Ontario awards three contracts to prepare for return of Northlander service

Illustration of station shelter with Ontario Northland logo on one corner

BRACEBRIDGE, Ontario — The Ontario government has awarded three contracts for projects related to its plan to restore passenger service between Toronto and Timmons, Ont., according to a recent announcement. The contracts are for design and construction of nine new station shelters; track upgrades; and improved warning systems. Enseicom Inc. received the ctonract for the […]

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Tom Williams named chief marketing officer at BNSF Railway

FORT WORTH, Texas — BNSF Railway today announced that Chief Marketing Officer Steve Bobb will retire in August after more than 36 years of service. Tom Williams, who currently serves as group vice president, consumer products, will succeed Bobb as executive vice president and chief marketing officer, effective Sept. 1. Jon Gabriel, currently vice president, […]

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Railroads among recipients of Canadian funding for digital infrastructure projects

Locomotive moving cars of containers with ship and dock in background

HAMILTON, Ontario — Canadian National Railway, the Southern Railway of British Columbia, and a consortium including several short lines in Saskatchewan and Alberta are among recipients of up to C$51.2 in funding from the Canadian government for digital infrastructure projects under the National Trade Corridors Fund. A total of 19 projects will receive funding, announced […]

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NJ Transit car workers ratify new three-year contract

NEWARK, N.J. — NJ Transit car inspectors, mechanics, and coach cleaners have ratified a new three-year agreement with the transit agency, the Transport Workers Union of America announced. Some 80% of members of TWU Local 2001 — which represents 180 workers — voted in favor of the new agreement, which takes effect July 1. The […]

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Front Range Passenger project to wait until 2026 to take funding request to voters

Map of proposed Fort Collins-Pueblo rail service

DENVER — Colorado’s Front Range Passenger District will wait until 2026 to ask voters to approve sales-tax funding for the rail project in the district’s 13 counties, the district board decided on Friday (May 31). The decision by the full 20-member board to pursue further planning and service modeling for the planned Fort Collins-Pueblo passenger […]

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Rail safety experts question conclusions of long-train derailment study

Derailed cars on curve leading onto bridge

Railroad safety experts are questioning the conclusions of a study released this week that found that a 200-car train is 24% more likely to derail than a 50-car train. The study, by researchers from Brigham Young University, Georgetown University, and Virginia Tech, analyzed Federal Railroad Administration rail equipment accident data from 2013 through 2022. The […]

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Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad CEO announces retirement

Man sitting in passenger car

PENINSULA, Ohio — Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad President and CEO Joe Mazur will retire from the heritage railroad as of Sept. 30, the railroad announced Thursday. Mazur joined the railroad in March 2017 following a career in arena management and as President/CEO of International Soap Box Derby, the Akron, Ohio, organization where he had worked […]

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University of Illinois celebrates opening of National University Rail Center of Excellence

URBANA-CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — The Grainger College of Engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign officially opened the National University Rail Center of Excellence with a ribbon-cutting ceremony Wednesday (May 29). The center is the first academic rail research and education center of excellence to be supported by the Federal Railroad Administration with the help of […]

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CN notes support for Iowa Northern acquisition, urges regulators to reject CPKC request for haulage rights

Freight train with seven red, gray, and yellow locomotives

WASHINGTON — Canadian National has agreed to some of the conditions sought by a grain shipper group and the U.S. Department of Agriculture as part of its proposed $230 million acquisition of Iowa Northern Railway. CN says it will allow IANR customers to arbitrate gateway disputes, a condition that the National Grain and Feed Association […]

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CN to get a boost from LPG export terminal set to open at Prince Rupert in 2026

PRINCE RUPERT, British Columbia — The CN-served Port of Prince Rupert received a major boost today when AltaGas and Vopak decided to move forward with their $1.35 billion liquefied petroleum gas and bulk liquids terminal on Ridley Island. The first phase of the Ridley Island Energy Export Facility, which is scheduled to open by the […]

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News photo: Mexico, meet La Empresa

Steam engine on bridge

LAREDO, Texas — The Final Spike Steam Tour has entered the third country on its itinerary. This morning, the train celebrating the Canadian Pacific-Kansas City Southern merger crossed into Mexico, a historic moment underscoring the three-nation linkage created by the CPKC merger and marking the first trip into that country for CP 4-6-4 No. 2816. […]

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Record number of short lines earn Jake Safety Awards

Red and white locomotive brings freight cars over bridge

A record number of short lines qualified for the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association’s Jake Safety Award this year, with 340 railroads earning the “with distinction” honor for having zero reportable injuries for 2023. Overall, 385 railroads qualified for the safety award program, the industry group said yesterday. Nineteen member railroads will be […]

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