Author: William C. Vantuono

Jim Foote, 1954-2024

From our colleagues at Railway Age: James M. Foote, a third-generation railroader who began his career at 18 as a Soo Line nighttime mechanical department employee in his native Superior, Wisc., died April 16. He was 70.

Caltrain OCS Fully Energized

From Our Colleagues at Railway Age:

SAN CARLOS, Calif. ––Caltrain, with partners Pacific Gas & Electric Company (PG&E) and Balfour Beatty, have energized and tested the OCS (overhead catenary system) on the entire 51-mile Caltrain Electrification Project between San Francisco and San Jose. The next step is testing the system’s Stadler Rail-built EMUs (electric multiple-units) at maximum operating speed and prepare for electrified revenue service, expected to commence in September 2024.

Bridge Collapse Shuts Down Port of Baltimore — From Our Colleagues at Railway Age

BALTIMORE – The tragic early morning collapse of the I-695 Francis Scott Key Bridge, which spans the Patapsco River, following a bridge strike by a container ship weighing 95,000 gross tons, has brought the Port of Baltimore, an important trade hub, to a halt. The Port of Baltimore has suspended all vessel traffic into and out of the port until further notice. The accident is a serious blow to the port operations of both CSX and Norfolk Southern, particularly for intermodal container, automotive and coal traffic.

NS EVP and Chief Marketing Officer Ed Elkins: Rail Group On Air Podcast

Norfolk Southern Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer Ed Elkins began his railroad career at Norfolk Southern in 1988 as a Road Brakeman after serving in the United States Marine Corps. Appointed CMO in 2021, he leads the company’s Intermodal, Automotive and Industrial Products business divisions, and also manages the Real Estate, Industrial Development, Short Line Marketing, Field Sales, and Customer Logistics business groups. In this Rail Group On Air Podcast, Elkins and Railway Age Editor-in Chief William C. Vantuono discuss NS’s accomplishments in 2023 attracting new business and growing existing business, as well as expectations going forward. What markets and commodities offer the most growth potential?

NS Performance Excellence, with VP Transportation Joe Gioe – RAIL GROUP ON AIR

As Norfolk Southern Vice President Transportation, Joe Gioe is responsible for leading a culture of safe, predictable and consistent service by empowering transportation team members to meet the needs of NS customers. He also leads the Performance Excellence (PE) group, which is responsible for establishing operating processes and measuring performance. The group partners closely with Operations leaders and their teams, including Transportation, Advanced Train Control, Engineering and Safety.

William Henri Ferryman Jr., 88

DETROIT LAKES, Minn. – Great Northern/Burlington Northern engineer William “Bill” Henri Ferryman Jr., 88, died Nov. 26, 2023 at Ecumen’s Emmanuel Nursing Home in Detroit Lakes, Minn.

Rail Safety Week: CN Chief Security Officer and Chief of CN Police Service, North America Stephen Covey – RAIL GROUP ON AIR

Rail Group On Air shines a spotlight on railroad policing during Rail Safety Week 2023 in this podcast with CN Chief Security Officer and Chief of CN Police Service, North America Stephen Covey. This long-time law enforcement professional shares his insights on the complex job of overseeing public safety and security at a Class I railroad whose territory stretches thousands of miles across Canada and the United States with Railway Age Editor-in-Chief William C. Vantuono.

L.B. Foster’s Combs Joins NRC Board

L.B. Foster Vice President of Rail Sales Doug Combs has been named to the National Railroad Construction and Maintenance Association (NRC) Board of Directors. Combs assumes a recently vacated seat on the