Berkshire Hathaway's BNSF Railway Names Kathryn Farmer as CEO

BNSF Railway, one of the largest operating units of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., named Kathryn Farmer as chief executive on Monday. With the appointment, Mrs. Farmer will become the first female CEO of a major railway operator in North America.

Matt Igoe Named Executive Vice President, Operations

BNSF Railway today named Matt Igoe, executive vice president, operations, effective Jan. 1, 2021. He will lead the entire operations organization after previously having held the position of vice president, Transportation since July 2017.

FreightCar America Closing Alabama Facility, Consolidating Operations to Mexico

FreightCar America intends to close its Shoals manufacturing facility in Alabama and move all its operations to Mexico, the railcar manufacturer said Thursday. The Chicago-based company already operates in Castaños, Mexico, via a 50-50 venture with Fabricaciones y Servicios de México, S.A. de C.V., also known as Fasemex. FreightCar America is seeking to acquire the remaining 50% and consolidate all of its production there by January.

U.S. Blocks Import of Chinese Goods It Says Are Made With Forced Labor

The Trump administration has banned the import of certain apparel and computer parts from China, saying they are made by forced laborers from the Xinjiang region. The move adds five new Chinese entities to an import blacklist the United States has used several times in recent years to combat what it calls China's widespread practice of forcing ethnic minorities from the Xinjiang region to work under involuntary conditions.

US Class I Railroads Prepare for Hurricane Sally

Several U.S. Class I railroad operations are preparing to safeguard their networks ahead of Hurricane Sally's anticipated landfall on Tuesday. The National Hurricane Center on Monday morning issued a hurricane warning for Morgan City, Louisiana, to the Alabama/Florida border.

Train Carrying Potash Derails Near Hope, B.C., CN Rail Reports

CN Rail says at least 60 railcars carrying potash derailed Monday near Hope, B.C. The company says no injuries, fires or dangerous goods were involved. It says preliminary information indicates the cars derailed off of a rail bridge.

CN Partners With Commtrex To Boost Transloading Business, Efficiency

Using the Commtrex Transload Marketplace, which launched in June, shippers can quickly find and request services for handling the movement of bulk, liquids, packaged goods or oversized cargo. More than 1,000 shippers are Commtrex members, and about 50% are rail shippers.