Railroad News

The U.S. High Speed Rail Association (USHSR) has selected Dan Richard as chair of its advisory board.

Richard currently chairs the California High-Speed Rail Authority — a position Gov. Edmund Brown appointed him to in 2012. Under his leadership, the agency has begun building the United States' first "true" high-speed rail network, USHSR officials said in a news release.

The Iowa Transportation Commission has approved more than $3.1 million in funding for five rail infrastructure and development projects under the state's Railroad Revolving Loan and Grant program.

The projects are expected to support the creation and retention of 136 jobs within three years of project completion. The proposed developments will leverage millions in new capital investments across the state, according to a press release issued by the Iowa Department of Transportation.

By This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., senior associate editor

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy yesterday unveiled a comprehensive audit of New Jersey Transit calling for leadership, operational and financial changes at the beleaguered transit agency.

Conducted by The North Highland Co., the audit identified the absence of both "strategic planning and a technology roadmap" as the two core issues at NJ Transit.

CSX has filed a lawsuit against Norfolk Southern Railway and Norfolk & Portsmouth Belt Line Railroad (NPBL), alleging the Class I and short line have conspired to create a monopoly at the Port of Virginia's largest container facility, a local newspaper has reported.

Filed in Norfolk federal court, the case alleges NS and the short line boxed out CSX from serving Norfolk International Terminals (NIT), The Virginian-Pilot newspaper reported Oct. 8. The case names as defendants three NS vice presidents and the president of the Belt Line.

The El Paso Streetcar in Texas yesterday began pre-revenue service.

During this period, the streetcar will run its downtown and uptown loops without a safety escort, according to a press release issued by the Sun Metro Mass Transit Department.

Metra and an economic development corporation have agreed to work together on testing and sharing the costs of a new "reverse commute" service to Lake County, Illinois.

Discussions between the Chicago-based commuter railroad and Lake County Partners began in April, when the private-sector group asked Metra to explore improving reverse-commute service to help Lake County employers recruit and retain employees living in Chicago, which is in Cook County.

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

MTA New York City Transit (NYCT) late last week reopened the 72nd Street Station on the B and C rail lines following an extensive repair project.

The project involved fixing deteriorating infrastructure and installing digital signage with real-time service information.

The Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority (HART) in Tampa, Florida, has eliminated fares and expanded service for its TECO Line heritage streetcar.

The streetcar will remain fare free for three years as a result of a $2.67 million grant from the Florida Department of Transportation. Previously, it cost $2.50 to ride the system.

Brightline is a step closer to constructing a new rail line between Miami and Orlando, Florida.

The intercity passenger-rail company finalized bids last week from three contractors to lay rail lines between Orlando International Airport to existing Brightline track in Cocoa, according to a report by thenextmiami.com.

Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) yesterday rolled out a new earthquake early warning alert system.

Known as ShakeAlert 2.0, the system is designed to provide up to tens of seconds of advance warning that the ground will begin shaking. The alerts enable BART to slow or stop trains ahead of major seismic activity.

SunRail over the weekend conducted positive train control (PTC) testing along a 17-mile segment between Sanford and Winter Park, Florida.

The testing included uphill and downhill brake tests at defined speeds and grades to verify braking performance, SunRail officials said in a press release. The PTC test train consisted of two locomotives, four coaches and one cab car to simulate a fully-weighted SunRail train.

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) is in the "final chapters" of completing a final environmental impact statement (EIS) for the proposed replacement of Amtrak's Hudson River tunnels, FRA Administrator Ronald Batory told a U.S. Senate panel last week.

Batory spoke to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, which held a hearing to receive a status report on railroads' plans to implement positive train control (PTC).

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

Last month, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) named Ian Jefferies to serve as the organization’s next president and chief executive officer. Currently AAR’s senior vice president of government affairs, he will take the reins Jan. 1, following the retirement of current President and CEO Ed Hamberger.

California's South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) has presented its model community achievement award to Metrolink for its purchase of 40 locomotives that comply with the Environmental Protection Agency's Tier 4 emissions standard.

The new units reduce emissions by 85 percent and provide 57 percent more horsepower compared to older locomotives, Metrolink officials said in a press release.

By 2040, Caltrain could serve as many as 250,000 daily passengers, representing a 300 percent increase over the system's current ridership.

The announcement comes as the railroad develops its latest business plan. Caltrain staff found that "significantly increased" service could attract about 243,000 daily riders, up from 65,000 daily riders today, agency officials said in a press release.