Railroad News

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The Association of American Railroads (AAR) today reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending November 25, 2017.

Alberta Midland Railway Terminal Ltd. (AMRT) has completed construction of its rail logistics center, which is located in Lamont, Alberta, on CN's Prairie North Line between Edmonton and Winnipeg.

The terminal is designed to store up to 850 rail cars. Its location is close to regional customers that ship liquefied petroleum gas, petroleum products and plastics by rail, according to an AMRT press release.

The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) has awarded a contract to WSP USA to manage the second phase of the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) system to Silicon Valley.

VTA is managing the overall 16-mile extension from Fremont to Santa Clara, California.  The first phase will run 10 miles from BART's Warm Springs Station in Fremont to San Jose, California.

The American Train Dispatchers Association (ATDA) announced Monday that a majority of its members voted to ratify the national mediated collective bargaining agreement negotiated by the Coordinated Bargaining Group (CBG).

Nearly two-thirds, or 62 percent, of its members voted for ratification, according to an ATDA news release.

Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd. announced today it has strengthened its sales and marketing team by adding two new vice presidents and reorganizing the group's structure to better service customers.

The team will consist of three business units, each led by a vice president reporting to Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer John Brooks. The units will be grain and fertilizers; energy, chemicals and plastics (ECP), and merchandise; and intermodal and automotive.

Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd. announced today it has strengthened its sales and marketing team by adding two new vice presidents and reorganizing the group's structure to better service customers.

The team will consist of three business units, each led by a vice president reporting to Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer John Brooks. The units will be grain and fertilizers; energy, chemicals and plastics (ECP), and merchandise; and intermodal and automotive.

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority has awarded two contracts to RailWorks Corp. subsidiary L.K. Comstock & Co. Inc. to build underground substations for New York City Transit's Canarsie line in Brooklyn. As part of a $39.6 million project, L.K. Comstock will design and build a 5,000-square-foot underground substation and install associated electrical equipment in Brooklyn's Bushwick neighborhood. The company will build a similar substation and install related electrical equipment in Brooklyn's Williamsburg neighborhood, a project valued at $34.7 million. Both projects are expected to increase power capacity along the Canarsie Line, RailWorks officials said in a press release.

Parsons has begun providing technical advisory services for Metrolinx's enhanced train control and conventional signaling (ETCCS) project. Metrolinx is specifying, procuring and developing ETCCS upgrades, while Parsons is providing design, procurement support, system engineering, system integration and migration management, testing, and commissioning services. The work is related to Metrolinx's plan to electrify the GO Transit rail network. As part of the electrification program, Metrolinx will deliver CA$13.5 billion in capital projects and CA$7 billion in state-of-good-repair work. The program will enable Metrolinx to run electrified GO Transit trains every 15 minutes, according to a Parsons press release.

The New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (NYMTA) has awarded RailWorks Corp. subsidiary L.K. Comstock & Company Inc. two contracts worth a combined $74.3 million for underground electrical substations on the New York City Transit (NYCT) Canarsie "L" line in Brooklyn. Both projects will increase power capacity.

Harrison Place is a 39-month project valued at $39.6 million at Harrison Place and Flushing Avenue, in the Bushwick neighborhood in the northern part of Brooklyn, N.Y. L.K. Comstock will design and build a 5,000-square-foot underground substation structure and install the associated electrical equipment.

The New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (NYMTA) has awarded RailWorks Corp. subsidiary L.K. Comstock & Company Inc. two contracts worth a combined $74.3 million for underground electrical substations on the New York City Transit (NYCT) Canarsie "L" line in Brooklyn. Both projects will increase power capacity.

Harrison Place is a 39-month project valued at $39.6 million at Harrison Place and Flushing Avenue, in the Bushwick neighborhood in the northern part of Brooklyn, N.Y. L.K. Comstock will design and build a 5,000-square-foot underground substation structure and install the associated electrical equipment.

The New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (NYMTA) has awarded RailWorks Corp. subsidiary L.K. Comstock & Company Inc. two contracts worth a combined $74.3 million for underground electrical substations on the New York City Transit (NYCT) Canarsie "L" line in Brooklyn. Both projects will increase power capacity.

Harrison Place is a 39-month project valued at $39.6 million at Harrison Place and Flushing Avenue, in the Bushwick neighborhood in the northern part of Brooklyn, N.Y. L.K. Comstock will design and build a 5,000-square-foot underground substation structure and install the associated electrical equipment.

The Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) on Sunday entered the final stages of testing for its Line 1 subway extension.

Trains offload riders at the line's current terminus at the Sheppard West Station and then continue north to simulate service along the 5.3-mile extension, agency officials said in a press release. Trains then return south.

Railroad fatalities were up in 2016 as compared to 2015, following the overall trend upwards for total transportation deaths, according to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).

Highway fatalities at 37,461, accounted for 95 percent of all transportation deaths in 2016. Deaths attributed to the rail sector accounted for 733 with 266 grade-crossing deaths. NTSB explains that while grade-crossing fatalities are tracked as a separate category, they are included in the overall highway and rail numbers.

Railroad fatalities were up in 2016 as compared to 2015, following the overall trend upwards for total transportation deaths, according to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).

Highway fatalities at 37,461, accounted for 95 percent of all transportation deaths in 2016. Deaths attributed to the rail sector accounted for 733 with 266 grade-crossing deaths. NTSB explains that while grade-crossing fatalities are tracked as a separate category, they are included in the overall highway and rail numbers.

Railroad fatalities were up in 2016 as compared to 2015, following the overall trend upwards for total transportation deaths, according to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).

Highway fatalities at 37,461, accounted for 95 percent of all transportation deaths in 2016. Deaths attributed to the rail sector accounted for 733 with 266 grade-crossing deaths. NTSB explains that while grade-crossing fatalities are tracked as a separate category, they are included in the overall highway and rail numbers.

Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) Secretary Dave Ross joined a group of Wisconsin & Southern Railroad (WSOR) employees recently for a tour of the railroad.

According to a post on Watco Companies' website, this was the first visit of Sec. Ross to the railroad since he was appointed to his position in January 2017. Sec. Ross joined a team of WSOR employees as they inspected rail infrastructure between Madison and McFarland, comparing jointed rail with modernized continuous welded rail and viewing a recently rehabilitated Madison Subdivision along with a portion of the Reedburg Subdivision, which is scheduled to undergo a similar rehab project.

Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) Secretary Dave Ross joined a group of Wisconsin & Southern Railroad (WSOR) employees recently for a tour of the railroad.

According to a post on Watco Companies' website, this was the first visit of Sec. Ross to the railroad since he was appointed to his position in January 2017. Sec. Ross joined a team of WSOR employees as they inspected rail infrastructure between Madison and McFarland, comparing jointed rail with modernized continuous welded rail and viewing a recently rehabilitated Madison Subdivision along with a portion of the Reedburg Subdivision, which is scheduled to undergo a similar rehab project.

Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) Secretary Dave Ross joined a group of Wisconsin & Southern Railroad (WSOR) employees recently for a tour of the railroad.

According to a post on Watco Companies' website, this was the first visit of Sec. Ross to the railroad since he was appointed to his position in January 2017. Sec. Ross joined a team of WSOR employees as they inspected rail infrastructure between Madison and McFarland, comparing jointed rail with modernized continuous welded rail and viewing a recently rehabilitated Madison Subdivision along with a portion of the Reedburg Subdivision, which is scheduled to undergo a similar rehab project.

The Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation (HART) has announced the Hawaiian names set to be used for the nine rail stations on its rail system as recommended by the Hawaiian Station Naming Working Group.

"These Hawaiian names for our stations help anchor the rail project in the root culture of our island," said HART Executive Director and CEO Andrew Robbins. "HART extends a warm mahalo to the members of the working group for their dedication to this effort."

The Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation (HART) has announced the Hawaiian names set to be used for the nine rail stations on its rail system as recommended by the Hawaiian Station Naming Working Group.

"These Hawaiian names for our stations help anchor the rail project in the root culture of our island," said HART Executive Director and CEO Andrew Robbins. "HART extends a warm mahalo to the members of the working group for their dedication to this effort."