EPA schedules public hearing on California zero-emissions locomotive regulation

Intermodal train with four locomotives rounds curve

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will hold a public hearing next week on proposed California regulations that would require the use of zero-emissions locomotives in the state beginning in 2030. The California Air Resources Board approved the so-called in-use locomotive regulation last year. The EPA must review California regulations that exceed federal regulations; […]

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Class I railroad news nuggets too interesting to ignore

Stack train under dramatic clouds

Notes from presentations by Class I railroad officials today (March 13) at the 2024 J.P. Morgan Industrials Conference: Football fever on Union Pacific In January and February, Union Pacific’s unionized railroaders used half of the eight new sick days that have been allotted for the year, CEO Jim Vena says. “On top of that for […]

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Waterloo, Iowa, receives federal funds for possible rail yard relocation

Aerial view of railroad yard

WATERLOO, Iowa — The city of Waterloo has received a $750,000 grant to begin preparations for possible relocation Canadian National Railway’s yard from downtown Waterloo to outside of town, along with other rail projects to improve safety, traffic flow, and pedestrian access. The project will be funded from the Department of Transportation’s Neighborhood Access and […]

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Minnesota bill seeks to limit train lengths

Overhead view of train with red locomotive in city near river

ST. PAUL, Minn. — A Minnesota bill to limit the length of freight trains has cleared its first legislative hurdle, passing a committee of the state’s House of Representatives on Tuesday. HF3499, introduced by Rep. Jeff Brand (Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, St. Peter, Minn.), would limit trains to 8,500 feet, with penalties escalating from as little as […]

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An engineer’s life: Army gate

green locomotive in front of trees

I got a late afternoon call to be the rear brakeman on train No. 1/146/05 (South Pool, Seattle to Portland, Ore.) on Aug. 5, 1979. We were at our away from home terminal of Portland. My crew that day was conductor Duke D., engineer Les M., and head brakeman Pete T. I was working the […]

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