ATLANTA — Norfolk Southern has become the third railroad to reach an agreement with some union workers for paid sick leave, announcing a deal with members of the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Division of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. The agreement will cover about 3,000 workers. The agreement provides for four days of […]
WASHINGTON — The Surface Transportation Board says it welcomes moves by CSX Transportation and Union Pacific to provide paid sick leave for union workers, according to a statement issued today (Wednesday, Feb. 22). “The Board applauds the efforts of CSX and UP in taking the lead to work with the unions to address this critical […]
Car Swap Project Part 3: Painting plastic models: As part of trading boxcars custom decorated for each other’s layouts, modelers Gerry Leone, David Popp, and Seth Puffer do some preparation and painting of the plastic models. In this installment, the three use a variety of readily available products to add some color, or take some […]
MONTREAL — Tests to determine the structural soundness of VIA Rail Canada cars manufactured by the Budd Co. from the late 1940s to mid-1950s are ongoing and formal reports have yet to be issued. However, preliminary information shared with Trains News Wire indicates that the while the cars remain fundamentally sound, corrosion may need to […]
OLYMPIA, Wash. — The state of Washington has joined the list of those considering legislation to limit the length of freight trains. The Columbia Basin Herald reports that state’s House Transportation Committee heard testimony Tuesday on House Bill 1839, by Rep. Sharon Tomiko Santos (D-Seattle), that would limit the length of trains operating within the […]
LAS VEGAS — Brightline West, the planned high speed rail line between Las Vegas and Southern California, has announced an agreement with a coalition of 13 rail unions for the project to use union labor. In another development, a news report says a group of California agencies have agreed to build wildlife overcrossings to span […]
TORONTO — Siemens Mobility will provide track, signal, and right-of-way maintenance for Metrolinx rail operations in the West Region of Toronto, expanding an existing agreement with the provincial agency that oversees public transportation in the Toronto and Hamilton area. “We are excited to continue our partnership with Metrolinx, helping them keep their systems running safely […]
GOTHENBURG, Neb. — Approximately 31 cars of a Union Pacific coal train derailed on Union Pacific’s triple-track main line across Nebraska early today (Tuesday, Feb. 21), stopping rail traffic for more than six hours. No injuries were reported and no hazardous materials were involved in the accident that occurred about 1:45 a.m., UP spokeswoman Robynn […]
Regulators should not impose new safety regulations until the National Transportation Safety Board determines what caused the fiery derailment of a Norfolk Southern train that was carrying hazardous materials through East Palestine, Ohio, rail industry leaders said today. Their remarks came just hours after Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said the Department of Transportation would adopt […]
Car Swap Project Part 2: Stripping lettering from models: As explained in the first installment of the series, modelers Gerry Leone, David Popp, and Seth Puffer have decided to create custom boxcars for each other’s model railroads. This time around, David starts the real work of preparing the cars that he will use for the […]
MONTREAL — With political support lining up in Quebec behind high speed rail service between that province and Ontario, Canada’s Transport Minister — who has been working to advance a more conventional-speed “High Frequency Rail” project — has said he is open to a hybrid approach along the corridor. Global News reports Transport Minister Omar […]
The insolvency administrators trying to sell Vivarail, the British passenger train re-manufacturing company previously backed by Pittsburgh-based Railroad Development Corp., have succeeded in selling the company’s innovative fast battery-charging system. That system, called FastCharge, which will be tested in passenger service in London later this year. Vivarail was founded in 2013 by British rail industry […]
