Trade groups call on U.S. to investigate CSX rail disruptions

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

#U.S. AUGUST 15, 2017 / 1:02 PM / 23 MINUTES AGO

Trade groups call on U.S. to investigate CSX rail disruptions

Eric M. Johnson
6 MIN READ

(Reuters) - Dozens of U.S. trade groups have asked federal rail regulators to investigate CSX Corp's (CSX.O) "chronic service failures," saying problems at No. 3 U.S. railroad have rippled across the North American rail network, according to a letter seen by Reuters.

The letter, from the Rail Customer Coalition sent on Monday, is the latest challenge to CSX Chief Executive Hunter Harrison's effort to ramp up productivity at the Jacksonville, Florida-based railroad and fulfill investor expectations for substantially better financial performance.

The 44 trade groups, representing chemical and agricultural companies, steel and auto makers, and beer producers and importers, among other companies, told U.S. lawmakers on House and Senate Transportation committees "chronic service failures" could degrade the nation's broader rail network.

"This has put rail dependent business operations throughout the U.S. at risk of shutting down, caused severe bottlenecks in the delivery of key goods and services, and has put the health of our nation's economy in jeopardy," they said.

The shipper groups want Congress to make it easier for them to file complaints and allow other operators to use CSX track during service disruptions, according to their letter.

-snip-

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-csx-trade-cuts-idUSKCN1AV1ZY

[dhol82]

1. Honey badger don't care.

[elleng]

2. Interesting.

' want Congress to make it easier for them to file complaints and allow other operators to use CSX track during service disruptions' won't happen with repug administration; hard enough with Dems.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

3. From Trainorders:

Eastern Railroad Discussion > CSX gets second Surf Board bad behavior letter

Posted August 15, 2017 04:21 pm | Updated 05:31 pm
By Roger Bull

As problems persist, federal regulators want more details from CSX

CSX has received another letter from a federal agency concerned over the railroad’s performance. And this one also criticizes the company’s response to its first letter and asks for a detailed schedule of CSX’s planned changes for the rest of the year.

Three weeks ago, the Surface Transportation Board wrote a letter to the Jacksonville-based railroad saying that recent changes have produced a series of complaints from customers, primarily involving unpredictable and slower service.

The STB requested weekly phone calls between CSX’s senior staff and its own regulators to discuss the problems and steps taken to correct them.

Monday, the STB followed up with a second letter. There is no indication that service is improving, it said.
....

Roger Bull: [phone]