Southco, Inc., a producer of engineered access products, has recently expanded its line of rotary latching solutions with the launch of the R4-81 Rotary Latch with Paddle Actuator. The newest addition to the R4 Rotary Latch series combines a compact rotary latch with a heavy-duty paddle actuator, enabling direct actuation without the need for a connected cable.
The 55th annual recipient of Railway Age’s Railroader of the Year Award is Genesee & Wyoming Inc. Chairman, President and CEO John C. “Jack” Hellmann, leader of the world’s largest short line and regional railroad holding company, with 122 properties in five countries operating more than 15,000 miles of rail lines.
Port Clinton, Pa.-based Class II railroad Reading & Northern (R&N) set a business record in 2017, handling 31,175 carloads—a 15% increase over 2017, and a cumulative 50% increase over the past five years. Anthracite coal traffic played an important role.
Operation Lifesaver, Inc., the national nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting safety at railroad crossings and along railroad rights-of-way, has developed new materials for its trained volunteer speakers to use in safety presentations with students in kindergarten through middle school.
On Dec. 18, 2017, Amtrak 501, the first Cascades passenger train operating over the Point Defiance Bypass in Washington State, careened off the rails as it entered a 30-mph speed-restricted curve at 80 mph. The investigations into the accident’s cause may take a year, even two.
Port Clinton-based Reading & Northern Railroad set a new record with its passenger services in 2017. Almost 120,000 people rode on Reading & Northern and Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway passenger services, a 15% increase from 2016’s record-breaking year when Reading & Northern broke the 100,000-passenger mark for the second time running.
The Red River Valley & Western Railroad (RRVW) on Jan. 1 began 2018 with the new executive leadership team of Victor Meyers as President and Mark Wegner as Chief Executive Officer.
Total U.S. rail traffic was 397,032 carloads and intermodal units for the week ending Dec. 30, down 6.8% compared with the same week in 2016, according to the Association of American Railroads.
More than 600 people have registered for the 250th meeting of the Midwest Association of Rail Shippers (MARS) that will be held January 16–18, 2018 in Lombard, Ill. The theme for the meeting is “Can Rail Pick Up Transportation Capacity Shortfall?”
Rep. Bill Shuster (R-Pa.), Chairman of the U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, will not seek re-election in November 2018, the mid-term elections.