Cleanup, investigation continue after CP derailment in Alberta

Canadian Pacific Railway beaver logo

LACOMBE, Alberta — Cleanup and investigation are ongoing after the derailment of 23 cars of a Canadian Pacific train on Friday. The CBC reports the derailment was reported about 8:15 p.m. on Friday, and involved a 128-car train which included 110 loaded cars. Among the cars that derailed were four carrying tar oil, also known […]

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Iowa Interstate marks 100th birthday of founding chairman

Black, red, and yellow locomotive

  CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — The Iowa Interstate Railroad marked the 100th birthday of its founding chairman, Dr. Paul H. Banner, last week, reminding the railroad industry of his contributions to the industry in leadership roles at Southern Railway and the Rock Island as well as the Midwestern regional railroad. Banner’s birthday was June 30. […]

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‘Canadian,’ Rocky Mountaineer, ‘Coast Starlight disrupted by fires

Parked passenger train under smoky skies

KAMLOOPS, British Columbia — VIA Rail Canada’s Canadian, luxury cruise train Rocky Mountaineer, and Amtrak’s Coast Starlight have had their operations disrupted by western wildfires, with trains running over only part of their routes because of fire damage. The wildfire that decimated the town of Lytton, B.C., halted last week’s westbound Canadian about 100 miles […]

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Minnesota DOT awards funding to seven rail projects

Minnesota Department of Transportation logo

ST. PAUL, Minn. — Seven projects will receive a total of $4.05 million in grants from the Minnesota Department of Transportation under its Minnesota Rail Service Improvement program. The seven, chosen from 21 applicants, were selected for their ability to aid economic development throughout the state. “The number of applicants for the 2021 MRSI grants […]

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KCS to partner with Texas firm on new petroleum transloading facility

Kansas City Southern logo

KANSAS CITY — Kansas City Southern and Midstream Texas Operating are combining to build a new transload facility for petroleum and petrochemical products in Corpus Christi, Texas, for shipment into Mexico, the companies announced this week. The facility will be built by MTO on property leased from KCS. When operations begin, which is expected to […]

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Analysis: Are trailers reaching the end of the intermodal road?

Black locomotive with train of trailers in the Midwest

  Intermodal analyst Larry Gross has gone out on a limb. In his latest “Intermodal in Depth” report, Gross predicts the demise of TOFC, or trailer on flatcar service, within the next four years. In some ways, this shouldn’t be a surprise. Trailers have become a smaller and smaller part of the intermodal world as […]

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Weekly rail traffic figures show carloads with biggest gain over 2020

Table showing weekly U.S. rail traffic statistics

WASHINGTON — U.S. freight volume for the week ending June 26 remained well ahead of figures for the same week a year earlier, while also showing a small uptick from previous-week figures. Statistics from the Association of American Railroads show that U.S. railroads moved 516,167 carloads and intermodal units for the week, a 12.4% increase […]

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Five rail projects among those selected for Department of Transportation INFRA grants

Trains Washington Watch logo

WASHINGTON — Five rail-related projects are among 24 selected to receive $905.25 million in federal grants under the fiscal 2021 Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) program. The announcement of the proposed awards begins a 60-day period for Congress to review the proposed awards; after that review period, the U.S. Department of Transportation is free to […]

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Amtrak challenges CN plan for Kansas City Southern line in Louisiana

Black, white, and red locomotives pulling tank cars

WASHINGTON — Amtrak has questioned Canadian National’s plan to sell Kansas City Southern’s route between New Orleans and Baton Rouge, La., as part of the planned merger of the two railroads, a plan which would see CN retain the right to operate on the route along with a freight tenant. The Amtrak comment came as […]

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Cleanup continues after NS derailment in Pennsylvania

Norfolk Southern logo

NEWBERRY TOWNSHIP, Pa. — Cleanup continued Tuesday after 33 cars of a Norfolk Southern train derailed Monday afternoon midway between Harrisburg and York, Pa. The York Daily Record reports plastic PVC pellets spilled from one car, and hazmat teams were part of the initial response to the derailment because some of the cars involved displayed […]

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