Author: Douglas John Bowen

STB proceeds on Montana railroad proposal

The Surface Transportation Board announced Monday its plan for consideration of Tongue River Railroad Co.’s revised proposal to build and operate a new rail line in Montana between Miles City and Ashland.

Hamilton, Ont., still pondering LRT

Much like its larger provincial big sister city Toronto, Hamilton, Ont., continues to struggle to sustain momentum for light rail transit development. City staff say data is still being gathered on the matter.

BNSF unit trains to serve new frac sand facility

U.S. Silica Holdings, Inc. announced Monday that it has formed “an innovative alliance with BNSF Railway to build a new silica sand storage facility in San Antonio, Tex., that will support the rapidly growing oil and gas extraction industry in the Eagle Ford shale.”

Protran Technology, major energy company team on safety initiative

Flanders, N.J.-based Protran Technology said June 15 that it has landed a contract with a major energy company to outfit locomotives leased from two Class I railroads “with the first advance warning system to help prevent accidents and deaths related to shove moves.”

Grain car leasing reported soft

Grain car lessors are reporting an extremely soft market for all but the largest of jumbo covered hoppers. (The jumbos are working and we couldn’t find any lessors that have this car type parked.)

Wabtec makes $88 million acquisition

Wabtec Corp. announced Thursday that it has acquired Mors Smitt Holding, a global provider of electronic components for rail and industrial markets, from Eurazeo PME, for about $88 million.

U.S. freight carloads down (again); intermodal gains

U.S. freight carload volume for the week ending June 9, 2012, once again failed to match the comparable week in 2011, down 1.7%, the Association of American Railroads reported Thursday. The shortfall, however, was less severe than in the previous week, when freight carload volume was down 3.1% compared with a year ago. U.S. intermodal continued to offer a contrast, up 3.8% compared with the same week last year.