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.

Keith Creel to Pat Ottensmeyer and the KCS Board: Stick With Us

Canadian Pacific President and CEO Keith Creel on May 20 responded to the Kansas City Southern Board of Directors and President and CEO Pat Ottensmeyer calling on them to reject CN’s counter-proposal “in light of intervening events” and stay with “the achievable, compelling value under the pre-existing merger agreement” with CP. Creel also confirmed that CP will not engage in a bidding war with CN.

DOJ to STB: Prohibit CN Voting Trust (UPDATED)

In a May 14 filing with the Surface Transportation Board, the United States Department of Justice has said CN’s application for a voting trust to acquire Kansas City Southern should be denied, because the proposed merger “raises sufficient competition concerns.”

‘Alexa, Where’s My NJT Train?’

Alexa, Amazon’s ubiquitous AI (artificial intelligence) platform, can now tell you if your New Jersey Transit commuter train is running on time.

NS Touts Digital Transformation, Sustainability at Annual Meeting

Norfolk Southern chief executive Jim Squires, in his address to shareholders at the May 13 annual meeting, focused on the company’s “digital transformation” and sustainability initiatives, in addition to the standard shareholder-value-based comments, such as “accelerating PSR implementation.”

For Alstom Canada, Full Railcar Speed Ahead

Now that Bombardier Transportation’s North American assets and operations are fully integrated into Alstom, major customers, particularly those in Canada, apparently are feeling more confident in continuing investments in rail transit rolling stock, as evidenced by an order for 60 Flexity streetcars for the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) and refurbishments of GO Transit bi-level commuter railcars.

Leclanché Batteries Selected for CP HFC Locomotive

Canadian Pacific has selected Switzerland-based Leclanché SA to supply lithium-ion batteries and energy management software for its HCF (hydrogen fuel cell) road locomotive pilot program. Leclanché’s proprietary technology will be be integrated with the locomotive’s fuel cell modules.

‘More Like Sister Companies’

RAILWAY AGE MAY 2021 ISSUE: What started as ‘basically a handshake’ blossomed over time into a mutually beneficial working partnership.