SAN CARLOS, Calif. — Caltrain will resume its 104-train weekday schedule today (Monday, April 4), after reducing midday operations as of March 2 to accommodate work on the ongoing electrification of the San Francisco-San Jose main line. However, another service reduction is planned in about a month. The signal work that was the reason for […]
Second of two parts. Part 1 is available here. CHICAGO — Amtrak’s ability to meet increasing customer demand has been hampered by a shortage of equipment on both short-haul and long-haul trains. State-supported trains in California and the Midwest are still awaiting the Siemens Venture cars, even though the first cars were delivered in 2020. […]
WASHINGTON — The Surface Transportation Board has turned down a request to order mediation in the Amtrak Gulf Coast case. CSX Transportation, Norfolk Southern, and the Alabama State Port Authority/Terminal Railway Alabama State Docks had requested mediation, which Amtrak had opposed. In the decision released today (Friday, April 1), the board says it “unfortunate” that […]
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – CSX Transportation has hired Steve Fortune, a longtime BP executive, to be its executive vice president and chief digital and technology officer. “We are pleased to announce the appointment of Steve Fortune and welcome him to CSX’s executive leadership team. CSX is focused on growing through innovation and being a leader in […]
WASHINGTON – BNSF Railway is taking several steps to improve its service to grain shippers, including boosting crew and locomotive availability, CEO Katie Farmer wrote in a letter to the National Grain and Feed Association this week. The trade group representing grain shippers complained to the Surface Transportation Board last week regarding deteriorating service from […]
BRUSSELS — European regulators have approved the pandemic-delayed merger of two high speed rail companies, Politico.eu reports. The merger of the Eurostar and Thalys companies was first proposed in 2019 [see “Proposed high speed merger …,” Trains News Wire, Sept. 30, 2019] but delayed as both companies struggled with plummeting ridership during the COVID-19 pandemic. […]
First of two parts CHICAGO — Delayed deliveries of new Siemens-built Venture rolling stock for Midwest and California routes have added to a cascading lack of equipment at a time of surging travel demand — a problem felt beyond the areas where the new equipment will operate, and extending into the long-distance fleet. Cars in the […]
PHILADELPHIA — Amtrak has released images of the interiors for the new Acela trainsets currently under construction or in testing, and now not expected to debut until 2023. “Between the sleek design of their interiors, state-of-the-art technology, and sustainable amenities, and innovative safety features, our new Acela trains will help revolutionize American train travel,” Amtrak […]
VANCOUVER, British Columbia — Forest products company Canfor will cut production at sawmills in Western Canada because of “extreme supply chain challenges” relating to rail service, the news site Business in Vancouver reports. Subsidiary Canfor Pulp Produces had previously announced it would continue to curtail production at its plant in Taylor, B.C., for at least […]
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Duos Technologies Group, a firm with products including automated railcar inspection equipment, will provide two of its Railcar Inspection Portals to Amtrak for use on the Northeast Corridor. Duos CEO Charles Parker Ferry announced the contract for the portals, to be placed in Secaucus, N.J., during a Wednesday earnings call with investors […]
ATLANTA — Norfolk Southern has received two awards for its achievements in sustainability, the company announced Thursday. NS was recognized with the Responsible Care Energy Efficiency Award for locomotive fuel efficiency from the American Chemistry Council and the 2022 Green Bond of the Year Award from Environmental Finance. The Chemistry Council award recognizes efforts including […]
CALGARY, Alberta — The degradation of air brakes in extreme cold, the limited effectiveness of current train brake tests, and inadequate training and experience of supervisory personnel contributed to the 2019 Canadian Pacific grain train runaway and derailment that killed three crew members in British Columbia’s Kicking Horse Pass. That’s the conclusion of the Transportation […]
