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:

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

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

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

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.

Canadian National

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

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