NS on Sept. 21 reported via LinkedIn: “We are excited to break ground on our new regional safety training center in East Palestine today! This facility will provide ongoing, free specialized training for first responders from Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and the greater region.” Pictured here from L to R: State Rep. Monica Robb Blasdel, East Palestine Mayor Trent Conaway, NS President and CEO Alan H. Shaw, East Palestine Fire Chief Keith Drabick, State Sen. Mike Rulli, and NS VP of Safety John Fleps.

NS Breaks Ground on Regional Safety Training Center in Ohio

Work on Norfolk Southern’s (NS) new regional first-responder training center in East Palestine, Ohio, got under way Sept. 21 with a groundbreaking event attended by railroad and local officials as well as

Rail Safety Week Under Way: Sept. 18-24 (Updated Sept. 21)

Operational Lifesaver Inc. (OLI), Operation Lifesaver Canada, and the Mexican Association of Railroads (AMF) is leading Rail Safety Week 2023 across North America on Sept. 18-24.

NS Bid to Acquire CSR Still Faces Legislative Hurdle (UPDATED Sept. 21)

Norfolk Southern is looking to purchase the 338-mile Class II Cincinnati Southern Railway (CSR), which it and its predecessor railroads have been operating under a 141-year-old lease agreement with its owner, the

Only cross train tracks at a designated crossing. Designated crossings are marked by a sign, lights, or a gate. (Safe Kids Worldwide photo)

Safe Kids Worldwide, UP Team Up During Rail Safety Week

To prevent rail-related injuries and deaths to kids, Safe Kids Worldwide and Union Pacific (UP) are teaming up during Rail Safety Week to release a series of resources designed to “raise awareness, educate communities, and encourage parents to talk to their kids about rail safety from an early age.”

Commentary

TD Cowen: Still Searching for Positives in Near-Term

At TD Cowen, we are lowering our rail estimates ahead of third-quarter earnings reports to reflect a very challenged environment. Leaders in the rail and logistics market who attended our latest Railroad Happy Hour” called the current outlook “bleak,” with growing uncertainty in 2025.

“When a rail incident occurs, seconds count,” NS Vice President Safety John Fleps said. “Through our partnership with RapidSOS, 911 call centers and first responder agencies throughout our 22-state network will have faster access to the information they need to safeguard their response, save lives and protect the communities in which we operate.” (NS Photograph)

NS, RapidSOS Team on First Responder Initiative

Norfolk Southern (NS) on Sept. 20 reported partnering with RapidSOS to help “make it quicker and easier” for first responders to access cargo and hazardous materials information and enable the ability to call for mutual aid, all while providing ongoing training.

Image Courtesy of Amergin Rail

Amergin Rail Acquires PNC Bank’s Railcar Portfolio

Amergin Asset Management (AAM) on Sept. 20 announced that its portfolio company Amergin Rail has acquired PNC Bank’s operating railcar portfolio, including the purchase of more than 6,000 railcars under management, which

STB: Rail Cost Adjustment Factor Set for 4Q23

The Surface Transportation Board (STB) has adopted for fourth-quarter 2023 the rail cost adjustment factor (RCAF), defined as “an index formulated to represent changes in railroad costs incurred by the nation’s largest railroads over a specified period of time.”

(The Greenbrier Companies Photograph)

Greenbrier Lands Record Railcar Orders

The Greenbrier Companies boosted its order book by 15,300 railcars in its fiscal fourth quarter ending Aug. 31, 2023. Customers operating in “various commercial sectors” are purchasing a “range of railcar types” with an aggregate value of $1.9 billion, the manufacturer reported Sept. 21. TD Cowen offered insight.

FRA Publishes Four New Technical Reports

The Federal Railroad Administration’s (FRA) Office of Research, Development and Technology (RD&T) recently published four new technical reports that cover a variety of topics, including concrete crossties; the Operational Performance and Reliability, Availability, and Maintainability (RAM) Analysis (OPRAM) software tool; moving block train control systems; and vehicle dynamics simulations.

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