Wabtec to build locomotives for Grupo RAS, entering rail market in Uruguay

Interior of locomotive factory

CONTAGEM, Brazil — Wabtec will build three C23EMP locomotives for Uruguay’s Grupo RAS, a multinational logistics company entering the Uruguayan railway market, the manufacturer announced Wednesday. “This deal with Wabtec is a cornerstone for Grupo RAS,” Ruben Azar Scarone, president and founder of Grupo RAS, said in a press release. “It allows us to integrate […]

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Organization behind Uinta Basin project asks Supreme Court to review decision overturning route’s approval

Logo of Uinta Basin Railway

WASHINGTON — The group of Utah counties supporting construction of the Uinta Basin Railway has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to review the appeals court decision blocking the project, as it had indicated was its intent. The website Colorado Newsline reports the Seven County Infrastructure Coalition filed the petition on March 4, asking the court to […]

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New York to fund more than $110 million in rail, port improvements

black and blue locomotives hauling freight

ALBANY, N.Y. — New York will fund some $111.1 million for 38 rail and port infrastructure improvement projects — the largest amount ever awarded under the state’s Passenger and Freight Rail Assistance Program — Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Tuesday. The projects address safety and resilience, support efforts to move freight traffic from truck to rail, […]

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EPA schedules public hearing on California zero-emissions locomotive regulation

Intermodal train with four locomotives rounds curve

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will hold a public hearing next week on proposed California regulations that would require the use of zero-emissions locomotives in the state beginning in 2030. The California Air Resources Board approved the so-called in-use locomotive regulation last year. The EPA must review California regulations that exceed federal regulations; […]

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Class I railroad news nuggets too interesting to ignore

Stack train under dramatic clouds

Notes from presentations by Class I railroad officials today (March 13) at the 2024 J.P. Morgan Industrials Conference: Football fever on Union Pacific In January and February, Union Pacific’s unionized railroaders used half of the eight new sick days that have been allotted for the year, CEO Jim Vena says. “On top of that for […]

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Effects of alcohol consumption by controller played role in 2021 CN collision, TSB report says

Badly damaged locomotives from head-on collision

GATINEAU, Quebec — Effects of alcohol consumption by the rail traffic controller involved were likely a factor in a September 2021 collision between a Canadian National intermodal train and industrial switcher at Prescott, Ontario, the Transportation Safety Board of Canada said in an accident report issued today (Wednesday, March 13). As a result, the TSB […]

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California high speed rail project faces $4-7 billion shortfall to complete first segment

California High Speed Rail Authority logo

SACRAMENTO — The head of the California high speed rail project told state legislators Tuesday that the project looks to be $4 billion to $7 billion short of funds needed to complete the initial Central Valley segment, and may need as much as $100 billion more to build the full Los Angeles-San Francisco route. KCRA-TV […]

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Siemens to build new light rail equipment for St. Louis

Light rail vehicles with Gateway Arch in background

ST. LOUIS — Siemens Mobility will build 55 new battery hybrid S200 high-floor light rail vehicles for the Metro Transit system, replacing the oldest vehicles in the MetroLink light rail system, the company has announced. Bi-State Development, operator of Metro Transit, selected Siemens, which previously built the system’s SD400 and SD460 LRVs in orders beginning […]

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Waterloo, Iowa, receives federal funds for possible rail yard relocation

Aerial view of railroad yard

WATERLOO, Iowa — The city of Waterloo has received a $750,000 grant to begin preparations for possible relocation Canadian National Railway’s yard from downtown Waterloo to outside of town, along with other rail projects to improve safety, traffic flow, and pedestrian access. The project will be funded from the Department of Transportation’s Neighborhood Access and […]

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Ancora’s safety white paper can’t withstand a simple fact check: Analysis

Locomotives on riverbank after derailment

Ancora Holdings, the activist investor leading a proxy fight against Norfolk Southern, says it’s taking the high road and conducting a fact-based campaign to oust the railroad’s management. The reality is that Ancora is stuck on the misinformation highway with a safety white paper that makes several claims that can’t hold up to scrutiny. Ancora’s […]

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Minnesota bill seeks to limit train lengths

Overhead view of train with red locomotive in city near river

ST. PAUL, Minn. — A Minnesota bill to limit the length of freight trains has cleared its first legislative hurdle, passing a committee of the state’s House of Representatives on Tuesday. HF3499, introduced by Rep. Jeff Brand (Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, St. Peter, Minn.), would limit trains to 8,500 feet, with penalties escalating from as little as […]

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Virginia governor vetoes two-person crew bill

Seal with woman standing on top of man

RICHMOND, Va. — Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin has vetoed the bill that would have required two-person crews for freight trains within the state, the news website Virginia Mercury reports. Youngkin said in a veto message issued March 8 that he took the action because the actions in the bill “appear premature and lack the necessary […]

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