Recent Streetsblog LA posts about Freight Rail

Is a Reduction of 1.5 Million New Trucks Worth Building a Rail Yard Near Residential West Long Beach?

By Damien Newton | Sep 28, 2011 | 4 Comments

New environmental documents for a freight rail project near the Port of Los Angeles known as the Southern California International Gateway could reduce truck traffic on the Long Beach to Los Angeles portion of the 710 Freeway. But the SCIG Project faces strong opposition from the communities that will live adjacent to the 153 acre […]

Mica’s Goal: More Cars Off of the Highway

By Tanya Snyder | Jan 14, 2011 | No Comments

In a recent interview with the Journal of Commerce, Transportation Chair John Mica (R-FL) indicated that he shares many transportation goals with the Obama administration. We mentioned the Journal’s report the other day that Mica has tried to reassure transportation supporters that new House rules won’t starve the highway trust fund. Now the Journal is […]

LADOT Call for Projects Review: Freight Movement

By Damien Newton | Jan 13, 2011 | 1 Comment

(This is Part 3 of our Call for Projects review. Part 1 explained why this series is important. Part 2 looked at the car capacity enhancement proposals. Part 4 tomorrow.) We don’t talk a lot about freight movement on Streetsblog, and we probably should. After all, the number of trucks on our roads are used […]

Environmental Group Offers Congress a Map to Cleaner Freight

By Elana Schor | Mar 16, 2010 | No Comments

The federal government can reap significant pollution-reduction benefits by focusing on a national freight plan that replaces older diesel equipment with newer, cleaner-burning train cars while building out regional networks more efficiently, the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) said yesterday in a new report [PDF]. Freight rail in Chicago, home of the stimulus-funded CREATE freight project. […]

A Day After Their TIGER Win, Freight Railroads Carve Out More Turf

By Elana Schor | Feb 18, 2010 | No Comments

The freight rail industry yesterday claimed the top three awards in the Obama administration’s competition for $1.5 billion in TIGER stimulus grants, with Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood singling out train shippers for an online shout-out: (Chart: AAR) You know, although passengers and commuters have human faces, we need to remember that trade depends upon the […]

Freight Rail Traffic Hit 20-Year Lows in 2009

By Elana Schor | Jan 13, 2010 | 2 Comments

From Warren Buffett’s acquisition of BNSF to the Obama administration’s high-speed rail initiative, the nation is abuzz with talk about a revival of freight trains as an energy-efficient alternative to trucks. (Photo: TSA) But amid the positive forecasts for freight, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) released data today that showed just how bad of […]