Norfolk Southern’s Sanborn Stepping Down
Norfolk Southern (NS) Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Cindy Sanborn will pass the throttle to Paul Duncan on Jan. 1, 2023, the Class I railroad reported Nov. 14.
Author: Marybeth Luczak
CHSRA eyes construction toward Bakersfield
The California High-Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA) is applying for a $67 million grant from the Federal Railroad Administration to improve highway/rail grade crossings in Shafter, Calif.
Hays Thomas Watkins, 96
Hays Thomas Watkins, former CSX Chairman and CEO, died July 29, 2022 in Richmond, Va. He was 96.
BLET members vote ‘yes’ on nationwide strike authorization – we’re about out of time
Nearly 100% of Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen members have voted in support of a nationwide strike, which BLET National President Dennis R. Pierce is calling “a showing of solidarity and unity.”
CP work stoppage continues in Canada (UPDATED)
A shutdown of Canadian Pacific (CP) train operations began March 20, following an ongoing dispute between the Class I railroad and the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference (TCRC). However, on Day 2, the parties remain at the bargaining table.
Wabtec, CP supporting Ukraine relief efforts
The horrors of war befalling Ukraine during the past two weeks have dominated nearly every news outlet in the world.
Report: Former Amtrak engineer found not guilty in 2015 derailment
Ex-Amtrak engineer Brandon Bostian was acquitted on March 4 of all charges related to the May 12, 2015 derailment of Northeast Regional Train 188 in Philadelphia that killed eight and injured more than 200.
FRA slots track safety symposium
The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) is holding its first-ever Track & Roadway Workplace Safety Symposium on April 5-7 at the St. Louis Union Station Hotel in Missouri; attendance is free.
NS requiring COVID-19 vaccinations for all employees
Our sister magazine, Railway Age, reported yesterday on the NS employee vaccination story. Due to the significance of this announcement, we’re reproducing their article below.
FRA releases PTC Safety Advisory
The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has published a Safety Advisory on a Positive Train Control (PTC) issue recently identified during testing of ACSES II (Advanced Civil Speed Enforcement System II) and I-ETMS (Interoperable Electronic Train Management System) technology.
LA Metro board appoints Wiggins as CEO
Stephanie Wiggins is slated to return to Los Angeles Country Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) in May as its first woman, and first African-American woman, chief executive.
AAR: Week 9 traffic thaw following frozen February
Total U.S. rail traffic for the week ending March 6 was 515,135 carloads and intermodal units, up 11.4% compared with the same week last year, according to the Association of American Railroads (AAR) on March 10.
TTC management transitioning to ‘DOT-wide’ contract
Management of the Pueblo, Colo.-based Transportation Technology Center (TTC) will move to a new vendor as of October 2022.
Pandemic challenged BNSF in 2020; railroad ‘in good hands’ for 2021
Despite a 7% decline in volume, BNSF’s profit margin increased by 2.9 percentage points in 2020, Warren Buffet, Chairman of the Board for parent company Berkshire Hathaway, told shareholders.
AAR Week 7: intermodal, carloads post double-digit losses
For the week ending Feb. 20, total U.S. rail traffic of 377,904 carloads and containers fell 21.7% vs. the same week last year, reported the Association of American Railroads on Feb. 24.
CTC allocates $6.45MM for short line improvement projects
The California Transportation Commission (CTC) will distribute $6.45 million to seven short line railroad infrastructure projects. The projects are funded through the 2020 Short-Line Railroad Improvement Program (SLRIP), which was established under California’s
SEPTA, Amtrak, PennDOT to improve signaling on Harrisburg Line
Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA), in conjunction with Amtrak and the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), will upgrade the signaling and train control system between Paoli and Overbrook, along the Harrisburg, Pa.,
App aims to improve grade crossing safety
Transportation technology firm TRAINFO has introduced an app that provides drivers with predictive highway-rail grade crossing blockage information so they can avoid traffic delays and safely approach crossings. TRAINFO technology shares “when, where,
NJ Transit sets ops, capex budgets
The New Jersey Transit Board of Directors has approved a $2.6 billion operating budget for fiscal year 2021 and a five-year capital plan. They support continued investment in personnel, infrastructure and equipment;