Transportation News

UP adding 10,000 new containers to fleet

Railroad intermodal traffic –- especially the movement of containers atop flat cars — is sizzling. Responding to the growing demand, Union Pacific has ordered almost 10,000 new 53-foot containers this year, according to the Journal of Commerce. Additionally, reports the [...]

L.A., N.Y. school buses in serious accidents

An automobile driver was killed and dozens of students riding a school bus were injured after a car slammed into the rear of the bus in Los Angeles Oct. 25, causing the bus to overturn, reports the Los Angeles Times. The Los Angeles Times said 54 teenage students were aboard [...]

CSX: A big ‘green’ machine, says Newsweek

Newsweek magazine has given CSX the highest “Green Ranking” among Class I freight railroads – and named CSX 10th in environmental responsibility among all transport and aerospace companies. The Newsweek rankings are based on input from three environmental organizations. In a [...]

Rails increase orders for new freight cars

Railroads are ordering considerably more freight cars than in previous months, according to the Railway Supply Institute – another indication of the strength of rail carloadings and the rails’ economic optimism going forward. The number of new freight cars on order for [...]

Can you drive this bus?

Children of railroaders have available to them numerous computer games simulating operation and dispatch of trains. Now there is a computer game that allows children – and adults – to experience the challenge of being a bus operator: operating city buses, school buses, sight- [...]

Open enrollment for RR GA-23111 health plans

During November and December, UnitedHealthcare will hold an open enrollment under railroad plans GA-23111. During this open enrollment period, any individual eligible for coverage under one of the GA-23111 plans may enroll and be accepted for coverage without medical underwri [...]

UP profit soars; those furloughed will return

Union Pacific earnings for the third quarter 2010 soared by 51 percent from the third quarter 2009, the railroad told investors Oct. 21. UP told Wall Street analysts it was the company’s most profitable quarter ever. In reporting the record earnings, UP Chairman Jim You [...]

STB to consider partial rail reregulation

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Surface Transportation Board says it will hold a hearing Dec. 9 to review certain exemptions from economic regulation afforded railroads – specifically, commodity exemptions, boxcar exemptions and intermodal trailer and container exemptions. The exemptio [...]

Up, up and up go rail freight shipments

Rail freight loadings continue to show improvement, reports the AAR in releasing carloading data for the week ending Oct. 16. Total U.S. carloadings increased by more than 10 percent over the same week in 2009. Intermodal loadings were up by more than 15 percent over the comp [...]

Amtrak’s chief operating officer departs

Amtrak reported Oct. 21 that Chief Operating Officer Bill Crosbie is leaving Amtrak immediately, and the position of chief operating officer is being abolished.  Amtrak President Joseph Boardman, in an employee advisory, said the vice presidents of the operating departments w [...]