March statistics show rail traffic has ‘rebounded’ from pandemic slump, AAR says

Table showing U.S. rail traffic figures for the week ending April 3, 2021

WASHINGTON — While comparisons with 2020 are skewed because of the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, Association of American Railroad statistics for March 2021 show that “rail traffic has clearly rebounded from last year’s depths,” an AAR official says. U.S. numbers for March 2021 show carloads up 4.1% and intermodal trailer and containers up 24% […]

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Digest: NTSB includes rail worker safety among 2021-22 ‘Most Wanted List’

National Transportation Safety Board logo

Rail worker safety makes NTSB’s ‘Most Wanted List’ of transportation improvements A goal of improving rail worker safety is among the 10 items landing spots on the National Transportation Safety Board’s 2021-22 Most Wanted List of transportation safety improvements, finalized during a Tuesday NTSB board meeting. “Board members of the NTSB and our advocacy team […]

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Digest: NJ Transit begins testing of first new ALP45 locomotive

Locomotive at station platform

NJ Transit ceremony marks start of testing for first new ALP45 NJ Transit marked the beginning of testing for the first of its 25 new Alstom ALP45 dual-power locomotives with a Tuesday ceremony at Newark Penn Station featuring Gov. Phil Murphy, NJ Transit CEO Kevin Corbett, and other officials. The new locomotives will undergo about […]

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Digest: Canadian Pacific, Kansas City Southern announce more support for merger

Logos for Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern

CP, KCS say 45 more entities have filed statements of support for merger Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern says 45 more customers, ports, and other entities have filed statements with the Surface Transportation Board supporting their planned merger, bringing the number supporting the proposal to more than 300. In a press release, the railroads […]

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Digest: Alabama port agency asks regulators to deny Amtrak bid for Gulf Coast service

Alabama State Port Authority logo

Alabama port agency asks STB to deny Amtrak effort to start Gulf Coast service The Alabama State Port Authority has asked the Surface Transportation Board to turn down Amtrak’s request for an order allowing it to start passenger service between New Orleans and Mobile, Ala., instead requesting the board compel Amtrak to complete the traffic […]

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STB raises financial threshold for railroads to achieve Class I status

Surface Transportation Board logo

WASHINGTON — Acting on a request by Montana Rail Link, the Surface Transportation Board will raise the financial threshold for a railroad to be considered a Class I railroad to $900 million in annual operating revenue from the current figure of $504,803,294. Montana Rail Link made the request saying that, while it remains a regional […]

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Digest: Amtrak to end 50% limit on seat sales in May

Amtrak logo.

Amtrak to lift capacity limits on seat sales in May Amtrak will end its 50% capacity limit for ticket sales on May 24, a company spokesman has confirmed to Trains News Wire. The passenger railroad will continue to display information on the percentage of seats available on the Amtrak.com website for those wishing to seek […]

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Digest: Three at Reading & Northern take new roles following Gilchrist retirement

Reading and Northern logo

Three at Reading & Northern take new roles following Gilchrist retirement Three Reading & Northern officials will take new roles following the retirement of Dan Gilchrist, executive vice president marketing and sales, on April 2. Rian Nemeroff, vice president forest products, has been promoted to senior vice president merchandise marketing and sales; Susan Ludwig has […]

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Digest: Death toll reaches 50 in Taiwan derailment

Derailed train in tunnel

Death toll reaches 50 in Taiwan derailment; construction supervisor arrested, released on bond At least 50 are now dead as a result of Taiwan’s worst train crash in 70 years, which occurred Friday when an express train hit a truck that had slid down an embankment from a building site. Reuters reports the manager of […]

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Four Class I railroads urge more stringent regulatory review of CP-KCS merger

Logos for Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern

WASHINGTON — BNSF Railway, Canadian National, and Union Pacific have joined Norfolk Southern in asking federal regulators to apply the more stringent 2001 merger review rules to Canadian Pacific’s proposed acquisition of Kansas City Southern. As the smallest Class I, KCS received a waiver from the current merger review rules, and CP and KCS have […]

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