Management

Canada grain shippers, railways in a “cold” war

Clearing the autumn grain harvest from trackside elevators is a perennial occasion for ritual fist-shaking on the Canadian Prairies. Western Canadian farmers enjoy a long tradition of blaming the railways for their woes, even more than the weather. (A favorite national folk tale has a Prairie farmer stricken by hail and locusts cursing, “God damn the CPR.”)
  • M/W

Gripping Task

Fastening system developments are ensuring track integrity, as more is demanded of rail infrastructure. Market growth for fastening systems continues to see a push from heavier and more frequent loads, and suppliers remain focused on research efforts to ensure their products have the proper clamp, vibration resistance and fatigue life to serve the railroads well.
  • News

Chinese railway interests—in Mexico?

A Mexican legislator who happens to be a member of the nation’s opposition National Action Party (PAN) has said that the Chinese government is interested in participating in the country’s railroad system, should its structure be drastically altered under a bill now being considered in the Senate (upper chamber) of Mexico’s Congress.

Weather, wrecks, mechanical mayhem mar CSX, David Ragan Daytona debut

In NASCAR Sprint Cup competition at Daytona International Speedway, drivers and fans alike are always on the lookout for “The Big One,” that massive wreck-fest that takes drivers out of contention during The Great American Race and its preliminary events. At the 2014 edition of NASCAR’s season-opening event, bad weather scored a big one, and major mechanical failure as well as a wreck took its toll on David Ragan and the no. 34 CSX “Play It Safe Around Railroad Tracks” Front Row Motorsports Ford Fusion.

Freight railroads implement voluntary CBR safety initiatives

North America’s Class I railroads have embarked on a rail operations safety initiative that will institute new voluntary operating practices for moving crude oil by rail. The initiative, which follows consultations between railroads represented by the Association of American Railroads (AAR) and the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), including the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) and the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), covers steps related to crude by rail operations. Additional issues relating to the safe transport of crude oil, such as tank car standards and proper shipper classification of crude oil, are being addressed separately.
LOAD MORE