Surging demand and a harsh winter have combined to create a cocktail of operational problems for Canadian National, with significant impacts on performance. Keith Barrow examines how the railway is working to restore the faith of its customers and build greater resilience into the system.

AMTRAK has issued a Request for Information (RFI) to explore the availability of rail vehicles to eventually replace its Amfleet I equipment, which includes single-level passenger coaches used primarily east of the Mississippi River on the Northeast Regional, Keystone, Carolinian and Illinois Service.

CANADIAN National (CN) and Vossloh have signed a multi-annual framework contract for the supply of turnouts, following on from a similar agreement for concrete sleepers, which was signed in April.

UNITED States transportation secretary Mrs Elaine Chao attended a groundbreaking ceremony at the site of the future Union Square station in Somerville, Massachusetts, on June 25 to mark the official start of construction on the extension of Boston’s light rail Green Line.

CANADIAN Pacific (CP) has awarded Progress Rail a contract to rebuild 30 EMD SD90MAC six-axle diesel locomotives to SD70ACU specification.

BRIGHTLINE, which recently began operating a passenger service between Miami and West Palm Beach, has confirmed that it has submitted an unsolicited proposal to develop a high-speed line between Orlando and Tampa.

CANADA’s national passenger rail operator Via Rail announced on June 18 that Bombardier Transportation Canada, Siemens Canada, Stadler US and Talgo have been shortlisted to participate in the Request for Proposals (RFP) to manufacture a new fleet of inter-city trains for the Quebec City - Windsor Corridor.

A subsidiary of Watco Companies, United States, is developing plans to launch passenger services between Oklahoma’s two largest cities.

THE city of Gatineau, Quebec, has unveiled proposals for a 26km light rail network which, according to its promoters, will help encourage movement of the population in the west of the city to downtown Gatineau and Ottawa, Ontario.

GE Transportation confirmed on June 21 that the Mexican and US rail subsidiaries of Kansas City Southern will acquire a combined total of 50 GE Evolution Series locomotives.