Chuck Baker, President, ASLRRA
Commentary

Dysfunctional Washington Must Not Slow Us Down

ASLRRA PERSPECTIVE, RAILWAY AGE OCTOBER 2023 ISSUE: As this column is written, the federal government is either shut down or operating under a short-term Continuing Resolution. Whether shut down or just limping along, there appears to be little appetite for compromise between the warring factions in Congress. Be that as it may, the short line industry has much government-related business to concern itself with in the coming months.

STB to AAR on Reciprocal Switching: 15 More Days to Comment

The Surface Transportation Board (STB) has partially granted the Association of American Railroads’ (AAR) request to extend the comment period for the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking issued Sept. 7, 2023 in Docket

AAR to STB on Reciprocal Switching: We Need 90 More Days

The Association of American Railroads has asked the Surface Transportation Board for a 90-day extension of the comment period for the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking issued Sept. 7, 2023 in Docket No. EP 711(Sub-No. 2), Reciprocal Switching for Inadequate Service. If granted, AAR’s request will extend the comment period to Feb. 20, 2024.

NS Bid to Acquire CSR Still Faces Legislative Hurdle (UPDATED Sept. 21)

Norfolk Southern is looking to purchase the 338-mile Class II Cincinnati Southern Railway (CSR), which it and its predecessor railroads have been operating under a 141-year-old lease agreement with its owner, the

STB: Rail Cost Adjustment Factor Set for 4Q23

The Surface Transportation Board (STB) has adopted for fourth-quarter 2023 the rail cost adjustment factor (RCAF), defined as “an index formulated to represent changes in railroad costs incurred by the nation’s largest railroads over a specified period of time.”

‘Poor Service’ Drives STB’s Proposed Reciprocal Switching Rule (Updated, TD Cowen Commentary)

The Surface Transportation Board (STB) on Sept. 7 issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) that it said focused on “providing rail customers with access to reciprocal switching as a remedy for

STB: Five Class I’s Revenue Adequate for 2022

The Surface Transportation Board (STB) has found five U.S. Class I railroads to be revenue adequate for 2022: BNSF, CSX, Norfolk Southern, Soo Line (the U.S. affiliate of Canadian Pacific), and Union Pacific.

AAR Backs BNSF, Calls STB Common Carrier Obligation Decision ‘Disastrous’

The Association of American Railroads (AAR) supports BNSF’s appeal of the Surface Transportation Board’s (STB) recent preliminary injunction requiring the Class I to this year transport millions of tons of coal from Navajo

Berkshire & Eastern Readies for PAS Operations

Nearly 18 months after CSX acquired Pan Am Systems, Inc. and its short line subsidiaries, Berkshire & Eastern Railroad is set to take over as operator of Pan Am Southern LLC (PAS).

People News: STB, NS

The Surface Transportation Board (STB) appoints a labor representative to the Railroad-Shipper Transportation Advisory Council (RSTAC). Also, a Norfolk Southern (NS) employee has been chosen to Chair the Southern Economic Development Council.

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