Commentary

RSI: No Federal Funds for Chinese-Sourced Railcars

The Railway Supply Institute (RSI) sent a letter to Congress on Sept. 5 urging members of the House and Senate Armed Services Committees to preserve, in Conference, existing language in H.R.2500/S.1790, the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2020, that would prevent federal funds from being used to award a contract or subcontract for the procurement of transit vehicles to priority enterprises owned, controlled, or subsidized by SOEs (State-Owned Enterprises) falling under three specific definitions.

Bob Matthews, 1933-2019

Robert A. “Bob” Matthews, the last president of Railway Supply Institute (RSI) predecessor Railway Progress Institute (RPI), died Aug. 7, 2019, in Bowie, Md. He was 85.

RSI Adds Board Member, Communications Director

The Railway Supply Institute (RSI) recently announced that Railworks CEO Kevin Riddett has been named to the RSI Board of Directors.

RSI opens nominations for board members

The Railway Supply Institute (RSI) announced April 23 that it is soliciting nominations for executives from member companies to fill three spots on its board of directors for a term beginning in January 2020.

Fighting Trump’s border-slowdown threat

Eighteen North American trade associations representing railroads, truckers and their customers that ship between the United States and Mexico have joined forces to tell the Trump Administration and Congress that restricting cross-border trade by either complete shutdown or slowdown, as President Trump has threatened, will have serious, highly damaging economic and social consequences.

Commentary

RSI joins the “Boxcar Blues” chorus

Railway Age Contributing Editor Jim Blaze is not the only one singing the boxcar blues (“I’m singin’ the boxcar blues” article, March 26). Members of the Railway Supply Institute Equipment Leasing Committee (ELC) have also identified the looming boxcar shortage as a significant issue that needs to be addressed.

Simmons-Boardman Rail Group named Railway Interchange media partner

Railway Interchange, the largest exhibition and technical conference in North America, on Feb. 20 announced that Simmons-Boardman Rail Group, publisher of Railway Age, Railway Track & Structures (RT&S) and International Railway Journal (IRJ), is the official media partner for 2019. Railway Interchange is scheduled on Sunday, Sept. 22 through Wednesday, Sept. 25 at the Minneapolis Convention Center, Minneapolis, Minn.

RSI appoints Thomure safety, regs chief; names new board members

The Railway Supply Institute (RSI) has named veteran railcar professional Randall Thomure Director of Regulatory Affairs and Safety, with oversight responsibility for technical and regulatory strategies related to safety and operations. He will also manage RSI’s project committees, and collaborate with members and stakeholders “to promote policies that incentivize new technologies to improve safe, efficient railroad operations.”

Railcar orders, backlog soar: KeyBanc

Freight car order, delivery and backlog statistics for 2Q18 show that orders increased sequentially to 23,788 cars from 10,348 in 1Q18, the largest quarterly figure since 4Q14. Carbuilders delivered 13,071 units in the quarter, nearly identical to 1Q18’s 13,098. The backlog stands at 65,161 railcars, up 18% from 1Q18’s 55,216 cars; this implies “a net cancellation of 772 railcars, consisting primarily of gondolas and medium-cube covered hoppers,” according to analysis conducted by KeyBanc Capital Markets.

RSI seeks input on Chinese import tariffs

The U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) has published a notice in the Federal Register listing the Trump Administration’s proposed tariffs on Chinese imports because of its investigation into what it calls “China’s unfair trade practices under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974.”

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