Railroad News

The infrastructure needs and value brought by the shortline railroads in the United States were the topic of testimony given at two Congressional hearings this week.

Sound Transit has awarded South County Transit Partners, a joint venture of Mott MacDonald and SNC-Lavalin, a design-build contract for the project management of its Federal Way Link Extension in the Seattle area, SNC-Lavalin announced.

The North County Transit District (NCTD) late last week marked the 10th anniversary of its Sprinter light-rail system.

Since Sprinter opened a decade ago, it has provided more than 23 million trips, NCTD officials said in a press release.

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The Association of American Railroads (AAR) today reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending March 10, 2018.

The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) has raised concern over the small amount of transit projects that received federal funds in the U.S. Department of Transportation's latest round of Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant awards.

The department recently announced the fiscal-year 2017 TIGER awards, with only 3.6 percent going to public transit projects, said APTA President and Chief Executive Officer Paul Skoutelas in a prepared statement issued yesterday.

By This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., Senior Associate Editor

The Long Beach Board of Harbor Commissioners has appointed Darrin Lambrigger director of construction management.

He had been serving as acting director of construction management since June 2017. As part of the role, he oversees construction of Port of Long Beach projects, including the $1.5 billion Middle Harbor redevelopment program, which calls for a major on-dock rail yard expansion.

Texas Central Partners officials are striking back at comments made last week by SNCF America Inc. about the private Texas-based company's plans to build a Dallas-to-Houston bullet train service.

In a statement issued in response to the Federal Railroad Administration's (FRA) draft environmental impact statement on Texas Central's proposal, SNCF officials claimed the project would "doom Texas' passenger-rail future." SNCF is the national operator of France's passenger rail service and a global operator of high-speed rail.

Union Pacific plans to invest $113 million into its Kansas network in 2018. The Class 1 says the investment will enhance safety, operating efficiency and support customer service.

Watco Cos. LLC will soon provide stevedore and terminal services directly for customers at its Greens Port Industrial Park at the Houston Ship Channel in Harris County, Texas.

Effective April 1, Watco will provide the services for bulk customers and, on May 1, for breakbulk commodities, company officials said yesterday in a press release.

Metrolinx and Infrastructure Ontario have awarded a CA$254.5 million contract to EllisDon Transit Infrastructure (EDTI) to design, build and finance station improvements along GO Transit's Stouffville rail line.

The project includes upgrades to tracks, platforms and amenities at the Milliken, Agincourt and Unionville GO stations on the line. In addition, the project calls for a rail overpass bridge as part of a grade separation at Steeles Avenue in Toronto's Scarborough area.

This year's Railroad Day on Capitol Hill — held last week in Washington, D.C. — attracted a record attendance of nearly 700 rail industry representatives, the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA) announced yesterday.

ASLRRA hosted the event, which is held annually to offer rail industry representatives a chance to meet with members of Congress and their staffs to discuss legislative issues of interest to their companies and associations.

The Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) has selected Atlanta transit executive Jeffrey A. Parker as the sole finalist in its search for a permanent general manager and CEO.

The Virginia General Assembly has passed a bill that will provide $154 million annually for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA).

The amount is Virginia's share of the $500 million that WMATA has said it needs to address its capital needs, according to a press release issued by the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission (NVTC). Commission officials hope that Maryland and Washington, D.C. — WMATA's other two jurisdictions — will pass legislation to cover the balance.