Railroad

Freight trains carrying dangerous goods in Canada can now travel at faster speeds, according to a revised government order. Transport Canada had restricted how fast those trains could go following a fiery Feb. 6 derailment of a crude train.

Canadian National warns protesters they’re jeopardizing their safety, while passenger rail service on VIA Rail remains cancelled.

Transport earnings were rough but may have bottomed.

To reduce or eliminate blocked highway-rail grade crossings, the federal government needs to define the roles of stakeholders and technology, hearing witnesses said.

Labor attorney takes issue with allowing carriers to keep accident evidence from being used in court.

Ben Thrower explores the U.S. food chain is complex, but provides a cornucopia of food choices in almost unlimited supply.

Canadian National begins “disciplined and progressive” shutdown of eastern network and plans to halt all transcontinental service in response to anti-pipeline protests as impact hits intermodal carriers.

The court ruled in favor of the Class I railroads and said SMART-TD must discuss crew size during ongoing collective bargaining negotiations.

Jim Blaze writes about the transportation of hazardous materials by rail. Accidents have occurred, and the railroads need to continue to work to decrease their number. However, rail is the safest way to transport hazardous materials.

Protestors’ actions to block rail routes are causing major supply chain disruptions, they say.

Year-to-date U.S. rail volumes are still sluggish, and the effect of the coronavirus on intermodal volumes remains unclear.

Demonstrators say their actions, which have blocked rail lines and access to several Canadian ports, are in support of a First Nations group’s concerns over a proposed pipeline.

The C$15 million federal investment aims to reduce bottlenecks and facilitate export capabilities in a region of Alberta known for its chemical, petrochemical, and oil and gas output.

The Mexican Federal Competition Commission says certain rail routes in Veracruz, including those operated by Kansas City Southern, don’t have adequate rail market competition to haul chemicals and petrochemicals.

The transportation of goods and people was transformed when eastern and western rails were connected in 1869.

A temporary order in Canada restricting the speed of freight trains carrying dangerous goods could potentially affect the broader economy.

Rand Logistics will purchase the American Steamship Company for $260 million.

Jim Blaze explores whether the Class 1 railroads are downsizing their railcar fleets.

When responding to requests for proposals in the contract bidding process, rail and intermodal service providers should tout not only their competitive pricing but why shippers should diversify their modal options.

The federal agency issues the order following a fiery derailment of a Canadian Pacific crude train.

Full year net income set a record; CEO speaks highly of rail operations

January was a record month for grain volumes for CP.

Authorities evacuate town of Guernsey, Saskatchewan, and close five-mile stretch of key Western Canada highway after morning accident involving CP train.

Trade uncertainties, softness in the manufacturing sector contributed to lower rail volumes in January.

Jim Blaze writes about the long, slow decline of coal as the key commodity for railroads, and whether plastics might replace the lost volume.

The railroad is reducing its capital expenditures budget for this year, but it will allocate more funding toward replacing and upgrading network infrastructure.

The acquisition will expand Regional Rail’s short line operations into North Carolina.

Members overwhelmingly ratified the agreement with Canadian National. The collective agreement will last through July 2022.

Lawmakers in Missouri, New York, Virginia and Wyoming introduce legislation to require freight trains to have a minimum crew size.

FreightWaves SONAR has new information for subscribers.

A short line acquisition in Atlantic Canada and enhanced crude oil production in western Canada could boost rail volumes in the coming years, executive said.

The drop comes as the Class I railroads look to the second half of 2020 for volume growth.

Union Pacific opens lanes, while Norfolk Southern talks lane opportunities to take market share from trucks.

Moscow-based Grand Service Express began offering service to the Russian-occupied Crimean Peninsula in December.

Recent trade developments should help rail volumes improve, particularly in the second half of 2020, executives said.

Railroad giant Norfolk Southern Corp.’s fourth-quarter profit declined 5% as the company hauled 9% less freight, officials said.  Norfolk Southern (NYSE: NSC) reported its operating and financial results for the fourth quarter of 2019 before the market opened Wednesday. Norfolk Southern (NS) reported total revenues of $2.7 billion in the fourth quarter, down 7% year-over-year, […]

Revenue gains for grain, energy, chemicals and plastics provide boost.

The railway cited the labor strike and weak freight demand in lower fourth-quarter profits.

The railway and the rail union respond to a CBC documentary about a fatal February 2019 train accident.

The railroad eyes slight volume growth in 2020 amid plans for longer trains and reduced headcount.

Spare aircraft engine dispositions stave off weakened demand for railcars in North America.

Year-to-date U.S. rail traffic is 7.8% lower compared with the same period in 2019.

Employment levels at the U.S. operations of the Class I railroads hit their lowest point in years, according to data from the Surface Transportation Board.

Net income falls in the fourth quarter amid a decline in operating revenue and a decrease in rail volumes.

Geopolitical tides, e-commerce and technology are today’s “disruptors” in freight transportation, say panelists at Transportation Research Board convention.

Railroad expert Jim Blaze writes about coal, a key commodity hauled by rail. The amount of coal being hauled by rail is declining. Why? And what does the future hold?

Organizations may lobby Parliament to declare rail service an essential service so that access remains available during events such as labor strikes.

Kansas City Southern can attribute its growth in cross-border traffic to a former president, a Railway Age essay says.

The latest features in SONAR 5.0 make it the most future-focused version to date.

Service improvements will help grow rail volumes and revenue, the company said during its fourth-quarter earnings call Friday.

Jim Blaze explores the decline of railroad freight volume and what may happen going forward.

Coal declines and a still sluggish industrial economy could put pressure on revenue this year. Still, CSX sees upside potential for intermodal and merchandise volumes.

Net profit for Kansas City Southern (NYSE: KSU) slipped in the fourth quarter of 2019 compared to the prior year, but revenues were 5% higher amid increases for chemicals and petroleum and industrial and consumer products. Fourth-quarter net income was $127.2 million, or $1.30 diluted earnings per share, compared with $161.1 million, or $1.59 diluted […]

Los Angeles port signals efficiency gains as the third-largest container alliance plans additional SE Asia stops.

Net earnings fell 8.5% in the fourth quarter of 2019 compared with the same period a year ago.

Darren Prokop explains why Positive Train Control – a positive safety measure for “Lower 48” railroads – doesn’t make sense for the Alaska Railroad.

U.S. carloads and intermodal units are down year to date from the same period in 2019.

Improving rail volumes and service are among the crucial issues to look out for as the railroads reveal their 2020 guidance in the coming days.

Jim Blaze profiles TTX, a company that is essential to the railroad industry.

The rail equipment manufacturer and lessor has tapped a Caterpillar executive and Trinity board member to head the company.

Technology will have a key role, but how will shippers and labor benefit from the railroads’ high-tech initiatives, panel asks.

The Denver-based short line operator promotes from within for the new roles.

The bill would prohibit the transport of crude oil via rail if the Reid vapor pressure of the crude oil exceeds 9.5 pounds per square inch.

We gear up this week with a man charged on Thursday with shooting a truck driver on I-269 outside Memphis, Tennessee, after an in-cab video captured the suspected killer. Violence in Mexico from organized cartels has been surging in recent weeks, with the latest incident involving a 13-year-old American boy killed Jan. 3 near Nuevo […]

The Containerization & Intermodal Institute, EROAD and Great Lakes Dredge & Dock announce board appointments.

Two Norfolk Southern-owned or -operated rail facilities in West Virginia and Virginia have been impacted by closure and layoffs.

Railway Age reports industry veteran will lead the RSI Equipment Leasing Committee.

The principles of Environmental/Social/Governance are going to be a factor in the future, according to Morgan Stanley

The transport of cargo from China to Europe by sea is likely to remain more important than Eurasian railway routes, says the CEO of the German forwarder DACHSER.

Buttigieg proposal part of candidate’s $1 trillion infrastructure plan.

OmniTRAX and R.J. Corman seek to cultivate customer relations with recent appointments.

The railway will work with NorFalco Sales, a division of Glencore Canada, to handle sulfuric acid volumes at facilities in Ontario and Quebec.

Road, rail, port environmental permits to be completed in two years.

Association of American Railroads reports volumes continue to run lower than a year ago.

Companies from Amazon to Zulily agree to help Customs and Border Protection figure out how to identify and target high-risk shipments.

Jim Blaze writes about the key messages he extrapolated about railroading in 2019.

Precision Scheduled Railroading, or PSR, is the operational method of running a railroad for maximum asset utilization by which freight movements are scheduled and managed on the individual carload (rather than entire train level). That contributes to efficiency improvements by, for instance, using more direct point-to-point routing, bypassing classification terminals, and having the flexibility to use long mixed-commodity trains.

Wabtec says the $29 million acquisition of RELCO will expand its freight services offerings.

A U.S. judicial panel will hold a hearing in late January that will take up defendant Class I railroads’ request to move legal proceedings on fuel surcharge price fixing to one court.

Railcar manufacturer says deliveries fell off from a record sequential quarter.

During the third quarter of 2019, the number of train robberies in Mexico rose 13% compared with the previous quarter, according to data compiled by Mexico’s Railway Transport Regulatory Agency (ARTF). Agricultural grains, auto parts and consumer goods, such as beverages and toys, were the most stolen freight, the security report by ARTF found. Between […]

Drop in imports and exports in November occurred as Canadian National network’s capacity declined by 90% amid an eight-day rail worker strike.

New hopper cars and a high-efficiency train model at some elevators help boost volumes.

U.S. rail volumes fell 5% in 2019 amid trade worries, a sluggish industrial economy and a significant drop in coal carloads.

Private equity firm Paceline acquires a maintenance-of-way equipment lessor from Progress Rail, a Caterpillar subsidiary.

Despite a tough 2019 market, shippers face increasing price volatility around intermodal drayage as rail becomes more cost competitive compared with over-the-road trucking. Last year was one that intermodal marketing companies may prefer to forget. The volume of containers riding the rails dropped 5% last year, according to the American Association of Railroads. With overall […]

Good day, Hydrogen fuel cell trucks are making inroads at California ports and now the state is planning the nation’s first zero-emission “hydrail” project, Forbes magazine reports. The nine-mile line will run in southern California, where the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority plans to operate a FLIRT H2 train from Swiss supplier Stadler starting in […]

The railway announced plans to acquire the Central Maine & Quebec Railway in November.

Two industry groups have announced a program to prevent the accidental release of pre-production plastic pellets.

Rail intermodal is the transportation method of moving freight on the earth’s surface by two modes, by railroad and also by truck. The freight can be carried in either trailers or containers; containers has become the larger and faster-growing category. The freight is moved on a railroad during the long-haul portion of the move with local trucking (known as drayage) taking the trailer or container to its final destination.

Lower rail volumes, an active Surface Transportation Board and a strike were among the key events that the U.S. and Canadian freight rail industry experienced this year.

A portfolio of acquisitions culminates in a large sale. Genesee and Wyoming announces that the sale of the company has been completed.

The U.S. operations of the Class I railroads continue to shed employees.

Railroads are the most efficient transportation mode for moving goods on the earth’s surface. Railroads are of particular importance for the movement of commodities that heavy and moved in bulk over long distances where the transportation spend represents a large portion of the total delivered cost.

Trump administration seeks industry comment on Obama-era transportation document.

The volume drop has created ripple effects, including some lower railcar leasing rates.

The Federal Railroad Administration hopes to collect data on blocked rail crossings from the public and law enforcement.

Jim Blaze writes about the potential of short-haul intermodal traffic on the North American Class 1 railroads.

Ores and wastes are arguably the two most important materials transported in the nuclear cycle. FreightWaves asks how they are shipped. The answer is: carefully.

Kansas City Southern and Canadian Pacific deliver goodwill to local communities along portions of their rail networks.