Railroad News

CSX has filed a lawsuit against Norfolk Southern Railway and Norfolk & Portsmouth Belt Line Railroad (NPBL), alleging the Class I and short line have conspired to create a monopoly at the Port of Virginia's largest container facility, a local newspaper has reported.

Filed in Norfolk federal court, the case alleges NS and the short line boxed out CSX from serving Norfolk International Terminals (NIT), The Virginian-Pilot newspaper reported Oct. 8. The case names as defendants three NS vice presidents and the president of the Belt Line.

CSX Corp. announced late last week that Chairman Edward Kelly III will retire in January after the company releases its fourth-quarter 2018 earnings.

The board elected John Zillmer chairman, effective upon Kelly's retirement.

CSX this week resumed rail service to the Port of Wilmington, North Carolina, following a stoppage due to Hurricane Florence.

The first inbound train arrived at the port on Tuesday night, according to a report on Wilmingtonbiz.com.

CSX Corp. yesterday announced a change in leadership for its merchandise and intermodal sales and marketing teams with the appointment of Dean Piacente to vice president of industrial products and Maryclare Kenney to VP of intermodal and automotive.

Piacente previously served as VP of intermodal. He now is responsible for the Class I's chemicals, metals, paper and forest product businesses. He has more than 30 years of experience across different segments at CSX.

CSX Corp. today announced a new operating management structure that will decentralize operational and support functions.

The changes — a continuation of the Class I's transition to scheduled railroading — are designed to "enhance safety, improve service, accelerate decision-making and drive operating efficiency," CSX officials announced in a press release.

The federal government and state of West Virginia this week announced a proposed settlement that calls for CSX to pay $2.2 million in penalties for water pollution violations related to a 2015 train derailment and subsequent oil spill.

Under the proposed terms, CSX will pay penalties of $1.2 million to the United States and $1 million to West Virginia, according to a press release issued by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Long Ridge Energy Terminal has completed its rail loop construction project in Hannibal, Ohio, which makes the facility the first in the Appalachian Basin to offer unit-train and barge transloading capabilities.

CSX serves the terminal.

CSX posted a boost in profit, revenue and a record quarterly operating ratio for second-quarter 2018 — indications that the Class I's scheduled railroading operations model has begun to pay off, company officials say.

CSX reported yesterday second-quarter net earnings of $877 million, or $1.01 per share, compared with $510 million, or 55 cents per share for the same period a year ago.

The New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) has awarded $19 million in state funding toward a CSX rail-yard expansion in the town of DeWitt in central New York.

The project will create central New York's first inland port, which will allow for containerized freight to be moved between the Port of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) and CSX's DeWitt terminal, NYSDOT officials said yesterday in a press release.

CSX Corp. has appointed Mark Wallace executive vice president sales and marketing, and Diana Sorfleet, executive vice president and chief administrative officer, the Class I announced yesterday.

Wallace joined CSX in March 2017 as executive VP corporate affairs and chief of staff, and was named executive VP and CAO in January.

A CSX train derailed last night in southwest Indiana near Princeton, causing a number of rail cars to catch fire.

The train derailed at about 8:10 p.m. about an hour from Evansville. Preliminary reports indicated a release from a rail car containing propane, a CSX spokesman said in an email.

CSX is soliciting bids on six rail segments totaling more than 650 miles of track as part of the Class I's continuing strategy to sell under-used assets.

The lines may be purchased by one buyer or multiple buyers, or may not be sold at all depending on the bids received, CSX officials said in a press release.

CSX Corp. has named James Schwichtenberg as the Class I's new vice president and chief safety officer.

A "recognized leader in rail safety," Schwichtenberg will lead the company's renewed focus on safety, CSX officials said in a press release. He will report to Ed Harris, executive vice president of operations.

CSX Corp. will put more resources into safety, company executives said at the annual shareholders meeting held late last week in Jacksonville, Florida.

President and Chief Executive Officer James Foote told shareholders that CSX soon will announce a new chief safety officer and is bringing in an outside consulting firm to help with safety issues, according to a report by WJCT News.