The remaining trains, on average, arrived one hour and 21 minutes late. MORE.. [Bull Sheet Statistical Dept., 1-20-25]
FRA SENDS REPORT TO CONGRESS ON AMTRAK LONG-DISTANCE TRAIN SERVICE RECOMMENDATIONS: The Federal Railroad Administration has sent to Congress a report recommending that the Cardinal and Sunset Limited be run daily instead of there times a week. It also recommends forming a committee of stakeholders as a forum for feedback and discussion related to current long-distance services and projected expansion. [Progressive Railroading, 1-20-25]
SEPTA'S FIRST FEMALE ENGINEER RETIRES, WORKED 40 YEARS: On Jan. 10, Jacqueline Pettyjohn operated her last SEPTA train, capping a 40-year career, was no. 1 on the seniority roster, had a perfect attendance record, and never had an operating rule infraction. She hired out with the agency in 1984, and was their very first female locomotive engineer. [Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen, 1-20-25]
AMTRAK DISRUPTIONS JAN. 20: Southbound Palmetto arrived into Savannah over two and one-half hours late, having been delayed en route by switch and signal trouble, weather-related problems and rail congestion. Northbound Coast Starlight was delayed about three hours north of Sacramento due to 'equipment adjustments.' Northbound Floridian was delayed more than three hours west of Elkhart, Ind., due to mechanical issues. Westbound Lake Short Limited was delayed behind the Floridian, and both trains were combined, resulting in over two and one-half hours of delay to Lake Shore Limited. Eastbound Southwest Chief (of Jan. 19) was delayed Jan. 20 more than two hours between Denver and Fort Morgan due to track maintenance and rail congestion. Westbound Southwest Chief left Chicago one hour and 29 minutes late due to mechanical issues. [Amtrak, 1-20-25]
PORTLAND'S TRIMET INTRODUCES TYPE-6 MAX TRAINSETS: The first riders hopped on board TriMet's new Type-6 MAX trains, signaling another advancement in Portland's light-rail system. Two of the new vehicles, paired into one train, rolled out of Ruby Jct. facility on Jan. 16 to meet the riders. In total, 30 new vehicles will enter service in the coming months. [Progressive Railroading, 1-20-25]
UNION TANK CAR TO CLEAN, REPAIR CARS FOR OWNERS, SHIPPERS IN PASADENA, TEXAS: Union Tank Car (UTLX) has entered an agreement with 225 Rail to perform cleaning and repairs for railcar owners and shippers at 225 Rail's existing 1000-car storage terminal in Pasadena, Texas. [Progressive Railroading, 1-20-25]
BULK SPECIALTIES COMPLETES EXPANSION OF TRANSLOAD TERMINAL IN B.C.: Bulk Terminals Inc. has completed an expansion to its transloading terminal in Langley, B.C. The expansion includes a 20 pct increase in space for railcars, two new high-speed loading racks, and a state-of-the-art spill containment system. [Progressive Railroading, 1-20-25]
BLET, KEOLIS REACH TENTATIVE AGREEMENT FOR MASS BAY LOCOMOTIVE ENGINEERS: The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen has reached a tentative contract agreement with Keolis Commuter Services for locomotive engineers at MBTA in Boston, subject to ratification, retroactive to July 1, 2023. [BLET, 1-20-25]
NORTH FLORIDA INDUSTRIAL R.R. TO BE RAIL OPERATOR AT NORTH FLORIDA MEGA PARK: Pinsly Railroad's North Florida Industrial Railroad has agreed with Columbia County, Fla., to be the rail operator of the North Florida Mega Industrial Park. [Railway Gazette, 1-20-25]
VOLUNTEERS WORK TO BRING PUSH-PULL TRAIN TO BRITISH LINE AFTER HALF-CENTURY ABSENCE: Volunteers in Britain are working to bring a 1960's push-pull diesel train back to the Corfe Castle-Swanage branch line after an absence of more than half a century. They are restoring a car to complete a three-car British Rail train that they hope to begin running early next year. [Rail Business Daily, 1-20-25]
AMTRAK TRAIN COLLIDES WITH SEMI AT CROSSING IN AUBURN, WASHINGTON: Amtrak's southbound Coast Starlight early Jan. 18 in Auburn, Washington, crashed into the cab of a semi-truck at a railroad crossing after it had made a wrong turn. Two persons in the cab were able to safely escape. The train was delayed over two and one-half hours by the incident. [KIRO, 1-18-25]
ELEVEN ARRESTED IN SHOE HEIST FROM BNSF TRAIN: Eleven people are in federal custody in connection with the theft of hundreds of thousands of dollars' worth of Nike shoes off a BNSF train whose air brakes were cut as it traveled on tracks north of Phoenix. Officials attribute the activity to a criminal organization based in Sinaloa, Mexico. [CW39, 1-18-25]
RESTORATION OF READING STEAM LOCOMOTIVE 2100 ADVANCES: The American Steam Railroad Preservation Association is aiming for an initial test firing of Reading 4-8-4 No. 2100 within 60 days. The locomotive is being restored to operate as American Freedom Train No. 250. [Trains Magazine, 1-18-25]
EMPIRE BUILDER EXTENSIVELY DELAYED ON EASTBOUND RUN: Amtrak's eastbound Empire Builder of Jan. 15 left Seattle more than three hours late due to late arrival of inbound equipment. It was further delayed en route in Montana by high wind warnings, by availability of crew in two North Dakota locations, and freight train interference. The train was almost 19 hours behind schedule when it finally arrived into Chicago. [Amtrak, 1-18-25]
CONTRACTORS SELECTED FOR LONG BRIDGE SOUTH PACKAGE PROJECT: Virginia has selected a joint venture of Trumbull Corp., Fay, S&B Construction, and Wagman Heavy Civil for the Long Bridge project South Package. The new bridge will be located between the existing Long Bridge and the D.C. Metro Yellow line bridge. The project has been separated into a North Package and a South Package. The North Package was previously awarded to Skanska/Flatiron joint venture. [Railway Track & Structures, 1-17-25]
PENNDOT ADVANCES NEXT STEP TOWARD SCRANTON-NEW YORK PASSENGER RAIL PROJECT: After receiving federal funding to expand passenger rail across the state, the Pennsylvania Dept. of Transportation is taking the next step to pursue the Scranton to New York Penn Station rail corridor project. The route from Scranton to New York City last served passenger trains in 1970 as part of the Erie Lackawanna Railroad. [Progressive Railroading, 1-17-25]
DART'S SILVER LINE RAIL PROJECT IS 85 PCT COMPLETE: Dallas Area Rapid Transit has reached 85 pct completion of the 26-mile Silver line regional rail project, and will be ready to begin revenue service late this year or early 2026. When completed, the route will run from East Plano to Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport Terminal B. [Progressive Railroading, 1-17-25]
HITACHI TO ACQUIRE OMNICOM: Hitachi Rail has agreed to acquire Balfour Beatty's rail asset monitoring technology business Omnicom. Hitachi said this will form a 'key strategic pillar' of the Hyper Mobility Asset Expert platform. [Railway Gazette, 1-17-25]
OTTAWA'S O-TRAIN REOPENS EXTENDED TRILLIUM LINE: Ottawa's O-Train reopened its extended north-south Trillium line with weekday service on Jan. 6, with services to be ramped up over the next month. [[Railway Gazette, 1-17-25]
UNIFOR MEMBERS VOTE IN FAVOR OF STRIKE AT CPKC: Ninety-nine pct of Unifor Local 101R members at Canadian Pacific Kansas City voted in support of a strike if a deal is not reached by midnight Jan. 29. [Progressive Railroading, 1-17-25]
NORTHERN TRAINS IN ENGLAND SEEKS TO REPLACE UP TO 450 TRAINS: England's Northern Trains has moved a step closer to the largest ever investment in its fleet, which could eventually see up to 450 new trains. The publicly-owned operator has invited manufacturers to begin negotiations for new trains to operate across the north of England. [Rail Business Daily, 1-17-25]
STB CHAIR WARNS RAILROADS NOT TO RETALIATE AGAINST SHIPPERS: Robert Primus, chair of the Surface Transportation Board, has warned rail carriers to refrain from retaliating, or threatening to retaliate, against shippers and other stakeholders that participate in regulatory proceedings perceived as adverse to railroads. The board will monitor such claims, he said, adding that shippers should notify the board if they experience retaliation. [Progressive Railroading, 1-16-25]
CN BEGINS TESTING MEDIUM-HORSEPOWER HYBRID LOCOMOTIVE: Canadian National has begun a pilot project testing a medium-horsepower locomotive developed in collaboration with Knoxville Locomotive Works for use in yards and branch lines. [Progressive Railroading, 1-16-25]
ALSTOM TO OVERHAUL, MODERNIZE COACHES FOR GO TRANSIT: Toronto's Metrolinx has awarded Alstom a framework agreement for the mid-life overhaul and modernization of 181 bi-level Series VIII coaches used by GO Transit. [Railway Gazette, 1-16-25]
VIRGINIA AWARDS GRANT TO SIMS METALS TOWARD TRACK ACCESS CONSTRUCTION: Sims Metals in Chesapeake, Va., will receive a grant from the state toward track access at its facility to promote truck-diversion to connect a new or expanding business to the freight railroad network. [Railway Age, 1-16-25]
AMTRAK'S EASTBOUND CARDINAL OVER EIGHT HOURS LATE INTO DESTINATION: Amtrak's eastbound Cardinal of Jan. 14 was five hours leaving Chicago due to equipment issues. Further delays en route involved rail congestion and speed restrictions. The train finally arrived into New York eight hours and 15 minutes behind schedule. [Amtrak, 1-16-25]
FEDS GRANT $66.7-M TOWARD CROSSING ELIMINATIONS IN LINCOLN, NEB.: The Federal Railroad Administration has awarded a $66.7-million grant toward eliminating two railroad crossings and intersections in Lincoln, Nebraska. The project is to build a new bridge over the railroad to eliminate crossings at North 33rd street and Adams street. [Railway Track & Structures, 1-16-25]
FRA, OSHA FAULT RAILROADS FOR HARSH EMPLOYEE DISCIPLINE POLICIES: Class-I railroads are failing workers and making their operation less safe due to overly harsh employee discipline policies. That is according to letters from the Federal Railroad Administration and Occupational Safety & Health Administration. Employee protection from whisleblower statues has not stopped carriers from retaliating against workers for reporting workplace injuries or potential violations, the agencies said. Concern was also expressed over rail incentive programs which reward managers based on low numbers of injury reports, which have a 'chilling' effect on employees' willingness to report injuries and obtain medical treatment. [Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen, 1-16-25]
AMTRAK'S GULF COAST SERVICE SLATED TO BEGIN IN JUNE:Amtrak now expects rail service on the Gulf Coast to begin in June. Trains will run between New Orleans and Mobile with stops in Bay St. Louis, Gulfport, Biloxi and Pascagoula. [WLOX, 1-16-25]
READING BLUE MOUNTAIN & NORTHERN ADDING CARS FOR EXCURSIONS: The Reading Blue Mountain & Northern Railroad has acquired several new pieces of rolling stock in anticipation of a busy excursion season this year. Three former Delaware Lackawanna & Western coaches, a Pennsylvania Railroad commuter coach, a dining car, and a generator car are being added to the fleet. Excursions begin March 15. [Progressive Railroading, 1-15-25]
WEEKLY U.S. RAIL FREIGHT TRAFFIC REPORT: U.S. railroads originated 465,390 carloads and intermodal units in the week ending Jan. 11, 2025, up 1.8 pct compared with the corresponding week last year. Calculated separately, carloads were down 6.4 pct, and intermodal was up 8.9 pct. [Assn. of American Railroads, 1-15-25]
AUSTIN'S DRAFT OF LIGHT-RAIL PLAN PRESENTED: The Austin, Texas, Transit Partnership has released a draft of its light-rail plan. The 9.8-mile line includes 15 stations and runs from 38th street to downtown to along East Riverside and south to Oltorf. Planners say construction can begin in two years. [Railway Track & Structures, 1-15-25]
BRIGHTLINE TRAIN ATTENDANTS VOTE TO JOIN TWU: The approximately 100 on-board and lead attendants at Brightline in Florida have voted to join Transport Workers Union of America. [Railway Age, 1-15-25]
U.S. HOUSE PASSES AMTRAK EXEC BONUS BILL: The U.S. House of Representatives on Jan. 14 approved legislation that would require Amtrak to publicly disclose decisions to award bonuses to top executives, would require it to notify and brief Congress 30 days before the award of such bonuses, and to explain the metrics and criteria it used to determine the awards. [Progressive Railroading, 1-15-25]
CHICAGO TRANSIT'S PRESIDENT ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT: Dorval Carter Jr., president of Chicago Transit Authority, will retire on Jan. 31. He joined the agency in 1984, and has been its president for the past 10 years. He will now join St. Anthony Hospital in Chicago as its president and CEO. [Progressive Railroading, 1-15-25]
INDIA OPENING FINAL SECTION OF 169-MILE RAIL LINE: Indian Railways is planning to partially-open the final section of its 169-mile Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla rail line in time for the Jan. 26 Republic Day national holiday. [International Railway Journal, 1-15-25]
KOREA REOPENS RAIL LINE TO PASSENGER TRAFFIC, CLOSED SINCE 2004: The 18.6-mile single-track Gyooe Line in Gyeonggi province in South Korea reopened to passenger traffic Jan. 11, having been closed since April 2004. [International Railway Journal, 1-15-25]
CN'S SUTTON-SPAULDNG DOUBLE-TRACK EXTENSION OPENS: Canadian National's double-track Sutton-Spaulding extension in Illinois is in service. The extension includes more than four miles of double-track, grading, signals and bridge work, and allows for a 30 pct increase in area speed, and 17 pct increase in capacity. [Railway Track & Structures, 1-14-25]
CN TO ACQUIRE, OPERATE IOWA NORTHERN RWY: The Surface Transportation Board has approved, with conditions, Canadian National's request for authority to acquire and operate Iowa Northern Railway's 218-mile rail system. The agency also approved notices of exception for track rights. [Progressive Railroading, 1-14-25]
IOWA NORTHERN EMPLOYEES SIGN ON WITH BMWED: Iowa Northern railroaders have signed on with the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees division of Teamsters. [Railway Age, 1-14-25]
STB ON TRACK FOR DECISION THIS SUMMER ON SUNSET LIMITED PERFORMANCE: The Surface Transportation Board's investigation into the reasons behind poor on-time performance of Amtrak's Sunset Limited is on schedule with a decision possible in early summer, the agency's chair Robert Primus said Jan. 13. [Progressive Railroading, 1-14-25]
BNSF USES ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE TO ASSEMBLE TRAINS: BNSF is using artificial intelligence to assemble trains more efficiently. The algorithm creates optimized switch lists based on cars' destinations by analyzing historical data. The process reduces the overall number of switches made, improves consistency, increases capacity, and reduces carbon emissions. [Progressive Railroading, 1-14-25]
TEXAS SHORT-LINE TO SERVE FUTURE SYNERGOS FACILITY: Texas Gonzales & Northern Railway will serve a future Synergos Cos. facility in Gonzales, Texas. The short-line owns and manages 12 miles of track between Harwood and Gonzales, 67 miles storage and loop track in Gonzales, and interchanges with Union Pacific. [Progressive Railroading, 1-14-25]
WABTEC TO ACQUIRE EVIDENT'S INSPECTION TECH DIVISION: Wabtec on Jan. 14 announced a definitive agreement to acquire Evident's Inspection Technologies division for $1.78-billion. [Railway Age, 1-14-25]
PORT OF NEW ORLEANS AWARDED $1-M FEDERAL GRANT: The Port of New Orleans on Jan. 13 announced it has been awarded $1-million from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for the Louisiana International Terminal Sustainability Management Plan. [Railway Age, 1-14-25]
CALIFORNIA RESCINDS RULE REQUIRING ZERO-EMISSION LOCOMOTIVES FROM 2030: California has scrapped a rule that would have mandated use of zero-emission locomotives in the state beginning in 2030. Only those locomotives fewer than 23 years old would then have been permitted, unless they were zero emission units. The rule also limited allowable idle time. The railroads said no viable zero-emission locomotive technology and infrastructure exits at this time, so the rule's time line is not feasible, and that it would prematurely retire viable equipment and disrupt commerce. [Commuters, 1-14-25]
CONSTRUCTION BEGINS IN MALAYSIA OF PENANG METRO: Ground was broken Jan. 11 of Malaysia's Penang LRT Mutiara Pearl Line medium capacity metro. The first phase will run 14.7 miles along Penang Island with 19 stations. [Railway Gazette, 1-14-25]
TESTING BEGINS ON CAIRO MONORAIL: A driverless monorail on Jan. 8 took its first test trip on the 35.4-mile line in Cairo, Egypt. The Cairo Monorail along the East Nile line is the longest monorail, and driverless system, in the world. [Rail Business Daily, 1-14-25]
AMTRAK CANCELS SOME SERVICE IN L.A. AREA DUE TO WILDFIRES: Amtrak has announced significant service cancellations in southern California due to wildfires, urging passengers to prepare for disruptions and delays. [Railway Supply, 1-13-25]
FEDS GRANT $25-M TOWARD UPGRADES IN GALESBURG, ILL, BUSINESS PARK: Twenty-five million dollars in federal funding has been awarded toward a new rail track in the Galesburg, Illinois, Business Park. Additionally, crews will make upgrades that include supporting a new facility to export local agricultural products via BNSF. [Railway Track & Structures, 1-13-25]
FEDS GRANT $4.9-M TOWARD GRADE-CROSSING ELIMINATIONS IN BREVARD COUNTY, FLA.: The Space Coast Transportation Planning organization has announced a $4.9-million federal rail crossing elimination grant toward the design and construction of 15 exit gates and two medians at seven grade crossings in Brevard County, Fla. The county and two of its cities will provide a local match. Brightline is leading the project. [Railway Track & Structures, 1-13-25]
AMTRAK'S ELDIE ACHESON NAMED 2024 WOMAN OF THE YEAR: The League of Railway Woman has named Eleanor 'Eldie' Acheson, corporate secretary and ethics officer at Amtrak, as the 2024 Railway Woman of the Year. [Progressive Railroading, 1-13-25]
WEEKLY AMTRAK LONG-DISTANCE TRAIN PERFORMANCE: Forty (40) percent of Amtrak's named long-distance trains arrived at their scheduled final destination on time or earlier in the week ending Jan. 12, 2025. The remaining trains, on average, arrived one hour and 35 minutes late. MORE.. [Bull Sheet Statistical Dept., 1-13-25]
CSX BMWED EMPLOYEES RATIFY FIVE-YEAR AGREEMENT WITH CARRIER: CSX employees represented by the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees have voted to ratify a five-year collective bargaining agreement with the company. [Progressive Railroading, 1-13-25]
FEDS GRANT CHICAGO TRANSIT $1.97-B TOWARD RED LINE EXTENSION: The Federal Transit Administration has announced a $1.97-billion grant to the Chicago Transit Authority to support the 5.5-mile Red line extension to connect the city's far South Side to the L System. [Progressive Railroading, 1-13-25]
MARYLAND PICKS STV FOR ROLLING STOCK CONSULTING SERVICES: The Maryland Transit Administration has contracted with STV to provide a range of consulting services related to rolling stock, including passenger rail vehicles. The project allows the agency to procure new rolling stock to meet changing customer demands, or to keep existing equipment via upgrades and overhauls. [Railway Age, 1-13-25]
VIRGIN GROUP PREPS TO COMMENCE CHANNEL TUNNEL SERVICE: Virgin Group is preparing an order for a dozen high-speed trains as it bids to break Eurostar's monopoly on services through the Channel Tunnel. Virgin aims to begin service through the tunnel in 2029. [Rail Business Daily, 1-13-25]
STADLER DELIVERS EURO4001 LOCOMOTIVE TO SPANISH OPERATOR: Spanish operator Logitren has taken delivery of the first of two Stadler Euro4001 diesel locomotives ordered to bolster its fleet. They are fitted with a Caterpillar C175 prime mover to meet Euro Stage V emissions requirements. [Railway Gazette, 1-13-25]
WESTBOUND PORTLAND SECTION OF EMPIRE BUILDER ANNULLED JAN. 12: Amtrak's westbound Portland section of the Empire Builder was annulled at Spokane due to equipment and mechanical issues. Buses were provided to transfer passengers to destination. [Amtrak, 1-12-25]
AMTRAK'S FLORIDIAN STRIKES, KILLS TRESPASSER IN DOVER, FLA.: A 53-year-old man was struck and killed on Jan. 11 by Amtrak's southbound Floridian in Dover, Florida. [WTSP, 1-11-25]
LEGISLATION INTRODUCED TO IMPROVE AMTRAK'S FOOD SERVICE: U.S. Representative Steve Cohen (D-TN) has introduced legislation targeting improved on-board Amtrak food service. The Train Furtherance of Outstanding On-board Dining and the Train Establishment of Appetizing Table Service act. Include allowing coach passenger to access traditional sit-down dining, allowing passengers to pre-order meals to meet their dietary requirements, and to provide an 'affordable' food option such as currently provided through the cafe-lounge car. [Rail Passengers Assn., 1-10-25]
INTEREST SHOWN IN RESTORING SALT LAKE CITY's RIO GRANDE DEPOT FOR AMTRAK: The Rio Grande plan is an initiative introduced in 2020 to revitalize the west side of downtown Salt Lake City with the 114-year-old Rio Grande Depot as its focal point. The plan proposes rerouting the tracks via an underground alignment for use by Amtrak. [Rail Passengers Assn., 1-10-25]
AMTRAK'S EASTBOUND CARDINAL SEVEN HOURS LATE LEAVING CHICAGO: Amtrak's eastbound Cardinal of Jan. 9 left its Chicago origin point over seven hours late due to late arrival of inbound equipment. The inbound train due that date had been terminated in Cincinnati with passengers bused to destination. [Amtrak, 1-10-25]
AMTRAK CANCELS SOME TRAINS IN FACE OF NEW SNOW STORM: Due to the pending snow storm, Texas Eagle in both directions between St. Louis and San Antonio, the northbound Heartland Flyer, and southbound City of New Orleans are canceled Jan. 9. On Jan. 10, southbound Heartland Flyer, northbound Texas Eagle, and City of New Orleans in both directions are canceled. On Jan. 11, northbound City of New Orleans is canceled. [Amtrak, 1-9-25]
FEDS GRANT $204-M TO COLUMBIA, S.C., RAIL SEPARATION PROJECT: The city of Columbia, S.C., has received $204-million in federal funding for a project to separate Assembly street from the CSX and Norfolk Southern trains that cross it. One of three options for the projects will be chosen. [Railway Track & Structures, 1-9-25]
SAVAGE TO DEVELOP CRUDE-BY-RAIL TERMINAL IN UTAH: Savage has announced plans to develop a new crude-by-rail transload terminal near Wellington, Utah, to connect supply chains for transporting Uinta Basin crude to refineries across North America. It will have connections to Union Pacific and BNSF. [Progressive Railroading, 1-9-25]
SENATOR CRUZ TO BECOME CHAIR OF COMMERCE, SCIENCE & TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE: The U.S. Senate Republican Conference has ratified Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) as chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science & Transportation. [Railway Age, 1-9-25]
CALIFORNIA SEEKS COMMENTS ON MERCED-BAKERSFIELD HSR PROJECT: The California High-Speed Rail Authority is inviting feedback on draft contract documents for the upcoming construction of the 171-mile early operating segment from Merced to Bakersfield. [Railway Track & Structures, 1-9-25]
TECH ADVANCES OFFER HOPE FOR SECONDARY RAIL LINES IN FRANCE, GERMANY: Around 10,500 miles of abandoned or poorly-used rail lines in France and Germany could be revived using small, frequent or on-demand vehicles as part of a decarbonization drive. Thanks to rapidly progressing technologies, with minimal investment and low operating costs, there is an opportunity to tap political support to make them a reality. [Railway Gazette, 1-9-25]
CSX COAL TRAIN DERAILS IN VIRGINIA: CSX is rerouting trains due to a 25-car coal train derailment in Bremo Bluff, Va., early Jan 7. There were no injuries. CSX is working to restore operations. [Railway Track & Structures, 1-8-25]
SOUND TRANSIT NEAR TO COMPLETING KENT LIGHT-RAIL STATIONS: Seattle's Sound Transit is getting closer to completing light-rail stations in Kent, and has begun testing operations. The Kent Des Moines station is expected to be completed in August. The other two stations along the extension are Federal Way and Star Lake. [Railway Track & Structures, 1-8-25]
TENTATIVE AGREEMENT REACHED IN LONGSHOREMEN'S AGREEMENT, AVERTING PORT STRIKE: The International Longshoremen's Association and the U.D. Maritime Alliance have reached a tentative agreement on a new six-year master contract. It will replace the expiring contract which had been extended after a short strike in Oct. 2024. The agreement covers in container-handling at 14 ports and maritime cargo centers from Texas to Boston, and avoids a possible strike that could have begun as early as Jan. 15. [Freight Waves, 1-8-25]
HYBRID BATTERY-DIESEL LOCOMOTIVES APPROVED FOR N.Y. SUBWAY MAINTENANCE: New York City's MTA has approved the operation of battery-diesel hybrid locomotives ordered from Wabtec to haul maintenance trains in tunnels and work sites. Twenty-five of the locomotives were ordered, two of which were delivered in 2024. [Railway Gazette, 1-8-25]
TRAIN DISPATCHERS RATIFY NATIONAL CARRIER AGREEMENT: The National Carriers Conference has announced the ratification of a national bargaining agreement with the American Train Dispatchers Association. The contract covers freight-rail members through the end of 2029. [Progressive Railroading, 1-8-25]
WEEKLY U.S. RAIL FREIGHT TRAFFIC REPORT: U.S. railroads originated 421,410 carloads and intermodal units in the week ending Jan. 4, 2025, up 1.0 pct compared with the corresponding week last year. Calculated separately, carloads were down 4.0 pct, and intermodal was up 6.6 pct. [Assn. of American Railroads, 1-8-25]
FEDS LOOK TO CLOSE SECURITY GAPS ON RAIL EXPORTS TO CANADA, MEXICO: Federal regulators will attempt to close security gaps on the U.S. rail system for exports destined for Canada and Mexico through a new rule-making by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The proposed rule would require the electronic transmission of rail export cargo manifest data, including an initial filing 24 hours prior to departure, and a final transmission of remaining data at least two hours prior to departure. [Freight Waves, 1-8-25]
BRIGHTLINE TRAIN STRIKES CAR AT CROSSING, DRIVER INJURED: A Brightline train on Jan. 8 struck a car that had run around crossing gates in North Miami Beach, Fla. The driver of the vehicle was transported to a trauma center. [WFLA, 1-8-25]
AMTRAK DISRUPTIONS JAN. 8: Amtrak's Southwest Chief on Jan. 8 arrived into Chicago five hours and 19 minutes late with en route delays of police activity at two locations, and mechanical issues at Kansas City assisting another train with a replacement locomotive. Eastbound California Zephyr was six hours late into Chicago. Southbound Auto Train was an hour and 20 minutes late into Sanford. Southbound Palmetto was late leaving from New York due to equipment issues. [Amtrak, 1-8-25]
CHINA AIMS TO EXPAND HIGH-SPEED RAIL BY 25 PCT OVER NEXT FIVE YEARS: China aims to expand its high-speed rail network by 25 pct by 2030, according to state operator China Rail. At the end of 2024, the Chinese high-speed network covered 29,800 miles. [International Railway Journal, 1-8-25]
AMTRAK'S CRESCENT TO BE IMPACTED BY TRACK WORK: Amtrak's New York-New Orleans Crescent will be cut back to Atlanta Monday-Thursday Jan. 7 through Febr. 27 (except Febr. 17) due to track maintenance. Trains will not operate between Atlanta and New Orleans, in either direction, but bus service will be substituted. [Amtrak]
AMTRAK TO RECEIVE, BEGIN TESTING OF TRACK-RENEWAL TRAIN: Swiss manufacturer Matisa is ready to deliver a novel track-renewal train to Amtrak to support work on the Boston-Washington Northeast corridor. The P95 machine will be the first of its type Matisa has supplied to the U.S. It will be shipped via Baltimore to the Transportation Technology Center in Pueblo, Colorado, for certification trials an dynamic testing. [Railway Gazette, 1-7-25]
CALIFORNIA BEGINS RAILHEAD YARD CONSTRUCTION: Upon completion of a key 22-mile stretch of the state's future high-speed rail system, California has begun construction of its Railhead, a freight yard designed to receive materials and stage upcoming track-laying work. [Progressive Railroading, 1-7-25]
RAILROADS SEEK YOUNG, TALENTED WORK FORCE TO REPLACE THOSE RETIRING: U.S. railroads are facing an employment crisis and look to attract job seekers to replace an aging work force. This was explored during a Jan. 6 discussion at the Transportation Research Board. Immersing would-be employees at a young age can put the field on their radar. 'Tracks to the Future,' for example, is a summer program hosted by colleges for high school students. Educators say it is important to recognize that new job types are emerging in supply-chain and transportation. The American Railway Engineering & Maintenance-of-Way Association has established student chapters at 20 colleges, noting that of the 1,000 students who have gone through their rail program, half have gone on to internships or full-time jobs in railroading. BNSF has educational partnerships with community colleges in three locations, which collectively attracted 2,335 students and 12,700 participants. The Transportation Research Board is developing a research needs statement for education, as a way to attract funding. [Freight Waves, 1-7-25]
FEDS GRANT $21-M TO SUPPORT FIRST THREE YEARS OF GULF COAST AMTRAK SERVICE: The Federal Railroad Administration is awarding a $21-million grant that will support the operating cost for the first three years of service of the returning Amtrak service between Mobile and New Orleans. Two daily round-trip trains will be involved when the service begins. [Progressive Railroading, 1-7-25]
AMTRAK IMPLEMENTS NUMEROUS JAN. 6 CANCELLATIONS DUE TO SNOWSTORM: Due to the snowstorm, Amtrak canceled a plethora of trains Jan. 6. Included were 16 Acela, 26 Northeast Regional and 10 Midwest trains. Two Carolinian trains between New York and Raleigh were also canceled. [Amtrak, 1-6-25]
WEEKLY AMTRAK LONG-DISTANCE TRAIN PERFORMANCE: Sixty-nine percent of Amtrak's named long-distance trains arrived at their scheduled final destination on time or earlier in the week ending January 5, 2025. The remaining trains, on average, arrived 47 minutes late. MORE.. [Bull Sheet Statistical Dept., 1-6-25]
DESIGNS RELEASED FOR NORFOLK SOUTHERN'S PITTSBURGH DOUBLE-STACK PROJECT: Norfolk Southern's vertical clearance projects include raising the height of the West North avenue and Pennsylvania avenue bridges on the North side, modifying the design of the Amtrak station, and a new pedestrian bridge through Allegheny Commons. Norfolk Southern already has a line accommodating double-stacks on the South side, but adding this second route on the North side will allow increase traffic. [Railway Track & Structures, 1-6-25]
N.Y. GOVERNOR CALLS FOR HUDSON VALLEY PASSENGER RAIL IMPROVEMENTS: New York's governor has proposed a major investment in Hudson Valley rail service to increase capacity and cut travel times. The proposal includes a second track at Spuyten Duvil, interlocking improvements at Croton-Harmon, capacity improvements at Poughkeepsie yard, and a signaling redesign near Yonkers. [Progressive Railroading, 1-6-25]:
L.A. METRO'S FOOTHILL GOLD LINE LIGHT-RAIL EXTENSION SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLETED: Los Angeles Metro's Foothill Gold line light-rail extension between Glendora and Pomona has reached substantial completion, on time and on budget. The project will not begin final testing and operational training. [Progressive Railroading, 1-6-25]
FIRECROWN ACQUIRES ENTERTRAINMENT JCT LAYOUT EXHIBITOR: Firecrown, a publisher of transportation and enthusiast titles, the parent company of FreightWaves Media, has acquired the railroad assets from EnterTRAINment Junction, and plans to relocate the layout exhibits to Chattanooga as part of a new transportation museum. Spanning 80,000 square feet, EnterTRAINment's Cincinnati center housed the world's largest indoor train display, with one G-scale layout taking up over 25,000 square feet. [Freight Waves, 1-6-25]
GRANITEVILLE RAIL TRAGEDY REMEMBERED: Jan. 6 marks 20 years since the fatal derailment of a Norfolk Southern train and the related chemical spill in Graniteville, S.C. Nine people were killed and more than 500 people were sent to hospitals due to chemical exposure. Some of those hospitalized are still suffering the aftereffects from breathing the toxic fumes from tons of chlorine released into the community. The train's 28-year-old locomotive engineer Chris Seeling survived the crash and heroically carried his unconscious conductor to safety, but later Seeling died from chorine exposure. The catastrophe directly led to the Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008, which became law three years after the accident. It mandated that railroads provide emergency escape breathing apparatuses to keep train crews safe. But it was not until last year, Jan. 25, 2024, that the Federal Railroad Administration announced a 'final rule' requiring railroads to provide the breathing apparatuses to train crews who work on hazardous materials trains. [Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen]
RAIL BRIDGE COLLAPSES IN OREGON, DERAILING TRAIN: A railroad bridge spanning Marys River in Corvallis collapsed Jan. 4, sending one car of a Portland & Western train into the river. No injuries were reported. [Oregon Live, 1-5-25]
AMTRAK TO CANCEL SOME JAN. 4 SERVICE DUE TO IMPENDING STORM: Due to the impending snow storm, Amtrak will cancel its eastbound Southwest Chief, Cardinal and Texas Eagle from origin points on Jan. 4. Its Floridian and City of New Orleans will be canceled Jan. 5 in both directions, as well as the westbound Cardinal. A number of regional trains will also be canceled. [Amtrak, 1-4-25]
WEEKLY U.S. RAIL FREIGHT TRAFFIC REPORT: U.S. railroads originated 389,700 carloads and intermodal units in the week ending Dec. 28, 2024, up 5.1 pct compared to the corresponding week in 2023. Calculated separately, carloads were up 1.1 pct, and intermodal was up 9.0 pct. For the first 52 weeks of 2024, the number of carloads and intermodal units was up 3.4 pct. [Assn. of American Railroads, 1-3-25]
SUSPECT ARRESTED IN IDAHO RAIL BOMB PLOT: Union Pacific train activity was halted for several hours Jan. 1, as police investigated a report of suspicious activity along the tracks in Payette, Idaho. Found connected to a parked railroad car was an explosive device. A 40-year old male was arrested and charged with offensives in connection with the incident. [Idaho Statesman, 1-3-25]
CALIFORNIA AGENCIES TO USE FEDERAL GRANT FOR VALLEY RAIL SERVICE, NEW RAIL ACADEMY: The San Joaquin Joint Powers Authority and San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission will use a $122-million federal grant to support the Valley Rail program, and to help fund the Rail Academy of Central California to educate future rail workers. [Progressive Railroading, 1-3-25]
MARYLAND PURPLE LINE UPDATE: Maryland's Purple Line senior project director has shared construction updates in Montgomery and Prince George's counties from May to September 2024. Project teams welcomed the first of seven light-rail vehicles to its operations and maintenance facility, completed work on Campus drive, and Purple Line Transit Operators took over the facility, which is now a hub of catenary installation and other testing preparation. [Railway Track & Structures, 1-3-25]
L.A. METRO BEGINS PREP WORK FOR UNION STATION TRACK EXPANSION: The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority has begun preparation work for its track expansion project at Union Station to improve capacity and connections. Once completed, the project will allow both Amtrak and Metrolink trains to enter and exit the station from both ends, as well as to accommodate future high-speed rail service. [Progressive Railroading, 1-3-25]
CARLOAD EXPRESS TO ACQUIRE MARYLAND & DELAWARE R.R.: The Surface Transportation Board has approved the petition by Carload Express to acquire the Maryland & Delaware Railroad, a short-line operating three unconnected rail lines - Centerville/Chestertown, Seaford, and Snow Hill lines. [Progressive Railroading, 1-3-25]
SNCF VOYAGEURS ORDERS 22 FURTHER OXYGENE TRAIN SETS: France's SNCF has awarded CAF a firm order to supply a further 22 Oxygene train sets for intercity services between Bordeaux and Marseille. [Railway Gazette, 1-3-25]
CSX HONORS EMPLOYEES, UNIONS WITH COMMEMORATIVE LOCOMOTIVE: CSX has unveiled newly-repainted SD70AC unit 4720, worded 'ONE CSX,' with a mostly-blue scheme with orange striping recognizing its employees and unions. [Railway Age, 1-2-25]
AMTRAK TRAIN STRIKES, KILLS MAN IN LANCASTER COUNTY, PA: A 34-year-old man was struck and killed in West Donegal, Pa., late Jan. 1 by Amtrak train 672 en route from Harrisburg to New York. None of the 85 passengers and crew on the train were injured, and Amtrak described the matter as a trespasser incident. [Lancaster OnLine, 1-2-25]
AMTRAK ISSUES EXTREME-TEMPERATURE WARNING: Amtrak on Jan. 2 issued a potential extreme temperatures warning to customers advising that conditions exist in various parts of its system of delays or cancellations due to cold weather. [Amtrak, 1-2-25]
HITACHI RAIL SUES HART OVER PROJECT DELAYS: Hitachi Rail has sued Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation claiming mis-management of the Skyline Rail project that led to delays, other errors and increased costs in performing design-build work. The complain states that HART allowed track to be installed by another contractor, which was not compatible to approved wheel specifications, and Hitachi had to fix the issue without compensation. [Railway Gazette, 1-2-25]
METRA TO UPGRADE COMMUNICATIONS: Chicago's Metra will upgrade its 900 MHz communications system to the DOT-16 standard. The upgraded system will provide a path to increase capacity, bandwidth, security and flexibility. [Railway Gazette, 1-2-25]
CPKC NAMED TO DOW JONES SUSTAINABILITY NORTH AMERICA INDEX: Canadian Pacific Kansas City has been named to the Dow Jones Sustainability North America index for the second consecutive year, building on Canadian Pacific's three consecutive years on the index. It represents the top 20 pct of the largest 600 North American companies in the S&P Global BMI based on long-term economic, environmental and social criteria. [Progressive Railroading, 1-2-25]
'RAILWAY 200' BEGINS IN U.K.: 'Railway 200' is a year-long celebration of two centuries of the modern railway. At midday Jan. 1 more than 50 heritage railways in the U.K. and abroad blew whistles of 200 vintage steam and diesel locomotives to begin the celebration. The occasion commemorated the launch of the Stockton & Darlington Railway in 1825. [Rail Business Daily, 1-2-25]
ITALY TO BEGIN NEW DELUXE TRAIN IN APRIL: Italy's new deluxe train 'Orient Express-La Dolce Vita' will welcome its first passengers in April. It will traverse the country from north to south on six regular itineraries showcasing the Alps, Venice and Rome to Matera and Palermo in the south. Journeys to Sicily will include crossing the Strait of Messina on Europe's last passenger train ferry. The 11-car train features a stylish bar car with live music and games, deluxe wood-lined cabins and master suites, and five-star service. International routes to Paris, Istanbul and Split on Croatia's Adriatic coast will be added later. [CNN Travel, 1-2-25]
DECEMBER 2024 AMTRAK LONG-DISTANCE TRAIN PERFORMANCE: Forty-six percent of Amtrak's named long-distance trains arrived at their scheduled final destination on time or earlier in December 2024. The average arrival of all long-distance trains in the survey period was 40 minutes late. The average arrival of just those trains that were behind schedule was one hour and 14 minutes late. MORE.. [Bull Sheet Statistical Dept., 1-1-25]
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