USA railroad industry news
Business news about railway and urban transit infrastructure, operations, policy, projects and the supply industry in the United States of America.
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NewsBNSF calls for review of Union Pacific/Southern Pacific merger conditions
USA: BNSF Railway has filed a petition with the Surface Transportation Board requesting immediate review and enforcement of conditions which were imposed when Union Pacific acquired Southern Pacific in 1996.
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NewsCalifornia formally launches procurement of high speed trackwork and railway systems
USA: The California High Speed Rail Authority has formally launched procurement of track and railway systems as part of its ambition to begin tracklaying next year.
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NewsConnecticut commuter train coach mock-up on show
USA: Connecticut Department of Transportation has unveiled a mock-up of coaches to be supplied by Alstom for CTrail commuter rail services.
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NewsUnion Pacific and Norfolk Southern shareholders approve merger
USA: Shareholders of both companies have approved Union Pacific’s planned acquisition of Norfolk Southern. Combining Union Pacific’s network in the west of the country with Norfolk Southern’s routes in the east would create the first railway company spanning the USA from coast to coast.
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NewsBetter Breeze blows into Atlanta’s transport ticketing system ahead of World Cup
USA: Supplier INIT has begun work on Atlanta transport agency MARTA’s Better Breeze project to replace the existing Breeze fare collection system ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026.
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NewsSubway car order to provide ‘the safety and reliability New Yorkers need’
USA: The New York MTA board has approved the award of a $1·507bn contract for Kawasaki Rail Car to supply 378 metro cars for the Subway’s B division.
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NewsWashington DC Streetcar closure date confirmed
USA: Washington’s District Department of Transportation has confirmed the planned closure date for the DC Streetcar service.
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NewsPacific Harbor Line partners with carbon capture start-up
USA: Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles rail operator Pacific Harbor Line has entered into a development agreement with Remora, which is developing mobile carbon capture technology for lorries and locomotives.
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NewsKansas City Streetcar extension opens with a song and dance
USA: The Kansas City Streetcar Main Street Extension to the University of Missouri Kansas City has opened with celebrations including a song by local rap musician Kemet Coleman.
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NewsSilver Line launched to improve connectivity north of Dallas
USA: Dallas Area Rapid Transit’s Silver Line has been launched with a series of celebratory events.
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NewsSalt Lake City doubles ‘built in Utah for Utah’ light rail vehicle order
USA: Utah Transit Authority has ordered a further 20 Stadler Citylink light rail vehicles for TRAX services around Salt Lake City, taking its total order to 40.
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NewsCalifornian electric train operator Caltrain to be paid for regenerated power
USA: Californian commuter operator Caltrain is to be paid for the power its electric trains return to the grid from April 2026, after regenerative braking was classified as a renewable generation facility.
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In depthInfrastructure: Composite sleepers make a comeback
Norfolk Southern is among the US railroads looking afresh at the latest iteration of the composite sleeper. Greg Janson, President of supplier Triton Ties, explains to Nick Kingsley how a combination of recycled plastic and glass fibre material can offer durability and environmental gains compared to using wooden or concrete sleepers.
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NewsMetro-North introduces faster trains to Poughkeepsie as bi-mode Chargers enter service
USA: Faster ’super-express’ services started running on MTA Metro-North Railroad’s 120 km Hudson Line between Poughkeepsie and New York’s Grand Central Terminal on October 6.
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NewsCando to acquire first US terminal
USA: Canadian company Cando Rail & Terminals has announced the acquisition of its first US terminal, with a definitive agreement to acquire the Channelview Terminal in Houston from Texas Deepwater Partners.
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In depthComment: To merge or not to merge
Union Pacific’s $85bn proposal to acquire Norfolk Southern has reignited merger speculation across the US rail industry, with activist investors urging rival operators to explore consolidation options amid changing market dynamics. However, this M&A frenzy could yet prove a risky distraction for the sector, warns Senior Editor Chris Jackson.
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News$20bn of US rail investment paused in Trump crackdown on diversity policies
USA: The Gateway Tunnel programme linking New York and New Jersey, the next phase of New York’s Second Avenue Subway and Chicago’s metro Red Line metro extension are all projects facing funding cuts as the Trump administration seeks to crack down on what it perceives as ‘unconstitutional’ DEI policies in procurement.
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NewsWatco to deploy TugVolt autonomous self-propelled wagons
USA: Short line railway, terminal and port operating group Watco has reached a commercial agreement to deploy Intramotev’s TugVolt autonomous self-propelled wagon battery-electric wagons on its network.
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NewsCSX names Steve Angel as CEO to replace Joe Hinrichs
USA: The board of Class I freight railway CSX named Steve Angel as President & Chief Executive Officer and a member of the board with effect from September 28, succeeding Joe Hinrichs who has left the company.
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NewsUniversity collaboration aims to make wagon repair more efficient
USA: Railinc and Duke University’s Christensen Family Center for Innovation are to collaborate to explore how AI, mobile devices and ‘social media-style technologies’ could improve wagon repair work.