Author: William C. Vantuono

With Railway Age since 1992, William C. Vantuono has broadened and deepened the magazine's coverage of the technological revolution that is so swiftly changing the industry. He has also strengthened Railway Age’s leadership position in industry affairs with the conferences he conducts, among them Next-Generation Train Control, Light Rail, and Rail Insights. He is the author or co-author or editor of several books, among them All About Railroading; John Armstrong’s The Railroad: What It Is, What It Does; Railway Age’s Comprehensive Railroad Dictionary; and Planning, Engineering, and Operating Light Rail, With Applications in New Jersey.

AITX Acquires The Andersons, Inc. Railcar Leasing Unit for $0.55B, Cash

The Andersons, Inc. has sold its railcar leasing business to American Industrial Transport, Inc. (AITX) for approximately $550 million in cash, and also intends to sell off its remaining railcar repair business, including 29 U.S. facilities, as part of a “strategic decision” to jettison all its railcar interests and focus on its agricultural businesses, which include commodity trading, ethanol and plant nutrient sectors.

Homendy Sworn In as NTSB Chair

President Joe Biden on May 19 nominated Homendy. She testified in a June 24 confirmation hearing before the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. The full Senate on Aug. 9.

For NJT, $256MM ARP Payout

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has dispensed $255.7 million in previously awarded American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds to New Jersey Transit that the agency will apply toward NJT services affecting New Jersey and Pennsylvania. SEPTA has received about $650 million.

KCS + CN or CP: Timeout Called

Yet another potentially game-changing moment for Kansas City Southern in the railroad version of the Super Bowl—the merger tug-of-war between rival Canadian teams, taking place on the Surface Transportation Board playing field before head official Marty Oberman, this one not entirely unexpected: The KCS board has called a timeout (postponed) the Aug. 19 shareholder vote on accepting or rejecting CN’s power-play* offer until the STB rules on the CN/KCS voting trust. Will Canadian Pacific pull off a hat trick?*

AAR Warns STB About ‘Unintended Consequences’

In responding to Surface Transportation Board Chair Marty Oberman’s July 22 letter to the Class I railroads requesting information on the extent of congestion at key U.S. container terminals and on their railroads’

Navis Survey: Rail Execs Support Automation, Systems Integration

Better operational control and consistency, improved data quality and business intelligence, and increased yard throughput and car velocity rank among the top benefits of deploying rail planning and optimization tools, according to an industry survey conducted by Navis LP, a provider of operational technologies and services to the global shipping industry.