Freight Tracks issue #37

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A decade on: the burning

A runaway freight train exploded in Lac-Mégantic,

LAC-MÉGANTIC, Quebec, continues to witness the passage of freight trains, serving as a constant reminder to its 5750 residents of the catastrophic incident that occurred a decade ago, shattering a tranquil summer night and devastating their city. In the early hours of July 6 2013, amidst the vibrant atmosphere of the Musi-Café bar, customers engaged in social activities, while others peacefully slumbered in their nearby apartments, oblivious to the impending danger.

Unbeknownst to them, an uncontrolled freight train was hurtling towards them at ap-

proximately 65 mph (105 km/h). It consisted of 72 tank cars laden with crude oil extracted from North Dakota's Bakken field. At approximately 01:15, it derailed, setting off a series of explosions. The ensuing inferno engulfed the bar, reducing it to ashes and ravaged a significant portion of the city's downtown area, going on to claim the lives of 47 individuals. The impact was particularly severe within Lac-Mégantic's town centre, as over thirty buildings, almost half of the downtown area, were obliterated. Moreover, due to petroleum contamination, all but three of the thirty-nine remaining structures necessitat-

All photos: The Transportation Safety Board of Canada/Le Bureau de la sécurité des transports du Canada (BST)

burning of Lac-Mégantic

Lac-Mégantic, Quebec, killing 47

ed demolition. Initial news reports described the blast radius as spanning a distance of one kilometre (0.6 miles).

Situated east of Montreal, approximately 155 miles (250 km) away, merely 20 miles (32 km) from northern Maine, Lac-Mégantic nestles in a captivating region of Quebec renowned for its charming hills and serene lakes. As trains make their way towards the town, they traverse a lengthy downward slope, eventually reaching a point where the tracks gracefully curve.

This calamity stood as the most devastating rail accident witnessed in North America in nearly a century.

The accident

The disaster unfolded when an unattended 73car freight train operated by Montreal, Maine and Atlantic Railway (MMA) experienced a derailment in the downtown area. This followed a downhill descent with a gradient of 1.2% while carrying crude oil. This catastrophic event culminated in a series of explosions and a raging fire, causing the unfortunate loss of life of forty-seven individuals. The freight train, designated MMA 2, was 1433 m (4701 ft) long and weighed 10,287 tonnes (10,125 long tons; 11,339 short tons). The train was composed of:

MMA C30-7 #5017 (ex-BN)

a remote-control "VB" car (a former caboose) used to house the Locotrol equipment necessary for MMA's single-engineer train operation

MMA C30-7 #5026 (ex-BN)

CITX SD40-2 #3053 (ex-CP #5740)

MMA C30-7 #5023 (ex-BN)

CEFX SD40-2 #3166 (ex-UP #3360)

a loaded box car used as a buffer car

72 non-pressure dangerous goods DOT-111 tank cars loaded with Bakken Formation crude oil (Class 3, UN 1267). Each tank car carried 113,000 litres (25,000 imp gal; 30,000 US gal) of crude oil.

The oil, shipped by World Fuel Services subsidiary Dakota Plains Holdings, from New Town, North Dakota, originated from the Bakken Formation.

The destination was the Irving Oil Refinery in Saint John, New Brunswick. Shipment of the oil was contracted to CPR, which transported it on CPR tracks from North Dakota to the CPR yard in Côte-Saint-Luc, a Montreal suburb. CPR sub-contracted MMA to transport the oil from the CPR yard in Côte-Saint-Luc to the MMA yard in Brownville Junction. CPR also sub-contracted NBSR to transport it from the MMA yard in Brownville Junction to the final destination at

the Saint John refinery.

Ministry of Transport senior inspector Marc Grignon opined: “When the shipper is based outside Canada, the importer becomes the shipper.” Irving Oil Commercial was the shipper in this case. Some 3830 rail cars of Bakken crude were shipped by 67 trains in the nine-month period preceding the derailment.

The runaway train, without anyone at the controls after a stop at Nantes for a crew change, derailed at approximately 01:20 and four of its cars exploded.

After the accident the railway's safety record was called into question. The train had been left unattended and improperly secured overnight on the mainline, with one locomotive running, on a -0.92% grade leading 18 km (11 miles) from Nantes, Quebec downhill to a 10 mph (16 km/h) curve where the line entered downtown Lac-Mégantic. By then the track had fallen 360

ft over 7.2 miles. The railway air brakes appear to have released after a local fire brigade shut down the locomotive to extinguish a fire in the engine, allowing the oil-laden cars to roll downhill into the town as an insufficient number of hand brakes had been applied to hold the train.

Following the accident, the MMA ceased operations on its lines between Lac-Mégantic and Jackman, Maine, effectively severing rail transport on its lines between Maine and Quebec, though rail traffic continued outside the affected area. MMA’s aggregate gross revenue dropped two-thirds, losing $1 million per month in revenue on the broken line.

On July 30 2013, the Maine Department of Transportation established contingency plans for MMA's rail clients, contacting every Maine freight railroad to find an operator to carry local factory freight should MMA completely cease operation. These plans were developed due in part to US federal law, which requires that a

trustee step in to keep a bankrupt rail line operating until a buyer is found, due to the railway's status as a monopoly in many communities.

Aftermath

The majority of the residents who were evacuated were able to return to their homes within a three-day period, with only 800 individuals remaining displaced. Furthermore, by the sixth day, all but 200 residents were able to go back to their homes. Unfortunately, it was reported that at least twenty individuals did not have a home to return to. Although there were reports of homes being broken into during the evacuation, the police denied any incidents of looting.

While the exact cause of the disaster was still being investigated by the provincial authority Sûreté du Québec (SdQ) and the Canadian federal agency Transportation Safety Board (TSB), the railway suspended the engineer for allegedly mishandling the handbrakes on the rail cars. The MMA instructed its employees not to co-operate with the police without consulting the company's legal team. In support of the engineer, a former colleague established a legal defense fund based in Albany. On July 25, the Sûreté du Québec conducted a raid on MMA offices in Farnham as part of a criminal investigation into the fatalities in Lac-Mégantic. Additionally, on August 1 the TSB, backed by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), conducted a search.

Raymond Lafontaine, a local contractor who suffered the loss of his son, two daughtersin-law, and an employee, expressed concerns about the poor condition of the MMA-owned track and the increasing transportation of dan-

gerous goods through downtown areas by rail, not only in Lac-Mégantic but also in cities like Sherbrooke. He requested that the tracks be repaired and rerouted to bypass the central part of the town.

After effects

According to the Railway Investigation Report R13D0054 by the Transportation Safety Board of Canada, to secure the train the engineer applied hand brakes on all five locomotives and two additional cars, leaving only the lead locomotive operational. Railway regulations dictate that hand brakes alone must be capable of holding a train, as verified through a test. However, on that night, the locomotive air brakes were inadvertently left engaged during the test, resulting in the train being secured by a combination of hand brakes and air brakes. This created a false impression that the hand brakes alone would be sufficient to hold the train.

Subsequently, the engineer contacted the rail traffic controller in Farnham, Quebec, to confirm the train's security. Following this, the engineer communicated with the rail traffic controller in Bangor, Maine, who managed movements for crews east of Lac-Mégantic. During the conversation, the engineer reported ongoing mechanical difficulties with the lead locomotive throughout the trip, along with the excessive emission of black and white smoke from its smokestack. It was decided to leave the train as is, anticipating the smoke to dissipate and addressing the situation the following morning.

Shortly after the engineer departed, the Nantes Fire Department responded to a 911 call

reporting a fire on the train. In compliance with railway instructions, the firefighters shut off the locomotive's fuel supply and turned the electrical breakers inside the cab to the off position. They encountered an MMA employee, a track foreman dispatched to the scene but lacking a background in locomotive operations.

After successfully extinguishing the fire, the firefighters and track foreman discussed the train's condition with the rail traffic controller in Farnham before leaving the site. With all locomotives shut down, the air compressor no longer supplied air to the air brake system. As air gradually leaked from the brake system, the primary air reservoirs depleted, leading to a gradual reduction in the effectiveness of the locomotive air brakes. Shortly before 1 a.m., the air pressure dropped to a critical level where the combination of locomotive air brakes and hand brakes could no longer hold the train. Consequently, it began rolling downhill towards Lac-Mégantic, covering a distance of just over seven miles.

As the train descended the grade, its speed increased, reaching a maximum velocity of 65 mph before derailing near the town's centre.

Safety action following the accident

In the aftermath of the incident, the Transportation Safety Board (TSB) effectively communicated crucial safety information regarding the securement of unattended trains, the classification of petroleum crude oil, rail conditions at Lac-Mégantic, and the employee training programs of short line railways. Concurrently, MMA undertook decisive actions, including the discon-

tinuation of single-person train operations, cessation of moving unit trains of petroleum crude oil, and an increase in testing and enforcement of operating rules.

Transport Canada also played a significant role by implementing various initiatives. These included the issuance of an emergency directive that prohibited trains carrying dangerous goods from operating with single-person crews. Furthermore, specific sections of the Canadian Rail Operating Rules were revised, and proposals for new tank car standards were introduced.

2014 sale

In January 2014, MMA’s assets were auctioned and sold to Railroad Acquisition Holdings to maintain the railway as a functioning business. Railroad Acquisition Holdings made the sole bid of $14.25 million in December 2013, expressing interest in acquiring the entire MMA system. The sale was officially announced in mid-February 2014, coinciding with the registration of the new railroad named Central Maine and Quebec Railway (CMQ) in the United States and Canada. The transaction was completed in March 2014.

Following court approval of the sale, Great Northern Paper, a company operating in East Millinocket, announced the temporary closure of its mill for 16 weeks. This announcement occurred a few hours after the sale was finalized.

On January 30, the trustees representing the bankrupt railway filed a lawsuit in the United States, alleging negligence on the

part of World Fuel Services. The lawsuit claimed that World Fuel Services had failed to properly label the train's hazardous cargo. The trustees argued that if the true volatility and flammability of the cargo had been accurately disclosed on shipping documents, MMA procedures would have prevented the train from being left unattended on a main rail line. Subsequently, on May 12 2014, the Montreal, Maine and Atlantic Railway faced 47 counts of criminal negligence. This led to the arrests of engineer Thomas Harding, manager of train operations Jean DeMaître, and rail traffic controller Richard Labrie. The individuals arrested were scheduled to appear in court in Lac-Mégantic.

Within Lac-Mégantic, a significant number of residents are advocating for the most robust measures possible to avert any future accidents, primarily by relocating the rail line away from the town. In 2018, both the Canadian and Quebec governments unveiled a plan to construct a rail bypass encircling the city, with an estimated minimum cost of C$400 million ($302 million) at present.

However, despite these intentions, no tangible progress has been made thus far. The 8-mile bypass project has been entangled in a state of uncertainty, primarily due to ongoing negotiations with landowners and environmental concerns.

During the commemoration ceremony marking the 10-year anniversary, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau expressed his commitment to initiating the construction of the bypass in the upcoming fall season. Furthermore, the Canadian government is set to assume ownership of the required parcels of land on August 1.

FULFILLING a commitment made in February, Norfolk

Southern Corporation announced on June 26 that it has completed the remediation of both tracks that run through East Palestine, Ohio. The removal of impacted soil from underneath and between the tracks marks another milestone in Norfolk Southern’s commitment to clean up the derailment site safely, thoroughly, and with urgency.

“We promised to listen to residents and support East Palestine for the long haul. Fully cleaning up both tracks shows that we are keeping our promises,” said Norfolk Southern President and CEO Alan H Shaw. “We fully understand our responsibility to make things right in East Palestine, and as we mark this phase of

remediation, we are dedicated to making further progress and investing in the community.”

The track remediation process included excavating impacted soil and replacing it with approved backfill material, as well as replacing the tracks. Both tracks were reinstalled under a US EPA-approved protocol that confirmed all impacted soil had been excavated. With this phase completed, rail traffic will resume a normal schedule in the coming weeks. Additional remediation work will continue at the site, including:

n Characterisation of soil in potentially impacted areas outside of the tracks

n Additional soil excavation and restoration in other impacted areas

n Management and disposal of additional waste

n Assessment and washing of Sulphur and Leslie Run

Regular testing continues to show the air and water are safe. To date, the company has excavated and transported more than 73,000 tonnes of soil off-site for proper disposal.

Additionally, over 20 million gallons of impacted water have been recovered and transported off-site. All of Norfolk Southern's site work has been supervised by the US and Ohio Environmental Protection Agencies and Unified Command.

Norfolk Southern has also made significant investments in the East Palestine community. In the last few

NS remediationcompletes underneath both tracks in East Palestine

weeks, the company has opened a new, centralised Family Assistance Center, donated a historic train depot to the village and funded development of a master plan for the city park.

To date, Norfolk Southern has committed and invested more than $62.3 million to initiatives aimed at restoring and supporting the community. Additional community efforts are underway, with more to be announced in the months ahead.

Rail freight under

IN limbo for years, plans for a tunnel linking Spain and Morocco have been officially revived. Seen as one of the most ambitious undersea projects in the world, the tunnel plan features a double-rail track and additional service line stretching 38.5 km, of which 28 km would run under the Mediterranean at a maximum depth of 475m.

Working through a joint committee, two state-run companies, Spain's SECEGSA and Sned of Morocco have commenced feasibility studies that would, over the next four decades, involve multiple tests and preliminary drilling work.

After considering various scenarios, they agreed on a model inspired by the Channel Tunnel between Britain and France, that would run from Punta Paloma near Tarifa in southern Spain to Malabata near Tangiers in Morocco.

According to SECEGSA, the tunnel would, in the medium term, enable the annual passage of more than 13 million tons of goods and 12.8 million passengers, which could "significantly contribute" to the economic development of the western Mediterranean.

In linking the two countries' rail networks, the tunnel would "boost the European and African economies", said Claudio Olalla, an engineer and professor emeritus at Madrid's Polytechnic University who has been working on the project for some time.

The two sides discussed the vast project during a summit in Rabat earlier this year.

"We are going to give a new impetus to studies into the Gibraltar Strait link project," said Spanish Transport Minister Raquel Sanchez in a statement announcing that the joint committee grouping SECEGSA and Sned would resume talks.

Europe-Africa rail

Lone star at the epicentre of

IN less than 90 days, all of the Class 1 railroads that operate in Texas have gone on the offensive to either create new business or see how they can funnel existing freight business from their competitors, notes Texas Rail Advocates.

The latest competitive shot was fired when CPKC (newly merged Canadian Pacific/Kansas City Southern) announced a deal with Eastern powerhouse CSX Railroad to cobble together a little used connection between the two railroads that is operated by short line company Genesee

of Class 1 competition

and Wyoming in the Southeast US.

All of the railroad partnership and expansion deals announced since April 14, when the CPKC merger became official, will put Texas at the epicentre of what could be a significant increase in the amount of freight traffic in the

future.

"The competitive frenzy underway between CPKC, BNSF and Union Pacific and others will result in positive growth across the Lone Star network," according to Texas Rail Advocates President Peter LeCody. "The CPKC merger www.freight-tracks.com

kind of woke up the other sleeping giants that seemed to have been content with business the way it was. Railroads had been losing market share to the trucking industry and the CPKC North American railroad linkage may have been a needed wake-up call. We're bound to see more tonnage originate, terminate or traverse through Texas as the railroads go out for business," said LeCody.

The newly announced CSX-CPKC arrangement with use a track operated by a subsidiary of Genesee & Wyoming that runs from Meridian, Mississippi to Myrtlewood, Alabama. At present only local traffic is served and the track is only rated for speeds up to 25 miles per hour. Some sections are only rated at 10 mph (16 kph.

CPKC CEO Keith Creel indicated that the two

railroads will upgrade the rail line so it can carry more traffic and provide a new routing between the Southeast and Mexico, taking trains through Texas. According to Joe Hinrichs, CEO of CSX, the arrangement “provides shippers with a compelling transportation option with access to markets in Texas and Mexico as well as into the heart of the thriving and dynamic U.S. Southeast.”

The connection at Meridian, MS. would funnel trains directly into the DFW market on what is called the "Meridian Speedway". The 320-mile long speedway was upgraded over a decade ago from Meridian to Shreveport, Louisiana in a joint venture by Norfolk Southern (NS) and Kansas City Southern.

If regulators approve the deal, CPKC will acquire some 50 miles (80 km) of track from Myrtlewood to

Meridian and CSX would assume control of the current lease of the Meridian & Bigbee Railroad eastward to Montrogomery, Alabama. Genesee and Wyoming would still serve local customers but would receive CPKC properties in Alberta, Canada in return.

Looking back over the past 90 days, here's how the competition started to heat up:

n April 14 2023 marked the start of a new partnership between Canadian Pacific (CP) and Kansas City Southern (KCS), now known as CPKC throughout Texas and the rest of North America. The merger of the two Class 1 railroads followed a thirty day comment period after the Surface Transportation Board issued their final decision on March 15. The blending of the two railroads creates the first North American railroad in history to serve Canada, the United States and Mexico.

n April 24 2023 marked when Union Pacific, Canadian National and Grupo Mexico Transportes (GMXT) formed an alliance to compete for cross-border rail traffic. The creation of Falcon Premium intermodal service offers a Mexico-US-Canada seamless rail connection through Chicago

n. May 16 2023 Union Pacific announced faster, direct intermodal service from Texas to other key markets. and will provide a direct, quicker intermodal service from Port Houston Barbours Cut container terminal to cities north and west of Texas.

n June 2 2023 BNSF Railway initiated regular intermodal service between the Port of Houston and both its massive Alliance facility, north of Fort Worth, and onward to Denver. The twice a week service from Port of Houston to Fort Worth and weekly service to Denver follows a year of testing market demand in the busy Gulf Coast corridor.

Allaboard!A

SINCE the very earliest days of the railroad, passengers have been an important cargo. Intially, trains were for freight only and would-be pasengers would cling on to side of cars or sit inside coal wagons.

Quickly, owners and managers realised there was demand to move 'self-loading' cargo.

Freight Tracks is 100% about freight and would not normally cover passenger activutries. However, rail freight companies often get involved in passenger operations.

Here are a couple of interesting passenger developments that show sometimes freight can be more than just moving boxes.

Union Pacific: Key Partner rail service fit for

NEW high-speed rail services that allow passenger trains to travel up to 110 mph between Chicago and St. Louis got a key assist from one of the nation’s largest freight train operators – Union Pacific Railroad.

Union Pacific worked closely on the 25-year project with the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT), the lead agency that spearheaded the nearly $2 billion effort that culminates June 26 with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and the first 110 mph public train schedule on this route.

The project was a mammoth undertaking that required Union Pacific’s Engineering teams to develop new technologies to safely accommodate fast-moving passenger trains and freight trains on the same system.

It also marks a key milestone in the relationship between freight and passenger train interests and underscores what can be accomplished when the two work together. Since the early 1970s, as railroads began to specialize in freight services, there has been inherent tension between the two. This project is a shining example

of how both can co-exist and benefit from public-private partnerships and investments in rail infrastructure.

“The Illinois Department of Transportation oversaw the project, with Union Pacific as the primary partner,” said Scott Speegle, Passenger Rail and Transit Communications Manager for IDOT. “We view Union Pacific as a very important partner in this and other rail projects.”

Kicked into high gear

The new passenger speed limit, which goes into effect on Amtrak’s Lincoln Service, shaves approximately 15 minutes from the route’s existing 90 mph runtimes and 30 minutes from its initial 79 mph schedule. Passenger trains can now run at 110 miles per hour on more than 180 miles of Union Pacific’s 242-mile portion of the Chicago-St. Louis route but will be required to slow down as they enter and exit certain urban areas and one area of the route with significant curvature.

The project started approximately 25 years ago but kicked into high gear

ticket to ride

Partner on new high-speed 'RVs and Ferraris'

in 2010 after IDOT received $1.66 billion in federal funding, primarily through an American Recovery and Reinvestment Act grant.

The large-scale undertaking required rehabilitating 262 miles of mainline track, constructing more than 50 miles of second mainline

track, upgrading 212 grade crossings and rebuilding or replacing 200 bridge structures and culverts.

“The most unique thing about

this project is that we tried to find a way to successfully run freight trains that are going 60 mph and passenger trains going 110 miles per hour on the same track,” said Mark Bristol, general director – Interline Operations for Union Pacific. “It’s like having an RV and a Ferrari on the same road.”

To make it happen, Union Pacific’s Engineering team had to pioneer new technologies, including upgrading positive train control (PTC) technology to accommodate 110 mph trains. PTC technology, which helps to ensure trains remain separated, was previously designed for trains operated at up to 90 mph.

The team also implemented a new communications-based crossing system, allowing passenger trains to communicate with railroad crossing signals by wireless radio further in advance, giving trains more time to slow or stop, should some hazard at the crossing be detected.

It can take a train traveling at 110 mph almost 2 miles to stop.

“This allows faster trains to activate the crossings further in advance and earlier than they would with a conventional system,” said Greg Richardson, general director – Operating Technologies. “The crossings - in turn - report back to the train whether they are working properly or whether a highway vehicle has been detected in the crossing or other hazards.”

Project leaders overcame several challenges along the way. The upgraded PTC technology, for example, had to be tested by Union Pacific and Amtrak and was the first of the type commonly utilized by freight railroads to be certified for 110 mph operation by the Federal Railroad Administration. The project also involved negotiations with leaders in several municipalities to build tracks and crossings that would provide optimal safety for residents and passengers on the faster trains.

“At the end of the day, we successfully completed a project in the spirit of a true partnership,” said John Jerome, general director – Track Programs, who was involved in the project since 2010. “Everybody worked as a team — IDOT, the municipalities, the state and the FRA — and we pulled together in the same direction. We all had the same goals, and

we all shared the same positive, solution-oriented attitude.” The project is not quite complete, however. A 10-mile stretch of second mainline track located between Elwood and Braidwood, Illinois, is still under construction. It is expected to be done by 2026.

GB Railfreight gets seven-year deal to support Caledonian Sleeper

GB Railfreight (GBRf) has agreed on a seven-year deal with Caledonian Sleeper Ltd to continue hauling the Caledonian Sleeper coaches. The contract, effective from 25 June, comes into effect following the service entering into public sector control by the Scottish Government.

The services will see GBRf support the new era

carbon created by the service.

Having provided services since 2015, this agreement remains in line with the original 15-year contract length - until 2030.

At a time when the service is seeing the highest levels of demand, the continuity of GB Railfreight’s service will minimise disruption for guests during this

of the Caledonian Sleeper, operating seven trains a night, six nights a week, hauling the Mk5 coaches between London, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness, Aberdeen and Fort William.

Operations will continue to use Class 92s and Class 73s to haul the service, with the length of the new agreement offering the potential opportunity to consider incorporating GBRf’s new bi-mode Class 99 locomotives in the future. Utilising the Class 99s would create a significant reduction in the volume of

transition period for the Caledonian Sleeper.

John Smith, CEO of GB Railfreight, said: “This new partnership with Transport Scotland is another great example of GB Railfreight’s ability to deliver an excellent and reliable haulage service.

"As the iconic Caledonian Sleeper enters a new era, we are extremely proud to be working with Transport Scotland and look forward to continuing to deliver fantastic service to passengers for many years to come.”

NORFOLK Southern Police Supervisory Special Agent Jeff Huskey has graduated as a member of the 286th session of the FBI National Academy. The graduation took place at the National Academy in Quantico, Virginia on June 8.

Internationally known for its academic excellence, the National Academy offers ten weeks of advanced communication, leadership, and fitness training. Participants must have proven records as professionals within their agencies to attend.

Huskey is the seventh officer in the department’s history to complete this prestigious programme. Nationally, fewer than one percent of officers have the opportunity to attend the programme. Huskey began his career with Norfolk Southern Police in 1994 and has served as a Supervisory Special Agent since 2010. He is based in St Louis.

“Special Agent Huskey is an exceptional member of the Norfolk Southern Police Department who has served both our customers and our railroad with honor and distinction for nearly 30 years,” said Mark Sinquefield, Director, Police. “His

Norfolk Southern Police officer graduates from FBI National Academy

dedication to professionalism serves as an example to the rest of the department.”

The 286th session consisted of two hundred and thirty-eight law enforcement officers from 47 states and the District of Columbia. The class included members of law enforcement agencies from 25 countries, five military organizations, and six federal civilian organizations.

The Norfolk Southern Police Department is responsible for crime prevention and criminal investigation involving railroad property or interests, protection of high-value shipments, investigation of suspected fraudulent claims against the railroad, and other special criminal investigations.

The department supports field offices, special operations response teams, K-9 units, a police communications center, and headquarters in Atlanta.

Richardson to expand eight elevators in Canada on the CPKC network

RICHARDSON International is to expand eight CPKC-served (Canadian Pacific Kansas City) elevators in western Canada, allowing future trains to be moved from these sites under CPKC's 8500-foot High Efficiency Product (HEP) model. Work on the elevators in Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta will start in the summer of 2023 and be complete by the end of 2024.

"Richardson is committed to Canadian farmers and providing growers with modern, high-efficiency facilities and services," said Darwin Sobkow, Richardson's President and Chief Operations Officer.

"Expanding eight elevators will increase capacity and efficiency, enabling Richardson to further benefit from CPKC's single-line network reaching Canada, the US and Mexico. We have strongly supported the CP-KCS combination throughout the process and look forward to working with CPKC on additional future opportunities for shared growth."

Richardson currently ships unit trains from 27 CPKC-served elevators in Canada and 1 in the northern US The newest Richardson elevator at Carmichael, Sask., a greenfield grain elevator commissioned in early 2023, is their first 8500-foot HEP site.

"CPKC is thrilled to have these Richardson elevators added to the growing list of already qualified 8500-foot HEP sites across western Canada," said John Brooks, CPKC's Executive Vice-President and Chief Marketing Officer. "Richardson's supply chain and CPKC's operation will benefit from added efficiency, capacity and fluidity with this investment. Richardson's ability to run longer trains will mean more grain shipped per train, tighter cycles and more Richardson trains moving across our expanded, single-line network throughout the season."

In 2021, Richardson acquired Italgrani USA Inc., including the largest North American durum mill located in St. Louis, Mo. The CPKC single-line network creates a seamless pipeline to the Italgrani mill from the durum-rich areas in Saskatchewan, where Richardson elevators are well positioned. Furthermore, the combined network and markets in the southern US and Mexico are opening new doors to Richardson for their grains, oilseeds and processed products.

India report INDIA'S GREATEST RAIL PROJECT SINCE

INDIA’S $1.65 billion Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor (EDFC) is a freight-only railway line – one key part of India’s most ambitious railway project since national independence in 1947. India’s contribution to the EDFC’s budget is $550 million. The World Bank (headquartered in Washington, DC) has provided $1.1 billion.

The completion of 1200-km Ludhiana-Mughalsarai stretch of the EDFC is a particularly important piece of the puzzle. And it’s especially so since the EDFC is a critical part of the Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC).

In light of the problems plaguing Indian Railways (IR), the government’s development objectives for

NEW FREIGHT TRACKS WRITER GORDON FELLER looks at India’s BILLION-DOLLAR Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor 4

EDFC are two-fold:

n to provide additional rail transport capacity, improved service quality and higher freight throughput on the 393 km Kanpur-Mughal Sarai section of the Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC); and,

n to develop the institutional capacity of Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India Ltd. (DFCCIL) in a way which enables it to build, maintain and operate the entire DFC network.

EDFC has two critical components which will be factored into any future equations:

n design, construction and commissioning of the Kanpur-Mughal Sarai section, consisting of 393 km of double-track electrified railway designed for freight only train operations with 25-tonne axle-load (upgradable to 32.5 tonne axle loads) at 100 km/h;

n continuing the provision of institutional sup-

port to assist DFCCIL to develop its capability to best utilise heavy-haul freight rail systems.

The overarching goal is to increase freight modal shift to safe and low carbon transport along the EDFC and to develop DFCCIL as a sustainable institution providing rail freight connectivity and multimodal logistics services.

Efficiency in freight transport is widely acknowledged as critical to India’s future economic growth. India’s economy depends heavily on its logistics sector, which has a current market size of $150.1 billion -- and is expected to grow to $204.7 billion by the close of 2023.

Logistics in India generate about 4.6 billion tonnes of freight annually, resulting in a transportation demand of over three trillion tkm at the cost of $129.6 trillion.

IR is, unquestionably, an essential part of India's freight transport system. As the fouth largest railway network in the world, IR has approximately 68,000 km of lines. It is the second largest passenger railway and the fourth largest freight railway in the world, having transported eight billion passengers and 1.2 billion tons of freight in the fiscal year ending March 2020.

IR’s freight traffic has grown at a compounded annual rate (CAGR) of 3.7%. This growth was limited by capacity constraints and congestion, limit volumes and reduce speed and reliability of shipments. IR had revenue of about $23.7 billion, of which about $15.4 billion was from freight transport. IR has an operating ratio of 98.4%.

Railways are key to reducing India’s high logistics cost. Logistics cost in India represents 14% of GDP,

much higher than developed nations (8-10%). A majority of freight in India is bulk commodities with long average leads—traffic that is suited to lower cost rail transport. Nonetheless, around 73% of India's freight is transported by road, compared to 27% by rail. Shifting more of those goods to rail would reduce logistics costs.

High truck share comes at an environmental cost. Carbon Dioxide (CO2) emissions from freight transport in India are projected to increase by 451%from 220 million tonnes in 2020 to 1214 million tons in 2050. The freight sector is responsible for 132 kilo tons of particulate matter (PM) emissions and 2.4 million tonnes of Nitric Oxide (NOx) emissions in 2020. Road freight is the largest contributor, accounting for about 95% of emissions. Additionally, freight transport is one of the leading causes of road accidents. Trucks account for 12.3% of road accidents and 15.8% of total road transport-related deaths, most of which are due to overloaded trucks.

Increasing the share of rail transport is key to reducing GHG emissions from transport. India’s announced targets, the “Intended Nationally Determined Contribution” (INDC) for the period 2021 to 2030, aims for a reduction in the emissions intensity of GDP by 33 to 35% by 2030, from 2005 levels. The reduction of emissions from the transportation sector is a priority area. Rail emits about one-fifth the GHG emissions as trucks -- and improves air quality by emitting lesser Sulphur Oxide (Sox), PM, NOx emissions. Thus, shifting traffic from road to rail would reduce GHG emissions. Moreover, it was back in July 2020 that IR also announced that the national transportation system will target becoming a net-zero carbon emitter by 2030. This would mean eliminating emissions of 7.5 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent each year.

IR’s network suffers from capacity constraints and is losing market share. Despite strong growth in freight traffic, IR has been losing market share to trucks. IR’s network capacity is insufficient and passenger trains are prioritized over freight. Freight service quality is impeded by having to fit freight trains into a busy passenger service schedule (passenger trains constitute almost two-thirds of all train km). The main railway corridors in the “Golden Quadri-

lateral” connecting New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, and Kolkata account for less than a fifth of IR’s lines, but carry more than 60% of its freight. Over the last decade, IR has successfully adopted many measures to increase capacity including: creating more capacity through the DFCs; squeezing more capacity from existing assets, increasing average train load, utilizing equipment more efficiently, and improving railway labour productivity. Today, physical capacity is the most pressing constraint.

IR has developed a long-term strategic plan, the “National Rail Plan”, that aims to build capacity in time to serve anticipated demand. The NRP estimates that rail share can be increased to 45% by if sufficient capacity allows for lower transit times and costs of rail transportation. The NRP has analysed freight flows across India and has identified major choke points along the High-Density Networks (HDNs) and Highly Utilised Network (HUNs) for

capacity expansion. The NRP has identified future projects with clear implementation timelines, including these: creating three new Dedicated Freight Corridors (DFCs), namely East Coast, East-West & North-South (6600kms by 2030, 8500kms by 2050); creating 3000 kms of High-Speed Corridors by 2030 and 8000 km by 2050; upgrading along the HDNs and HUNs; enhancing inter-modal linkages, especially with ports and industrial corridors; developing terminal infrastructure, with 50 cluster stations to be developed as multimodal terminals.

Rail infrastructure development is being prioritised under the “National Infrastructure Pipeline 2020 – 2025”. The NIP for FY 2020-25 has identified 682 investment opportunities across three railway subsectors (track, rolling stock, and terminals), which a cost of $224.8 billion over the next five years, including: rail track: 609 projects, $174.9 billion; rolling stock, 40 projects, $47.3 billion; terminals, 33 projects,

$2.5 billion.

The World Bank’s programme of support in the Indian rail sector focuses on developing commercial financing, private sector participation and entrepreneurial drive.

Further Points

• Commercial Financing.

Considerable commercial financing will be needed to finance the NRP; only about one- third of the funds for implementing the Plan are likely to come from the national government’s budgetary resources and concessional financing (bilateral and multilateral). At its best, commercial financing can impose an important discipline. Since such financing must be paid back over time, ensuring that the funds are

spent on investments that increase the revenues coming into the rail sector will be critical both to successfully access such financing; and to maintain a financially sustainable system.

• Private Sector Participation.

Private sector investment and skills—in fields ranging from real estate development to freight logistics—are needed to deliver services that attract more traffic to railways and build up the profitable traffic.

• Customer focused culture.

Attracting commercial financing, private sector participation and new traffic to railways calls for doing things differently. While reforms to the structure of IR have helped to break down organizational silos, they are not sufficient to turn a highly bureaucratic, production- focused, organisation, into the dynamic, risk taking customer-focused body needed to successfully regain market share from road freight. Culture change is needed. Experience in India strongly suggests this culture is more easily nurtured in commercially managed, corporate enterprises.

HOW THE RAILS OF FOUNDATION OF INDIAN

Role of private

sector in the

growth of Indian railways pre-independence

RAILWAY EXPERT AND COMMENTATOR

Lalit Chandra Trivedi

THE first train to ran in india from Boribunder Mumbai to Thane was by a joint venture company formed out of alliance between the East India company and Great Indian Penisular Railway. In fact, a total of eight private companies were responsible for the growth of railway network in India. Among others these were GIP Railway, EIR, BNR, BBCI and Madras Railway.

Exit of TATA and other private companies from railways post independence.

These private companies were guaranteed a fixed rate of interest on their capital investment.

The result was exponential growth in network. For example Ledo (Dibrugarh) -Chitgaon 1000 km long MG Railway line a major part of which cuts across the Kachhar hills was commissioned in 10 years 1895-1905 facilitating transport of tea leaves from gardens of Assam to the British isles.

As stated earlier, all three major metros of the time ie Kolkata, Madras and Bombay had railway connectivity even before first train started in China.

By 1895 workshops of Indian

Railway nies were locomotives, meet requirements tem sprawling During British capacity turing was requirements, Works (TISCO) of Indian

THE RAJ ARE THE INDIAN RAILWAYS

ure of TELCO, was a renowned engineer of the time and was specially requested by JRD TATA to join TELCO for this project.

The boiler shop of TELCO was the best engineering workshop in india and engineers would visit TELCO’s Jamshedpur plant to just have a look of the shop .

Post-independence, however, as events unfolded in a socialistic set up TATA gradually withdrew from supplying both rails by TISCO and boilers/locomotives to Indian Railways.

The various private rail companies some of which were owned by Maharajas (princely kingdoms) were taken over by government and brought under the huge monolithic Indian Railways system which formed initially six and later nine zones to administer India’s rail system. In 2003 number of zones increased to 16.

owned by private rail compawere capable of manufacturing locomotives, coaches and wagons to requirements of big railway syssprawling across India.

During the 1914-1918 war, when capacity for steel manufacwas diverted for war-related requirements, Tata Iron And Steel (TISCO) came to the rescue Indian railways for meeting rail re-

quirements for laying new track and for replacement purposes.

Tata's roots

Similarly, Tata Motors that started its journey as Tata Engineering and Locomotive company (TELCO) in 1945, was set up to manufacture steam locomotives for Indian rail companies. .

S Moolgaonkar, the founding fig-

Today I feel that non-entry of private players is one of the major reasons for Indian Railways to loose its rightful share in the transportation pie of the country which stood at more than 80% in pre-independence era and is at 28% today.

Rolling stock leasing companies, private train operators, freight train operators, companies to manage parcel/white goods, companies for terminals management, so on and so forth are the need of hour .

Wabtec wins largest order for its certified pre-owned loco ProgramME

WABTEC Corporation has revealed its largest certified pre-owned locomotive order from six Genesee & Wyoming subsidiaries – Buffalo & Pittsburgh Railroad; Chicago, Ft. Wayne & Eastern Railroad; Connecticut Southern Railroad; Indiana & Ohio Railway; New England Central Railroad and Providence and Worcester Railroad.

The order of 69 locomotives builds upon Wabtec’s certified pre-owned programme and enables G&W to further enhance its fleet of locomotives.

“These engines will make our fleet more efficient, enabling us to better meet our customers’ needs for

safe and reliable freight-rail transportation,” said Michael Miller, President of G&W’s North American operations. “Furthermore, with rail being the most sustainable way for our customers to move goods over land, these locomotives will generate lower emissions to help both us and our customers achieve our ESG goals.”

G&W’s order consists of 35 Dash 9 and 34 Dash 8 locomotives. The deal also includes an extended warranty to ensure reliable service in the future. Wabtec will start delivery of these locomotives immediately and will complete delivery of all 69 by December this year. These additional engines will grow G&W’s fleet of

Wabtec locomotives to more than 100.

“This order demonstrates the value of our certified pre-owned program to the short line market,” said Alicia Hammersmith, President of Wabtec’s Global Freight Services. “Certified pre-owned locomotives provide G&W an affordable way to upgrade its fleet while improving performance, reliability and fuel efficiency as well as reducing carbon emissions. These locomotives deliver the performance G&W needs to continue meeting their customers’ growing demands.”

Wabtec’s certified pre-owned program provides a range of high-performance locomotives that are

equipped with original design specifications, maintenance records and operational histories. The company certifies the locomotives through a rigorous 275-point inspection process to ensure each is roadworthy and meets its standards. To date, Wabtec has sold over 210 locomotives to 8 different customers through its certified pre-owned programme.

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CBH acquires narrow-gauge locos from Wabtec

THE CBH Group (CBH) has entered into an agreement with Wabtec to acquire 17 1067 mm (3 ft 6 in) narrow-gauge locomotives, marking a significant investment in expanding the co-operative’s rail fleet as part of the ‘Path to 2033 Strategy’. Wabtec, a leading global provider of equipment, systems and digital solutions for the freight and transit rail sectors, will build 17 CM20ACi dual-cab, diesel-electric locomotives for CBH.

The first tranche of five locomotives will arrive in Australia in the March quarter of 2026 and will be operational soon after. The following second tranche of 12 locomotives will be arriving in the June quarter of 2026.

CBH opened three competitive Request for Proposal (RFP) processes in the second half of 2022 for the purchase of standard-gauge locomotives, narrow-gauge locomotives, and wagons, to expand and strengthen its current rail fleet, which consists of 25 locomotives and 572 wagons.

In December 2022, CBH announced an order for seven standard-gauge locomotives, scheduled to be in Australia and operational by November 2024.

CBH Chief Executive Officer Ben Macnamara said the agreement with Wabtec will increase CBH’s narrow-gauge locomotive fleet to 37.

“We are pleased to partner with Wabtec to acquire new

narrow-gauge locomotives, a global leader in the design, manufacture and supply of quality locomotives,” Macnamara commented.

“Our rail fleet is a key asset for the co-operative and expanding our existing train sets is a strategic priority that is critical for us to achieve CBH’s ‘Path to 2033’ strategy that aims to lift our monthly export capacity to three million tonnes by 2033 or sooner.

“Expanding our narrow-gauge locomotive fleet, in conjunction with the expansion of our standard-gauge locomotive fleet, is a significant step to enhance our outloading capability.

“By investing in our supply chain network, we are ensuring we can deliver tonnes to customers when needed and therefore return sustained value to Western Australian growers.”

Wabtec President of Freight Equipment Rogerio Mendonca said the company was excited to be selected for the expansion of CBH’s narrow-gauge locomotive fleet.

“The CM20ACi is a perfect addition to CBH’s growing fleet,” Mendonca said.

“These locomotives will provide CBH with low operational costs, high availability and proven reliability needed to succeed in today’s competitive market.”

Terminal in Malungsfors joins Green Cargo’s network

GREEN Cargo AB and Fiskarhedens Trävaru AB have entered a new agreement in partnership with the logistics company Träfraktkontoret i Göteborg AB. This means that from December, the Malungsfors terminal will be included in Green Cargo’s network comprising nearly 300 tariff points in Scandinavia as well as partners in Europe. Initially, the transports shipments will include several container trains per week to the Port of Gothenburg, but timetables are in place for five departures, which enables quick expansion of the freight traffic with, for example, intermodal trailer freight and wagon loads.

Previously, Fiskarheden had a weekly rail container shuttle and the new agreement will triple the number of depar-

tures. When the Malungsfors terminal becomes a new tariff point in the network, Fiskarheden will be able to transfer more freight to rail that would normally have gone to Europe by trailer.

“This agreement is beneficial not only for Fiskarheden but for all companies across the region since they will be able to shift their shipments from road to climate-smart rail, which means stronger export and import opportunities for the region,” says Joakim Limberg, Marketing Manager at Fiskarheden.

XPO Logistics and Baxter Healthcare on track in County Mayo

LOGISTICS solutions provider XPO has begun shipping products for Baxter Healthcare from the Irish Rail Freight facility at Ballina, which is 40 km (25 miles) from its Castlebar site.

Containers holding lifesaving medical products are now being transported to destinations in mainland Europe, the Nordic countries and Turkey from the freight terminal. One of the key reasons for using rail freight is to reduce CO2 emissions for the business, which is also a primary driver for XPO as part of its commitment to improving the environment.

Glenn Carr, Iarnród Éireann’s (Irish Rail’s) Director of Commercial Business Units, said: “We warmly welcome Baxter Healthcare’s decision to begin moving containers with our Ballina to Waterford service, operated in partnership with XPO Logistics. There is significant demand from industry for sustainable transport alternatives, and rail freight can deliver that alternative.

“We know Baxter and others are ambitious to do more, which is why our Rail Freight 2040 Strategy envisages a fivefold increase in rail freight services. We are working with industry, logistics companies, and Government agencies to develop the infrastructure and ensure the policy framework exists to meet this demand. Baxter Healthcare is already examining the possibilities that the forthcoming rail link to Shannon Foynes Port, funded by the Department of Transport, will deliver, as are many other potential customers."

James Jordan, Head of Planning And Logistics at Baxter Healthcare, said: “Carbon Neutrality and reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions is a cornerstone of Baxter’s Global sustainability goals and a fundamental expectation of our global Customer base. A key step in achieving these goals is reducing our supply chain's environmental impact by improving how we transport our materials and finished products.

“This first rail freight shipment marks a key milestone in Baxter Castlebar & Swinford’s programme to improve sustainability by reducing carbon emissions throughout our supply chain. It was made possible by a close partnership with Irish Rail, XPO Logistics and Brian Cunningham Transport to open the route for rail shipments from Ballina to Waterford

port.”

The next evolution of the switch to rail freight for Baxter Healthcare in Castlebar is to connect to rail at Castlebar railway station next to the Castlebar site, which will transport more than 20 containers per day through the Western Rail Corridor, which connects Castlebar to the Waterford port.

Jordan added: “The development of an Inland Rail Freight Hub at Castlebar and the reopening of the Western Rail Corridor are key infrastructure enablers to support this drive to sustainability and will be fully supported by Baxter and other local businesses in the area.”

Dan Myers, Managing Director – UK and Ireland, XPO Logistics, said: “Collaboration and cooperation are the keys to tackling the climate crisis. Challenging the status quo and ultimately doing things differently is the only way to make meaningful improvements in environmental performance. Working with the Baxter Healthcare team and our partners, we have built an integrated supply chain solution reducing emissions.”

TPE marks 200 years of rail history with 'Diligence’

UK regional passenger carrier TransPennine Express (TPE) has named a Nova 1 train ‘Diligence’ in honour of the bicentenary of the world’s first locomotive works. The firm built many of the world's first freight locomoties.

The historically-named train – class 802208 – was unveiled at Darlington Station, 200 years after Robert Stephenson & Co was established.

Paul Staples, Fleet Director at TPE, said: “Robert Stephenson counts amongst Great Britain’s finest engineers of the 19th Century.

“It’s an honour to pay homage to such a pioneer in our industry by naming one of our Nova 1 trains after one of his own iconic locomotives.”

Robert Stephenson & Co was a locomotive manufacturing company founded in 1823 in Forth Street, Newcastle upon Tyne in England. It was the first company in the world created specifically to build railway engines."

By 1899, 3000 locomotives had been built at the Forth Street site, and a new company was formed, Robert Stephenson and Company Limited, where the Darlington works was opened.

Paul added: “'Diligence’ reminds us of where rail in the UK started, with our newly named Nova 1 now sharing a name with one of the first locomotives on the Stockton and Darlington railway.

“It’s wonderful to think that 200 years after the first Stephenson locomotives worked in the north east, our modern bi-mode trains – one of which is bearing the same name – are carrying tens of thousands of people each year in the same region.”

Donald Heath OBE, Robert Stephenson Trust Chairman said: “It’s an honour to have witnessed the unveiling of ‘Diligence’ at Darlington Station.

“The creation of Robert Stephenson & Co, and the opening of the ‘locomotive factory' in 1823 was a milestone, not just in Robert's career, but also in the development of railways worldwide.

“Robert Stephenson played a key part in the history of our railways and it’s great that we are still recognising the impact he had.”

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ON THIS DAY: RAILFREIGHT

JULY 10

2005 At about 04:15. two CN freight trains collide head on in Anding, Mississippi. The collision occurred on the CN Yazoo Subdivision, where the trains were being operated under a centralized traffic control signal system on single track. Signal data indicated that the northbound train, IC #1013 North, continued past a stop (red) signal at North Anding and collided with the southbound train, IC #1023 South, about 1/4 mile (1/3km) beyond the signal.

The collision resulted in the derailment of six locomotives and 17 cars. About 15,000 gallons (68,200 litres) of diesel fuel were released from the locomotives and resulted in a fire that burned for about 15 hours. Two crewmembers were on each train; all four were killed. Property damages exceeded $9.5 million; clearing and environmental cleanup costs totaled about $616,800. The NSTB determines that the probable cause of the collision was the failure by the crew of the northbound train (IC #1013 North) to comply with wayside signals requiring them to stop at North Anding. The crew’s attention to the signals was most likely reduced by fatigue. Contributing to the accident was the absence of a positive train control system that would have stopped the northbound train before it exceeded its authorized limits. Also contributing to the accident was the lack of an alerter on the lead locomotive that may have prompted the crew to be more attentive to their operation of the train.

JULY 11

1967 The first major unit train movement in Canada is inaugurated by Canadian Pacific as 3700 tons (3356 tonnes) of sulphuric acid from the Copper Cliff plant of CIL near Sudbury to Sarnia, ON.

JULY 13

2016 The NTSB report into the collision of two BNSF Railway (BNSF) trains on the BNSF’s Panhandle Subdivision is published.

Each train was crewed by a locomotive engineer and a conductor. Eastbound train S-LACLPC1-26K consisted of three head-end locomotives, two distributive power units, and 56 loaded cars, and westbound train Q-CHISBD6-27L consisted of five head-end locomotives and 54 loaded cars. The collision and derailment resulted in a significant fire. Three crew members died in the accident—the engineer and conductor on the eastbound train and the conductor on the westbound train

JULY 14

1831 The John Bull departs Liverpool, England aboard the steamship Allegheny bound for Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

JULY 16

1877 Railroad workers on strike in Martinsburg, West Virginia, derail and

loot a train; United States Federal troops to break 1945 Canadian National which was built to handle near Atikokan, ON. on the Marquette.

1923 Fruit Growers way form the Western with the Pacific Fruit patch in the west.

RAILFREIGHT HISTORY

States President Rutherford B. Hayes calls in break the strike.

National opens the high ore dock at Port Arthur handle ore from the Steep Rock Iron Mines

The first shipment left the dock on July 20

JULY 18

Express (FGE) and the Great Northern RailWestern Fruit Express (WFE) in order to compete Fruit Express and Santa Fe Refrigerator Des-

JULY 21

1959 The last revenue train hauled by a Union Pacific 4-8-8-4, 1.2 million lbs (544,000kg) Big Boy in undertaken

JULY 24

2011 European-sized freight wagons operate on High Speed 1 in the UK for the first time. The trial involved two wagons from DB Schenker's Spanish logistics business Transfesa and four curtain-sided Mega Combi swap bodies, a type commonly used in the automotive industry.

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