Jean-Jacques Ruest, Canadian National CEO Canadian National NEW YORK — Canadian National’s strategy to rely on the American consumer to help fill up its railroad east of Chicago just got bigger. CN has been aiming to turn the Port of Halifax, Nova Scotia, into the Port of Prince Rupert of the East, an uncongested gateway […]
A Union Pacific train passes under a signal bridge and past a positive train control installation on BNSF Railway track in Cajon Pass, Calif., in 2013. Trains: Steve Sweeney Even as railroads continue to roll out their positive train control solutions, one question remains front and center: Are the systems vulnerable to a cyber-attack? Can […]
Loop Capital Markets SAN ANTONIO, Texas – Rail service has been poor more often than it’s been good during the past five years because railroads run too lean and get caught short of crews, locomotives, or both and can’t recover quickly from the impact of unexpected events. So says Rick Paterson, a one-time Australian railroader […]
WASHINGTON — The Federal Railroad Administration will not implement a rule requiring a certain number of people in the cab of freight trains, the agency announced this week. On Thursday, the FRA withdrew a notice of proposed rulemaking that dated back to 2016, when the federal agency was considering requiring at least two people aboard […]
ALTOONA, Pa. – Norfolk Southern has laid off about 50 workers at its former Conrail locomotive shop in Altoona, the Altoona Mirror reports. The employees will be offered positions elsewhere in the company. An unnamed employee at the facility, known as the Juniata Shops, attributes to the reduction to Norfolk Southern’s implementation of Precision Scheduled […]
New Canadian National Chief Operating Officer Rob Reilly speaks at his alma mater, Washburn University, in 2017. Reilly was a starting guard on Washburn’s 1987 NAIA men’s basketball national championship team. Washburn University CN Chief Operating Officer Mike Cory will retire at the end of June after 38 years with the railway. Canadian National MONTREAL […]
HERMISTON, Ore. — Union Pacific announced this week that would be laying off nearly 200 people at its Hinkle rail yard in Hermiston, the latest example of cost reductions brought on by Precision Scheduled Railroading. About 195 people will lose their jobs as UP closes its Hinkle locomotive shop and warehouse over the next two […]
Association of American Railroads WASHINGTON — The Association of American Railroads today reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending May 18. For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 536,358 carloads and intermodal units, down 1.8% compared with the same week last year. Total carloads for the week ending May 18 were 267,006 […]
WASHINGTON — Talks between President Donald Trump and Democratic congressional leaders on an infrastructure bill broke down on Wednesday, with each side blaming the other: The president he can’t work with Democrats while they investigate his administration, and Democrats responded the president was never serious about an infrastructure program. Trump had met with House Speaker […]
A train-view of a flyover at Zoo Interlocking in Philadelphia. Brian Solomon Question: Where are some other mainline flyovers in the U.S.? — Frank Klos, San Diego, Calif. Answer: A flyover is grade-separated track arrangement used to keep busy lines fluid by avoiding the need for conflicting crossover movements, often built in conjunction with junctions […]
MONTREAL — Rob Reilly, a 30-year veteran of the rail industry with Santa Fe and BNSF, has been named executive vice president and chief operating officer at Canadian National, effective July 1. The railroad also announced the promotion of Michael Foster to executive vice president and chief information and technology officer, effective June 3. Reilly, […]
Classification lights on Dakota, Minnesota & Eastern SD40-2 No. 6090. David C. Schauer Question: When a train displays color flags on the engine indicating “Extra” or “Second” section, how is that information used in the operation of the railroad? — Robert Miller, Hernando, Fla. Answer: A complete answer is available in Trains’ online “ABCs of […]
