Watco debuts new Jaxport railroad
The Jacksonville Port Terminal Railroad (JXPT) officially began services on March 8.
Short Lines
Railroads outpace all U.S. infrastructure in new report card
American railroads earned a grade of B for infrastructure while the rest of the U.S. sectors got a barely-passing D+ in the latest report card from the American Society of Civil Engineers.
Rails-to-trails activist Burwell dies at 69
David Burwell, 69, the Ivy League-educated lawyer-turned-public activist who helped convert abandoned railroad lines into trails and parks, died Feb. 1 at his home in Bethesda, Md.
Tierney to succeed Batory at Conrail
Conrail’s Board of Directors has named Timothy Tierney President and Chief Operating Officer, effective April 1. Tierney succeeds Ronald Batory, who is retiring after nearly 46 years in the railroad industry.
Record turnout for Railroad Day in Washington
WASHINGTON, D.C. – A record number of railroaders, suppliers, and customers on March 2 converged on the Capitol for the annual lobbying event known as Railroad Day to meet Congressional representatives and help them identify legislative strategies to grow opportunities for the industry.
Brohm named PNR RailWorks EVP
RailWorks Corp. has appointed John Brohm, a 30-year veteran of the transit and rail supply industry, as Executive Vice president with responsibility for the Ontario operations of PNR RailWorks Inc., its Canadian subsidiary.
Commentary
Rusty Spike Award for Dow’s hypocrisy
Some three decades ago, the Association of American Railroads bestowed Rusty Spike Awards to recognize hypocritical posturing by those seeking legislative or regulatory advantage at the expense of railroads.
William Clark joins R&N coal group
Reading & Northern Railroad has named William Clark as Senior Vice President Coal, where he will be responsible for managing the anthracite coal business, as well as the railroad’s freight car fleet of more than 1,200 cars. His appointment is effective March 1.
STB adjusts rail productivity measure, calls public meeting
The Surface Transportation Board announced that it is adopting a tentative new measure of average change in railroad industry productivity for 2011-15.
Commentary
New, potentially disruptive businesses
This is Jim Blaze, rail economist and teacher—sometimes a reporter; always one who questions. I’m concerned about how the “Big 7” railroads are going to address their next five to ten years of market position, taking the wealth they created, and turning it into an upgraded business model. Which one so far has laid out the best disruptive plan? Which one is struggling? And which one might simply be cashing out?