BNSF and Wabtec Prepare to Test Battery-Electric Locomotive

BNSF and GE Transportation (now Wabtec) began development of the battery-electric locomotive in 2018, supported by a grant from the California Air Resources Board as part of its Zero & Near Zero-Emission Freight Facilities program.

AAR: Intermodal Fights For Its Independence

The Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ended July 4, 2020, and, although traffic declines were still evident, things appear to be getting better.

G3 Terminal Vancouver Opens on Canada's West Coast and Transforms Canada's Grain Supply Chain

G3 is proud to announce the opening of G3 Terminal Vancouver, a state-of-the-art grain export terminal at the Port of Vancouver on Canada's West Coast.

Agricultural Exports Doing Relatively Well

Though the COVID-19 pandemic has cut demand for many U.S. products, agricultural exports are holding up well, according to a new analysis by an agricultural economist with The Ohio State University.

Bakken Producers Scramble to Prepare for Life Without DAPL

Producers in North Dakota's Bakken Shale play are beginning to come to grips with operating without the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) that is now under court order to shut down and be drained by early August.

Texas Auto Plants a Bright Spot for Rail Car Use During Coronavirus

With Texas auto manufacturing plants coming back to life while the Coronavirus continues to play havoc with the economy, it has resulted in more rail cars coming out of storage that carry new vehicles to market. That's a bright spot for both Union Pacific and BNSF Railway that serve a General Motors plant in Arlington and a Toyota factory in San Antonio.

USDA: US Exports 572,500 Tons of Wood Pellets in May

The U.S. exported 572,499.8 metric tons of wood pellets in May, up from 553,885.4 metric tons exported during the same month of last year, but down from the 595,166.2 metric tons exported in April, according to data released by the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service on July 2.

Long Delayed Polyethylene Units in U.S. Gulf Coast Set to Start Up but Timing Won't Help

South Africa-based Sasol will put online by September a 420,000-tonne long-density polyethylene (LDPE) unit in Lake Charles, Louisiana while Taiwan-based Formosa should be on the final stages of completion of a 400,000-tonne LDPE plant it had intended to start in April in Point Comfort, Texas.

Green Grow The (Refineries) — Low-Carbon Programs Spur More Renewable Diesel

They're generally small in size, but renewable diesel refineries are popping up in many parts of the U.S., incentivized by government programs aimed at reducing carbon emissions and very gradually weaning Americans — and Canadians — from crude oil-based diesel fuel.

Wainscott Joins CSX Board

CSX Corp. has named James Wainscott to its board. Wainscott is the retired chairman, president and chief executive officer of AK Steel Holding Corp. He joined the company in 1995 as vice president and treasurer, was appointed chief financial officer in 1997 and became president, CEO and board member in 2003.