FRA Administrator’s Declaration of Emergency Situation: Novel Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19)
On Saturday, March 14, 2020, the Federal Railroad Administration issued the following Declaration of Emergency Situation:
Safety
Amtrak needs a bailout fast; Metro Transit cancels overnight service; S.F. transit does not alter much during lockdown
Amtrak and other passenger rail services say $1 billion is needed to help recover from the coronavirus pandemic sweeping through the U.S.
UPDATED MARCH 16: Rail Group Staff Report: Global railway industry response to the COVID-19 pandemic
The World Health Organization has declared COVID-19, otherwise known as the coronavirus, a pandemic, and the U.S. has declared a National Emergency. The global railway industry is ramping-up its response. Following is
March issue: Unique at-grade rail crossing in NYC provides access to recreation
With 330 acres of public parkland located between Manhattan, Queens, and the Bronx, Randall’s Island Park is one of New York City’s main recreational hubs, drawing more than 3 million visitors annually.
Rail Group Staff Report: Global railway industry response to the COVID-19 pandemic
MARCH 12, 2020: The World Health Organization has declared COVID-19, otherwise known as the coronavirus, a pandemic, and the global railway industry is ramping-up its response. Following is a staff report from
Amtrak ridership hammered over coronavirus concerns
Despite press releases explaining how thoroughly Amtrak is cleaning its trains, ranging from every day to every hour, USA Today reports that, according to Amtrak, cancellations are up 300% and bookings are down
Several Class 1 railroads bow out of J.P. Morgan 2020 Industrials Conference because of coronavirus concerns
Several Class 1 railroads have announced they will not present at the 2020 J.P. Morgan 2020 Industrials Conference, which is going on this week. The conference organizers announced that all in-person events
CSX successfully implements train inspection technology
For several years, Class 1 railroads have been searching for and experimenting with various types of machine vision along the tracks to identify any problems with a train while it is moving
U.S. Senators propose bill to end Amtrak’s forced arbitration policy
During the fall of 2019, RT&S reported on the decision by Amtrak to end the right for passengers injured in an Amtrak accident to sue the passenger carrier, and said that any such
Recent crude oil derailments in Canada not investigated by outside police
CBC, a Canadian news agency, is reporting that outside police, i.e., non-railroad police, are not investigating the crude oil train derailments in Canada over the past several weeks. The Royal Canadian Mounted
Amtrak cleaning trains more frequently and waiving change fees due to coronavirus fears
Amtrak is cleaning its trains more frequently to help prevent or reduce the spread of coronavirus on its trains. In addition, it is waiving any fees usually incurred by changing an existing
New Amtrak CEO’s record on safety called into question
On Monday, RT&S reported that Amtrak has hired William J. Flynn to be its next CEO and president. Flynn is presently the CEO of Atlas Air Worldwide, which operates cargo aircraft and
Trump aims to allow transport of LNG by rail
During the past few months, RT&S has reported on the Trump administration’s plan to lift the ban on the transport of liquefied natural gas by rail. For background information, you can check
CSX work at rail crossings jams up Tampa traffic
CSX may not be sticking to its own schedules in the city of Tampa. The Class 1 railroad company has been doing rail maintenance this week, and roads where the activity has
U.S. Rails monitoring Canadian crude
The derailment of two separate oil trains roughly two months apart near Guernsey, Sask., each spilling more than 300,000 gallons of crude onto the ground and one igniting into a smoldering inferno,
Canadian National train derails, leaks crude oil
The Globe and Mail is reporting the derailment of 30 cars in a Canadian National train on Tuesday evening resulted in crude oil leakage from more than one car. The derailment occurred near
FRA launches risk reduction safety program
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has issued a final rule, launching the Risk Reduction Program (RRP) to support an increasing standard of safety for the nation’s freight railroads.
CSX provides update on ethanol train derailment
CSX released an update on the ethanol train derailment in eastern Kentucky on Feb. 13 (last Thursday). At approximately 7:05 a.m. on 02.13.20, a southbound CSX train derailed in Draffin, KY. The
Speed limits for crude oil trains increased by Transport Canada
Freightwaves is reporting that government speed restrictions on crude oil trains, imposed on Feb. 16 after a Canadian Pacific train carrying crude oil derailed on February 6, will be lifted on April 1.
Amendment to Feb. 7 rail speed order will help freight recover in Canada
Canadian National is supportive of the decision by Canada’s Transport Minister to amend the Ministerial Order issued on Feb. 7. That order restricted the speed of trains carrying dangerous goods on all