Railroad News

CSX is soliciting bids on six rail segments totaling more than 650 miles of track as part of the Class I's continuing strategy to sell under-used assets.

The lines may be purchased by one buyer or multiple buyers, or may not be sold at all depending on the bids received, CSX officials said in a press release.

CN will spend CA$340 million this year to expand and strengthen its rail network through British Columbia, the Class I announced yesterday.

The investment is part of CN's CA$3.4 billion capital program for 2018. Key projects include track expansion to boost capacity and the replacement, upgrade and maintenance of key track infrastructure.

Canadian Pacific will spend more than a half-billion Canadian dollars on new high-capacity grain hopper cars to serve CP grain shippers, the Class I announced today.

The railroad's plan to revitalize its hopper-car fleet will start with an order for 1,000 cars from National Steel Car of Hamilton, Ontario. Over the next four years, CP plans to order 5,900 hopper cars in total, which will enable the railroad to remove all low-capacity hoppers — including all Canadian government cars — from its fleet, company officials said in a press release.

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) next month will end an informal program that allows Virginia Railway Express (VRE) and Maryland Area Regional Commuter (MARC) riders to transfer to its Metrorail system during service disruptions.

The so-called Metro Option allows VRE riders to show a validated VRE ticket to a Metrorail station manager to access WMATA's system without cost during VRE-related service issues. However, in an effort to cut down on fare-payment disputes and improve safety, WMATA starting July 1 will require every rider to tap a SmarTrip card before they enter the system.

Caltrain this week is closing multiple grade crossings in Burlingame and San Mateo, California, to install foundations for its electrification project.

The work includes excavation, placement of rebar, concrete fill and electrical grounding. The railroad closed the Peninsula Avenue crossing yesterday, with the Villa Terrace crossing slated to close tonight.

The Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) on June 9 will begin test runs along the soon-to-open CTrail Hartford Line commuter-rail route.

The department will perform test runs of the line's full schedule of 16 weekday trains, CTDOT officials said in a press release. Also on June 9, Amtrak's portion of Hartford Line service will begin, increasing daily Amtrak trains to 18 from 12.

CN and GE Transportation this week marked the completion of the first of 200 new locomotives that were manufactured at GE's plant in fort Worth, Texas.

American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA) President Linda Bauer Darr will step down next month to become the chief executive officer of another trade association, ASLRRA Chair Judy Petry announced yesterday in a memo to members.

Darr joined ASLRRA in 2014. She leaves the association on July 27 to start her new position in August, according to Petry.

The Illinois Department of Transportation will receive a $132 million grant to help fund the completion of three components of the Chicago Region Environment and Transportation Efficiency (CREATE) program's 75th Street corridor improvement project, the U.S. Department of Transportation announced yesterday.

The CREATE program was designed to address one of the most congested points in the U.S. rail network. The three rail projects that will receive grant funds are:
• the Forest Hill flyover, which consists of a new north-south flyover structure that will eliminate conflicts between north-south and east-west train movements at the Forest Hill Junction;
• the 71st Street grade separation that will separate the Western Avenue rail corridor from 71st street; and
• the Argo and Canal junction improvements, which will address the 87th Street chokepoint and increase capacity at Argo yard.

The Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners has appointed Esteban Bovo to serve as its representative on the South Florida Regional Transportation Authority's (SFRTA) governing board.

He currently serves as the Miami-Dade board's chairman, as well as chairman of its transportation and mobility committee. Bovo began his public service career in 1998, when he was appointed to fill a midterm vacancy on the Hialeah City Council.

TransLink will increase transit fares by 5 to 10 cents starting July 1.

The price of single-use adult fares will go up 10 cents, while the cost of monthly passes will increase between CA$1 and CA$2, depending on zone type, TransLink officials said in a press release.

The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) has released a report that charts the agency's sustainability efforts in 2017.

Last year, the agency used 4 percent less traction power energy for its light-rail system, registered a 2 percent decrease in greenhouse gas emissions and a 13 percent reduction in waste, the report states.

BNSF Logistics LLC has named Nancee Ronning to the newly created position of chief commercial officer.

Ronning has more than 20 years of experience in sales, marketing and account and relationship management. Most recently, she served as president for Print Craft, a commercial printing and packaging company in Minnesota. She also served stints in sales, marketing and account management positions at C.H. Robinson, Merrill Corp. and GE Capital.

MTA Staten Island Railway (SIR) yesterday began a comprehensive repair and rehabilitation project at its Richmond Valley Station.

Crews will repair the station's concrete structure, structural steel beams and columns, platforms, staircases and platform canopies, according to an SIR press release.

The Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) is soliciting stakeholders' opinions on rail regulations and guidance materials related to implementation of the new Transportation Modernization Act.

The legislation, which amends the Canada Transportation Act, introduces new measures related to freight rail. The agency issued a discussion paper that explains the regulations and guidance under review.

A bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers have expressed concerns to Amtrak leadership about the railroad's interest in maintaining its Southwest Chief route and long-distance passenger service.

U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) led the group in writing to Amtrak President and Chief Executive Officer Richard Anderson about the lawmakers' concerns that Amtrak is considering withholding funding for the Southwest Chief route until additional financial investments in the route's infrastructure are made.

R. J. Corman Railroad Switching Co. LLC has opened a new rail-car switching and track maintenance location in Montgomery, Alabama, for SABIC, a global chemical and plastic company. The new site will provide opportunities for future construction and car repairs, R. J. Corman officials said in a press release. The company will deploy 12 employees to switch about 1,000 rail cars each month at the plant. R. J. Corman's switching services include the movement of cars at the facility, and to and from the interchange point with CSX.

Thales has acquired Danish company Cubris, which provides driver advisory systems (DAS). The systems enable secure real-time information exchanges between railroads and locomotive engineers to help optimize train driving and reduce carbon dioxide emissions, according to a Thales press release. DAS also will help pave the way for autonomous trains, company officials said. Financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.