Railroad News

Canadian National plans a CA$3.2 billion (US$2.59 billion) capital program in 2018; a record for the railroad, as well as an increase of approximately 23 percent over its 2017 program.

Canadian National plans a CA$3.2 billion (US$2.5 billion) capital program in 2018; a record for the railroad, as well as an increase of more than 23 percent over its 2017 program.

CN says the program will focus on key capacity projects to meet growing freight demand and continue investment in infrastructure maintenance to enhance safety and efficiency.

The Long Beach Board of Harbor Commissioners approved the Pier B On-Dock Rail Support Facility, progressing a plan to allow for more efficient cargo movement.

"This project is vital to our ability to stay competitive and will minimize truck trips generated by anticipated cargo growth," said Harbor Commission President Lou Anne Bynum. "Moving more cargo by rail to and from the Port reduces air pollution and makes operations more efficient."

The Long Beach Board of Harbor Commissioners approved the Pier B On-Dock Rail Support Facility, progressing a plan to allow for more efficient cargo movement.

"This project is vital to our ability to stay competitive and will minimize truck trips generated by anticipated cargo growth," said Harbor Commission President Lou Anne Bynum. "Moving more cargo by rail to and from the Port reduces air pollution and makes operations more efficient."

A plan to move a rail line from out of downtown Lac-Mégantic, Quebec, received financial backing from the federal government of Canada, but no solid dollar amount.

Transport Canada Minister of Transport Marc Garneau said in a statement that the federal government would contribute a "substantial sum" toward the Lac-Mégantic rail bypass project.

A plan to move a rail line from out of downtown Lac-Mégantic, Quebec, received financial backing from the federal government of Canada, but no solid dollar amount.

Transport Canada Minister of Transport Marc Garneau said in a statement that the federal government would contribute a "substantial sum" toward the Lac-Mégantic rail bypass project.

CN reported fourth-quarter 2017 adjusted net income decreased 6 percent to CA$897 million and adjusted diluted earnings per share (EPS) fell by 2 percent to CA$1.20.

The results exclude the impact of changes in the U.S. corporate tax rate under the new Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. Including the tax benefit, CN reported Q4 2017 net income soared 156 percent to CA$2.6 billion and diluted EPS jumped 164 percent to CA$3.48 compared with Q4 2016's results, CN officials said in a press release.

CN reported fourth-quarter 2017 adjusted net income decreased 6 percent to CA$897 million and adjusted diluted earnings per share (EPS) fell by 2 percent to CA$1.20.

The results exclude the impact of changes in the U.S. corporate tax rate under the new Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. Including the tax benefit, CN reported Q4 2017 net income soared 156 percent to CA$2.6 billion and diluted EPS jumped 164 percent to CA$3.48 compared with Q4 2016's results, CN officials said in a press release.

Norfolk Southern Corp. reported fourth-quarter 2017 adjusted net income of $486 million, or $1.69 per diluted earnings per share (EPS), compared with $416 million, or $1.42 per diluted share, in the same period a year ago.

For full-year 2017, NS posted $1.9 billion in adjusted net income versus $1.7 billion in 2016. Adjusted diluted EPS were $6.61, an 18 percent increase over last year's record diluted EPS of $5.62, NS officials said in a press release.

Norfolk Southern Corp. reported fourth-quarter 2017 adjusted net income of $486 million, or $1.69 per diluted earnings per share (EPS), compared with $416 million, or $1.42 per diluted share, in the same period a year ago.

For full-year 2017, NS posted $1.9 billion in adjusted net income versus $1.7 billion in 2016. Adjusted diluted EPS were $6.61, an 18 percent increase over last year's record diluted EPS of $5.62, NS officials said in a press release.

Boring work for the two tunnels that are part of Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority's (LACMTA) Regional Connector Transit Project has been completed and the tunnel boring machine (TBM) used for the work is being retired.

Metra next month will host meetings to gather rider feedback about several changes to the agency's fare structure, including a plan to introduce a day pass for travel between any two zones.

The aim is to create a flexible fare structure that allows Metra to segment and price markets differently, and to give the railroad more flexibility to increase fare revenue while providing more control over ridership impacts from fare changes, agency officials said in a press release.

The Port of Savannah handled more than 4 million 20-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in 2017, an 11 percent increase and the port's highest annual volume ever, the Georgia Ports Authority (GPA) reported yesterday.

Last month, the GPA handled 323,000 TEUs, up 10.6 percent compared with a year ago and the busiest December in the authority's history.

Amtrak says rail infrastructure improvements along its Chicago – Detroit/Pontiac line have been made to enable safe, faster travel along the Michigan passenger and freight corridor.

U.S. Class Is continued to shrink their workforce last month.

As of mid-December, Class Is in the United States employed 145,416 workers, down 0.37 percent since mid-November's employment figure and down 3.19 percent compared with mid-December 2016's level, according to Surface Transportation Board (STB) data.

Trains on Amtrak's Wolverine and Blue Water lines in Michigan have begun traveling faster following recent rail infrastructure improvements, the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) announced yesterday.

Amtrak staff now dispatch trains on the rail corridor between Porter, Indiana, and Dearborn, Michigan — a move that "ensures the efficient movement of passenger trains," said MDOT Office of Rail Director Tim Hoeffner in a press release.

Norfolk Southern Corp. has elected Jennifer Scanlon to its board of directors.

Scanlon is president and chief executive officer of USG Corp. She has been appointed to the NS board's Compensation Committee and the Finance and Risk Management Committee.

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) is slated to sign a $3.7 billion contract with Kawasaki for 1,612 new subway cars, The New York Times reported late last week.