freight railroads

‘More needs to be done to promote freight rail competition’

U.S. Sens. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., and Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., want the Surface Transportation Board to press on with a rulemaking they say could enable shippers to receive better rail service and make the U.S. rail network more resilient.

The two senators sent a letter to STB Chairman Marty Oberman dated Monday asking him to “move swiftly” on regulation for reciprocal switching. 

Reciprocal switching is a process that would grant a shipper with access to the network of another Class I...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/more-needs-to-be-done-to-promote-freight-rail-competition

How will a government shutdown affect freight railroads?

On the surface, a government shutdown — which can occur if Congress can’t agree on how to handle the appropriations budgets — would have a limited impact on freight rail operations.

Freight railroads will keep running, transporting parts, materials and goods within North America and to and from the coastal ports. Ensuring safe operations will also be paramount, according to the Association of American Railroads (AAR).

“As a privately owned and maintained industry, rail operations will continue...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/how-will-a-government-shutdown-affect-freight-railroads

Australia-based infrastructure company acquires US railroad contractor

Sydney-headquartered Martinus is planning has make its first North American acquisition — Missouri-based Bottom Line Co., a railroad contractor that specializes in track construction, bridge construction and maintenance.

Terms of the purchase agreement weren’t disclosed but Martinus — a full-service railroad infrastructure construction company founded in 2005 that builds and maintains railways and intermodal facilities in Australia, New Zealand and Chile — had indicated at the start of this year...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/australia-based-infrastructure-company-acquires-us-railroad-contractor

Lack of information sharing, integration impedes railroad industry R&D

Although February’s train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, has renewed calls to bolster railroad safety, the rail industry needs to be more proactive about how research and development efforts can advance the utilization of freight rail and encourage the railroads to think across departments, sources told FreightWaves.

The factors that play into what gets public and private dollars for research can be complex. One issue is that some topics, such as train crew size and train length, have...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/lack-of-information-sharing-integration-impedes-railroad-industry-rd

Union group pushes for passage of rail safety bill

Rail union representatives are poised to adopt a policy statement that urges Congress to pass a rail safety bill — one that mandates a minimum of two-person crew sizes on all passenger and freight trains, regulates train lengths exceeding 7,500 feet and ensures adequate inspections of rail cars, locomotives and brakes.

The latest policy statement of the Transportation Trades Department (TTD) of the AFL-CIO cites at least 18 areas where regulations and guidance via the Federal Railroad...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/union-group-pushes-for-passage-of-rail-safety-bill

Freight rail stakeholders lay out their challenges before Congress

Longer trains, employee morale and the role of technology in freight rail operations came under at times withering scrutiny at a U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee hearing.

The hearing, convened to discuss supply chain challenges in the freight rail industry, became a forum for discussion of hot-button topics. Five witnesses at the Thursday hearing spelled out ongoing concerns of stakeholders.

Asked what problems a bipartisan House supply chain caucus should focus on,...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/freight-rail-stakeholders-lay-out-their-challenges-before-congress

Norfolk Southern discovers issue with wheel sets

Norfolk Southern has alerted the broader rail industry of a potential issue involving a specific model and series of rail cars, and that alert has led to a call to remove those rail cars from service until the wheel sets in question can be replaced.

NS (NYSE: NSC) said late Thursday that the specific model had loose wheels. The railroad said it has alerted the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Railroad Administration about its findings, and NS is inspecting other cars from...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/norfolk-southern-discovers-issue-with-wheel-sets

5 questions you might ask about freight train accidents

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The Feb. 3 derailment of a Norfolk Southern train near East Palestine, Ohio, has generated a lot of...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/5-questions-you-might-ask-about-freight-train-accidents

States press Supreme Court to address blocked railroad crossings

Nineteen states plus the District of Columbia have filed a legal briefing in support of Ohio’s request that the Supreme Court hear a case on whether states can have the authority to regulate railroad traffic at grade crossings.

Ohio is asking the Supreme Court to appeal a lower court ruling that determined that the Surface Transportation Board is the sole authority to regulate railroad activities. Ohio had argued that long trains operated by CSX (NASDAQ: CSX) were frequently blocking grade...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/states-press-supreme-court-to-address-blocked-railroad-crossings

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