Nebraska, Kansas & Colorado Railway (NKCR) has received a $4.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation, as part of the FY 2020 Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements Grant Program. Additionally, Patriot Rail & Ports has hired Roquita C. Williams to join the commercial team as Assistant Vice President Sales.
After two years as Union Pacific’s (UP) Chief Operating Officer, Jim Vena will become a Senior Advisor at the end of the year. Eric Gehringer is succeeding him and will become Executive Vice President-Operations on Jan. 1.
CN, the second North American Class I to report third-quarter 2020 financial and operating results Oct. 20, saw “sequential improvements” through the pandemic.
Alan S. Boyd, the nation’s first transportation secretary, has died at 98.
CN has awarded a multi-year contract to Duos Technologies, Inc., for complete North American service, support, maintenance and spare components sourcing for the seven Railcar Inspection Portals (rip®) currently in operation along its network. Additionally, engineering software firm Bentley Systems, Inc., has established Virtuosity to combine subscriptions to Bentley applications, such as OpenRail, with training and expert services.
Denver-based OmniTRAX is linking rail-served properties along its 25-mile Northern Ohio & Western Railway (NOW) with customers interested in locating there, in coordination with the Tiffin-Seneca Economic Partnership, which serves the counties of Tiffin and Seneca, Ohio. Additionally, Watco Companies, LLC, will lease and operate a line from CN subsidiary Wisconsin Central Ltd. in Illinois. Previously known as the Phoenix Line, Watco’s new subsidiary is now called the Elwood Joliet & Southern Railroad (EJSR). The Jeffersonville RiverRail Terminal in Indiana is set to open early next year, to be served by Louisville & Indiana Railroad (LIRC), an Anacostia Rail Holdings Co. subsidiary, and American Commercial Barge Line.
September marks the seventh straight month of record grain movement for CN. The Canadian Class I reported that it hauled more than 2.81 million metric tonnes (MMT) last month—compared with the previous record of 2.6 MMT set in 2016—and a total of 7.76 MMT for third-quarter 2020.
The Surface Transportation Board has determined that five of the “Big 7” U.S. Class I railroads achieved revenue adequacy in 2019: BNSF, CSX, Norfolk Southern, Soo Line (the U.S. affiliate of Canadian Pacific) and Union Pacific. STB determined that those Class I’s achieved a rate of return on investment (ROI) equal to or greater than the Board’s calculation of the average cost of capital for the freight rail industry, which for 2019 is 9.34%.
Cando Rail Services has opened Phase 1 of Cando Sturgeon Terminal in Sturgeon County, Alberta, “providing additional rail capacity to Alberta’s Industrial Heartland and expanding Cando’s national network.” The new terminal, which CN services, can store up to 1,900 railcars utilizing a loop-track system.
CN Police Constable André LeBreux is the recipient of Operation Lifesaver Canada’s 2019 Roger Cyr Award, which is presented annually to an OL Rail Safety Ambassador “who goes above and beyond in promoting rail safety.”