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May
17

Rail supplier news from Savage, Trinity, ENSCO and HNTB (May 17)

Rail News Home Railroading Supplier Spotlight 5/17/2018 Rail News: Railroading Supplier Spotlight
Savage Cos. and grain and milling firm Bartlett and Co. yesterday announced plans to merge their businesses to form a new combined entity known as Savage Enterprises. The new venture will be a "single-source provider" of supply chain and industrial services, company officials said in a joint press release. The merger is expected to be completed in August. Transaction terms were not disclosed.Trinity Industries Inc. has unveiled details for its new infrastructure spinoff company, Arcosa Inc. Announced earlier this year, the spinoff remains on track to be completed in the fourth quarter. Arcosa and Trinity will function as two independent, publicly traded companies. Arcosa manufacture infrastructure-related products for the construction, energy and transportation markets. After the spinoff is completed, Trinity's business portfolio will include rail-car leasing and management services, rail-car manufacturing, rail-car maintenance, rail-car aftermarket parts, tank car heads manufacturing and highway products.ENSCO Inc. has elected Steven Nixon to its board. He currently serves as vice president for strategic development at Stratolaunch Systems Corp. In that role, Nixon leads strategy, government affairs, business development, marketing and communication activities. He previously served as strategy consultant and former chief technology officer of the United States Intelligence Community.HNTB Corp. hired Vincent Gallagher as senior program manager in the firm's national program and construction management practice for transit and rail. He'll also serve as senior vice president. Based in Philadelphia, Gallagher will support the firm's program management growth by helping U.S. transit systems identify and access federal funding to modernize and expand services. Gallagher has 40 years of project management experience with another consulting firm and has led projects with the Federal Transit Administration, Federal Railroad Administration and Amtrak.

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May
17

Milwaukee receives second streetcar from Brookville

The unit was rolled off a truck and moved inside the streetcar system's operations and maintenance facility.Photo – thehopmke.com

The city of Milwaukee earlier this week took delivery of its second streetcar vehicle from Brookville Equipment Corp.

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May
17

CIRB changes voting dates for CP labor contract

Rail News Home Canadian Pacific 5/17/2018 Rail News: Canadian Pacific
The Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) has changed the dates for voting on Canadian Pacific's final proposal for the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference – Train & Engine (TCRC) and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW).Voting will now begin May 18 and conclude May 25, according to a CP press release. If TCRC and IBEW members vote to accept the offers, the potential for a work stoppage will have been averted. If the offers are not accepted, a 72-hour notice will be issued after the results are announced. The notice will have to be provided before a strike or potential company lockout could occur, CP officials said.The TCRC represents about 3,000 conductors and engineers who work for CP; the IBEW presents about 360 signal maintainers.

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May
17

CIRB changes voting dates for CP labor contract

Rail News Home Canadian Pacific 5/17/2018 Rail News: Canadian Pacific
The Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) has changed the dates for voting on Canadian Pacific's final proposal for the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference – Train & Engine (TCRC) and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW).Voting will now begin May 18 and conclude May 25, according to a CP press release. If TCRC and IBEW members vote to accept the offers, the potential for a work stoppage will have been averted. If the offers are not accepted, a 72-hour notice will be issued after the results are announced. The notice will have to be provided before a strike or potential company lockout could occur, CP officials said.The TCRC represents about 3,000 conductors and engineers who work for CP; the IBEW presents about 360 signal maintainers.

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May
17

Minneapolis light-rail project cost jumps to $2 billion

Metro Transit's Southwest light-rail project has jumped in price by $145 million to more than $2 billion, Metropolitan Council Chair Alene Tchourumoff said Tuesday in a project update.

The cost increase is due to factors such as freight-rail negotiations, additional environmental analysis and the rebidding of the civil contracting, Tchourumoff wrote to the council's corridor management committee.

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May
17

California panel OKs grant funds for grade separations

Rail News Home Maintenance Of Way 5/17/2018 Rail News: Maintenance Of Way
The California Transportation Commission (CTC) has approved $78 million in grant funding for two projects to separate the roadway from hazardous crossings along the Alameda Corridor-East (ACE) freight-rail corridor in eastern Los Angeles County.The grants are included in the 2018 Trade Corridor Enhancement Program adopted by the commission and funded with revenue from the new SB1 state tax on diesel fuel and from the state's share of federal freight highway funds, according to a CTC press release."This action demonstrates the CTC's commitment to using SB1 revenues for needed transportation improvements to maintain our state's vital trade economy and to construct them in a timely manner," said Mark Christoffels, Chief Engineer of the San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments, which oversees the ACE construction program.The grant program will contribute $49 million toward construction of a $128.61 million roadway underpass on Montebello Boulevard in Montebello, California, and $29 million toward an $86.2 million roadway overpass on Turnbull Canyon Road in Industry and unincorporated Los Angeles County.The Montebello crossing is the second most-hazardous freight-rail crossing in Los Angeles County and the Turnbull Canyon crossing will see a near tripling of rail traffic over 20 years, CTC officials said.Both projects are entering the final design phase, with construction anticipated to begin before summer 2020.The Trade Corridor Enhancement Program will provide a total of $1.394 billion for 39 infrastructure improvements statewide along corridors that have a high volume of freight movement.

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May
17

Blacklands Railroad opens terminal at Northern Nevada Railport

Rail News Home Short Lines & Regionals 5/17/2018 Rail News: Short Lines & Regionals
The subsidiary, Black Gold Rail Terminals: Northern Nevada, will help the company meet its intermodal, logistics and distribution needs.Photo – Blacklands Railroad's Facebook page

A Blacklands Railroad subsidiary has opened a transloading and storage terminal at the Northern Nevada Railport and Logistics Center in Fernley, Nevada, the Northern Nevada Development Authority (NNDA) announced yesterday.

The subsidiary, Black Gold Rail Terminals: Northern Nevada, will help the short line meet its intermodal, logistics and distribution needs in a cost-effective manner, according to an NNDA press release.

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May
17

Montreal transit agency gets green light to buy more Azur trains

An Azur train during the testing phase.Photo – Societe de transport de Montreal

Quebec government leaders have adopted special legislation that will pave the way for the Societe de transport de Montreal (STM) to acquire new Azur subway trains.

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May
17

Rail traffic rose 5.8 percent in Week 19

U.S. railroads posted a 5.8 percent increase in carload and intermodal traffic for the week ending May 12 compared with the same week in 2017, according to Association of American Railroads (AAR) data.

Total carloads for the week increased 5.3 percent to 267,196 units, while intermodal volume climbed 6.3 percent to 282,833 containers and trailers compared with the same period a year ago.

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May
17

Ashcroft Terminals will enhance rail links with federal funds

The Government of Canada's Minister of Transport, Marc Garneau, has announced a CA$9.2 million (US7.18 million) investment for a project at Ashcroft Terminal that will improve terminal infrastructure.

 

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May
17

Wavetronix to acquire Island Radar, open new rail unit

Wavetronix, a supplier of radar traffic detection and monitoring technology, announced that it has signed a letter of intent to acquire Island Radar Company LLC.

 

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May
17

LACMTA awarded $703.6M in grants for county transportation projects

The California Transportation Commission (CTC) approved $703.6 million in SB-1 funding for the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA) on May 16.

 

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May
17

Suppliers showcase products to help railroads tackle harsh winter weather

Harsco Rail’s Spreader Ditcher can clear 16-foot snow drifts and widen snow cuts with main wings and bank slopers.Photo – Harsco Rail

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

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May
16

FRA: We’ve got PTC funds available. Act now!

The Federal Railroad Administration on May 15 issued a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for $250 million in Positive Train Control (PTC) Systems Grants.

 

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May
16

National Mediation Board reorganizes offices

The National Mediation Board (NMB) has reorganized.

The Office of Chief of Staff, the position of chief of staff and the position of assistant chief of staff have been eliminated, while two new offices have been created: Fiscal Services and Information Services.

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May
16

CN awards rail-car inspection contract to Duos Technologies

Duos Technologies Group Inc. has obtained a "multimillion-dollar" contract with CN to provide the Class I with high-resolution train imaging systems for security and mechanical inspection.

The award includes four complete rail inspection portals and deployment of Duos' first commercial thermal undercarriage inspection system, which recently was beta-tested at the rail-testing facility in Pueblo, Colorado, Duos Technologies officials said in a press release.

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May
16

Brightline forms partnership with Lyft

Rail News Home Passenger Rail 5/16/2018 Rail News: Passenger Rail
The rail company's three stations will feature designated Lyft pickup and drop-off zones.Photo – Brightline's Twitter account

Brightline has partnered with ride-hailing company Lyft to provide first- and last-mile services at its stations.

As part of the agreement, Brightline's three stations will feature designated Lyft pickup and drop-off zones. Brightline passengers will be able to use the Brightline mobile app to see their Lyft driver's estimated time of arrival and check the approximate cost of a ride.

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May
16

PANYNJ names Cetnar police department superintendent

Rail News Home Security 5/16/2018 Rail News: Security
Edward CetnarPhoto – Port Authority of New York and New Jersey

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) has appointed Edward Cetnar superintendent of the Port Authority Police Department.

Cetnar succeeds Michael Fedorko, who announced his retirement last week after serving as superintendent since 2009.

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May
16

Trudeau pledges funding for Calgary's Green Line light-rail project

Rail News Home Passenger Rail 5/16/2018 Rail News: Passenger Rail
The 12.4-mile line will include 14 stations.Photo – calgary.ca

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau yesterday confirmed that the federal government will provide up to CA$1.53 billion toward the Green Line light-rail project in Calgary, Alberta.

The sum marks the Canadian government's largest contribution for an infrastructure project in Alberta, according to a press release issued by Trudeau's office.

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May
16

FTA certifies Maryland's transit-rail safety oversight program

Rail News Home Safety 5/16/2018 Rail News: Safety
The Maryland Department of Transportation will oversee transit-rail safety in the state.Photo – Guy Henderson / Maryland Transit Administration

Maryland is the latest state to achieve federal certification of a transit-rail safety oversight program.

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) yesterday announced that Maryland's state safety oversight (SSO) program has been certified ahead of the April 15, 2019, deadline.

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