Gioe Named INRD President
The Indiana Rail Road Company (INRD) has named Joseph Gioe President and CEO effective Aug.12, 2024. Gioe will replace Dewayne Swindall, who left the company on May 31. Gioe is “a successful
news
CPKC Grain: ‘Return to More Typical Demand’
Canadian Pacific Kansas City’s 2024-2025 Grain Service Outlook Report, which outlines the railroad’s grain transportation plan for export to international markets, notes that, “based on current forecasts, we expect a return to
Now On Line: Railway Age’s August 2024 Digital Edition
The August 2024 issue of Railway Age is available digitally, with deep dives into track inspection at Union Pacific and locomotive health at BNSF, and how railroads are working to combat winter’s onslaught.
Transit Briefs: WMATA, RTA of Middle Tennessee, CTA, Denver RTD, NCTD, OC Transpo
Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) will respond to 13 findings following a safety audit of its Metrorail Roadway Worker Protection Program. Also, improvements are proposed for Regional Transportation Authority of Middle Tennessee’s (RTA) WeGo Star commuter rail service; Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) updates its All Stations Accessibility Program, which has doubled in cost; Denver, Colo., Regional Transit District (RTD) makes permanent its Zero Fare for Youth program; Train and Engine Service employees for North County Transit District’s (NCTD) COASTER commuter rail in California will unionize; and Michael Morgan is stepping down from his top rail construction post at OC Transpo, Ottawa, Ontario’s public transportation agency.
FreightCar America Adds Tank Car Rebuilds to Portfolio
FreightCar America has entered into a multi-year agreement with an undisclosed customer, at an undisclosed contract value, to rebuild and upgrade more than 1,000 legacy DOT-111 tank cars to current DOT-117R standards
Trinity’s Savage: 2Q24 Results Show ‘Significant Progress Toward Financial Targets’
“We are encouraged by our second-quarter results and believe they demonstrate the momentum of our operating platform,” Jean Savage, President and CEO of Trinity Industries, said during an Aug. 1 financial report. She added that the railcar manufacturer and lessor is “once again” raising its full-year guidance, “which implies continued strength in operating margins through the balance of 2024.”
Digi, Cylus Collaborate on Rail Cybersecurity
Digi International, a provider of IoT (Internet of Things) connectivity products and services, on Aug. 1 announced a collaboration with Cylus to integrate the company’s CylusOne cybersecurity solution into the Digi TX64
Commentary
Ahead of Major Repair Projects, PATH Reimagines Customer Communications
Rebecca Riehl easily blended into the crowd of people on PATH’s Journal Square platform on a recent weekday. It’s not hard for her, as a daily rider herself. But she wasn’t just waiting for the train. She chatted with customers, examined new station signs, and checked in with PATH’s customer service staff.
Commentary
Justice Department Banging on NS with Crescent Wrench (Updated)
Please, say it ain’t so, Norfolk Southern. Tell the Justice Department they are looney tunes—that you don’t belong on the FBI’s Most Wanted List for allegedly intentionally and habitually delaying Amtrak’s Crescent
GIO Rail Taps TekTracking’s TIMPS
GIO Rail, a Canadian company providing services ranging from industrial switching to railcar repair and storage to track maintenance, has chosen TekTracking LLC’s TIMPS (Track Inspection, Maintenance, Planning and Scheduling Software) platform
AAR: North American Rail Volume Continues Upward Trend in Week 30
Through the first 30 weeks of 2024 (ending July 27), total North American carload and intermodal traffic rose 5.3% from the same point last year, according to the Association of American Railroads (AAR). The U.S., Canada and Mexico all experienced gains.
PST, LTTS Team on Rail Simulation Tech
PS Technology (PST), a wholly owned subsidiary of Union Pacific, and L&T Technology Services Ltd. (LTTS), a research and development firm based in India, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding “to focus on the design, development and supply of advanced AI-based simulation technologies” to help improve railroad “operational efficiency and safety” in India and adjacent markets, the partners reported July 30.
![“In 2023, we continued to hone our focus on adopting innovative alternative fuels for decarbonization, including testing biofuels in locomotives and advancing use of hydrogen-powered locomotives [pictured],” CSX reported in its new 90-page ESG report. (Screen grab from CSX video)](https://www.old.railwayage.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/CSXlead-315x168.png)
Class I Briefs: CSX, BNSF
CSX releases a new Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Report, highlighting its advancements in 2023 with special reports and videos, including the launch of a hydrogen fuel cell-powered locomotive. Also, BNSF donates
NRRHOF Receives $400K Capital Donation
A rail industry veteran who has chosen to remain anonymous has gifted $400,000 to the National Railroad Hall of Fame (NRRHOF) capital campaign. “This generous donation from a leader who capped his
CN Issues 2024-25 Grain Plan
CN on July 31 published its 2024-25 Grain Plan, an action plan required by the government of Canada to meet the volume of grain expected to move this crop year.
Transit Briefs: Denver RTD, SCVTA, NYMTA, Minn. Met Council, UTA, Stantec/PANYNJ
Multiple recent cases of stolen copper wire impact the Denver Regional Transportation District’s (RTD) rail services. Also, the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (SCVTA) is named the Outstanding Public Transportation System by the American Public Transportation Association (APTA); the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) receives $54 million in state funding to support the Second Avenue Subway expansion project; Minnesota’s Metropolitan Council asks cities to sign off on preliminary design plans for the Blue Line Extension; the Utah Transit Authority (UTA) plans to complete multiple projects ahead of the 2034 Winter Olympics to expand connections throughout northern Utah; and Stantec is selected by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) to lead preliminary and final design for key elements of the $2 billion Newark AirTrain Replacement Program.
Commentary
Book Review: A War Against Rail Bicycle Manifesto
From Rails to Trails by Peter Harnik (University of Nebraska Press, 2021). There is an ongoing war between “rails-to-trails” proponents who covet every rail line and wish it could be paved into
CPKC: Carrying 2Q24 ‘Momentum’ Into Second-Half 2024
“Our excellent second-quarter results showcase how the advantages of this unrivaled North American network are being realized,” said CPKC President and CEO Keith Creel during a financial report on July 30. The
Wabtec Lands $277MM Order for Guinea Iron-Ore Project
Wabtec Corporation on July 30 reported receiving a $277 million order for Evolution Series ES43ACmi locomotives from SimFer, a joint venture among the government of the Republic of Guinea, Rio Tinto, and Chalco Iron Ore Holdings.
Amtrak Launches Program to Improve Washington Union Station Operations
Amtrak on July 29 announced that it is launching a program to “revitalize and improve” operations of Washington Union Station, one of the nation’s most historic and busiest multimodal hubs.