POLB Posts Record November TEUs
The Port of Long Beach (POLB) set a TEU (twenty-foot equivalent unit) record for November, moving 884,154 TEUs, up 20.9% from the same month last year and surpassing the previous record set
news
CN, Unifor Ratify Collective Agreements
CN has announced that its new four-year tentative collective agreements with Unifor were formally ratified by employees on Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024.
Amtrak Board Nominations: Schumer Wins Race Against Time; All Confirmed (Updated Dec. 21)
Using a late-played and hardball parliamentary maneuver forcing Republican acquiescence despite a warning to Senate Republicans from the President-elect to block the effort, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) won confirmation early
RELAM Acquires Falcon Equipment
RELAM, a portfolio company of Paceline Equity Partners, on Dec. 17 announced that it has acquired Falcon Equipment, Ltd. (Falcon), an equipment solutions and specialty truck company headquartered in Surrey, British Columbia.
Commentary
Amtrak ‘High Risk’ LDFR Program: Off the Rails?
(With additional commentary by James M. Tilley, Vice Chair, The Aurora Group, and President, Florida Coalition of Rail Passengers). On Dec. 18, Railway Age Editor-in-Chief William C. Vantuono reported on recently released
NCCC, NCFO Ratify National Agreement
The National Carriers Conference Committee (NCCC) on Dec. 20 announced the ratification of a national collective bargaining agreement with the National Conference of Firemen & Oilers (NCFO), which will cover NCFO-represented freight rail employees through Dec. 2029.
A. Stucki Co. Announces Corporate Rebranding
Rail industry supplier A. Stucki Company announced Dec. 20 that all of its subsidiaries and divisions will begin operating under the A. Stucki Company name, effective Jan. 1, 2025. “Our collective journey
People News: NS, STV
Norfolk Southern (NS) names Michael Barr Vice President Investor Relations and Treasurer. Also, STV promotes Thomas Lentz to Vice President.
Progress Rail, Beacon Sign MSA to Continue Servicing Fleet of Locomotives in Europe
Progress Rail on Dec. 16 announced that it has signed a new 10-year maintenance service agreement (MSA) with London-based Beacon Rail to continue servicing Beacon’s fleet of EMD® JT42CWR locomotives in Europe.
FRA Issues Final Rule to ‘Strengthen’ Freight Car Safety Standards
The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) on Dec. 19 announced a final rule to “further enhance the safety of the U.S. freight rail industry” by introducing tougher standards for new-build freight cars placed into service within the U.S.
Transit Briefs: Sound Transit, AECOM/ATP, DPU/MBTA
Sound Transit adds GoodMaps wayfinding tool for riders to five more Link stations. Also, Austin Transit Partnership (ATP) selects AECOM for the Phase 1 delivery of Austin’s first light rail system; and the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities (DPU) receives a favorable report from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) on its safety oversight of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA).
Port of Los Angeles: November Cargo Volume Up 16%
The Port of Los Angeles processed 884,315 Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) in November, a 16% increase over the previous year, the Port reported Dec. 17. Eleven months into 2024, the Port of Los Angeles has moved 9,375,735 TEUs, 19% ahead of its 2023 pace.
ASLRRA Members Bring Joy (and Santa!) to Their Communities this Holiday Season
While many, many ASLRRA members are active in their communities throughout the year, the winter holiday season often turbocharges these efforts. Railroads and supplier companies plan a variety of events benefiting those
PennDOT: $55MM for 30 Freight Rail Projects
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) on Dec. 18 announced the approval, through the state’s Rail Transportation Assistance Program (RTAP) and Rail Freight Assistance Program (RFAP), of $55 million in funding for 30 rail freight improvement projects that will “enhance freight mobility while creating or sustaining 344 jobs across Pennsylvania.”
BNSF, IBEW Ratify New Collective Labor Agreement
BNSF, in partnership with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), announced Dec. 18 that members of the labor union have voted to ratify a new five-year collective bargaining agreement with the Class I, giving covered employees “certainty about upcoming enhancements to their pay, healthcare, and vacation.”
REEF Act Heads to Biden’s Desk for Signature
The Railroad Employee Equity and Fairness (REEF) Act is heading to President Joe Biden’s desk for signature, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported Dec. 18. Included in the National Defense Authorization
Amtrak OIG: LDFR Program ‘High Risk’
Amtrak’s internal yet independent Office of Inspector General (OIG) has released a report on Phase 1 (of four) of the railroad’s Long Distance Fleet Replacement (LDFR) program, defining the $7 billion initiative
AAR: Carloads Down, Intermodal Up for Week 50
Total U.S. rail traffic for the week ending Dec. 14, 2024 (Week 50) was up 4.8% from the prior-year period, with intermodal gains offsetting carload losses, according to the Association of American Railroads’ (AAR) latest report.
Port Bienville Industrial Park Completes New Warehouse, Welcomes New Tenant
Hancock County Port and Harbor Commission has completed Warehouse 3 at the Port Bienville Industrial Park in southwest Mississippi, and welcomed a new tenant, Salacia Logistics & Holdings LLC, into Warehouse 1.
Watco, Blue Yonder Collaborate to Expand Services
Watco has collaborated with Blue Yonder, a digital supply chain transformation company, to expand its services to shippers using the Blue Yonder Dynamic Price Discovery Solution.