Well, The Cat’s Out of the Bag: Merger Talk Arrived Sooner Than We Thought

ATLANTA – From the August 2025 issue of RT&S, Editor-in-Chief David Lester writes about Class I merger chatter.

BNSF Rail Talk: BNSF Helps Mt. Rainier Scenic Railroad Recover From Bridge Fire

ELBE, Wash. – BNSF Staff Writer Susan Green writes about BNSF’s efforts in helping Mt. Rainier Scenic Railroad (MRSR) recover from a bridge fire.

BNSF Rail Talk: A Day in the Life of a BNSF Track Inspector

GAINSVILLE, Texas – From BNSF’s Rail Talk, Eunice Archila details a day in the life of a track inspector at BNSF’s Gainesville, Texas yard office.

Implementing Rail Grinding and Wheel/Rail Interface Optimization Programs on Heavy Haul and Transit Systems: Lessons Learned 

ATLANTA – Railway Track and Structures July 2025 issue features an article from Jeff Tuzik on a Wheel/Rail Interaction Conference presentation.

BNSF Great Falls Team Recognized for 2,000 Injury-Free Days

GREAT FALLS, Mont. – BNSF thanks its engineering team in Great Falls, Montana for its commitment to safety.

Young Engineers Under 40: Focused on Engineering Excellence Every Day

Each year, we ask the railroad industry to nominate those young engineers it sees as being the leaders of tomorrow. Of course, with all the engineers in the industry, there are many

BNSF Works to Restore Service in Missouri and Arkansas After Severe Weather

MAMMOTH SPRING, Ark. – BNSF crews respond after severe weather hit the Thayer North and South Subdivisions in Arkansas.

San Joaquin Council of Governments Approves $14MM for Stockton Diamond Grade Separation Project

STOCKTON, Calif. – The San Joaquin Council of Governments (SJCOG) approved $14 million in Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) funding for SJRRC’s Stockton Diamond Grade Separation Project.

On The Roll Again: Crews Shut Down BNSF’s Tulsa Yard For Resiliency Upgrades, Quickly Resume Service

TULSA, Okla. – From BNSF’s Rail Talk, Stephen Manning writes about BNSF’s Engineering Team in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

OmniTRAX Names Current BNSF Executive Colby Tanner CEO As Part Of Planned CEO Succession

DENVER –– OmniTRAX, the Broe Group’s rail and real estate affiliate, has named Colby Tanner as its new CEO.

Severe Flooding Creates Havoc on Railroads Serving the Eastern U.S.

ATLANTA –– The South and Midwest have been inundated with storms and heavy rainfall for the past several days.

BNSF Southern Transcon Buffeted by High Winds

FORT WORTH, Texas –– BNSF reported this week that much of its network, particularly the Southern Transcon which runs from Los Angeles to Chicago, has been affected by “excessive and extended winds” that often exceed 75 m.p.h.

Metra and its freight railroad and municipal partners are taking on a wide variety of projects in 2025, including improvements to 52 stations and replacement of 43 grade crossings.

Metra Outlines 2025 Construction Program

CHICAGO, Ill. – Metra on March 18 detailed its program for the 2025 construction season, covering station, track, road crossing, bridge, and signal/communications improvement projects along the Chicagoland commuter railroad’s 11 lines totaling

RT&S Virtual Conference –– Crossties & Fasteners –– April 10, 2025 –– Conference Preview #1

ATLANTA –– As we reported last week, our Virtual Conference focused on Crossties & Fasteners will be held on Thursday, April 10 from 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

rail bridges

BNSF Begins Repairing Bridge That Collapsed in June 2024

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – BNSF will begin repairing a rail bridge that collapsed last summer in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

BNSF Completes Bridge Work in California

FENNER, Calif. – BNSF announced that it has worked to replace a 350-foot-long, double-track concrete beam bridge with new steel beams and track panels.

Report: Will Minnesota Shutter Northstar? –– From Railway Age

Northstar commuter rail service between Minneapolis and Big Lake, Minn., may be replaced by bus service, according to the Minnesota Star Tribune and other local media outlets. “MnDOT’s recent Twin Cities – St. Cloud-Fargo/Moorhead Corridor

Figure 1: The derailment site.

NTSB Determines Probable Cause for October 2023 BNSF Derailment

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has released the final report for its investigation of the Oct. 15, 2023, accident involving a BNSF train that struck and partially collapsed a bridge that crosses over

Extreme Cold Causes Broken Rail on BNSF Line

DOWNERS GROVE, Ill. – Metra says crews were working to make emergency repairs after the extreme cold temperatures caused broken rails.

Kansas State Team Developing In-Track Measurement for Rail Stress

MANHATTAN, Kan. – Engineers from Kansas State University are working to develop advanced technology to monitor stress in tracks without physical contact.

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