Congestion nicks CSX’s earnings, volume, and revenue

CSX locomotive with coal train

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – CSX’s first quarter profits fell as congestion hurt volumes and revenue while driving up the railroad’s expenses. The railroad has been struggling operationally this year after a string of harsh storms. Roundabout detours required by the rebuilding of the hurricane-damaged Blue Ridge Subdivision and the closure of the Howard Street Tunnel in […]

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Coastal Commission approves permit for work to protect San Clemente, Calif., rail line

Cab car leads passenger train along track next to ocean

SAN CLEMENTE, Calif. — The California Coastal Commission has approved an emergency permit allowing Orange County’s transit agency to undertake some stabilization measures along the rail line connecting Orange County and San Diego. The Orange County Transportation Authority board, at a Monday, April 14, meeting, authorized the OCTA to address four areas along the Surf […]

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J.B. Hunt sees strong quarterly intermodal growth but faces tariff-driven uncertainty

LOWELL, Ark. – J.B. Hunt executives say their intermodal crystal ball is cloudy amid the uncertainty created by U.S. trade policy. Executives from the largest domestic intermodal operator, speaking on the company’s Tuesday evening earnings call, said customers are focused on the potential impacts of U.S. tariffs and the direction of the overall economy. “We […]

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Texas funding for Heartland Flyer on hold: Analysis

Passenger train arrives at station with brick platform

AUSTIN, Texas — Continuing operation of the Oklahoma City-Fort Worth, Tex., Heartland Flyer past June 30, 2025, could depend on whether the Texas legislature renews financial support it has contributed annually since 2006. But the train is also at risk because a yearly stipend from Oklahoma hasn’t changed since 2003, while Amtrak charges have risen […]

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Amtrak, NJ Transit update maintenance efforts on Northeast Corridor

Passenger train led by cab car passes stopped commuter train with locomotive in push mode.

NEWARK, N.J. — Amtrak and NJ Transit on Tuesday presented a new progress report on their work to improve reliability on the Northeast Corridor, an outgrowth of the significant operating issues experienced by both entities in summer 2024. New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy hosted representatives of both operators in a “working summit” on Tuesday, April […]

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Vincennes, Ind., to install system to inform drivers of blocked crossings

Small white box containing camera attached to solar panel

VINCENNES, Ind. — The city of Vincennes has reached agreement with a Muncie, Ind., company to install a system informing drivers when railroad grade crossings are blocked. PBS station WVUT reports the city’s Board of Works approved a Memorandum of Understanding with Interfact to install cameras at six grade crossings in the city. Those cameras […]

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Passenger power

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Passenger cab units, like this twin-engine New York Central EMD E8, rode on six-wheel trucks with the center axle unpowered, denoted as A1A-A1A. EMD built 421 E8A units and 39 E8B units making it the second most popular model in the line behind the E7. Pictured is a late production E8, with stamped-metal grill along […]

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NJ Transit engineers reject contract

An NJ Transit Bergen County Line train

NEWARK, N.J. — Members of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen have rejected a tentative agreement with NJ Transit by a resounding margin, setting the stage for a possible strike or lockout as soon as May 15. The union said today that 372 of the 427 BLET members casting ballots, or 87%, voted against […]

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Firefighter in Brightline crash violated city policies, traffic laws, report says

Image of fire truck on grade crossing from locomotive

DELRAY BEACH, Fla. — The city manager of Delray Beach, Fla., told the driver of a fire truck hit by a Brightline train in a letter that he was being terminated for actions that cost the city “millions of dollars” and led to serious injuries to other firefighters and the public. The South Florida Sun […]

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Autonomous intermodal cars to begin testing this month

LOS ANGELES — Parallel Systems, the company developing battery-electric railcars that operate autonomously, will launch testing this month on two Georgia railroads, Parallel said on Monday (April 14, 2025). The company also announced it had raised an additional $38 million in funding, bringing its total to date to about $100 million. “Federal Railroad Administration approval […]

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NTSB says rule violations played role in 2024 UP maintenance-of-way fatality

Aerial view of April 2024 worker fatality on Union Pacific in McNeil, Ark.

WASHINGTON — The Union Pacific employee killed in an April 11, 2024, maintenance-of-way accident in McNeil, Ark., entered the work zone of an excavating machine without informating the operator, a violation of UP rules, the National Transportation Safety Board said in its final report on the incident. Contributing factors, according to the report issued Monday […]

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