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Aug
18

CP ready to move this year's larger grain crop

Canadian Pacific is touting its preparation for moving this year's western Canadian grain crop, which is forecast to beat the five-year average.

The Class I is calling on supply chain partners to ensure grain is adequately moved and distributed. The rail supply chain has returned to normal since the extraordinary crop and winter 2013-14, and CP "has continued to move record amounts of grain," CP officials said in a press release.

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Aug
17

Canadian Pacific fined $1.2 million for violating FCC rules

Canadian Pacific will pay a $1.2 million fine to resolve an investigation of the Class I's operation of more than 100 wireless radio facilities in the United States without the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) approval.

CP also failed to obtain FCC authorizations for the transfer of control of 30 wireless radio licenses, FCC officials said Monday in a press release.

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Aug
12

Kansas City Southern slates projects for Texas, Louisiana

Kansas City Southern announced Wednesday that it will spend $13 million this year on construction and improvement projects on its Greenville subdivision in Texas and Louisiana.

KCS has slated rail, crosstie and crossing improvements between Leesburg, Texas, and Blanchard, La., starting Aug. 23 through September, according to a company press release.

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Aug
12

Kansas City Southern slates projects for Texas, Louisiana

Rail News Home Kansas City Southern 8/12/2016 Rail News: Kansas City Southern Kansas City Southern announced Wednesday that it will spend $13 million this year on construction and improvement projects on its Greenville subdivision in Texas and Louisiana.KCS has slated rail, crosstie and crossing improvements between Leesburg, Texas, and Blanchard, La., starting Aug. 23 through September, according to a company press release.In total, the work will replace 2.5 miles of rail and 64,000 crossties, as well as improve more than 80 crossings.Communities that KSC will work through include Leesburg, Pittsburg, Cason, Daingerfield, Hughes Springs, Avinger, Jefferson, and Karnack, Texas; and Blanchard."KCS, through its U.S. and Mexican subsidiaries, continues to invest in capital projects to expand network capacity, keep maintenance in a regular and healthy cycle, and enhance the safety of our operation," said President and Chief Executive Officer Patrick Ottensmeyer. "These investments also help us be an economic growth partner to our customers and the communities through which we operate." Contact Progressive Railroading editorial staff. More News from 8/12/2016

Aug
10

CSX designates Indiana business park a 'Select Site'

CSX announced yesterday that part of the Lebanon Business Park in Indiana has been designated a CSX "Select Site," a development-ready property along the Class I's network.

In 2010, CSX partnered with the city of Lebanon on a $4 million project to construct a spur that brings rail service directly into the park.

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Aug
09

Norfolk Southern touts sustainability achievements

Norfolk Southern Railway rolled out new low-emission locomotives, reduced unnecessary locomotive idling and set a five-year goal to improve fuel efficiency as part of its sustainability program in 2015, the Class I announced today.

In its new online sustainability report, "What Efficiency Looks Like," NS details its efforts to achieve a "healthy balance between its business imperatives as a publicly traded company and its environmental and social commitments," NS officials said in a press release.

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Aug
09

Norfolk Southern touts sustainability achievements

Rail News Home Norfolk Southern Railway 8/9/2016 Rail News: Norfolk Southern Railway Norfolk Southern Railway rolled out new low-emission locomotives, reduced unnecessary locomotive idling and set a five-year goal to improve fuel efficiency as part of its sustainability program in 2015, the Class I announced today.In its new online sustainability report, "What Efficiency Looks Like," NS details its efforts to achieve a "healthy balance between its business imperatives as a publicly traded company and its environmental and social commitments," NS officials said in a press release."Corporate sustainability at Norfolk Southern means acting responsibly in the conduct of our business, which enhances our ability to grow business," said Bruno Maestri, vice president of government relations and corporate sustainability officer.According to the report, NS' environmental performance highlights for 2015 included:
• the rollout of a new class of low-emission Eco locomotives at rail yards in Atlanta and Chicago;
• the introduction of a custom plug-in engine-heating system at rail yards that reduces unnecessary locomotive idling in cold weather; and
• the adoption of a five-year goal to improve locomotive fuel efficiency, which will contribute to NS' goal to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions.Click on this link to read more about NS' sustainability performance, including the company's economic and social-impact highlights. Contact Progressive Railroading editorial staff. More News from 8/9/2016

Aug
09

Norfolk Southern pours capital, sweat equity into its new Premier Corridor

By This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., Managing Editor

The Crescent. The Heartland. The MidAmerica. The Patriot. Norfolk Southern Corp. has developed a number of corridors over the past few decades, either on its own or with other railroads. But the aptly named and recently introduced Premier Corridor might be its pre-eminent one.

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Aug
08

BNSF's Q2 revenue off on lower volume, fuel surcharges

BNSF Railway Co.'s net income fell 20 percent to $772 million and total revenue declined 15 percent to $4.6 billion in the second quarter compared with year-ago results, according to Berkshire Hathaway, the Class I's parent company.

BNSF's operating income in the quarter dropped 16 percent to nearly $1.5 billion, while operating expenses declined 14 percent to about $3 billion compared with second-quarter 2015 results.

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Aug
05

Pershing Square sells stake in Canadian Pacific

Pershing Square Capital Management L.P. on Wednesday announced the sale of its interest in Canadian Pacific Railway.

The capital management firm sold its 9.8 million shares in CP with JPMorgan Chase, Credit Suisse and Bank of America Merrill Lynch acting as underwriters for the offering, according to a CP press release.

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Aug
04

UP kicks off bridge work over Bayou Lafourche

Union Pacific Railroad this week began construction on a new bridge over Bayou Lafourche in Donaldsonville, La.

The new bridge is an important part of Louisiana's effort to reintroduce freshwater from the Mississippi River into Bayou Lafourche, UP and state officials said in a press release.

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Aug
04

BNSF to appeal court ruling against Southern California intermodal project

BNSF Railway Co. is appealing a judge's ruling against the Class I's proposal to build the Southern California International Gateway (SCIG) rail yard near the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles.

In March, a California judge determined that an environmental review of the SCIG was insufficient, and ordered the city of Los Angeles and the Board of Harbor Commissioners to set aside their approvals of the project.

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Aug
03

UP promotes four to marketing, sales leadership posts

Union Pacific Railroad yesterday announced four appointments to leadership roles in marketing and sales.

The personnel changes, which take effect Sept. 1, involve John Kaiser, Jason Hess, Brad Thrasher and Kenny Rocker, according to a UP press release.

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Jul
29

UP notes lowest employee injury rate

Union Pacific Railroad achieved an employee reportable injury rate of 0.70 from January through June, marking the lowest rate in the railroad's 154-year history, the Class I announced yesterday.

Reportable employee injury rates are measured by employee injuries reported to the Federal Railroad Administration for every 200,000 employee-hours worked. UP became the safest U.S. Class I railroad based on its 2015 employee reportable injury rate of 0.87, UP officials said in a press release.

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Jul
27

Watco to begin transloading operations at NS terminal in Sandusky

Watco Transloading LLC has obtained a definitive licensed agreement with Norfolk Southern Corp. to operate a new NS Thoroughbred Bulk Terminal (TBT) in Sandusky, Ohio.

NS is leveraging existing infrastructure of the former Triple Crown Services facility to enable Watco and NS to drive new incremental transload business, Watco officials said in a press release issued yesterday.

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Jul
27

Norfolk Southern's Q2 profit falls on lower volumes

Norfolk Southern Corp.'s second-quarter 2016 net income declined to $405 million, or $1.36 diluted earnings per share, from $433 million, or $1.41 earnings per share, a year ago, the Class I announced this morning.

Railway operating revenue fell 10 percent to $2.5 billion compared with Q2 2015's revenue as a result of reduced volumes and lower fuel surcharge revenue. Overall, volume dropped 7 percent to 1.8 million units for the quarter, NS officials said in a press release.

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Jul
26

Canadian environmental agency solicits public input on proposed CN-served yard project

The Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency (CEAA) is seeking public comments to help determine whether a federal environmental assessment is required for Pembina NGL Corp.'s proposed rail yard project near Redwater, Alberta.

The company proposes to construct and operate about 22 miles of track and realign 5.5 miles of track at its fractionation and storage facility near Redwater. Pembina NGL would use the yard to accept empty rail cars and organize filled cars onto trains operated by CN, which would deliver the cars to their respective destinations. The project would increase the facility's daily loading capacity from 184 cars to 260 cars.

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Jul
26

Kansas City Southern's Mexican rail operations blocked by protesters

Kansas City Southern de Mexico, S.A. de C.V., a subsidiary of Kansas City Southern, has experienced service interruptions due to civil protests near its rail network in Mexico, railroad officials announced yesterday.

Led by teachers, the civil disobedience protests that have blocked freight trains are directed at the Mexican government over education reforms, according to news reports.

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Jul
26

Kansas City Southern's Mexican rail operations blocked by protesters

Rail News Home Kansas City Southern 7/26/2016 Rail News: Kansas City Southern Kansas City Southern de Mexico, S.A. de C.V., a subsidiary of Kansas City Southern, has experienced service interruptions due to civil protests near its rail network in Mexico, railroad officials announced yesterday.Led by teachers, the civil disobedience protests that have blocked freight trains are directed at the Mexican government over education reforms, according to news reports.The protests are continuing to impede KCSM's ability to provide efficient freight-rail service to its customers. Other railroads and transportation companies also have been affected, KCSM officials said in a press release.KCSM and other businesses "have requested the appropriate authorities to intervene so as to resolve the situation as expeditiously as possible," KCSM officials said. "However, at this time it is not possible to project when regular service will be restored, nor estimate the financial impact, if any, the protests will have on KCSM." Contact Progressive Railroading editorial staff. More News from 7/26/2016

Jul
26

CN's Q2 profit slips on lower carload volume

CN's second-quarter 2016 net income declined slightly to $858 million, or $1.10 in diluted earnings per share, from $886 million, or $1.10, a year ago due to lower traffic volumes, the Class I announced yesterday. (All monetary figures are reported in Canadian dollars.)

Operating income fell 5 percent to $1.3 billion and revenue slipped 9 percent to $2.8 billion, as carloads plunged 12 percent during the quarter compared with Q2 in 2015.

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