Railroad News

Chicago's Metra and its railroad partners announced plans to begin $216 million worth of infrastructure investments in 2017.

 

4/10/2017    

Rail News: People

4/10/2017    

Rail News: High-Speed Rail

Rail News Home Federal Legislation & Regulation April 2017 Rail News: Federal Legislation & Regulation

— By This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., EditorOn March 2, railroaders, suppliers and rail shippers met with congressional leaders for the annual Railroad Day on Capitol Hill. Congressional offices hosted meetings for 456 visitors — a Railroad Day record, according to the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association.As they have in previous years, the rail lobbyists for the day asked their elected representatives to oppose bigger and heavier trucks, and preserve “balanced regulation” and the short-line tax credit. Regarding the latter: They requested that their respective congressional reps cosponsor the Building Rail Access for Customers and the Economy Act, or BRACE Act. The legislation calls for making permanent the 45G tax credit, which expired Dec. 31, 2016. With all the tax reform talk, 45G has a real shot at becoming permanent this year, some believe.From the meetings I sat in on, and from the conversations I had throughout the long day in D.C., it once again was clear that rail citizen advocates continue to get better at making their voices heard on Capitol Hill. Some of the more effective connections I witnessed involved railroaders and customers tag-teaming lawmakers or aides on the merits, say, of 45G. They connected it to jobs, to the efficient movement of goods, to the dot-connecting that is rail when it works.In their zeal, some railroaders couldn’t help asking legislators/aides what they thought of the Trump administration’s talk of a $1 trillion infrastructure package. Considering that few details had been issued, and given the competing priorities (from health care to tax reform to any number of otherwise uncategorizable things we continue to read about), most lawmakers I heard demurred or attempted to tamp down expectations — for direct investment, certainly. Perhaps for good reason: Unveiled March 16, President Trump’s proposed federal budget would cut the U.S. Department of Transportation’s budget by 13 percent and terminate federal support for Amtrak’s long-distance service; eliminate the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (aka TIGER) discretionary grant program; and limit funding for the Federal Transit Administration’s Capital Investment Program to projects with existing full funding grant agreements only.Meanwhile, rumblings about the infrastructure bill persisted as this issue went to press. Some congressional leaders maintain it’ll pass this year; others say they hope to pass something in time for the 2018 election cycle. So, the legislative murkiness likely will linger awhile. Which is one reason Railroad Day participants were encouraged to tell their real-world rail stories on the Hill. From what I saw and heard, they did.
Keywords Browse articles on Railroad Day 45G tax credit BRACE Act infrastructure bill Trump TIGER grants Amtrak Federal Transit Administration Contact Progressive Railroading editorial staff.

4/7/2017    

Rail News: Shippers

4/7/2017    

Rail News: Short Lines & Regionals

4/7/2017    

Rail News: Intermodal

4/7/2017    

Rail News: Short Lines & Regionals

4/7/2017    

Rail News: Canadian National Railway - CN

4/7/2017    

Rail News: Canadian National Railway - CN

Rail News Home Canadian National Railway - CN 4/7/2017 Rail News: Canadian National Railway - CN
CN yesterday recognized 32 shippers for employing sustainability practices that are aligned with the objectives of the Class I's EcoConnexions program.Through its EcoConnexions Partnership Program, CN seeks partner companies that pledge to reduce their carbon emissions and increase energy efficiency — a central focus of the Class I's sustainability objectives, CN officials said in a press release.The 32 shippers that earned recognition from the railroad are Alcoa Corp.; Atlantic Container Line; Bunge North America; Bonduelle Canada; Canfor; Cenovus Energy Inc.; CMA CGM (America) LLC; COSCO Shipping Lines (North America); Domtar Corp.; E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Co.; Fairmount Santrol; Ford Motor Co.; Hapag-Lloyd; Kruger Products LP; Labatt Breweries of Canada; Loblaws Inc.; Maersk Line; MOL; Mondelez International; NYK Line; OOCL (Orient Overseas Container Line); PepsiCo Canada; Resolute Forest Products; Teck Resources Ltd.; Tembec; Tenaris; UPS; Verso Corp.; Walmart Canada; West Fraser; Weyerhaeuser; and Yang Ming Group."CN is proud to partner with these companies and congratulates each of them on their sustainability efforts," said Jean-Jacques Ruest, CN's executive vice president and chief marketing officer. "In partnership with Tree Canada, [we] will plant 100,000 trees in the spring in recognition of [these] customers' commitment to sustainable business practices." Contact Progressive Railroading editorial staff. More News from 4/7/2017

4/7/2017    

Rail News: Passenger Rail

4/7/2017    

Rail News: BNSF Railway

4/7/2017    

Rail News: BNSF Railway

4/7/2017    

Rail News: BNSF Railway

Rail News Home BNSF Railway 4/7/2017 Rail News: BNSF Railway
(Left to right) D’Anne Duclos, VP, Toyota Logistics Services; Bill Barrett, senior rail and truck strategy and operations manager, Toyota; Dave Fleenor, AVP-automotive, BNSF; Katie Farmer, group VP-consumer products, BNSF; Aaron Lakey, director of automotive sales, BNSF; and Lee Hobgood, general manager of vehicle transportation, ToyotaPhoto – BNSF Railway Co.

Amtrak has completed repairs to tracks at New York Penn Station following two derailments in the past month and the railroad's CEO has pledged a review of its maintenance practices to ensure the situation is not repeated.

Track issues on Amtrak-owned infrastructure were the reason for the March 24 and April 3 derailments.

The American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA) has created the Short Line Education Fund to address industry training and certification needs.

ASLRRA says the fund will communicate and promote the value of shortline railroads to decision makers, customers and industry stakeholders and build a library of industry-specific research, education and training materials.

4/7/2017    

Rail News: Amtrak

Harriet the tunnel boring machine completed its second mile-long tunnel on April 6. The machine arrived at the Leimert Park Station, marking another milestone for the Los Angeles County Transportation Authority (LACTMA) Crenshaw/LAX Line.