FRA safety advisory urges railroads to properly identify, repair high-impact wheels

Logo for Federal Railroad Administration

WASHINGTON – The Federal Railroad Administration has issued a safety advisory calling on railroads to use wheel impact load detectors to properly identify and replace freight car wheels that could significantly damage track and lead to derailments. The advisory was issued yesterday in response to the Feb. 21 derailment of a Union Pacific coal train […]

Read More…

Details emerge of Genesee & Wyoming plans for first test of autonomous container equipment

Genesee & Wyoming plans for first test of autonomous container equipment. Container moving independently on railroad track

WASHINGTON – A pair of Genesee & Wyoming short lines have detailed their plans to test Parallel Systems’ autonomous, battery-electric intermodal cars in an application filed with the Federal Railroad Administration. Last month G&W and Parallel announced that they were seeking FRA permission to conduct the tests next year on the Heart of Georgia Railroad […]

Read More…

CSX names CN veteran Mike Cory as its new chief operating officer

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – CSX Transportation today named Mike Cory as its chief operating officer, a role he held at Canadian National from 2016 until his retirement in 2019. “Mike Cory is one of the rail industry’s leading operations executives, respected for his wealth of operations knowledge and his success as a leader who understands the […]

Read More…

Austria’s KlimaTicket offers unique summer promotion for public rail travel

Modern commuter train racing past camera.

Public rail travel AUSTRIA – When marketing public transportation to new patronage, especially when it comes to rail travel, sometimes promotions must include thinking outside the box. That’s exactly what happened during two summer festivals in Austria as free KlimaTicket passes were given to six participants in exchange for a specific tattoo. The promotion was […]

Read More…

CSX, Georgia Ports Authority partner on daily intermodal service linking Savannah and North Carolina

SAVANNAH, Ga. – CSX Transportation and the Georgia Ports Authority have teamed up for daily international intermodal service between the Port of Savannah and Rocky Mount, N.C. The railroad and port authority said that the service would enable North Carolina importers and exporters to tap into a faster supply chain through the direct rail connection […]

Read More…

Rail traffic slump continues in August, AAR says

Association of American Railroads logo

WASHINGTON — U.S. rail traffic slumped 4.3% in August, with both carload and intermodal volume showing declines, according to the Association of American Railroads. “August was the third straight month in which total year-over-year U.S. rail carloads have fallen,” said AAR Senior Vice President John T. Gray. “A major reason why is that other than […]

Read More…

Proposed reciprocal switching rule takes aim at inadequate railroad service (updated)

WASHINGTON – Shippers who suffer from inadequate railroad service would be able to gain access to a second carrier under a new reciprocal switching rule that the Surface Transportation Board proposed today. The board unanimously voted to approve the 51-page notice of proposed rulemaking, which it said would provide a streamlined path for access to […]

Read More…

Austrian Federal Railways uses 3D-printed components on rail equipment

Modern commuter train racing past camera.

MINNEAPOLIS — Chromatic 3D Materials has begun providing 3D-printed components to be used on rail equipment in Europe. A partnership with the Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB) resulted in the production of bellows, grommets, cable glands, and valve covers, according to a recent statement from Chromatic. “At Chromatic, we take pride in the durability of our […]

Read More…

Norfolk Southern, DrayNow create joint venture to improve intermodal tracing and drayage

ATLANTA – Norfolk Southern has invested $8 million in DrayNow as part of a joint venture to improve the intermodal drayage experience for truckers and customers. DrayNow’s app for mobile devices provides customers with real-time shipment tracking and connects small fleet owner-operators with brokers who need first- and last-mile drayage service – in much the […]

Read More…

Swiss Spectacular, Part 1: Tunnel(s) Vision

Interior of concrete tube of rail tunnel with one track

LOCARNO, Switzerland — The trains are new, modern, run on time, and everyone uses them to go everywhere. Clearly, I’m not at home. In fact, and as the dateline has given away, I am in Switzerland. This is night two of my second trip here, this time a three-week adventure. And while I am badly […]

Read More…

CSX CEO talks growth, new CPKC interchange, and the importance of motivated railroaders

CSX train with orange and blue intermodal containers

BOSTON – CSX Transportation still expects to see growth in revenue ton miles this year despite declines in several key commodity segments, CEO Joe Hinrichs told an investor conference today. While the railroad’s automotive, coal, minerals, and metals business has been strong, its chemicals, forest products, and international intermodal traffic are all down year over […]

Read More…

House panel raps Department of Transportation response to rail and air safety issues

WASHINGTON – The House of Representatives Oversight Committee is probing the Department of Transportation’s response to a series of rail and aviation safety issues. The committee’s Republicans sent a letter yesterday to Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg regarding train derailments and near-misses involving airlines. The letter asks DOT to provide documents related to “efforts to investigate […]

Read More…