To Electrify—or Not? Commentary from Railway Age
NEW YORK –– On Jan. 15, 2025, the Federal Railroad Administration released on its website the final report titled Cost and Benefit Risk Framework for Modern Railway Electrification Options
Freight
ASLRRA Honors Two Individuals for Exceptional Impact on Railroad Safety
WASHINGTON, D.C. –– The American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association has selected Matthew Lane, General Manager, Pioneer Valley Railroad, as the 2025 Safety Person of the Year, and Herman Crosson, Chief Safety & Compliance Officer, Anacostia Rail Holdings Company as the 2025 Safety Professional of the Year.
Norfolk Southern Completed $1B in Infrastructure Upgrades in 2024
ATLANTA – Norfolk Southern announced that it has completed $1 billion worth of infrastructure improvements throughout 2024.
Government of Canada to fund rail infrastructure projects in British Columbia and Alberta
NORTH VANCOUVER, B.C. –– Transport Canada announced this week that the Canadian government will fund six rail projects to strengthen the nation’s supply chain infrastructure.
Extreme Winter Weather Impacting BNSF Northern Corridor Operations
FORT WORTH –– The BNSF Northern Transcon is seeing a disruption of operations due to a winter weather blast that has brought temperatures down to 20 degrees below zero.
CPKC dedicates Patrick J. Ottensmeyer International Railway Bridge
CALGARY –– Canadian Pacific Kansas City this week officially opened the Patrick J. Ottensmeyer International Railway Bridge with a ceremonial ribbon cutting held over the Rio Grande.
CSX Resumes Service North of Spruce Pine After Helene
SPRUCE PINE, N.C. – CSX expressed its gratitude to railroaders who worked to restore service north of Spruce Pine, North Carolina.
CSX Closes Howard Street Tunnel Ahead of Reconstruction (UPDATED 2/5)
BALTIMORE – CSX closes the 125-year-old Howard Street Tunnel for reconstruction.
NS Engineering Reaches 1M Injury-Free Man-Hours
ATLANTA – Norfolk Southern’s Engineering team of more than 5,000 railroaders across 22 states have worked more than one million man-hours without a reportable injury.
Cathcart Rail To Provide Repairs For PNWR
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Cathcart Rail announced it will be the running repair agent for car inspection and mechanical services for Portland & Western Railroad’s (PNWR) 478-mile network.
Calling All ‘Short Line/Regional of the Year’ Nominations! Deadline: Feb. 5
Railway Age is inviting all Class II and III railroads to submit entries for its annual Short Line and Regional Railroad of the Year awards competition. The deadline is fast-approaching: Feb. 5, 2025.
BNSF Rail Talk: The Inventor of the Rotary Snowplow Was . . . A Dentist?
FORT WORTH, Texas – From BNSF’s Rail Talk, Leslie Smith writes about the invention of the rotary snowplow.
CN Introduces Sutton-Spaulding Double Track Extension; Gives Update on Infrastructure (UPDATED 1/27)
CHICAGO – CN’s Sutton-Spaulding double track extension is in service.
CN, Grenada Railroad Work Together After Track Deviation
MONTREAL – CN worked with Grenada Railroad after the short line encountered an operational challenge on a bridge.
CSX Investigating Cause of 25-Car Derailment in Virginia
BREMO BLUFF, Va. – CSX is rerouting trains temporarily due to a 25-car derailment in Bremo Bluff, Virginia.
Bridge Collapse Sends PNWR Railcar Into Marys River
CORVALLIS, Ore. – A Portland & Western Railroad (PNWR) railcar fell into the Marys River after a trestle bridge in Oregon collapsed.
Norfolk Southern Releases PVC Project Designs
PITTSBURGH – Along with Michael Baker International, Norfolk Southern has released the designs of four projects in Pittsburgh to allow for double-stacked freight cars.
BNSF Rail Talk: Precision Matters: BNSF LiDAR Technology
FORT WORTH, Texas – From BNSF’s Rail Talk, Jason Lamers writes about BNSF’s use of LiDAR technology across its network.
The U.S. President Who Signed Sweeping Railroad Economic Deregulation Bill – Jimmy Carter – Has Died
PLAINS, Ga.–The 39th President of the United States, James Earl Carter, Jr. died peacefully at his home in Plains earlier today.
Undetected Rail Flaw Led to October 2023 CN Derailment
DARTMOUTH, Nova Scotia – The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) has released an investigation report into the 2023 derailment near Dunsinane, New Brunswick.