Rails & Ports

10/05/2021

Can anyone identify this train? First word is "Pacific," but the rest has been smudged out, and locomotive is perhaps heavily photoshopped to look very unusual.

Some bastards tied a dog to the tracks to stage a "hero" scene, and while I'm most pi**ed off about that, they also nearly put the train crew in the position of killing both dog and "hero." It was all over TikTok, but got taken down. Here's where I saw it on Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/lenka-love_hero-or-set-up-i-received-activity-6849800659273838592-m-uu

Watching the video shows a lot of clues to someone with West Coast knowledge.

06/22/2021

It's been a real Rails & Ports day in Boston. Spent an hour or so atop South Station with MBTA Chief Railroad Officer Ryan Coholan, then bopped over to Black Falcon Ave. to see the new neoPanamax cranes arrive for placement at Conley Terminal.

MBTA Commuter Line passengers should know that the man running the operation loves what he's doing, and is putting his all into making the operation better than it was before the pandemic. His message: Come on back! We're ready!

Conley cranes will be operational by the Fall, and Port of Boston will be able to handle up to 14K TEU ships. Will the Haul Road be able to handle that kind of traffic? Track 61, Where Are You?

06/22/2021

Big-boat cranes arriving at Boston Conley Terminal today! Is the haul road enough to make it worth a 14K TEU vessel to tie up?

06/20/2021

Hello Rails & Ports crew, visit our website to check out the recently updated subscription options. https://railsandports.com/subscribe/

Cheers!

Subscription OptionsStandard Professional annual subscriptionStandard Professional user subscription for all news. Billed annually.$495.00 every year (recurring)SubscribeStandard Professional monthly subscriptionStandard user subscription for all news. Billed monthly.$49.50 every month (recurring)Su...

06/17/2021

https://www.mynbc5.com/article/regional-transportation-project-gaining-local-support/36745861

Mayor Miro Weinberger joining other New England mayors in support of the North Atlantic Rail Alliance's proposal for electric, high-powered trains.

06/08/2021

Some drivel for RPO friends and foes:

With apologies to Ernest Lawrence Thayer, author of "Casey at the Bat."

05/20/2021

AMTRAK is coming back to Vermont and tickets are now on sale. Services for both the Vermonter and the Ethan Allen Express trains begin on July 19, 2021. With new safety measures and real-time seat availability, now is the perfect time to plan your next travel by train.

For how to purchase and for access to a 20% discount for travel dates through October 31, 2021, visit: https://vtrans.vermont.gov/rail/providers

05/17/2021

Holy Ship Batman! Halifax and US East Coast Ports to get visit from massive 16,022 TEU vessel this week!

History will be made this week as the largest ship to ever call on North America’s east coast makes its debut calls at seven major ports in eleven days.

05/02/2021

CP: Regular Saint John Calling for Hapag Lloyd Begins in Late May

The agreement announced by Canadian Pacific and Hapag Lloyd in late 2020 is now firmly in place via a notice to customers made Wednesday, 28.April, about the startup of a weekly container service on rotation from the Mediterranean to Saint John, New Brunswick.

04/26/2021

See you there

04/24/2021

STB Rules on Request to Adopt Pre-2001 Merger Rules for CPKC

The Surface Transportation Board on Friday afternoon released its decision on the request by Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern to review their proposed merger under the pre-2001 merger rules.

04/23/2021

Port of Montreal Longshoremen Issue Indefinite Strike Notice

The Port of Montreal Longshoremen have given a 72-hour notice for an indefinite strike beginning on Monday, 26.April to the Maritime Employers Association (MEA).

04/23/2021

Looks like March 2022 at earliest for any takeover...

The STB has set forth a series of Decisions regarding the procedural schedule for the Pan Am Railways acquisition by CSXT and related transactions.

04/20/2021

CN Places Superior Bid for KCS...
https://railsandports.com/2021/04/cn-superior-bid-announced-for-kcs-acquisition/

CN is offering significantly greater value, with more up-front cash and the opportunity to participate in the better growth opportunities of the combined company and does not require CN shareholder approval.

04/02/2021

CSXT: PAR Acquisition Proposed Procedural Schedule Re-Submitted
https://railsandports.com/2021/04/csxt-par-acquisition-proposed-procedural-schedule-re-submitted/

1.April – Washington DC – As requested by the Surface Transportation Board following its decision to upgrade the CSXT Acquisition of Pan Am Systems and related transactions from a Minor to a Significant Transaction, CSXT has refiled its suggested procedural schedule for review. On March 25, in t...

04/01/2021

https://railsandports.com/2021/04/amazon-buys-pan-am/

The new rail entity will be known as Panamazon Railways (call sign: PAZ)

04/01/2021

CP: VRS, G&W Join Shippers and Railroads to Support KCS Merger
https://railsandports.com/2021/03/cp-vrs-gw-join-shippers-and-railroads-to-support-kcs-merger/

31.March – Calgary AB and Kansas City MO – Canadian Pacific Railway Limited and Kansas City Southern today announced they have received statements from nearly 260 shippers, other railroads, economic development authorities, ports, and other supporters for their planned combination that would cre...

03/25/2021

CSXT: PAR Acquisition Back to the Drawing Board or Full Steam Ahead?

Analysis of the transaction with some background information provided from various rail and governmental sources.
https://railsandports.com/2021/03/csxt-par-acquisition-back-to-the-drawing-board-or-full-steam-ahead/

A look at the Application, the STB Concerns, and where the deal goes from here and when.

03/25/2021

As there has been some questions raised over the confused terminology of the STB Decision in the CSXT-PAR acquisition, the STB has ruled that it is Significant. That is an upgrade from Minor but not to the level of Major as the CPKC deal will be treated as. There are four types of transactions and defined here:

How Transactions Are: Minor, Significant, Major, or Exempt...
https://railsandports.com/2021/02/stb-merger-process-101/

While railroads have been “deregulated” since the Staggers Act of 1980, mild government oversight does remain to protect public and shipper interests, overseen by the Surface Transportation Board (successor to the hated Interstate Commerce Commission that existed until 1996). Railroads are requi...

03/25/2021

What does a Minor filing upgraded to a Significant Transaction mean? Well, details here based on previous precedent set forth by the STB...
https://railsandports.com/2021/03/csx-par-stb-significant-transaction-no-filing-until-april/

24.March – Washington, DC – With the STB set to release the official Decision on Thursday, 25.March, a review of prior rail transactions that were upgraded from a Minor to a Significant Transaction by the Board have set a precedent that, if followed, would send the Applicants back to the drawing...

03/24/2021

UPDATED 2200 hrs 24.March:
STB Rules CSX Acquisition of PAR is Significant Transaction!
Full details from the STB Decision Now Included...
https://railsandports.com/2021/03/par-sale-stb-rules-significant-transaction/

The Surface Transportation Board has ruled in a Decision for the CSX Acquisition of Pan Am Railways, FD-36472, that the transaction would be handled as a Significant Transaction.

03/24/2021

Whether you are traveling for business or leisure, Amtrak is having a sale on tickets to cities in the Northeast.

03/23/2021

"The Connecticut River Railroad" Steps Up as Alternative Operator
Full details in the article regarding a proposed option to circumvent and increase the competition on the Conn River Line Segment.
https://railsandports.com/2021/03/pas-alternative-operator-steps-forward/

M4 Capital Group has filed an "ALTERNATIVE PURCHASE AND OPERATION PLAN" to acquire the Conn River Line, and operate it as the Connecticut River Railroad.

03/21/2021

CP, KCS Announce Merger
https://railsandports.com/2021/03/cp-kcs-merger-announced-to-create-seamless-canada-us-mexico-rail-network/

21.March.2021 – CALGARY and KANSAS CITY – Canadian Pacific Railway Limited and Kansas City Southern today announced they have entered into a merger agreement, under which CP has agreed to acquire KCS in a stock and cash transaction representing an enterprise value of approximately USD$29 billion...

02/27/2021

Better late than never! The Hapag-Lloyd ship “Glasgow Express” has arrived in the Port of Saint John and containers will be loaded to rail for inland movement by NBSR and CP.
https://www.facebook.com/584929708202742/posts/4321237384571937/?d=n

Hapag-Lloyd AG returns on this beautiful morning with Glasgow Express bringing cargo to be carried west by Canadian Pacific as part of their .

02/26/2021

CSX has filed with STB. Details should be posted on STB website today. Pan-Am employees notified last night.

Dear Employees: Last night, CSX filed its application with the Surface Transportation Board for authority to acquire Pan Am. CSXT is pursing a minor transaction which, if permitted, would establish a timeline of approximately six months for STB review. This is a necessary Governmental part of the pr...

02/26/2021

STB Stands Firm and Derails Massena Line Deal
https://railsandports.com/2021/02/stb-denies-cn-acquisition-csxt-massena-line/

Washington, DC – After multiple delays and a period of silence, the STB issued a decision on 24.February denying reconsideration of the original conditional approval of the CN/B&LE acquisition of the CSXT Massena Line.

02/01/2021

Congrats to Ron Batory for landing with RJ Corman!
https://www.rjcorman.com/newsroom/press-releases/r-j-corman-railroad-group-llc-announces-appointment-ronald-batory-board

NICHOLASVILLE, Ky – R. J. Corman Railroad Group, LLC appoints former U.S. Department of Transportation FRA Administrator Ronald L. (Ron) Batory to its Board of Directors. Prior to his service in Washington D.C., Batory spent his entire 46-year career in the railroad industry, and he retired from C...

01/31/2021

LONG UNDERSERVED, MANY RAIL OPPORTUNITIES EXIST IN MAINE'S FOREST PRODUCTS INDUSTRY

12/28/2020

https://railsandports.com/2020/12/pas-hoosac-tunnel-bends-but-doesnt-break-following-wet-christmas/

REBUILT TUNNEL WITHSTANDS HEAVY RAIN AND SNOWMELT, BUT WEST PORTAL EXTERNAL RETAINING WALL LETS GO. SERVICE RESTORED NEXT DAY.

12/26/2020

HOOSAC Landslide Outside Tunnel Altering Freight Ops...

Pan Am is reporting that at approximately 0845 hrs on 26.December, a track patrol discovered a landslide outside the west portal of the PAS Hoosac Tunnel. The debris was reported as at least eight inches of stone and mud over the rail head.

An updated report indicates that there was also flowing water from the brook that was rerouted as part of the tunnel repairs earlier this year.

Track department crews and reportedly an engineer is enroute to assess and repair. Part of a retaining wall was also reported as involved.

Trains impacted by the landslide:
PAS 16R - planned 2100 hrs tonight
PAS RJED - tying down at Hoosick Jct.
PAS EDRJ - originally planned 1300 at East Deerfield; pushed back to 1700 hrs
PAS 23K planned for 1400 hrs; pushed back to 1800 hrs.
PAS 22K Not running today on PAS.

Updates as received...

12/24/2020

Preservation news on Christmas Eve...
https://www.facebook.com/134049563667275/posts/1013876655684557/?d=n

12/22/2020

CP completes acquisition of Detroit River Rail Tunnel


CALGARY, Dec. 22, 2020 - Canadian Pacific announced today it has completed its previously announced agreement to purchase an 83.5 percent stake in the Detroit River Rail Tunnel from certain affiliates of OMERS, the defined benefit pension plan for municipal employees in the province of Ontario. CP previously owned a 16.5 percent stake of the tunnel in partnership with OMERS. The purchase price for the transaction is approximately US$312 million, subject to customary closing adjustments.

12/16/2020

PAS: Clash of the Titans
https://railsandports.com/2020/12/pas-battleground/

NS HAS PUT A LOT INTO PAS, AND EVERYONE ELSE HAS BENEFITED. PAR SALE WILL QUALIFY AS CHANGE OF CONTROL, AND PUT NS IN THE PATRIOT CORRIDOR DRIVER'S SEAT.

12/16/2020

Pete Buttigieg will be the new Secretary of Transportation. Buttigieg will bring stature, management chops and an understanding of rural America. But politico says "Buttigieg's landing spot comes as a surprise given his thin transportation policy resume."