News Archive
Canada toughens train rules after disaster
Canadian transportation authorities banned one-man crews for trains with dangerous goods Tuesday, responding to calls for tougher regulations after an oil train derailment in Quebec killed 47 people. Transport Canada also said trains with dangerous goods will not be allowed t [...]
Canada bans one-man crews on hazmat trains
OTTAWA — Transport Canada July 23 announced an emergency directive pursuant to section 33 of the Railway Safety Act to increase rail safety, banning one-man crews on trains hauling one or more cars loaded with hazardous materials. Although the cause of the accident in Lac-Még [...]Amtrak teams up with Jim Henson in sweepstakes
Jim Henson’s Pajanimals has teamed up with Amtrak in their new sweepstakes. The sweepstakes offers three levels of prizes: Grand prize (one winner), first prize (five winners) and second prize (10 winners). The grand prize-winner will receive four round-trip tickets on [...]Train disaster a dark turn for rail veteran
A blinding flash of orange light jarred Weyauwega residents awake before dawn on March 4, 1996. An 81-car freight train had been barrelling toward the farm town in central Wisconsin when it jumped a broken rail. The train’s propane and petroleum cargo had caught fire and expl [...]
RRB labor member announces staff appointments
Walter A. Barrows, the labor member of the U.S. Railroad Retirement Board (RRB), recently announced two senior-level staff appointments within his immediate office. Michael J. Collins, who has been an assistant to the labor member since April 2003, will assume the position of [...]Insufficient brake force blamed in Quebec derailment
LAC-MEGANTIC, Que. – Insufficient brake force was applied before an oil train slammed into a town in Quebec on July 6 and killed 47 people, officials said Friday. Donald Ross, chief investigator for the Transportation Safety Board of Canada, said the insufficient brake force [...]