Archive for October 2020
On the 40th anniversary of the Staggers Act, Congress should consider the collateral damage to the rail industry, and how to fix it
INDEPENDENCE, Ohio, October 19 — Over the last several years, railroad industry stakeholders have become increasingly troubled by the effects of the new business model adopted by the Class I railroads. This so-called “precision scheduled railroading” focuses extensively on cost-cutting as a primary objective. Rail shippers complain of a deterioration of service and “de-marketing” of…
Read MorePrivate investors propose Mexico-U.S.-Canada rail link
(Source: Progressive Railroading 10/19/2020) Mexican conglomerate Caxxor Group is proposing a private-sector initiative to begin construction of a North American rail corridor that would link the Sinaloa state in Mexico with Winnipeg, Manitoba, in Canada via the United States. The project would establish two logistics points — one in Winnipeg and the other near the Port of…
Read MoreWeekly U.S. coal train loadings rise to seven-week high: STB
(Source: S&P Global Platts, October 16, 2020) HOUSTON — U.S. coal train loadings rose to a seven-week high in the week ended Oct. 9, as loadings from all four major basins increased on the week, Surface Transportation Board data showed Oct. 16. Full story: S&P Global Platts Monday, October 19, 2020
Read MoreA message from BLET General Chairman Mark Kenny – Amtrak General Committee of Adjustment
U.S. freight-rail traffic edges up in Week 41
(Source: Progressive Railroading 10/15/2020) Thanks to an increase in intermodal volume, U.S. freight rail traffic rose 1.9 percent to 520,452 carloads, containers and trailers for the week ending Oct. 10 compared with the same period in 2019, according to Association of American Railroads (AAR) data. Total carloads for the week fell 5.2 percent to 230,964 units, while…
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