The Association of American Railroads recently laid out some issues that Amtrak, host railroads and the federal government must grapple with as they implement on-time performance metrics and standards for Amtrak.
Nearly 92% of the U.S. Class I rail network is interoperable and close to fulfilling the federal positive train control mandate by the Dec. 31 deadline, according to FRA data.
The rule defines performance and service metrics for Amtrak and it requires freight rail to meet an on-time performance standard.
The federal agency says the rule would reduce unnecessary costs and incentivize innovation while also improving rail safety.
Brad Hildebrand discussed Cargill’s reliance on dependable rail service during FreightWaves Last Mile Logistics Summit.
Alaska and South Dakota received $6.9 million in grants from the Federal Railroad Administration for rail-related projects.
The grants help localities, short lines and passenger railroads improve the safety and efficiency of their rail networks.
The Class I railroads update agencies on service issues; shippers use the opportunity to ask for data collection on first-mile and last-mile movements.
Railroads and union disagree over Federal Railroad Administration final rule enabling use of continuous rail inspection technology.
The Surface Transportation Board and the Federal Railroad Administration administrator seek answers about Class I rail performance, while labor groups question furlough-related actions.
Environmental groups and several states have filed lawsuits against regulation governing liquefied natural gas by rail over environmental and safety concerns.
The Class I’s have reached 100% compliance with three of the five categories required to reach full implementation.
The proposed rule seeks to require trains operating in Kansas to have at least two crew members in the front locomotive.
The Federal Railroad Administration and Volpe are in the middle of conducting a survey on how railroaders gather and share information about occupational safety.
The revisions encourage technology integration and encourage preventative measures, say some stakeholders.
The rule seeks to address Democrats’ concerns about the safety measures the railroads would take in transporting liquefied natural gas.
Freight railroads could see secondary benefits if projects improve a region’s network flow.
Labor groups praise bill’s contents but key freight rail group is “disappointed.”
The waivers were given to passenger and freight railroads because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Twelve projects in nine states get funding to upgrade track and rail crossings and other types of rail infrastructure.
Interoperability between host and tenant railroads nears 60% at the end of the first quarter, up from 48% in December.
The pandemic is exacerbating existing problems with vendors and software installation, according to a federal report.
The grant application period is open for groups seeking federal funding for capital projects related to passenger and freight rail.
The groups want the Federal Railroad Administration to ensure that railroads’ requests to waive certain regulations stem from a true labor shortage.
A bipartisan group of Congressional lawmakers are asking rail transit agencies to order safety and health guidelines that would prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus.
The requests to waive the Federal Railroad Administration’s regulations on random alcohol and drug testing and on certain rail operations are due to social distancing recommendations and an anticipated reduction in staff because of COVID-19.
The Class I railroads would need to ensure that Amtrak can meet FRA’s on-time performance metrics for the routes they share with Amtrak.
The $248.5 million in grant funding goes to support local and state projects.
The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen wants freight and passenger railroads to temporarily alter their sick leave policies and provide stronger sanitizing materials.
Positive train control has been fully implemented on the Class I rail network, with 48% of the network able to communicate with tenant railroads.
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.
Year-to-date U.S. rail volumes are still sluggish, and the effect of the coronavirus on intermodal volumes remains unclear.
Lawmakers in Missouri, New York, Virginia and Wyoming introduce legislation to require freight trains to have a minimum crew size.
Darren Prokop explains why Positive Train Control – a positive safety measure for “Lower 48” railroads – doesn’t make sense for the Alaska Railroad.
The Federal Railroad Administration hopes to collect data on blocked rail crossings from the public and law enforcement.
The agency has issued two new notices of proposed rulemakings that it says would promote safety innovation and reduce unnecessary regulatory burdens.
Action averts government shutdown, funds key infrastructure programs.
The approval comes amid some objection by Congressional Democrats and a wider proposed rulemaking on the same issue.
The notice of proposed rulemaking pertains to training for Class II and Class III rail employees.
The implementation of Positive Train Control is the largest technology program deployed in CN history and they are already ahead of the game
The bill introduced by Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Illinois) would allow Amtrak to sue freight railroads for not giving Amtrak preference on freight rail-owned track.
The Federal Railroad Administration is proposing all states address highway-rail grade crossing safety.
Shipping liquified natural gas by rail is a controversial topic. Read what Jim Blaze thinks about the idea in his latest commentary.
Funding bill leaves out protections sought by U.S. House.
LNG export proposal immediately slammed by Democrat lawmakers.
Awarded projects could benefit freight rail indirectly.
The railroads say the union refuses to negotiate on train crew size as both sides prepare for a new collective bargaining agreement.
The Class I railroads are steadily implementing positive train control, but the railroads overall still have a ways to go before the December 2020 deadline.
The Federal Railroad Administration is asking freight and passenger railroads to apply for grants aimed at upgrading infrastructure or enhancing safety.
The states of Illinois, Nevada and Washington are seeking to push ahead with state laws requiring a train crew size of at least two individuals, despite a federal declaration saying that such laws have been voided.
Passenger train proposal asks for comment on freight requirements as well.
“Without documented strategies for how it plans to communicate the results of its research, FRA may lose an opportunity to effectively work with internal and external stakeholders – such as railroads, rail workers and local communities – to address any risks of operating longer trains in support of the agency’s mission of enabling the safe, efficient and reliable transportation of people and goods.”
Blocking railroad crossings in Oklahoma now could come at a financial cost for freight railroads.
Some members of Congress remain determined to address the question of whether having more crew members on a train makes that train safer.
The implementation of precision scheduled railroading has contributed to dwindling morale and could result in creating unsafe working conditions should the federal government withhold intervention, according to union witnesses at a June 20th Congressional hearing on rail safety.
The Federal Railroad Administration is awarding more than $326 million in grants to help states and localities repair, maintain and build rail infrastructure supporting freight rail and intercity passenger rail.
The U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear a case again about whether Amtrak can have a role in crafting the on-time performance metrics and standards for the freight railroads. The Court’s June 3 action paves the way for Amtrak and the Federal Railroad Administration to finish establishing those metrics and standards.
Only 17 percent of the relationships between the U.S. passenger and freight railroads required to utilize positive train control technology have interoperability, meaning that the host railroad can communicate with a non-host train through the technology, according to data released by the Federal Railroad Administration.
The Federal Railroad Administration is withdrawing its notice of proposed rulemaking for train crew staffing. Regulating train crew staffing is not necessary or appropriate for rail operations to be conducted safely, the agency said.
Democrats boost maritime programs over Trump’s budget
BNSF (NYSE: BRK) and Union Pacific (NYSE: UNP) are grappling with the aftermath of the recent historic floods, with both companies scrambling to assess and repair damage as quickly as possible.
