Maintenance workers pace April rail employment gains
Led by increases in rail maintenance of way and structures employees, U.S. Class I railroads employed 161,876 workers in mid-April, up 3.25% from April 2011 and also up 0.84 from March 2012.
news
Cost up—again—for East Side Access
Long Island Rail Road access to Grand Central Terminal now has been pushed back to 2019, six years beyond its original target date, while the cost of East Side Access has risen once more, to $8.24 billion, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority acknowledged Monday.
GATX unit will lease railcars in India
GATX Corp. announced Tuesday that its subsidiary, GATX India Private Limited (GIPL), has entered the Indian marketplace with the purchase of 450 container flat cars.
Commentary
Solving single-car shipment woes
Last month I wrote about how paper and other single-carload commodities were down year-over-year, and the impact that trend is having on Class II and III railroads in particular. One reason these downturns hit the smaller roads the hardest is because they do not have unit train volumes to offset short-term losses in single-car shipments. Another is the unevenness of service quality and consistency that too often occurs in single-car shipment lanes. Happily, such does not have to be the case.
Alstom absorbs DB share of joint venture
Alstom said Tuesday it and DB Mobility Network Logistics AG have signed a contract for the takeover of the 49% stake held by DB Mobility Network Logistics AG in the “Alstom Lokomotiven Service GmbH” joint venture in Stendal, Germany.
STB approval of rail line makes history
The Surface Transportation Board on Monday granted final approval for what it called “a first of its kind” rail line. It gave R.J. Corman Railroad Co./Pennsylvania Lines Inc. (RJCP) authority “to build and operate a new rail line using right-of-way previously rail-banked as well as new right-of-way, near Wallaceton, Pa.
CP turnaround: How soon, how strong?
Now that Canadian Pacific Railway is under new management, how soon can shareholders expect to reap the rewards promised hedge fund investor William Ackman during a long proxy fight?
LRIW announces 2012 scholarship
The League of Railway Industry Women (LRIW) announced its 2012 College Scholarship Program, which will award three separate scholarships to well-qualified students.
Austin ponders adding streetcar
Texas’ state capital, still recovering after establishing with difficulty a diesel light rail transit (DLRT) line designated as “commuter rail” by federal officials, now is turning its attention to streetcar possibilities.
SunRail track work commences this week
Track maintenance and upgrading is expected to begin this week on an initial 7-mile portion of rail right-of-way destined for use by SunRail, central Florida’s planned regional rail service.
Renewal Notification Opt-Out
We have received your request to no longer receive renewal notifications from Railway Age. Please allow 30 days for this preference to be updated in our records. If you wish
Alstom breaks ground for Quebec plant
In Sorel-Tracy, Quebec, the Société des parcs industriels Sorel-Tracy (SPIST) on Friday launched construction of the new Alstom manufacturing facility. Sorel-Tracy Mayor Réjean Dauplaise and other dignitaries were in attendance to herald the new plant slated for completion next fall.
Charlotte engineers: Streetcar debuts in 2015
An initial 1.5 miles of Charlotte, N.C.’s planned 10-mile streetcar line will begin operating by March 2015, city engineers told residents and local media Thursday evening.
Traktionssysteme Austria adds U.S. office
Traktionsysteme Austria (TSA), a supplier of rail vehicle propulsion system components, has established a U.S. presence with Traction Systems, Inc., which will directly serve customers in North America.
Watco, Bourque Logistics form alliance
Bourque Logistics on Thursday said it has formed an alliance with Watco Compliance Services to offer combined railcar maintenance and regulatory compliance services to rail shippers.
Wall Street rewards CP stock
Investors on Wall Street, watching events at Canadian Pacific carefully throughout the week, continued to reward the company Thursday for its apparent—and now affirmed—shakeup of CP’s Board of Directors.
U.S. carload traffic still down; intermodal still up
The trends, both good and bad, continue for U.S. freight traffic ending the week of May 12, 2012, the Association of American Railroads reported Thursday. U.S. freight carload traffic fell 5.2% from levels recorded in the same week one year ago, while U.S. intermodal volume notched another weekly gain, up 3.1%, compared with the same week in 2011.
Operation Lifesaver warns photographers on safety
Operation Lifesaver Thursday cautioned professional photographers to be aware of the risks of taking photos of high school seniors and wedding parties on train tracks or trestles.
Pact eases way for Charlotte LYNX extension
Charlotte’s LYNX Blue Line Extension (BLE) light rail project along the North Carolina Railroad corridor moved a big step forward Wednesday with the announcement that the North Carolina Railroad Co. (NCRR), the Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS), and Norfolk Southern Corp. had signed lease, construction, and operating agreements for the 2.7-mile addition to the light rail line.
CP’s Green, five directors step down from Board
In a sweeping move, Canadian Pacific early Thursday announced not only the departure of President and CEO Fred Green—a move widely expected—but also the declaration of six existing directors not to stand for re-election. Green’s departure was effective “immediately”; he also will not stand for re-election as a director.