Latest news with #Trains
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
CSX rebounds from service problems and sluggish operations
CSX has fully bounced back from a bout of operational challenges that began with hurricanes last fall and worsened after the Feb. 1 closure of the Howard Street Tunnel in Baltimore, CEO Joe Hinrichs tells Trains. The railroad's on-time performance in May, measured by trip plan compliance for intermodal and carload shipments, has returned to December levels. 'I've learned enough from Mother Nature to never call the all clear. But we feel really good about the state of our railroad right now,' Hinrichs said in an interview on Wednesday. 'The yards are in good shape. The network is performing back to where it was in '23. And so the team's done a great job … quickly getting the network back.' CSX (NASDAQ: CSX) was already struggling operationally when it shut down the Howard Street Tunnel for a six-to-eight-month double-stack clearance project. This forced the railroad to detour more than 16 trains per day. The tunnel is a key link in both the north-south Interstate 95 Corridor and the east-west corridor that connects Baltimore with the Midwest and with coal mines in West Virginia and Pennsylvania. By the first week in April, the CSX network had slowed to levels not seen since the 2022 service crisis caused by widespread crew shortages at all four big U.S. railroads. The latest performance metrics, released Wednesday, tell the story of how CSX turned its operations around over the past seven weeks: Terminal dwell has improved 20.2% compared to the worst week this year. Average train velocity is running 15.4% above the lowest level posted this year. The number of cars online, a key indication of congestion, has decreased 11.7% compared with this year's high point. And CSX is running faster than last year at this time, too. Last week's dwell was 5.9% lower than the same week last year, while velocity was 3.4% higher. As a result, combined trip plan compliance for intermodal and carload traffic stood at 82.5% in May – up from 68.1% in early April and in line with December 2024's 82.7%. The number of cars online is currently 0.7% higher than a year ago. But that figure reflects extended transit times related to detouring traffic around the Howard Street Tunnel and the out-of-service Blue Ridge Subdivision, which has been closed since September due to extensive damage from Hurricane Helene. The recovery came faster than initially expected. Executives had said service improvements wouldn't come overnight and that the Howard Street and Blue Ridge Sub detours would continue to weigh on the railroad until the projects are completed in the fall. 'I'm proud of the team, but I'm not surprised because I know the capability of this organization,' Hinrichs said. Hinrichs says he also wasn't surprised by the fragility of the network given a string of unusual events. Sixty miles of the Blue Ridge Sub — the former Clinchfield Railroad on the rugged North Carolina-Tennessee border — were wiped off the map in September. Hurricane Milton struck the Southeast right on the heels of Hurricane Helene. Midwestern yards were congested when CSX shut down the Howard Street Tunnel. And then recovery efforts were complicated by spring flooding that hit Kentucky and Tennessee. 'In hindsight, we should have made sure that those yards were in better shape before we took the Howard Street Tunnel down,' Hinrichs said. 'I don't expect we'll have that kind of sequence of events happen again, but we did learn some lessons. Clearly, we've got to keep our yards in great shape. And we have to make sure that we stick to our … service plans, because therein lies our success.' If there is another weather-related disruption, Hinrichs says CSX will be better prepared to respond because the network is running well. 'We're in good shape now and, obviously, our plan and our goal is to keep it running there. What's encouraging is we're getting to these levels before we get the Blue Ridge and Howard Street Tunnel back. So we run like this now and we get those two … projects completed, we're going to be even in better shape.' CSX's operational problems followed a familiar pattern: As a railroad slows down and gets congested, it eventually runs into crew and locomotive shortages, which makes it harder to run to the operating plan — much less clear congestion. And when transit times rise, customers add cars to the system, which further snarls operations. But what made CSX's 2025 meltdown unusual was that it was not accompanied by a wave of customer complaints. Hinrichs credits this to proactive communication with shippers and close coordination between customer service and operations. The customer service team asked customers to prioritize their shipments. The information was then passed along to operations, which put an emphasis on moving the hot cars. In some instances, CSX trucked containers and trailers around rail congestion so that they would arrive on time. 'We did a number of extraordinary things to keep our service focused on our customers and to respond to customer needs,' Hinrichs said. 'And so what we found really important to customers was visibility and proactive communication. And I think that's why you didn't hear a lot of complaints.' CSX took several steps to clear congestion. Among them: pulling 45 locomotives from storage, ordering 20 additional locomotive rebuilds, adjusting engineering work blocks to align with natural lulls in traffic, storing 2,000 cars, and collaborating with customers and shortline railroads to pre-block traffic and increase the frequency of interchanges. Hinrichs says the railroad was adequately staffed on the routes that have had to shoulder the burden of the Howard Street Tunnel and Blue Ridge Sub detours, which account for about 12% of the railroad's daily train starts. But crew supply got tight once congestion put crews and locomotives out of position. To boost crew levels, the railroad temporarily transferred crews to 13 locations and consolidated extra boards at eight locations. Hinrichs also made two appeals to train crews and other employees to make themselves available, particularly on weekends, to help get traffic moving. Did those bulletins make an impact? 'I'll just say I'm really proud of how our team responded. I believe in treating all of our 23,000 railroaders as equals and I felt they needed to know what was happening and what help was needed and where we needed additional help. And they responded,' Hinrichs said. Independent analyst Anthony B. Hatch says CSX did a remarkable job turning its operations around. To please customers, the railroad has been absorbing the extra costs related to the detours. 'So CSX is taking the hit, not shippers,' Hatch said. CSX's first-quarter profits fell as congestion hurt volumes and revenue while driving up the railroad's expenses. Related: Weather issues, tunnel work cost CSX $1 million a day in first quarter The post CSX rebounds from service problems and sluggish operations appeared first on FreightWaves.
Scoop
5 days ago
- Business
- Scoop
Trains To Huapai Public Meeting
Press Release – Public Transport Users Association Transport advocacy groups the Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) and Campaign for Better Transport (CBT) are hosting a public meeting to discuss Trains to Huapai at St Chad's Church, 7 Matua Rd, Huapai, at 1.30pm on Saturday 7 June 2025. Northwestern residents in urban Huapai-Kumeu and surrounds, arguably have the most stressful commute in the country, and inadequate public transport. The two-lane State Highway 16 has 16,000 more vehicles than the Waikato Expressway, 10,000 more than Transmission Gully and 12,000 more than the Puhoi to Warkworth motorway. Auckland Transport's 'solution' only offers a rapid busway in 10-20 years which will require the demolition of the Kumeu/Huapai central business the people need public transport now and rail is the best and easiest option which could be delivered in short order. Trains to Huapai services could use existing infrastructure. A crossing loop is available at Waitakere to run an hourly shuttle to Swanson and half hourly in the rush hour. The Waitakere tunnel is fit for electrification, hybrid-electric, or fully diesel trains. Three privately owned train sets are available for use. A four carriage train set could be provided for $150k within six months – so a rail service could be in place when the City Rail Link opens. A private investor is prepared to pay for the service for five years. KiwiRail initially said the cost for such a service was $145m. They now say it is now $20m. PTUA analysis says it could be done for $8.2m to $9.2m. So it's affordable, doable and timely to deliver comfortable, efficient and fast Train services to Huapai now. Campaigners have had the Trains to Huapai proposal blocked by Auckland Transport and more recently, by KiwiRail with a very 'can't do' attitude which they say 'is now bordering on ridiculous.' PTUA chair Niall Robertson says 'We believe that both AT and KiwiRail are reneging on their responsibilities to provide appropriate and needed transport services to the Northwestern community, especially as funding will be provided for five years from a private source with no need for ratepayer or taxpayer input.' CBT convener Jodi Johnston says, 'This is an innovative, novel solution to this problem at no cost to ratepayers or taxpayers which is being deliberately blocked by officials, despite support for the idea from both local and national politicians'. The PTUA and CBT urge Auckland Transport (AT) and KiwiRail to acknowledge the need for the service and for the politicians to deal with AT and KiwiRail and get things moving now! Guests invited to talk at the public meeting are: Greg Sayers, councillor for Rodney, Guy Wishart, local Rodney board member, Kerrin Leoni whau councillor and mayoral candidate, Niall Robertson, chair of the Public Transport Users Association, Jodi Johnston, convener of the Campaign for Better Transport. The MC will be Christine Rose, Local resident, past chair of the PTUA and past Auckland Regional Councillor. We have apologies from, The Honourable Chris Bishop, Minister of Transport, The Honourable Winston Peters, Minister of Rail, the Mayor of Auckland, Wayne Brown, the Honourable Chris Penk, Rodney-Mahurangi MP.
Powys County Times
08-05-2025
- Business
- Powys County Times
Heart of Wales Line to celebrate Community Rail Week
The Heart of Wales Line Community Rail Partnership is set to celebrate Community Rail Week from May 19 to 25. The week-long event, coinciding with the Railway 200 anniversary, aims to highlight the role of the railway in uniting people. A networking event will kick off the celebrations as part of the partnership's Make and Trade project. This initiative connects independent makers and traders along the Heart of Wales Line, promoting the visibility of local businesses. The event is scheduled to take place at Radnor Hills, an award-winning spring water and soft drinks manufacturer in Knighton, on May 19 from 12.30pm to 4.30pm. It will feature a short marketing session led by Megan Birch and Chris Butler from the host business, followed by a tour of the facilities. The Make and Trade project recently received funding from the Community Rail Network to produce a 50-page booklet highlighting businesses in each town along the Heart of Wales line. The brochure, showcasing attractions, shops, and unique products linked to the railway, will be distributed at tourist hotspots across the UK. Businesses interested in being featured in the brochure can apply by emailing heartwalesline@ Owen Griffkin, community rail officer, said: "This event is all about bringing people together and creating new partnerships that can make use of the railway to attract new customers. "Having the support of Radnor Hills, one of the most recognisable companies along the line, will be a real asset to the project. "The company's experience in marketing and branding will be invaluable in helping smaller, local businesses reach new audiences." The following day, May 20, will focus on the heritage of the railway as part of the national Railway 200 celebrations. A drop-in event titled Trains, Tales and Tea will take place at the new KDM Gaming Hub in the recently-renovated Automobile Palace in Llandrindod Wells. Scheduled from 2pm to 4pm, the event invites members of the public to share stories, photographs, and memorabilia connected to the railway's past. Mr Griffkin added: "Railways have shaped our communities for generations. "This event is a chance for people to share their memories and help us capture the social history of the line for future generations." The week will also include environmental enhancements, with 15 new planters being installed at five stations across Powys, supported by a Places for Nature grant from Powys County Council. This will boost biodiversity and create a more welcoming station environment for passengers and volunteers. In addition, Mr Griffkin will accompany a group of primary school pupils on their return train journey from Radnorshire Wildlife Trust's Pentwyn Farm site near Llanbister Road Station, highlighting the railway's contribution to environmental education and community involvement. Bill Freeman, Community Rail Network interim chief executive, said: "We're proud to see such a packed programme of community-led activities being held across Britain during Community Rail Week, especially during Railway 200 anniversary year. "Community Rail Week shines a spotlight on community rail partnerships and station volunteer groups and the innovative projects they deliver across Britain, bringing people together and promoting the benefits of rail."
The Guardian
01-04-2025
- The Guardian
Australian police will testify at trial of US man linked to Wieambilla shootings
Australian police officers have been given the green light to testify in the US trial of a man accused of links to the deadly Wieambilla shootings in rural Queensland. The Queensland officers will be allowed to testify in an Arizona court but will have to stick to 'neutral factual' accounts of the incident. A US federal judge will prohibit the officers giving more personal commentary that would lead the jury to 'focus on the horror' of the shootings that claimed the lives of two police, an innocent bystander and all three suspects. Two brothers, Nathaniel and Gareth Train, aged 46 and 47, used high-powered rifles during an ambush to kill Const Matthew Arnold, 26, and Const Rachel McCrow, 29, at the remote Queensland property in December 2022. Donald Day Jr, 60, from Arizona, was charged a year later in the US with making threats to public figures and FBI agents, as well as with illegal firearms possession. Day's lawyer Jon Sands early in March filed a motion to the US federal district court of Arizona seeking to prevent Queensland police officers testifying at his client's upcoming trial. 'This approach ... provides all the context necessary for the government to prove its case, without requiring the emotionally charged testimony of Australian law enforcement officials.' US prosecutors had argued the jury needed to hear from the officers because Day shared beliefs with the Trains that police and government officials were 'devils and demons' acting to enslave humanity. The prosecutors said this evidence would support their claims that Day was serious when he allegedly threatened to kill FBI agents, public health officials and other high-profile people. Judge John Tuchi published a judgment on Monday allowing the Queensland officers to testify. He found they could give evidence of Day's motive and intent when he allegedly made threats to kill in the days following the Wieambilla shooting. 'The court therefore will allow fact witness testimony as to why the constables came to be at the Trains' property that upon entering onto the property the Trains fired upon them, that the Trains killed two constables and a neighbour,' Judge Tuchi stated. The judge placed restrictions on what the Queensland officers could say on the stand. 'The court will require neutral factual descriptions, but no characterisations — for example, witnesses may describe that Gareth or Stacey shot or killed a constable, but may not state that they ambushed or murdered the officer,' Judge Tuchi stated. 'Such terms may be factually accurate, but they also are loaded, [and invite] the jury to focus on the horror of what the Trains did — for which [Day] is not responsible'. Nathaniel Train joined Gareth and his sibling's wife Stacey, 45, to fatally shoot neighbour Alan Dare, 58, soon after killing the two constables. All three Trains were shot dead by specialist police officers hours later when they refused to negotiate or surrender. Queensland officers will be able to testify about those events as well. Queensland police had proposed to send two police officers and three forensic officers to testify in the trial scheduled to begin on April 22 in Arizona.
BBC News
31-03-2025
- General
- BBC News
Hull Trains drivers strike again with eight weeks of action
Drivers at Hull Trains have started a fresh round of strike action which is expected to run until 24 May, a union has said a colleague had been unfairly dismissed after raising a safety concern about fatigue during a meeting, which the rail operator denied. The union had been calling for the company to reinstate the latest round followed walkouts by Aslef members in March and Trains said it was "disappointed" by further strike action and insisted safety was "our number one priority". Mick Whelan, Aslef's general secretary, said: "Anyone who works on the railway should be able to report a safety concern without fearing they will be penalised, punished or lose their livelihood. The company has behaved deplorably.""The company's failure to act responsibly has an impact - and enormous implications - not just for rail workers and passengers at the company but for staff and passengers right across the wider rail industry."This is a moral issue because we have a culture on the railway designed to keep everyone safe," he said.A spokesperson for Hull Trains said: "We're disappointed to receive notice of further strike action from Aslef."Safety will always remain our number one priority."Hull Trains previously said it followed highly regulated industry standard agreements and procedures for company operates services between Hull and London King's Cross, with stops at stations including Selby, Doncaster, Retford and Grantham. Listen to highlights from Hull and East Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here.
