Wick Moorman: “Listen, innovate, and improve”

“21st century freight railroads are listening to our customers and communities, innovating to meet their needs, and steadily improving our ability to serve as the backbone of the next industrial revolution,” Norfolk Southern Chairman and CEO Wick Moorman told attendees at the Forbes “Reinventing America—Leading the Next Industrial Revolution” Summit in Chicago.

CP on Canadian grain legislation: “Ineffective and grossly unfair”

Canadian Pacific on March 27, 2014 issued a strong response to the Canadian government’s decision to introduce legislation expanding already-regulated interswitching limits for grain movements.

“A solution looking for a problem”

Association of American Railroads President and CEO Ed Hamberger, participating in testimony before the U.S. Surface Transportation Board, has called the National Industrial Transportation League’s proposal to the STB to force reciprocal switching on the railroads “flawed” and “a solution looking for a problem.”

CN to Ritz and Raitt: “It’s a sad day for Canada”

Legislation tabled on March 26, 2014 by Canadian Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz and Transportation Minister Lisa Raitt to increase regulations on and oversight of railroad grain transportation, and to introduce new rules for the extension of interswitching limits in Canada’s railroad industry, has provoked a strong response from CN.

DOT-111 phase-out highlights CN hazmat safety initiatives

CN “continues to take significant steps to strengthen our railway’s Safety Management System, with the goal of improving the safety of transportation of dangerous goods,” says President and CEO Claude Mongeau.

Timken Co., United Wagon in joint venture

Canton, Ohio-based The Timken Co. said Tuesday, March 24, 2014 it has entered into an agreement with Moscow-based United Wagon Co. (UWC) to “establish a joint venture to manufacture Timken® AP-2™ rail bearings in Russia.”

TCRC-CTY accepts CN “one last time” offer

The Teamsters Canada Rail Conference-Conductors, Trainpersons and Yardpersons (TCRC-CTY) has accepted CN’s offer to enter labor negotiations for a contract settlement on the condition that final and binding arbitration will apply if the parties cannot reach agreement.

CN proposes binding arbitration with TCRC-CTY

CN on March 20, 2014 proposed binding arbitration to reach a contract settlement with the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference-Conductors, Trainpersons and Yardpersons (TCRC-CTY) after the union advised that the tentative labor agreement negotiated with CN on Feb. 5, 2014 was not ratified by rank-and-file members.

House T&I to STB: Look before you leap

On March 25-26, 2014, the Surface Transportation Board (STB) will hold a public hearing on a petition by the National Industrial Transportation League (NITL) to modify STB’s standards for mandatory competitive switching. The House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure has sent a bipartisan letter to STB Chairman Dan Elliot and Vice Chairman Ann Begeman indirectly urging them to consider the consequences for railroads should the Board accept NITL’s proposal, and strongly voicing the Committee’s intent to oppose such a policy change.

CSX: “More modest full-year earnings growth”

Speaking at the March 12, 2014 J.P. Morgan Aviation, Transportation and Industrials Conference in New York City, CSX Corp. Chief Financial Officer Fredrik Eliasson said the company expects full-year earnings growth in 2014 to occur “at a more modest rate than previously anticipated, with the underlying strength in our merchandise and intermodal markets combined with visibility to several million new tons of domestic coal helping to offset the first quarter impact.”
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