Editors' Posts - Archives

In the railroad industry, there are countless men and women worthy of award-winning status. Their dedication to their jobs, in many cases, quite literally makes the world go 'round. Each year, the League of Railway Industry Women selects one of the...

Today, cyber attackers are more technologically savvy and able to take advantage of e-security weaknesses. As a result, railroads aren’t just on the alert for the generic cyber invasion, they also need to be prepared to fend off hackers and other...

By their very nature, public transit agencies and passenger railroads are eco-friendly entities. They provide millions of people with rides to work or school every day, which keeps millions of cars off public roads and highways. But that’s not...

As many U.S. railroads continue to implement positive train control, upgrade infrastructure to keep pace with increased traffic demands or improve electrified systems, they're relying on power conversion systems to help in those areas. And a number...

In spring 2007, I visited Caltrain's San Carlos, Calif., headquarters to interview senior executives about the inner workings of the agency, their challenges and top priorities. What I left with was far more specific. Caltrain Executive Director Michael...

During a recent interview, new Patriot Rail CEO John Fenton told me he was a "Deming" person, citing a quote from statistical quality control (and other adjectives) guru W. Edwards Deming: "If you can't describe what you are doing as...

Does it seem like more people in society today are forgetting their manners? Some regular users of passenger-rail services seem to think so, according to the folks at Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority. In response to customer complaints about...

What do you get when you combine a century-old piece of steel rail, a few scrapped wood ties and a creative eye? If you guessed a piece of furniture (and I’m thinking you didn’t), you’d be right on track. Robert Hendrick, owner of railroad...

Before I rode a Florida East Coast Railway train from Jacksonville to Miami in late May, I spent some time at CSX Corp.'s Jax headquarters meeting with several senior executives, including new CFO Oscar Munoz and new CFO Fredrik Eliasson. We talked...

This week’s poll question on ProgressiveRailroading.com asks viewers to indicate whether they think the U.S. rail system has a safety problem. The question stemmed from a letter U.S. Sens. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.), John “Jay” Rockefeller...

In yesterday's column, George Will slams California and Gov. Jerry Brown for pursuing high-speed rail in a state struggling to pay its bills. What do you think of Will's views on this topic and of California's pursuit of high-speed (or higher...

Earlier today, Union Pacific Railroad announced its new website called “UP Voices” — www.upvoices.com . The Class I is encouraging UP employees, retirees, family members and friends to use UP Voices to advocate on behalf of the company...

Later today, House Republicans will unveil their long-awaited surface transportation bill. According to The Washington Post , the bill will include a proposal to allow states to increase limits on truck weight and size. Any thoughts on what the higher...

The California High-Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA) is set to launch construction on the initial segment of its high-speed rail line in the Central Valley this fall. But will it happen? In recent months, a series of issues have been raised that have drawn...

On CNBC’s “Fast Money” program, several analysts weighed in on two Class Is’ investment-worthiness as part of a feature called “Take Your Positions.” Trader Mike Murphy touted CSX Corp. stock as a “buy”...

If you haven't yet seen the video clip of billionaire — and lifelong rail fan — Warren Buffett playing the ukulele and singing, "I've Been Working on the Railroad," here it is: http://bit.ly/yqBZeR The video clip reportedly...

Union Pacific Corp.’s third-quarter earnings conference on Oct. 20 included a newbie: Lance Fritz. He became executive vice president of operations on Sept. 1 to succeed long-time operations guru Dennis Duffy. During his first stab at an operational...

I listened in on CSX’s third-quarter earnings conference this morning and got a pretty good handle on the drivers for the Class I’s stellar financial performance, as well as the few hindrances to growth. Follow this link to read an article...

Here’s a human interest story that should interest long-time railroaders. The world’s oldest man is a former career rail worker, according to the Transportation Communications Union (TCU). The Guinness Book of World Records recently recognized...

I listened in on CN’s and UP’s second-quarter earnings conferences on July 22, and I thought I’d share a few tidbits that I found interesting. During CN’s presentation, President and CEO Claude (that’s “Clode”...

CSX Corp.’s second-quarter earnings conference included the usual breakdowns of traffic volume, revenue generation and income. But the webcast and teleconference held the morning of July 13 also provided some atypical morsels of information. For...

In March, the U.S. trade gap widened to $40.4 billion from February's $39.4 billion, according to an IHS Global Insight international trade balance report. Sounds like bad news, right? Not necessarily. March export volumes rose 3.4 percent and value...

On May 11, I had the rare opportunity to see the largest stretch of new track built in Indiana since World War II. Indiana Rail Road Co. (INRD) President and CEO Tom Hoback was kind enough to invite me aboard the “President’s Special”...

I just got back from Orlando, Fla., where the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA) held its 97th annual convention May 1-4. Good thing the event was held indoors because it was 90-plus degrees outdoors with stifling humidity...