Railroad News

President Donald Trump called on Congress last night to produce legislation that will modernize the nation's infrastructure.

In his first State of the Union address, Trump said he wants a bill that will generate "at least $1.5 trillion for the new infrastructure investment we need."

A Port Authority Transit Corp. (PATCO) commuter train yesterday struck an electrical conduit hanging near track in Camden, New Jersey, resulting in four passenger injuries and extensive delays.

The train, which was traveling eastbound near the Ferry Avenue Station, was carrying 23 passengers, eight of whom were PATCO employees.

The Denton County Transportation Authority (DCTA) has appointed Lindsey Baker director of strategic partnerships.

In her role, Baker will identify and establish strategic partnerships for the deployment of systemwide planning for the agency, DCTA officials said in a press release.

CN has been recognized as a global leader on environmental issues by CDP, the nonprofit organization that runs the global disclosure system to help investors, businesses, states and cities manage their environmental impacts.

CDP named CN to the Supplier A List of 100 companies that meet disclosure criteria for their actions to address climate change.

The Association of American Railroads, American Public Transportation Association and Rail Passengers Association have come together to emphasize rail-crossing safety following two recent fatalities on Brightline's new passenger-rail line in South Florida.

The associations issued the message after some lawmakers and anti-rail groups called for investigations and new regulations after the deaths.

New York & Atlantic Railway (NYA) has begun screening and treating employees for obstructive sleep apnea, the short line announced yesterday.

Nearly 40 NYA locomotive engineers and conductors in New York City and Long Island, New York, will be screened for the disorder. Employees diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea will receive treatment under the support of the railway's medical team, NYA officials said in a press release.

The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority's (Metro) board late last week adopted the Twenty-Eight by '28 plan, which calls for completing 28 transportation projects ahead of the 2028 Summer Olympics and Paralympics in Los Angeles.

L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti, who also serves as Metro's chair, first announced the initiative at the agency's September 2017 board meeting. At his direction, Metro staff developed the draft candidate list for projects to be completed before the upcoming Olympics.

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee yesterday announced that he has accepted the state Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council's recommendation to reject a permit for  Vancouver Energy's proposed crude-oil terminal.

Inslee's decision followed a lengthy evaluation by the council, which voted in November 2017 to deny a permit for Tesoro Savage Petroleum Terminal LLC — also known as Vancouver Energy — to construct and operate an energy distribution terminal at the Port of Vancouver in Washington state. The terminal would have been located on the Columbia River.

The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) will oppose proposals that call for cutting public transportation and intercity passenger-rail programs to fund a national infrastructure initiative, the association announced last week.

APTA President and Chief Executive Officer Paul Skoutelas issued a statement last week after a White House representative outlined a plan at the U.S. Conference of Mayors that called for cutting existing funding for public transit infrastructure to pay for a national infrastructure program.

Valley Metro late last week announced two additions to its management team.

The agency named Brad Cummings chief procurement officer and Phil Ozlin manager of information technology (IT).

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) has unveiled a new program that provides refunds for late trains and buses.

Known as the Rush Hour Promise, the program will credit riders' SmarTrip cards for future travel if a trains or buses are more than 15 minutes late.

The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority's (SEPTA) board late last week adopted the recommended locally preferred alternative from the King of Prussia rail project's draft environmental impact statement.

The board made the selection after evaluating more than 30 alternatives for a new rail connection between the existing Norristown High Speed Line and destinations in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania.

Chicago South Shore & South Bend Railroad (CSS) aims to expand business opportunities under a lease of 5 miles of track from CN in Gary, Indiana.

Effective last week, the lease of track is designed to improve the interchange between CSS and CN, as well as provide shipping options for customers through a higher frequency of service, CSS owner Anacostia Rail Holdings announced in a press release.

The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) last week announced its preferred alignment for the proposed Red Line rail extension, which calls for extending the route from 95th Street to 130th Street.

The chosen route would begin at 95th Street and run along the west side of Union Pacific Railroad tracks from Interstate 57 to 109th Street. Then, the route would cross UP tracks and run along their east side until crossing the Metra Electric tracks near 119th Street.

Union Pacific Railroad has hired former CSX executive Cindy Sanborn as UP's regional vice president of transportation for the West.

Sanborn, who will begin her new job on Feb. 16, will succeed Richard Castagna, who will retire after nearly 25 years of service, UP officials said in a press release.

Trade Press Media Group Inc., a 100-plus-year-old Milwaukee-based business media company, has been acquired by Forum Media Group, headquartered in Merching, Germany.

Founded in 1915, Trade Press Media Group is a business-to-business media company serving the rail industry with Progressive Railroading magazine, Progressive Railroading.com, the Car & Locomotive Yearbook, the Track Yearbooks, RailTrends Conference and the Secure Rail Conference.

The Railway Engineering-Maintenance Suppliers Association (REMSA) will again host the USA Pavilion at the upcoming InnoTrans 2018 show in Berlin, Germany. The pavilion offers a "turnkey service" to help exhibitors simplify exhibiting at the international trade show, which will be held Sept. 18-21. The layout includes a common exhibit area with internet, refreshments, seating and meeting space, as well as booth space for each exhibition company. The pavilion also will include translators. Held biennially, InnoTrans attracts more than 120,000 visitors from more than 100 countries, REMSA officials said in a press release.

Drapeau Rail and Neotec last month delivered a hi-rail truck to contractors working on Ottawa's Confederation Line. The truck is designed to maintain overhead catenary systems. Equipped with a scissor lift deck, the unit features a 180-degree turret module, Drapeau officials said in a press release.

Keolis Commuter Services earlier this week graduated 27 new assistant conductors for the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority's (MBTA) commuter-rail network.

The group, which completed the training program in Somerville, Massachusetts, was the largest class to graduate in the commuter-rail system's history, Keolis officials said in a press release.

The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority's (Metro) board yesterday approved a new policy to incentivize companies bidding on contracts to create and retain U.S. jobs.

Under the policy, the agency will apply a "U.S. Employment Plan" to all train, bus and equipment purchases above $100 million. The plan was developed by advocacy group Jobs to Move America, the Los Angeles Alliance for a New Economy, the Brookings Institution, the University of Southern California and the University of Massachusetts.