Second Presidential Emergency Board supports NJ Transit offer to engineers; union rejects decision (updated)

Two-car EMU trainset rounds curve

NEWARK, N.J. — NJ Transit has announced that the Presidential Emergency Board addressing the ongoing labor dispute with the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen has determined the transit agency’s offer as “the most reasonable proposal.” The union, however, cites a portion of the board’s decision that says aspects of that offer “that we do […]

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Fuchs named Surface Transportation Board chairman (updated)

Man speaking at podium

WASHINGTON – Patrick Fuchs has been named chairman of the Surface Transportation Board. The appointment of Fuchs, a Republican, was announced Monday, Jan. 21. He was confirmed to his second five-year term on the board on May 14, 2024. Prior to his appointment to the STB in 2019, Fuchs was senior professional staff member working […]

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Snow shuts down New Orleans transit (updated)

Logo of New Orleans Regional Transit Authority

NEW ORLEANS — Here’s an advisory you don’t see every day: New Orleans has shut down its transit system because of snow. All trolley and bus operations were suspended as of 11 p.m. Monday night, and no services will operate today (Jan. 21), the New Orleans Regional Transportation Authority reports on its website. The suspension […]

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Houston-New York service gets highest ranking in FRA long-distance report

Map showing 15 proposed long-distance routes from FRA study

WASHINGTON — A Houston-New York route received the highest preliminary ranking in the Federal Railroad Administration’s newly released Long-Distance Service Study final report, which considers 15 previously identified routes for new or restored Amtrak service. However, the report says the rankings “do not reflect prioritization for implementation funding,” but may “provide guidance on future priorities […]

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More trains added to Amtrak Midwest cancellation list (additional update)

Passenger train approaches curve

CHICAGO — Amtrak’s list of Midwest train cancellations because of extreme cold weather continues to expand. Added to the list in an updated advisory issued at 1 a.m. ET today (Monday, Jan. 20) are the following trains that were scheduled to operate today: — Combined Missouri River Runner/Lincoln Service train No. 318 , the 8:40 […]

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FRA approves first autonomous rail car test program

WASHINGTON — The Federal Railroad Administration will allow Parallel Systems to test its autonomous, self-propelled flatcar system on a pair of Genesee & Wyoming short lines in Georgia. The FRA last week approved the request from Parallel, Georgia Central Railway, and Heart of Georgia Railroad. In August 2023 the Los Angeles-based Parallel and the G&W […]

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Union Pacific official tells shippers of plans for online, security improvements

Smiling man at podium

SCHAUMBURG, Ill. — When people in shipping or logistics discuss the advantages of trucking over railroads, one of the things they talk about is ease of use. Union Pacific is working on addressing that, at least when it comes to its online portal for customers, says Kenny Rocker, executive vice president, marketing and sales. “Some […]

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Carload Considerations: The pivot to improvising

Coal train passes interlocking tower in snow

Developing and adhering to a structured operating plan gives railroads a step-by-step process to running their trains. The structure is required to drive long-term success. And whether it’s your daily routine or running a 23-state railroad network, having a plan is important. In recent years, it’s been a template of fewer but longer scheduled trains […]

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Cleanup continuing after CSX derailment near Monon, Ind.

CSX logo

MONON, Ind. — Cleanup is continuing after 15 cars of a CSX train derailed near Monon on Saturday morning, disrupting operation of Amtrak’s Cardinal both into and out of Chicago. The derailment occurred about 7:10 a.m. at the West Pass siding northwest of Monon. As a result, the westbound Cardinal due to arrive in Chicago […]

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Broken rail led to Montreal-area derailment, hazardous-materials release: TSB

Night view of derailment including overturned cars

GATINEAU, Quebec — A broken rail caused to the Canadian National derailment that led to a hazardous-materials release and shelter-in-place order in a Montreal suburb in November 2024, the Transportation Safety Board of Canada said in a report released on Friday, Jan. 17, 2025. The derailment in Longueuil, Que., occurred about 8:27 a.m. on Nov. […]

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