Railroad News

The Association of American Railroads and GoRail have honored House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee Chairman Bill Shuster (R-Pa.) with the Railroad Achievement Award.

Shuster is the final calendar year recipient of the award, which was created in 2017 to recognize members of Congress who have shown consistent, bipartisan leadership on issues most pertinent to the nationwide rail network. The winners have shown particular leadership in recognizing the capital-intensive nature of railroads and the critical role they play in the U.S. economy, the organizations added.

The Downtown San Bernardino Passenger Rail Project has officially been concluded.

The Downtown San Bernardino Passenger Rail Project has officially been concluded.

The Association of American Railroads (AAR) today reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending December 2, 2017, as well as volumes for November 2017. Intermodal rail traffic remains on pace to set a new annual record in 2017 with strong gains in November and last week marking the best rail intermodal week in history, surpassing multiple records set earlier this year.

U.S. railroads originated 1,307,521 carloads in November 2017, down 0.9 percent, or 11,442 carloads, from November 2016. U.S. railroads also originated 1,369,160 containers and trailers in November 2017, up 3.8 percent, or 50,029 units, from the same month last year. Combined U.S. carload and intermodal originations in November 2017 were 2,676,681, up 1.5 percent, or 38,587 carloads and intermodal units from November 2016.

A June 2016 train collision near Carvel, Alberta, occurred after one of two trains ran through a restricted speed signal, the Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) announced in a report issued yesterday.

The report highlights a number of safety risks, including the absence of physical fail-safe defenses to ensure that signals are consistently recognized and followed, TSB officials said in a press release.

Metrolink yesterday marked the completion of a 1-mile extension to downtown San Bernardino, California.

The commuter railroad's San Bernardino and Inland Empire/Orange County lines have been extended from their terminus at the San Bernardino Santa Fe Depot to the recently finished San Bernardino Transit Center.

The Association of American Railroads (AAR) and GoRail yesterday honored House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Bill Shuster (R-Pa.) with the Railroad Achievement Award for his leadership on rail issues.

Shuster was recognized for understanding the critical importance of safe and efficient rail operations across the nation's 140,000-mile rail network, AAR officials said in a press release.

U.S. Rep. Barbara Comstock (R-Va.) on Monday introduced legislation that calls for reforming the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority's (WMATA) Metro system.

The "Metro Accountability and Reform Act" would substantially increase funding for WMATA, but on the condition of "making fundamental changes necessary to meet reasonable benchmarks of a functional mass transit system," said Comstock in a press release.

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ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN RAILROADS AND GORAIL HONOR CHAIRMAN BILL SHUSTER WITH RAILROAD ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) yesterday marked the completion of Americans with Disability Act (ADA) accessibility improvements at its 40th Street subway station in Philadelphia.

The agency has installed two new elevators that provide direct access from the street to the subway level. The $9.23 million improvement project also included upgrading doors, gates and employee facilities.

Bi-State Development and the St. Louis County Department of Public Health last week unveiled Links 2 Health, a new mobile health van that will visit four Metro Transit centers once a week to help improve North St. Louis County residents' access to health care services.

The Links 2 Health van's weekly visits include the Rock Road MetroLink Station in Pagedale, Missouri. Health screenings and assessments — such as blood pressure and diabetes testing — will be offered free of charge to adults 18 years and older.

U.S. Rep. Barbara Comstock (R-VA) introduced The METRO Accountability and Reform Act on Dec. 4 aimed at reforming the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) through incentivized funding and an interim control board.

Rep. Comstock's office says the legislation is the result of more than a year of working with transportation experts such as former District of Columbia Mayor Anthony Williams, former U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, former Virginia Transportation Secretary Jim Dyke, current U.S. Department of Transportation officials and WMATA officials including General Manager Paul Wiedefeld.

U.S. Rep. Barbara Comstock (R-VA) introduced The METRO Accountability and Reform Act on Dec. 4 aimed at reforming the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) through incentivized funding and an interim control board.

Rep. Comstock's office says the legislation is the result of more than a year of working with transportation experts such as former District of Columbia Mayor Anthony Williams, former U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, former Virginia Transportation Secretary Jim Dyke, current U.S. Department of Transportation officials and WMATA officials including General Manager Paul Wiedefeld.

The Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority's (HART) board yesterday named Jeffrey Seward interim chief executive officer.

He'll succeed Katharine Eagan Kelleman, who has been appointed CEO of the Port Authority of Allegheny County. Kelleman's last day at HART will be Jan. 5.

MTA Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) has begun installing new switches near the Atlantic Terminal in Brooklyn.

The work is aimed at making operations more efficient by allowing trains to access the Atlantic Yards directly from the terminal, LIRR officials said in a press release.

New Jersey Transit announced yesterday that it has finished winterizing hundreds of rail cars and locomotives.

The work included checking the units' on-board heating systems, ventilation, thermostats, weather stripping and electronic components. The agency also changed locomotive filters and switched fuel from a summer blend to a winter one.

New Jersey Transit (NJ Transit) aims to help its customers navigate service limitations due to winter weather with a new tool this season.

This winter, the public transportation system's customers will have access to its new Severe Weather Schedules feature to clearly identify their travel options and make it to their destinations in a timely manner.

New Jersey Transit (NJ Transit) aims to help its customers navigate service limitations due to winter weather with a new tool this season.

This winter, the public transportation system's customers will have access to its new Severe Weather Schedules feature to clearly identify their travel options and make it to their destinations in a timely manner.

Preferred Proppants LLC subsidiary Preferred Sands has sold a frac sand plant in Bloomer, Wisconsin, to Frontier Sand.

The acquisition includes access to frac-sand reserves through lease agreements and royalty rights, as well as corresponding facilities and equipment. The value of the cash transaction was not revealed.