CPKC’s concerns about CN’s acquisition of Iowa Northern are too little, too late, CN says

Two silver and yellow locomotives on track with snow

WASHINGTON — Canadian National says Canadian Pacific Kansas City missed two deadlines when it asked federal regulators to give CN’s proposed acquisition of Iowa Northern Railway a more thorough review. The Surface Transportation Board on Feb. 29 designated the acquisition as a minor transaction. CPKC on March 1 asked the board to consider the $230 […]

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Norfolk Southern, Florida East Coast further expand intermodal service

Map of intermodal services offered by Norfolk Southern and Florida East Coast Railway

ATLANTA — Norfolk Southern and Florida East Coast have announced further expansion of their international and domestic interline service, with logistics, marine, and energy company Crowley using the two railroads’ Florida Express service to move textile products to and from Charlotte, N.C., for garment and apparel manufacturing. “We are focused on providing reliable service and […]

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Rail industry, labor urge Senate to pass bill addressing cuts to unemployment benefits

Trains Washington Watch logo

WASHINGTON — A rare coalition of rail industry and labor groups have asked the Senate Budget Committee to approve legislation which would permanently exempt railroad unemployment and sickness benefits from sequestration budget cuts. The bill in question, S.1274, the Railroad Employee Equity and Fairness Act, or REEF Act, was introduced by Sen. Deb. Fischer (R-Neb.); […]

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Court blocks CN plans for new Toronto-area intermodal facility

Rendering of proposed rail yard

MILTON, Ontario — A Canadian court has blocked Canadian National Railway’s plans for its Milton Logistics Hub, a $250 million intermodal project first proposed in 2015 and approved by the federal government in 2021. While the government attached 325 environmental conditions to the approval [see “Canadian National’s proposed Toronto-area intermodal terminal …,” Trains News Wire, […]

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Former CN CEO says NS should consider a different approach in fight with activist investor

Norfolk Southern needs to make some concessions to activist investor Ancora Holdings if the railroad wants to maintain control of its board and keep its current management team, retired Canadian National CEO JJ Ruest says. Ruest knows a thing or two about proxy battles: He tamped down activism from one of CN’s largest investors after […]

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CPKC and Iowa Interstate ask regulators to take closer look at CN-Iowa Northern deal

Freight train with seven red, gray, and yellow locomotives

WASHINGTON — Canadian Pacific Kansas City and Iowa Interstate on Friday asked federal regulators to designate Canadian National’s proposed acquisition of Iowa Northern as a “significant” transaction that would require a longer and more rigorous review process. Last week the Surface Transportation Board accepted CN’s application to acquire Iowa Northern and said the $230 million […]

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Proposed Utah short line passes environmental review hurdle

WASHINGTON – Federal regulators have concluded that construction of the proposed Savage Tooele Railroad in Utah would have no impact on the environment provided that mitigation measures are followed. The Surface Transportation Board’s Office of Environmental Analysis on Friday released its final environmental assessment for the proposed short line, which aims to revive Union Pacific’s […]

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As investor group calls for ouster of NS officials, railroad seeks to correct ‘false claims’

Locomotives on riverbank after derailment

TORONTO — EdgePoint Investment Group, which has a $960 million stake in Norfolk Southern, today praised the proxy battle that activist partner Ancora Holdings is waging against the railroad. “EdgePoint supports the changes proposed by Ancora to NSC’s board of directors and management team,” EdgePoint said in a statement. Ancora has proposed a majority slate […]

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STB approves 30-day emergency operation of Oklahoma short line

Portion of Oklahoma railroad map showing Blackwell Northern Gateway Railroad

WASHINGTON — The Surface Transportation Board on Friday approved an emergency request to allow short line company Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad to provide service for 30 days on the line formerly operated by the Blackwell Northern Gateway Railroad, shut down in February by the Federal Railroad Administration for safety reasons. The State of […]

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Virginia two-person crew bill goes to governor

Seal with woman standing on top of man

RICHMOND, Va. — Virginia legislation requiring two-person crews for freight trains in the state has passed the legislature and been sent to Gov. Glenn Youngkin for his signature, the Virginian-Pilot newspaper reports. The bill that passed narrowly passed both houses of the General Assembly — 51-49 in the House of Delegates, and 20-19 in the […]

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Pere Marquette Berkshire steam locomotives

One of Pere Marquette Berkshire steam locomotives with freight train by gas holder

  By the late 1930s, the Pere Marquette Railway had made a big splash in motive power acquisition. And rightly so, as the tired and second-rate fleet of steam locomotives was not enough to pull the Michigan railroad out of the hardship of the Great Depression. An order of 15 N-class 2-8-4s initially was rolled […]

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Investigators release control of site of collision, derailment to NS

Derailed tank cars next to river

LOWER SAUCON TOWNSHIP, Pa. — National Transportation Safety Board investigators have released control of the site of Saturday’s collision and derailment involving three trains to Norfolk Southern for its crews and contractors to address cleanup, the Allentown Morning Call reports. The NTSB turned the site over to NS late this afternoon [Sunday, March 3], but […]

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