Carload Considerations: Making Class I carload business near major interchanges work

Train against colorful sky at sunrise

A Midwestern grain co-op west of Chicago has an abundance of soybeans piled high into silos with a processing plant eager to buy them across the border in Indiana. It’s a 300-mile haul. The company leases covered hoppers and transit times, including the Chicago hand-off, are palatable thanks to improved velocities. But there’s the problem. […]

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Tropical storm knocks out Norfolk Southern main line in North Carolina

NS9732Selma

ATLANTA – Heavy rainfall from Tropical Storm Chantal has washed out Norfolk Southern’s main line between Raleigh and Greensboro, N.C., in multiple locations. NS shut down the line early on July 6 due to flash flooding, the railroad said in a service advisory today. “Access to the area has been hindered by the closure of […]

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A few disruptions mar Amtrak’s holiday weekend

Passenger train stopped at station on curve

CHICAGO—Most trains on Amtrak’s capacity-constrained network ran close to on time while handling big passenger loads throughout the Thursday-through-Sunday weekend, although some travelers’ plans were inconvenienced as a result of problems both within and beyond the company’s control. A number of challenges impacted long-distance trains in addition to those News Wire previously outlined [see “Buses […]

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Wabtec to acquire Frauscher, maker of digital rail detection products

PITTSBURGH — Wabtec will further expand its digital rail inspection and detection business, announcing today (July 7, 2025) that it will acquire Austrian-based Frauscher Sensor Technology Group for €675 million ($792 million). The acquisition of Frauscher — an international supplier of rail detection, wayside object control, and axle-counting products — comes just days after Wabtec […]

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Short line derailment is third in Mississippi in three days (corrected)

Logo of Grenada Railroad

SARDIS, Miss. — Twenty-seven cars of a Grenada Railroad train derailed Sunday (July 6, 2025) in Sardis, Miss., the third significant derailment in the state in three two days. The Oxford Eagle reports the incident occurred Sunday evening and involved cars carrying corn and sulfuric acid, and occurred in a remote location difficult to access. […]

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NTSB now on scene of CN derailment, hazardous-materials fire in Mississippi

National Transportation Safety Board logo

GLENDORA, Miss. — National Transportation Safety Board investigators are now on scene at the site of Saturday’s derailment and hazardous-materials fire involving a Canadian National Railway train near Glendora. The agency announced this morning [Sunday, July 6] that it had sent a team to the site of the derailment that occurred about 2:30 p.m. on […]

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Twilight of the dome cars

Stainless steel dome car outside brick roundhouse at museum

Following the delivery of dome cars constructed for the Union Pacific and Wabash for the City of St. Louis in 1958, U.S. intercity passenger rail service entered into what turned out to be a terminal illness; thereafter, no more new dome cars were ordered. However, a different factor in the U.S. railroad industry — mergers […]

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CN derailment in Mississippi leads to fire, evacuations

Canadian National logo

GLENDORA, Miss. — A derailment and fire involving a Canadian National Railway train occurred today (July 5, 2025) in the town of Glendora, with the hazardous materials involved leading to the evacuation of about 200 residents. The Clarksdale Press Register reports Tallahatchie County Emergency Management Agency Director said 13 cars had derailed, with a tank […]

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CSX derailment closes streets in downtown Louisville

Aerial view of derailed railcars

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Ten cars of a CSX train derailed today (Saturday, July 5, 2025) in west Louisville, WDRB-TV reports. No injuries were reported. While a earlier report from WAVE-TV quoted Louisville Fire Chief Brian O’Neail as saying some of the tank cars involved were carrying some material, although no leaks occurred, a CSX representative […]

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Montreal light rail begins six-week shutdown

Light rail train crossing bridge at sunset

MONTREAL — The Réseau express métropolitain light rail line between downtown Montreal and the North Shore community of Brossard, Que., has begun a six-week shutdown today (Saturday, July 5) for testing in preparation of opening of most of the rest of the system later this year. Service on the 10.3-mile first phase between Central Station […]

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LIRR, Metro-North revive ‘Summer Saturday’ discounts

Electric multiple unit trainset with red front rounds curve

NEW YORK — The Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North Railroad announced this week that they will reintroduce a “Summer Saturday” discount travel program this Saturday (July 5, 2025). The program, good on Saturdays through Aug. 30, allows monthly ticket holders to bring up to two additional travelers along for just $1 per person each […]

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Buses step in for Amtrak long-distance trains over holiday weekend

CHICAGO — Two planned and two unplanned bus bridges are occurring over the Fourth of July holiday weekend to keep passengers moving on Amtrak’s long-distance network. Coast Starlight equipment will spend the night of July 4-July 5 at Sacramento, Calif., and Klamath Falls, Ore., while Seattle-Los Angeles passengers are bused overnight between the two stops […]

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