FRA weighs railroads’ request for wheel temperature detectors instead of manual inspections

Inspection equipment mounted next to rail on test track

WASHINGTON — The Federal Railroad Administration could soon rule on a petition that would allow a pair of freight railroads to use wayside wheel temperature detectors for inspections currently performed by workers. But a union representing railroad employees says granting such a request would be dangerous. Canadian Pacific and Union Pacific jointly petitioned the FRA […]

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Data reported to federal regulators reveal extent of deterioration in rail service

Overall on-time performance for the big four U.S. Class I railroads has fallen from a pre-pandemic average of 85% to just 67% in the last week of May 2022, as crew shortages continue to plague rail service. The extent of the service decline was revealed in historic on-time performance data that BNSF Railway, CSX Transportation, […]

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Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern run interline intermodal test train carrying produce from Mexico

Logos for Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern

Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern want to haul produce grown in Mexico to destinations in the Midwest and Canada. The railways ran an interline intermodal train from Laredo to the Midwest this week to test the truck-conversion concept, CP Chief Marketing Officer John Brooks told an investor conference on Tuesday. The train — CP […]

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California congresswoman urges STB to reject CP-KCS merger

KCS3947Laredo

U.S. Rep. Katie Porter, D-Calif., has urged the Surface Transportation Board to reject the proposed Canadian Pacific-Kansas City Southern merger, arguing that the first Class I combination in two decades would stifle competition. “The proposed merger represents a grave threat to competition in the domestic rail industry, which is already highly consolidated,” Porter wrote in […]

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Backers of Calgary-Banff passenger proposal awaiting word on funding from Alberta

Blue flag with centered crest showing mountains and wheat

The backers of a $1.5 billion plan to launch passenger service over Canadian Pacific between the Calgary airport and the Rocky Mountain resort community of Banff say they can’t move forward with design work and consultation with lineside communities until Alberta decides whether it will commit $30 million annually to the project. Liricon Capital Managing […]

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Canadian Pacific reaches deal with shipping line CMA CGM

Canadian Pacific Railway beaver logo

CALGARY — Canadian Pacific and international shipping line CMA CGM group have reached a multi-year agreement that will see CP become the shipping firm’s primary rail provider in Canada, serving ports in Vancouver, Montreal, and Saint John, New Brunswick. “CP is proud to provide CMA CGM with safe and reliable service that includes the shortest […]

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Canada to fund expansion at Port Saint John, short line New Brunswick Southern

Container train on bridge

OTTAWA, Ontario – The Canadian government said on Wednesday that it will spend $42 million to help fund capacity expansion projects at Port Saint John, New Brunswick, as well as to upgrade rail facilities in Saint John and McAdam on short line New Brunswick Southern. The New Brunswick Southern and its sister short line, Eastern […]

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CP potash train derails in Alberta

Canadian Pacific Railway beaver logo

FORT MACLEOD, Alberta — Forty-three cars of a Canadian Pacific potash train derailed Sunday morning, CTV News reports. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police said the incident occurred about 8:15 a.m. east of Fort Macleoad and about 170 kilometers (105 miles) south of Calgary. No injuries were reported and there was no public safety hazard from […]

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Railroads report on-time performance to federal regulators for first time

NS8135Smedley

WASHINGTON – The Class I railroads submitted their first batch of expanded performance metrics to federal regulators this week, including a snapshot of on-time performance data. The board on May 6 ordered the railroads to report the data beginning this week in response to shipper complaints and testimony delivered during two days of hearings last […]

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U.S. rail traffic dips slightly in first week of May

WASHINGTON – For the week ended May 7, U.S. rail traffic registered 504,927 carloads and intermodal units, a 3.5% decline over the same period in 2021. Figures from the Association of American Railroads show the total number of carloads at 231,737, down 1.9% over the same week in 2021, while intermodal volume was 273,190 containers […]

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CP should have new merger data to STB well ahead of deadline, official says

Man in brown suit gesturing while speaking

KANSAS CITY — Canadian Pacific should file updated traffic data with the Surface Transportation Board pertaining to its planned merger with Kansas City Southern well ahead of a May 27 deadline, John Brooks, CP vice president and chief marketing officer, told the North American Rail Shippers conference on Wednesday. The STB requested updated baseline traffic […]

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Canadian regulators propose more detailed requirements for reporting railroad performance metrics

Canadian Pacific and Canadian National trains pass

OTTAWA, Ontario – Class I railroads operating in Canada would be required to report additional performance and staffing metrics under a proposal Canadian regulators unveiled on Friday. Transport Canada’s move was announced on the same day that the Surface Transportation Board said it will temporarily require the big railroads to provide more detailed operational and […]

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