CPKC
“Leveraging a specialized set of skills and encouraged by overwhelming support from the public,” CPKC’s restoration crew ran the railway’s 2816 Empress steam locomotive 250 miles straight on the mainline this week to prep for next year’s North American tour, the Class I announced Aug. 11 via a LinkedIn post.
Following a special anniversary event in Calgary on April 13, 2024, the 2816 will leave Calgary on April 14, 2024, traveling to stops in Moose Jaw, Sask.; Minot, N.D.; St. Paul, Minn.; Bensenville, Ill.; Davenport, Iowa; Kansas City, Mo.; Shreveport, La.; Laredo, Tex.; and Monterrey and Mexico City, Mexico. The public will be able to see the 2816 up close in these cities, according to CPKC, which noted that additional details about the stops and related events will be available in early 2024.
Railway Age nearly two years ago broke the news of 2816’s return to steam. On Sept. 17, 2021, the day after CP and KCS officially announced their merger agreement, CPKC President and CEO Keith Creel told Editor-in-Chief William C. Vantuono that the 2816 would return to the rails in a transnational tour to commemorate the historic transaction, provided the Surface Transportation Board approved the merger. STB gave its blessing on March 15, 2023.
CSX
CSX announced Aug. 11 via a LinkedIn post that its Rice Yard Transportation employees in Waycross, Ga., have achieved one year injury-free.
“Our employees are the backbone of CSX’s operations and safety achievements like this one are a testament to their dedication, teamwork and safety-first mindset,” the Class I wrote in the post.
NS
NS announced Aug. 13 via a LinkedIn post that the restoration of its Virginian Heritage locomotive is now complete.
According to NS, it took 10 carmen 550+ hours to restore and repaint NS1069. More than 72 gallons of primer, paint and clear coat were used.
“Thank you to our team at Juniata Locomotive Shop for their incredible work,” the Class I wrote.
Over the next few years, NS says all 20 of its Heritage locomotives will be getting a fresh coat of paint in the color schemes of its predecessor railroads.
Also, NS on Aug. 12 via a LinkedIn post debuted a photo of its Digital Train Inspection (DTI) portal, now under construction in Ohio.
Once complete, NS says the DTI, which is a collaboration between NS and the Georgia Tech Research Institute, will use ultra-high-resolution cameras to take 360-degree images of a train, and then AI (artificial intelligence) will analyze those images for defects that require its railroaders to repair.
“It’s the best combination of advanced technology and human expertise, giving our people and the public another level of confidence in NS’s safe operations,” wrote NS President and CEO Alan Shaw in the post.
“Being able to tap into this superior machine vision technology is one of the many reasons we decided to collaborate with Georgia Tech Research Institute. DTI portals are an opportunity to supercharge the industry’s technology and take it into the next generation. We’ll be deploying six of these portals by the end of the year, with plans to install up to nine more by the end of 2024.
“It’s all part of our promise to make decisions in the best long-term interests of our people, our customers, the communities we serve, and our shareholders, as we push to become the gold standard of safety in the rail industry.”
