Trump budget, Congress mum on Amtrak funding, so far: Analysis

People boarding train with bilevel cars

WASHINGTON — Details have yet to emerge regarding how much money the Trump Administration and Congress might be willing to appropriate for Amtrak in Fiscal 2026, beginning on Oct. 1, 2025. Amtrak is not mentioned in the $163 billion of “non-defense discretionary spending” budget cuts in the spending plan released today (May 2, 2025) — […]

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Class I railroads maintain their optimistic outlooks despite uncertainty over trade and the economy

Train with yellow locomotive on curve through surburan community

Despite mounting uncertainty over tariffs, trade policy, and the economy, most major railroads held firm on their 2025 outlooks — contrasting with a wave of guidance cuts across other industries. Among the five publicly traded Class I railroads, Canadian National, Norfolk Southern, and Union Pacific kept their guidance intact, while Canadian Pacific Kansas City and […]

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Regional Rail to acquire Minnesota Commercial Railway

Red locomotive with white nose strips and short string of freight cars

WASHINGTON — Short line holding company Regional Rail is acquiring the Minnesota Commercial Railway, which operates 86 miles of trackage around the Twin Cities. “The transaction will promote Regional Rail’s strategic and growth objectives, and help sustain MNNR’s efficiency, financial strength, and ability to meet the needs of shippers,” Regional Rail said in a regulatory […]

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Fort Bliss rail yard begins major expansion

Aerial view of rail yard in desert

EL PASO, Texas — Fort Bliss, the 1,700-square-mile Army post in Texas and New Mexico, is undergoing an expansion of its rail capacity. The El Paso Times reports that groundbreaking was held April 22 for construction of 4.3 additional miles of track at its rail yard, built to accommodate 565 railcars in 72 hours — […]

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Trains.com Insider Interview | Walthers Brand Manager Dana Kawala shares new products

Trains.com Insider Interview | Wm. K. Walthers, Inc., Brand Manager Dana Kawala chats with Trains.com staff writer Lucas Iverson. More than simply talking trains, Dana reveals several new items that the well-established manufacturer/distributor currently has available for purchase or has queued for production. Gather insights on product design and practical use, as Dana and Lucas […]

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Mortensen, long-time executive director of San Joaquin rail commission, to step down

Woman speaking at podium

STOCKTON, Calif. — Stacey Mortensen, executive director of the San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission, will step down from her position on Aug. 31 after 27 years, the commission has announced. The commission oversees the Altamont Corridor Express commuter rail operation and manages the San Joaquin Joint Powers Authority, which oversees Amtrak’s San Joaquins service. “I […]

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NTSB issues final report on 2024 CSX maintenance-of-way fatality

Aerial view of grade crossing where fatal accident occurred

WASHINGTON — A “lack of awareness” by the operator of maintenance equipment, incomplete communication regarding the movement of that machine, and its non-operational change-of-direction alarm have been cited as the probable cause and contributing factors in the death of a CSX maintenance-of-way foreman in a February 2024 incident in North Carolina. The National Transportation Safety […]

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TSB to investigate CPKC derailment in British Columbia

CPKC logo

FIELD, British Columbia — The Transportation Safety Board of Canada will investigate the derailment of a CPKC train early this morning near Field, the agency has announced. The TSB said it will send a team of investigators to gather information and assess the occurrence, which occurred about 4:30 a.m. today (May 1, 2025) about 12 […]

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CN’s first quarter earnings grow despite impact of severe weather

MONTREAL — Canadian National reported stronger first-quarter earnings today despite the impact of harsh winter weather across its system, which crimped train length and the railway’s ability to meet demand for intermodal and merchandise service. “We are very pleased today to be reporting strong first-quarter results,” CEO Tracy Robinson said on the railway’s earnings call, […]

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Former Amtrak IT official, two others indicted on bribery charges (updated)

U.S. Department of Justice seal

PHILADELPHIA — A former Amtrak information technology official and two vendors have been indicted in a bribery case involving millions of dollars of Amtrak IT work. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Richard Thompson, 47, of Falls Church, Va., was Amtrak’s former director of network planning and engineering. He […]

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CPKC says FRA is open to automated and streamlined track and train inspections

Grain train led by red locomotive

CALGARY, Alberta — Canadian Pacific Kansas City executives say they are encouraged by discussions with the Federal Railroad Administration about rolling out new track and train inspection technology. It’s a turnabout for the FRA, which during the Biden administration stymied Class I railroad efforts to combine automated track and equipment inspections with traditional visual inspections […]

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