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.”)

SPECIAL REPORT: Keeping Railroads Healthy

Railroads are operating at peak safety, profitabilty, and productivity levels. Let’s keep them that way.

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.

RR Mergers sets sale of signal subsidiary

St. Louis-based RR Mergers & Acquisitions on Thursday, Feb. 27, 2014, said it has sold J&A Industries to B & B Roadway and Security Solutions.

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.

DOT issues CBR Emergency Order

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) on Feb. 25, 2014 issued an Emergency Order requiring crude oil shippers to test product from the Bakken region to ensure the proper classification of crude oil before it is transported by rail, while also prohibiting the transportation of crude oil in the lowest-strength Packing Group. DOT’s action marks the fourth Emergency Order or Safety Advisory on crude oil in the past seven months.

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.

Moorman to USCOC: “Freight rail vital to economic prosperity”

Speaking on Feb. 20, 2014 in Washington, D.C., to a U.S. Chamber of Commerce meeting on infrastructure, Norfolk Southern CEO Wick Moorman said freight railroads are “essential to driving America’s continued economic recovery.”

CN’s Mongeau to keynote RSI/CMA 2014

CN President and Chief Executive Officer Claude Mongeau will be the keynote speaker at RSI/CMA 2014 on Monday, Sept. 22 in Montréal, Québec.
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