Prototype News

Following the Alstom “NextGen Acela” rollout and the Siemens Mobility Airo debut, Amtrak has released a video on its maintenance facility program to support “next-generation” and existing trainsets.

“Here at Amtrak, we’re building a new era of rail,” Amtrak Assistant Vice President, Railyards & Facilities Martita Mullen said in the Feb. 18 video (watch below). “Not only are we launching the new fleet, but we’re also building state-of-the-art new facilities across the network that will be here for decades to come to keep the trains running smoothly.”

The facilities program includes six “level one” and approximately 18 “level two” facilities. “The level one facilities are in our major hub locations,” Mullen said. “These are larger facilities where we’ll do more extensive maintenance, and the level two facilities are in satellite locations where we’ll be performing more minor maintenance work on the fleet.”

The level one facilities are being developed in Seattle, Wash. (King Street Yard); Boston, Mass. (Southampton Yard); Queens, N.Y. (Sunnyside Yard); Philadelphia, Pa. (Philadelphia Yard); Washington, D.C. (Ivy City Yard); and Rensselaer, N.Y.

They will “allow full trainsets to be inspected and serviced together, reducing downtime and improving efficiency,” according to Amtrak. They will also help “America’s Railroad” keep equipment “in better condition, improve operational performance, and ensure trains are ready for customers every day.”

“Our vision is for the equipment to come in at the end of a revenue run, get spotted within the building, protection applied, and then all of the maintenance can be done in line with that equipment where it’s spotted,” Amtrak Senior Director Intercity Trainsets Derek Maier said in the video.

“With new trainsets and these new facilities, we can expect to see less unnecessary downtime for the equipment and more efficient maintenance,” Maier continued. “By building facilities for trainsets, we can design the equipment to not need to uncouple nearly as often as we have in the past. So what that means is more reliable intercar connections, improved gangways and transitions between the cars for passengers, improved accessibility on board. …”

The Federal Railroad Administration is playing a key role in the maintenance facility program. “The team at FRA has really been a true partner throughout the facility investment process,” Mullen said. “Not only does FRA provide us with the funding to construct these projects, but FRA has really been a great resource for our team and for Amtrak in terms of providing us with guidance and support throughout the construction process.”

• OIG to Amtrak: Improved Facilities Planning Needed to Support New Trains
• Amtrak Breaks Ground on Southampton Rail Yard Modernization Project in Boston
• Amtrak and Partners to Break Ground on Ivy City Rail Yard Modernization Project in Washington, D.C.
• Amtrak Awards Three Design-Build Contracts for East Coast Rail Yard Modernization Projects
• Amtrak King Street Yard Upgrade Under Way
• Amtrak OIG: LDFR Program ‘High Risk’

The post Amtrak Releases Video on Fleet Maintenance Facility Program appeared first on Railway Age.

Savage Rail is a leading U.S. rail provider with operations across the U.S. and a platform of rail assets in key markets, including along the Midwest, Gulf Coast, and Southeast corridors. The transaction, Cando says, “will accelerate the company’s U.S. expansion plans, while strengthening its existing network in Canada.” The combined company is expected to operate a coast-to-coast network of assets in North America with no geographic overlap that will include 36 railcar storage, staging, and/or transload terminals; three short-line railways; and 80 first and last mile rail service operations, as well as access to all six Class I railroads.

“The industrial rail environment is fundamentally different than a decade ago – customer supply chains are increasingly continental, and they choose partners that can support their evolving needs with greater reach and efficiency. Bringing Cando and Savage Rail together will create the leading integrated rail terminal and infrastructure company in North America to meet these needs and beyond,” said Brian Cornick, President & CEO of Cando Rail & Terminals. “By combining two highly complementary teams and capabilities with Cando’s strong financial profile, we’re creating a stronger, more resilient platform to support our customers, team members, and communities today and invest for the long term. We are excited to welcome the Savage Rail team to the Cando family.”

Combining the two businesses also aligns with Savage’s goals of growing its businesses and its people, “both by creating new opportunities for its rail services team by joining a large, rail-focused company and also by obtaining capital from the sale to invest in expanding its existing food and fuel-focused businesses,” the company said.

“This is a great opportunity for Savage Rail and Savage as a whole,” said Savage’s President and CEO Jeff Roberts. “We’re excited about the additional offerings Cando will provide for our rail services customers as a pure-play rail company as well as the investment opportunities that this sale will provide for our other businesses.”

“Combining with Cando represents a logical next step in our growth journey and the continued evolution of our rail assets. Cando shares our commitment to deliver safe, reliable rail operations at critical points in our customers’ supply chains and provides meaningful opportunities for our people,” said Mike Miller, Senior Vice President and Rail Services Leader, Savage Rail. “This combination allows us to preserve what makes our rail business special while giving our customers and teams access to broader resources and a North American platform that’s built for sustainable growth.”

The cross-continental North American footprint, the companies say, “will improve reach, efficiency, and responsiveness. Customers will gain access to a broader, more connected rail network that supports production certainty and enables faster, more efficient movement of goods. Direct connectivity to all six Class I railroads will enable Cando to work together with the Class Is to help improve customers’ ability to move product seamlessly across the continent.”

Cando and Savage are both growth-oriented organizations, “with shared histories and values, people-focused cultures, and commitment to exceptional customer service, safety, and long-term development.” The two highly compatible workforces, the companies say, will total more than 2,000 combined employees across Canada and the U.S. Cando will work closely with local leadership and management teams to ensure continuity and accountability for team members and customers.

Cando will maintain its global headquarters in Manitoba and plans to establish a new U.S. headquarters in Salt Lake City, Utah.

The addition of Savage Rail builds on Cando’s recent acquisition of its Channelview Terminal and associated rail operations located on the Houston Ship Channel. The Savage Rail transaction is Cando’s fourth acquisition in more than two years, together representing more than $1 billion in capital investment.

The transaction is anticipated to close in the second quarter of 2026, “subject to closing conditions and customary regulatory approvals.”

The post Cando to Acquire Savage Rail appeared first on Railway Age.

BNSF announced Feb. 20 that it has reached a new five-year, collective bargaining agreement with members of the TCU intermodal group, covering members at the Class I’s Cicero, Corwith, Seattle, and Memphis intermodal facilities.

The new agreement, subject to ratification, covers 746 employees and gives covered members wage increases totaling 17.5% over five years (18.8% compounded) with retroactive pay beginning July 1, 2025, as well as accelerated enhancements in vacation and preserved health care benefits.

“This new tentative agreement reflects the vital role our TCU intermodal team members play in our operation,” said BNSF President and CEO Katie Farmer. “Open, honest collaboration is the foundation of our success, and this marks our unwavering commitment to maintaining exceptional safety and service for our customers.”

“I want to commend our bargaining committee for their efforts to secure real gains, and I’m confident this agreement moves our members forward,” said TCU/IAM National President Matt Hollis. “I also recognize the cooperation of BNSF CEO Katie Farmer and her labor relations team.  Reaching agreements for such a large number of employees isn’t always the easiest task, but I appreciate the effort of both groups who worked diligently to reach a fair agreement.”

This tentative agreement follows the same terms as the current national pattern. Ninety-five percent of BNSF’s workforce and 12 of the 13 represented unions are now covered by either ratified or tentative agreements.

NS recently teamed up with its short line partner, G&W, to provide rail safety education to more than 300 Savannah–Chatham County Public School System bus drivers and monitors at Johnson High School in Savannah, Ga.

“Every day, school bus drivers help keep students safe—and they also play a key role in sharing life‑saving rail safety lessons with young riders and future drivers. By sharing tips and guidance, we’re helping communities make safer choices around railroad crossings and tracks,” NS wrote in a LinkedIn post.

“Rail safety is a shared responsibility. Through education, strong partnerships, and ongoing outreach, NS is committed to protecting the people and communities we serve, 24/7/365.”

CPKC recently participated in Canada’s Trade Mission to Mexico and its visits to Mexico City and Monterrey.

This engagement brought together more than 370 Canadian business leaders representing 250 Canadian companies to meet with Mexican business counterparts and government officials to explore new opportunities to grow Canada-Mexico trade.

“Congratulations to Canada’s Minister for North American Trade Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Agriculture Heath MacDonald, Canada’s Ambassador to Mexico Cameron MacKay, and the entire delegation for leading a successful and productive mission, Canada’s largest-ever trade mission,” CPKC wrote in a LinkedIn post.

CN recently welcomed Canada’s Minister of Transport Steven MacKinnon to its Campus in Winnipeg, alongside Members of Parliament Doug Eyolfson and Kevin Lamoureux.

During the visit, they saw how every CN employee completes hands-on training before entering the field, including advanced simulators and immersive virtual reality that replicate real-world conditions. Programs such as Working at Heights VR place employees in realistic bridge and structure scenarios, reinforcing the importance of staying focused and properly secured when working at heights.

“By combining advanced simulation with innovative technology, we help ensure our employees are prepared to make safe decisions every day,” CN wrote in a LinkedIn post.

“Thank you to Minister MacKinnon and local MPs for the visit and continued dialogue on rail safety.”

The post Class I Briefs: BNSF, NS, CPKC, CN appeared first on Railway Age.

California’s Great Redwood Trail Agency (GRTA) “has not satisfied the ‘heavy burden,’ Norfolk S. Ry. 2008, AB 290 (Sub-No. 286), slip op. at 5, to justify removing the MRY Line from the interstate rail network against the carrier’s wishes under the PC&N [public convenience and necessity] test,” the STB wrote in its Feb. 19 decision (download below). “The current and future potential use of the MRY Line to support rail service is enough to outweigh the public interests described by GRTA … Denial of the proposed abandonment will therefore be consistent with the Board’s duty to preserve and promote continued rail service.”

The MRY line runs about 40 miles west to east (see map, top); at Willits, it connects to a 316-mile rail line known as the Northwestern Pacific Railroad corridor (GRTA Line), according to the STB. MRY acquired the line from California Western Railroad in 2004, and the Board noted that a tunnel located approximately three miles east of Fort Bragg has been closed since 2015, making it impossible for trains to traverse the entire length of the line. It said that the U.S. Department of Transportation in 2024 awarded MRY and its parent company, the Sierra Northern Railway, a $31.4 million Railroad Rehabilitation and Improvement Financing Loan (RRIF Loan) to finance the tunnel’s rehabilitation and certain other improvements.

While MRY operates Skunk Train excursion services between Fort Bragg and Glen Blair Junction (3.5 miles) and between Willits and Wolf Tree (16 miles), there have been no dedicated freight rail operations over its line since 2002 when Georgia-Pacific closed a Fort Bragg-based lumber mill, according to the STB. Nonetheless, the Board noted, MRY publishes a tariff for line-haul freight movements between Willits and Fort Bragg, as well as between Willits and Northspur, which is located approximately at the MRY line’s midpoint, and that MRY has occasionally performed spot moves for certain entities, transporting, for example, a milling machine by flat car for the Mendocino Land Trust and a backhoe, lumber, tools, and equipment by flat car for Camp Noyo.

According to the STB, “GRTA states that it has been directed by the State, pursuant to the Great Redwood Trail Agency Act (GRTA Act), CAL. GOV’T CODE §§ 93000-93030 (2022), to establish a long-distance recreational trail, to be known as the Great Redwood Trail, over the GRTA Line. According to GRTA, it owns the property underlying the GRTA Line from milepost 295.5 near Arcata, Cal., to milepost 63.4, located between Schellville and Napa Junction, Cal. GRTA explains that the GRTA Act expressly directs it to railbank and establish interim trail use on the GRTA Line pursuant to the National Trails System Act (Trails Act).”

The northern portion of the GRTA Line, between Eureka, Cal., and Willits, has already been authorized for abandonment by the STB and railbanked under the Trails Act, the Board wrote in its decision, and “GRTA states that it wants to seek abandonment authority for the middle portion of the GRTA Line, between the Sonoma County/Mendocino County border at milepost 89, and Willits, at milepost 139.5 (the Middle Portion), so that it can then railbank and establish interim trail use over this segment as well. GRTA states that the Middle Portion has not supported freight or passenger rail traffic in over 25 years: it has been under a Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) embargo since 1998 and ‘has not been returned to serviceable condition since [then] because of the overwhelming expense to rehabilitate it, the lack of any need for rail service on it, and the instability and flooding of the land in the right-of-way.’ But GRTA argues that it could not obtain abandonment authorization and implement the GRTA Act’s railbanking directive because a Board order authorizing the abandonment of the Middle Portion, a necessary step under the Board’s railbanking regulations, would authorize GRTA to ‘strand’ or disconnect the MRY Line from the interstate rail network, contrary to Board policy.” The STB noted that the MRY line’s connection with the Middle Portion of the GRTA Line at Willits “is its only physical connection to the interstate rail network.”

“For this reason, GRTA states that it filed the current application for adverse abandonment of the MRY Line to remove it from the interstate rail network so that GRTA can subsequently seek abandonment and railbanking authority for the Middle Portion of the GRTA Line,” the STB said. “According to GRTA, adverse abandonment is warranted because there is no present or future need for Board-regulated rail service on the MRY Line. Specifically, GRTA states that no interstate rail shipments have originated or terminated on the line since it was purchased out of bankruptcy by MRY in 2004, and that MRY has not identified a business interested in future interstate rail shipments on the MRY Line. GRTA suggests that any movement on the MRY Line necessarily must be intrastate, and thus ‘not subject to STB jurisdiction,’ because the MRY Line is no longer connected to the interstate freight rail system by virtue of the Middle Portion being embargoed and inoperable.”

The STB “has exclusive and plenary jurisdiction over rail line abandonments in order to protect the public from an unnecessary discontinuance, cessation, interruption, or obstruction of available rail service,” it explained, noting that the “standard that applies to any application for authority to abandon or discontinue a line of railroad, including in the third-party, or adverse (involuntary), abandonment context, is whether the present or future public convenience and necessity (PC&N) require or permit the proposed abandonment or discontinuance.” In making the PC&N finding, the STB said, “the statute requires the Board to ‘consider whether the abandonment or discontinuance will have a serious, adverse impact on rural and community development.’ The Board must also take into consideration, when making a PC&N determination, the goals of the Rail Transportation Policy (RTP) … and the ‘competing benefits and burdens of abandonment or discontinuance on all interested parties, including the railroad, the shippers on the line, the communities involved, and interstate commerce generally.’”

“GRTA has not established that the PC&N require or permit adverse abandonment,” the STB said. “Because MRY, which holds the common carrier obligation over the MRY Line, opposes abandonment, GRTA carries a ‘heavy burden’ … to make the required PC&N showing. GRTA has failed to meet its burden. First, MRY has put forth persuasive evidence that there is a potential for continued freight service on the MRY Line: portions of the MRY Line are operable (and operating), and MRY has taken significant steps to make the entire line operable; MRY holds itself out as a common carrier, including by publishing a tariff, and has provided occasional freight rail service; and MRY has taken reasonable steps to secure regular freight traffic once the line becomes fully operational. Second, GRTA has not overcome this ‘near dispositive’ factor. GRTA’s stated reason for seeking the adverse abandonment of the MRY Line—to facilitate development of a recreational trail on an adjacent rail corridor—is not sufficient to overcome the potential for continued spot moves and future regular service on the MRY Line, even assuming that trail and rail uses were incompatible. Moreover, nothing in the record indicates that there is such incompatibility for the Middle Portion of the GRTA Line. Indeed, no facts in the record suggest that the development of a recreational trail within the GRTA Line’s right-of-way would not be possible, provided doing so would not interfere with future rail service. Such dual use, however, would not take place under the auspices of the Board’s Trails Act regulations because, due to the Board’s precedent against stranded rail segments, the Board will not authorize abandonment of the Middle Portion while the MRY Line remains within the Board’s jurisdiction.”

Board Members Patrick Fuchs (Chairman), Karen Hedlund, and Michelle Schultz were in agreement, with Fuchs and Hedlund concurring in separate expressions.

“While I join today’s [Feb. 19] opinion, I write separately to focus on a potential solution to one of the driving issues in this case,” Hedlund wrote. “GRTA is statutorily charged with railbanking the Middle Portion of its line but is functionally prevented from doing so by the Board’s ‘stranded segment’ doctrine, which currently prohibits us from authorizing abandonment of a line where it would result in another line (here, MRY’s) becoming jurisdictionally disconnected from the interstate rail network. However, as was noted in the R.J. Corman case, slip op. at 7 (now-Chair Fuchs and now-Vice Chair Schultz concurring), nothing in the Trails Act requires that our implementing regulations be tied to a line’s abandonment, which could be altered to allow for railbanking upon a grant of discontinuance authority. In fact, just such a change has been proposed by the U.S. Department of Justice in EP 777, which is currently pending. See supra, n.21. I encourage the Board to explore ideas that could avoid application of the stranded segment doctrine in situations such as this and provide a path forward for GRTA to railbank the Middle Portion of its line despite our denial of its request for adverse abandonment in this case.”

Fuchs commented: “I write separately to emphasize Member Hedlund’s insights regarding potential reforms to the Board’s railbanking/interim trail use regulations. … Exploring ideas that allow railbanking/interim trail use via the Board’s discontinuance authority could provide rail carriers and prospective trail sponsors with additional, lower-burden options for mutually agreeable solutions to preserve established railroad rights-of-way, promote network connectivity, and encourage the establishment of appropriate trails. I intend for the Board to consider, in the near future, the petition in Docket No. EP 777 addressing potential reforms.”

“We appreciate the Board’s thoughtful review,” MRY President and CEO Robert Jason Pinoli said in a Feb. 20 statement. “Our focus now is simple: protect the corridor, continue investing in it, and work constructively with regional partners on long-term solutions.”

“The Board’s decision does not prevent trail development,” according to MRY. “Instead, it makes clear that recreational trail use can coexist with rail service where properly planned.” MRY said it is now calling for “renewed collaboration with the Great Redwood Trail Agency to pursue a coordinated rail-and-trail approach that serves both transportation and recreation goals.”

“We respect the GRTA’s vision,” Pinoli concluded. “Rail corridors are uniquely valuable because they can serve multiple public purposes. We are prepared to work together on a solution that preserves freight access, maintains passenger service, and expands trail opportunities for the community.”

MRY noted that it has “extensive experience developing and maintaining rail-with-trail projects in California and owns the specialized equipment required to build and steward trail infrastructure responsibly.”

To view the 2024 GRTA application for adverse abandonment, click here.

The post STB Denies California Adverse Abandonment Request appeared first on Railway Age.

A former Baltimore & Ohio GP30 is returning to Ohio thanks to a deal between the Cincinnati Scenic Railway and the Raritan Central Railway. On February 21, Cincinnati Scenic announced it was acquiring Raritan Central 5, originally B&O 6923. 

The GP30 locomotive was built in 1962 by EMD in La Grange, Ill., one of 948 built between 1961 and 1963. B&O owned 77 GP30s, and it’s likely that 5/6923 traveled through Ohio countless times during its time on the railroad. Later, it became part of the Chessie System and CSX, where it was eventually rebuilt into a GP30M with new components, new traction motors, and a reduced horsepower rating. In the 1990s, the engine was retired from the CSX roster and eventually ended up on the Raritan Central in New Jersey. 

Cincinnati Scenic, which offers excursion rides throughout Ohio, plans to paint the locomotive in a special scheme to celebrate America 250. Long-term plans call for it to be restored to its historic B&O “sunburst” livery.

—Justin Franz 

The post Ex-B&O GP30 to Return to Ohio appeared first on Railfan & Railroad Magazine.

On Feb. 23, ORCA is launching a new Tap to Pay feature allowing Sound Transit riders to use credit and debit cards, and digital wallets, to pay for transit across the Puget Sound region.

Riders simply tap their contactless Visa, Mastercard, Discover® Network, or American Express credit or debit cards, or cards in digital wallets, using Apple Pay, Google Pay, or Samsung Pay to ride. This new feature, Sound Transit says, “expands access to public transportation and supports seamless travel experiences for both daily riders and visitors alike.”

This new feature also comes as Seattle and the Puget Sound region prepare to host several large events in 2026. With many international visitors expected to travel across the region, Sound Transit says Tap to Pay “simplifies transit and aligns with global expectations for convenient payment options.”

“Making transit an easier choice is fundamental to everything we do at Sound Transit,” said Sound Transit CEO Dow Constantine. “Adding Tap to Pay as a fare option increases rider convenience and helps occasional riders get on board.”

 “Adding Tap to Pay is a major step forward in how our region moves people and delivers on our commitment to making Puget Sound a modern, transit-friendly destination,” said Christina O’Claire, ORCA Joint Board Chair and King County Metro Mobility Division Director. “By giving visitors the ability to tap and ride using the cards they already carry, ORCA is removing barriers and creating a welcoming and inclusive transit experience. This launch ensures our regional transit system is easy to use and benefits both residents and the global community we’re preparing to host.”

More information is available here.

Calgary Transit is incorporating modern sensors on its CTrain fleet “to ensure more accurate ridership estimates,” according to a Calgary Herald report.

According to the report, the agency said it has implemented automated passenger counting (APC) technology on 70% of its LRT vehicles, a percentage that, it says, “will increase as older trains are replaced with newer ones.”

“Info from the automated sensors will put Calgary Transit in a better position to make data-driven decisions in terms of planning and service delivery,” according to a city news release and as reported by the Calgary Herald.

This industry-leading technology, which has been used on Calgary’s bus fleet since 2023, consists of automated sensors that are installed at each door of the vehicle “to accurately capture when people board.”

The data, according to the Calgary Herald, “will help show ridership trends over the course of weeks, months and years,” which the news release states “can support fleet deployment that more closely reflects passengers’ needs.”

The post Transit Briefs: Sound Transit, Calgary Transit appeared first on Railway Age.

New York City-based STV on Feb. 19 reported launching a 2026-28 strategic plan that outlines how it will “sharpen its focus, expand in high-growth markets and geographies, and evolve how it delivers value to clients as infrastructure demands continue to accelerate across North America.”

The new plan builds on the 2023–2025 strategy, according to the firm that advises, plans, designs, engineers, and delivers projects in the transportation, buildings, water and facilities sectors. It also reflects “the changing infrastructure landscape, including rising power demand, supply chain reorganization and changing expectations on infrastructure-focused professional services companies,” STV reported.

The plan is said to center on the following strategic priorities:

• “Expand STV’s Business by focusing growth in high-demand markets and geographies, developing capabilities in power services and strengthening private-sector client relationships.
• “Elevate STV’s People by investing in training and skills that prepare team members to solve complex challenges now and for the future.
• “Evolve STV’s Operations through harnessing technology, refining project delivery methods and accelerating schedules.”

For more on the plan and how it will help position STV, read CEO Greg Kelly’s commentary here.

Separately, the firm earlier this month appointed Jerry Jannetti as President of Transportation South.

• STV Launches ‘Revamped’ Advisory Services Practice
• STV Opens Jacksonville Office
• Valley Metro Selects STV to Assess Environmental Design Across Rail System

Brandt on Feb. 18 reported teaming with On-Site Services to help improve rail operator access to parts and service for Brandt R5 Power Unit railcar movers across the continental U.S.

Based in Fort Worth, Tex., On-Site Services is a nationwide mobile maintenance provider for Class I and II railroads, as well as the gas, oil, and utility industries. The company’s mobile repair “minimizes downtime for operators and provides service to remote locations and on machines that are too difficult to transport for repair,” according to Brandt, which is headquartered in Regina, Saskatchewan, and services markets in Canada, the United States, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and Asia.

“We’re excited to partner with On-Site Services to back our industry-leading R5 Power Units with service that comes right to operators, wherever they’re located,” said Russell Solomon, Brandt Director of Sales-US-Wholegoods-Sales. “Brandt and On-Site are a great partnership, because we share a commitment to maintenance, safety, and customer service.”

“We’ve enjoyed working on Brandt Power Units for more than 15 years—from the very first models to the R5s,” said Jeremy Thompson, General Manager of On-Site Services. “With the intertwining of our customer base, partnering with Brandt just makes sense.”

• On the Rocks
• Brandt Expands Material Handling Division Across Canada
• Brandt Shows R5 Power Unit on Exhibition Floor

The post Supply Side: STV, Brandt appeared first on Railway Age.

Through its Responder Incident Training (RIT) program, CSX in 2025 completed 75 training sessions and equipped 5,645 first responders with the skills and knowledge needed to handle railroad-related emergencies, the Class I railroad recently reported, sharing a specially produced video (see above).

The RIT program “provides first responders, emergency managers, and public safety officials with hands-on experience and critical insights into rail incident response,” according to CSX. Training is said to focus on rail equipment familiarization, hazardous materials awareness, and coordinated emergency response, which fosters “stronger preparedness and collaboration at the local level.”

The railroad in 2025 it introduced a training locomotive, described as “a dedicated asset that provides first responders with realistic, hands-on learning opportunities.” The unit is said to help users better understand “locomotive systems and the challenges of incident response.”

“Safety is at the core of everything we do at CSX,” CSX Director of Hazardous Materials Joe Taylor said. “Through the RIT program, we’re proud to share our expertise and work alongside first responders to ensure they are well-prepared to protect their communities, our employees, and our network in the event of a rail emergency.”

In a related development, CSX TRANSFLO and the Beauharnois Fire Department recently held an emergency response drill in Quebec (see social media post below).

CSX TRANSFLO & the Beauharnois Fire Department teamed up for an emergency response drill in #Quebec. The exercise focused on enhancing #safety procedures & collaboration with local #FirstResponders, underscoring our commitment to protecting our employees, customers, &… pic.twitter.com/0oomK1YIQ4

• For CSX, $670MM Power Upgrade Order
• CSX 4Q, Full-Year ’25: ‘Challenging Year’

“Despite a year of unusual market dynamics,” BNSF’s agriculture business—from field crops to fertilizer to renewable fuels—wrapped up 2025 “with some notable achievements,” the railroad recently reported in the Rail Talk section of its website.

Corn volumes reached an “all-time annual record” and were the most since 2018, according to BNSF. “All-time annual volume records” were also broken for oil seeds/meals and ethanol.

However, “[n]o one could have predicted the trade situation that unfolded in 2025, especially with soybeans,” noted the railroad, which transports them annually from the heart of America to Pacific Northwest (PNW) export facilities. “For five consecutive months, no soybeans were exported from the U.S. to China, the world’s largest market. That hasn’t happened in at least three decades.”

While 2025 “was another great year for soybean production,” BNSF Assistant Vice President of Ag Products Marketing Matt White said, “without demand for soybean exports out of the PNW, the market needed to pivot on where soybeans needed to be shipped.”

Soybean export demand moved to the Gulf, according to the railroad, which shifted “a significant number” of shuttle trains south to the Gulf ports in September and October.

“Shout out to our operations team for handling these additional trains,” said Angela Caddell, BNSF Group Vice President of the Agricultural and Energy Business Unit. “This is way beyond what they would typically move, but they stepped up and handled the challenge extremely well.”

According to BNSF, PNW export demand resumed in late fall, and the railroad posted the highest number of PNW export deliveries in November and December since 2020.

BNSF also reported that more than a dozen new facilities opened along its lines in 2025. Among them:

• In Hager City, Wis., “[a] former rail-loading frac sand site was transformed into a rail-loading grain terminal, offering producers year-round access to our extensive network,” the railroad reported. “Operations began last spring, enabling ALCIVIA, a member-owned agricultural and energy co-op, to move grain even during winter months when other terminals are closed.”
• “In July, Central Valley Ag opened a new facility [in Courtland, Kans.] that includes a 3.5-million-gallon fertilizer plant and a grain shuttle with direct access to our rail network,” BNSF said.
• USD Clean Fuels in San Bernardino, Calif., in January 2025 opened a facility that handles renewable diesel, biodiesel and E85.

• Delivering on Our Service Promise: 2025 One of BNSF’s Best Years
• For BNSF, a $3.6B Capital Plan

CPKC recently reported via social media that it is actively testing B20 biofuels in its locomotive operations. Ten AC4400s, powered in part by “plant-based fuel,” are running in the coal loop near Golden, B.C., it said.

“Since launching our pilot in 2023, these locomotives have completed over 2,750 fueling events and have used more than 25.5 million liters of B20,” according to CPKC.

The railroad, in early 2025, published a climate mileposts report (download below) that highlighted the British Columbia pilot, saying that it had successfully conducted “more than 1,100 fueling events” in 2024. “This initiative,” it said, “in cooperation with the broader rail industry, aims to validate the operational impacts of using advanced renewable biofuel blends.”

The report also noted that CPKC is “[m]aking significant strides with our pioneering Hydrogen Locomotive Program, which has swiftly progressed from initial movement trials to recording more than 6,000 miles in freight service testing by the end of 2024”; and is “[d]oubling the size of our hydrogen test fleet in early 2025 to include three additional locomotives and an added tender car; then adding further to this test fleet with four more locomotives planned for later in 2025.” (For more on the hydrogen program, read: CPKC Hydrogen Locomotive Program Creating Innovative GHG-Reduction Solutions.)

In January 2026, CPKC announced that having completed the purchase of 100 Wabtec Evolution Series ET44AC Tier 4 locomotives, it expects to take delivery of an additional 70 this year. The Class I also said it expects to take delivery in second-half 2026 of 30 new Progress Rail EMD® SD70ACe-T4 Tier 4 locomotives; they are part of an order for 65.

• Reaching 10% Renewable Fuel in 2024 for CN’s Locomotive Fleet
• UP: Putting Biofuels to the Test

The post Class I Briefs: CSX, BNSF, CPKC appeared first on Railway Age.

Marcus “Marc” J. Molinaro, confirmed last summer as the Federal Transit Administration’s (FTA) 16th Administrator, is stepping down Feb. 20.

He reported his decision on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter:

After a record-breaking year working with @realDonaldTrump & @SecDuffy, my last day with the administration will be Friday, February 20th. I’m coming home to be closer to my family and get back into the fight. New York is being run into the ground. Stay tuned!

Molinaro, who previously served as U.S. Representative for New York’s 19th congressional district (2023-25), was nominated by POTUS 47 in February 2025 for the top FTA job. The U.S. Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee advanced his nomination in April for full Senate consideration. Molinaro succeeded Nuria Fernandez, who retired Feb. 24, 2024.

A member of the Republican Party, Molinaro was first elected to public office at the age of 18 in 1994, serving on the Village of Tivoli, N.Y., Board of Trustees. In 1995, he became the youngest mayor in the United States. He was re-elected as Tivoli Mayor five times. Simultaneously, he served four terms in the Dutchess County Legislature. From 2006 to 2011, Molinaro represented the 103rd District in the New York State Assembly, where he served as Assistant Minority Leader Pro Tempore. In 2011, he was elected Dutchess County Executive, a position he held for three terms. In 2023, he stepped down from this role following his election to Congress. Molinaro is a graduate of Dutchess Community College.

Now, after less than a year, he will leave the POTUS 47 Administration “to run for a backbench seat among the Republican minority in the New York State Assembly, according to four people directly familiar with his plans,” The New York Times reported Feb. 13. “The potential move from a position that oversees a staff of more than 600 to an office with about six aides is highly unusual in the world of politics, where ambition typically leads in only one direction, up.

“Prominent leaders on the right in New York said on Friday [Feb. 13] that they were baffled by the decision, which was first reported by Politico, particularly given the fact that Mr. Molinaro, 50, had graduated from the Assembly to higher office 15 years ago.”

According to the Times, Molinaro “did not directly comment on his political future, but late Friday [Feb. 13] he posted on X to say he would leave the [POTUS 47] administration next week to ‘get back into the fight.’”

The newspaper said that “[p]eople familiar with Mr. Molinaro’s thinking said that his reasons for leaving the [POTUS 47] administration were mostly personal. After a lifetime in elected office, he missed having his own constituency. They also said the commute from his home in the Hudson Valley to Washington had been difficult for his family. … They stressed that Mr. Molinaro, who had been a relative moderate during his one term in Congress, was not leaving because of disagreements with [POTUS 47] or his administration.”

The Times noted that the “people in question were not authorized to speak publicly about Mr. Molinaro’s plans because he remained a federal employee, subject to Hatch Act restrictions on partisan political activity.”

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