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Apr
27

U.S. Rep. Perry tours Aaron Enterprises; Illinois Gov. Rauner visits HARTING

U.S. Rep. Scott Perry (R-Pa.) late last week toured Aaron Enterprises Inc.'s facility in York, Pennsylvania.

He was joined by representatives from Genesee & Wyoming Inc. and other York-based businesses, according to a press release issued by the Railway Engineering-Maintenance Suppliers Association (REMSA), which coordinated the event.

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Apr
27

Rail supplier news from Siemens, TRAC, WSP, ENSCO and Trackmobile (April 27)

The San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission has awarded Siemens a contract to build four diesel-electric Charger locomotives, with an option to purchase four additional units. The contract, which includes additional services and equipment, is valued at about $30 million, Siemens spokeswoman Elizabeth Cho said in an email. The locomotives will operate on the Altamont Corridor Express, a commuter-rail service that runs between Stockton and San Jose, California. Delivery of the units is slated to begin in December 2019. The 4,400-horsepower Charger locomotives will meet the Environmental Protection Agency's Tier 4 emissions standard, Siemens officials said in a press release. The locomotives are currently in use in other parts of California, as well as in Illinois, Maryland and Washington.

TRAC Intermodal has announced that it's doubling the size of its mobile service unit (MSU) truck fleet to help accelerate chassis repairs and increase intermodal shipment velocity at key rail ramps across the United States. The company established its MSU program in 2016 to ensure that chassis are readily available for customers. The program provides needed repair capacity in select markets and has been expanded each year since it was launched, TRAC Intermodal officials said in a press release. The MSUs are staffed by TRAC mechanics trained in repairing chassis brakes, lights, tires and other equipment at rail ramp locations.

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Apr
27

MTA board OKs funds for subway station accessibility upgrades

Rail News Home Passenger Rail 4/27/2018 Rail News: Passenger Rail
The board approved a capital plan amendment that will provide $300 million to undertake critical station improvements.Photo – Metropolitan Transportation Authority

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority's (MTA) board earlier this week passed a capital plan amendment to provide additional funding for accessibility improvements at subway stations.

The amendment includes $300 million to undertake critical station improvements such as adding elevators and redesigning stairs, mezzanines and platforms.

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Apr
27

California commission to provide grants for ACE's final two grade separations

Rail News Home Communication and Signal 4/27/2018 Rail News: Communication and Signal
On April 6, the Alameda Corridor-East Construction Authority marked the completion of a grade separation along a UP line.Photo – Alameda Corridor-East Construction Authority

The California Transportation Commission has recommended awarding $78 million in grant funding for two grade separations along the Alameda Corridor-East (ACE) freight-rail corridor in eastern Los Angeles County, the Alameda Corridor-East Construction Authority announced yesterday.

The proposed grants are among a statewide list of projects recommended for funding through California's new Trade Corridor Enhancement Program, which is administered by the commission.

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Apr
27

UP notes PTC implementation progress in Q1

Union Pacific Railroad yesterday provided an update on its positive train control (PTC) implementation effort through the first quarter.

As of March 31, the Class I had prepared eight additional track segments for PTC operations in the quarter, boosting the total number of segments to 176, or 97 percent completion.

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Apr
27

Senate commerce committee OKs Fuchs, Schultz for STB seats

Rail News Home Federal Legislation & Regulation 4/27/2018 Rail News: Federal Legislation & Regulation
The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation on Wednesday approved the nominations of Patrick Fuchs and Michelle Schultz as Surface Transportation Board (STB) members.They would serve five-year terms if confirmed by the Senate. Fuchs and Schultz were among eight nominees blessed by the committee, which also approved four bills.Fuchs is a senior professional staff member working on surface transportation and maritime issues for the Senate commerce committee. He also has served as a policy analyst and Presidential Management Fellow at the Office of Management and Budget, where he managed railroad and maritime regulatory reviews.Schultz is a deputy general counsel at the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA). Prior to joining the agency in 2006, she was an associate with a Philadelphia law firm.The Rail Passengers Association (RPA) hailed the commerce committee’s approval and called on the Senate to swiftly confirm the two STB nominees.“Our association has had the pleasure of working with Patrick closely during his time as a senior staff member of the Senate commerce committee, and we cannot speak highly enough of his commitment to improving America’s rail network and the depth of experience and knowledge he brings to his work,” said RPA President Jim Mathews in a press release. “No one knows better the intent behind the passenger rail protections included in the FAST Act, and I know Patrick will be fair and judicious in the rail matters brought before the STB.”As for Schultz, she developed a reputation at SEPTA for diligence and competence among RPA’s Pennsylvanian members, he said.“I believe she will bring the same aptitude to her work at the STB,” said Mathews.

Contact Progressive Railroading editorial staff.

More News from 4/27/2018


Apr
27

Paolo Covoni tapped as ECM S.p.A. managing director

Progress Rail, a Caterpillar company, has announced the appointment of Paolo Covoni as managing director of ECM S.p.A., an international signaling company it recently acquired. Covoni's new role is effective immediately.

 

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Apr
27

Bailey of CSX wins AAR’s Chafee award for environmental excellence

Charles Bailey, director of design and construction Engineering for CSX Transportation, has been awarded the 2017 John H. Chafee Environmental Excellence Award by the Association of American Railroads (AAR).

 

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Apr
27

Brightline preps for simulated service to Miami

Rail News Home Passenger Rail 4/27/2018 Rail News: Passenger Rail
Tomorrow, the railroad will operate trains without passengers between Miami and Fort Lauderdale, Florida.Photo – Brightline's Twitter account

Brightline tomorrow will launch simulated service to Miami.

The company will operate trains without passengers between Miami and Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The simulated service is part of the required training and testing before revenue service begins "in the coming weeks," Brightline officials said in a press release.

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Apr
27

AAR: U.S. carload, intermodal volumes climbed in week 16

During the week ending April 21, U.S. railroads moved 264,552 carloads and 274,873 intermodal loads, up 3.5 percent and 8.9 percent, respectively, compared with the same 2017 period, according to Association of American Railroads (AAR) data.

Total weekly U.S. rail traffic reached 539,425 units, up 6.2 percent year over year.

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Apr
27

ENSCO appoints two to Engineering Division

ENSCO, Inc. has announced two new appointments April 27. Ruben D. Peña B. has been selected to serve as director of Government Surface Transportation to its Applied Technology and Engineering Division staff, and Robert Coakley has been tapped for the role as director of Business Development in the Applied Technology and Engineering Division.

 

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Apr
26

SEPTA eyes C&S upgrades, catenary replacement in FY19 capital budget

Rail News Home Passenger Rail 4/26/2018 Rail News: Passenger Rail
The agency has proposed $42 million for improvements to its communications and signal systems.Photo – SEPTA

The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) has proposed a $749.62 million capital budget for fiscal-year 2019.

The agency has proposed $42 million for improvements to its communications and signal systems, and another $30.6 million to modernize substations, which were originally built in the 1920s and 1930s.

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Apr
26

LA Metro upgrades 27 Blue Line crossings

The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) has wrapped up a project to boost pedestrian safety at 27 Blue Line grade crossings.

The California Public Utilities Commission this week brought the project to a close by providing final approvals for the work, Metro officials wrote in a blog post.

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Apr
26

WMATA safety commission taps Mayer as CEO

Rail News Home Safety 4/26/2018 Rail News: Safety
David MayerPhoto – Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments

The newly formed Metrorail Safety Commission (MSC) has named David Mayer chief executive officer, effective June 4.

Lawmakers in Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C. established the commission to serve as the state safety oversight agency for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority's (WMATA) rail system.

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Apr
26

Metrolink, UP mark PTC interoperability achievement

Rail News Home Positive Train Control 4/26/2018 Rail News: Positive Train Control
Metrolink yesterday announced its positive train control (PTC) system has reached interoperability with Union Pacific Railroad.The agency now can use its PTC system on tracks owned by UP on the Ventura County Line north of Moorpark station and the Riverside Line. The Class I will operate PTC on tracks owned by Metrolink on the Ventura County Line south of Moorpark station and the Antelope Valley Line."With this development, [we have] significantly expanded PTC across [our] network of shared track," said Metrolink Chair Andrew Kotyuk in a press release.In June 2015, Metrolink launched PTC in revenue service demonstration across its entire 341-mile network, becoming the first U.S. passenger railroad to operate such a system during regular service on all its hosted lines. Since it achieved interoperability with BNSF Railway Co. in October 2017, it’s now the first U.S. commuter railroad to attain interoperability with both BNSF and UP, Metrolink officials said.The successful interoperability efforts with Metrolink trains in southern California are a major step in enhancing safe operations between freight and passenger railroads, said Lupe Valdez, UP's public affairs director in southern California."It will be important that all railroads continue working together to ensure smooth and safe transitions as PTC is implemented,” he said.
 
Metrolink is coordinating with its remaining operating partners — Amtrak and North County Transit District — to achieve interoperability this year across all shared tracks in the region.

Contact Progressive Railroading editorial staff.

More News from 4/26/2018


Apr
26

KCS relaunches intermodal service between Louisiana port, Texas terminal

Kansas City Southern yesterday announced a new weekly intermodal service between the Port of New Orleans and Wylie, Texas, will begin in May.

The Class I previously offered intermodal service in the lane, but it was discontinued following Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

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Apr
26

KCS relaunches intermodal service between Louisiana port, Texas terminal

Kansas City Southern yesterday announced a new weekly intermodal service between the Port of New Orleans and Wylie, Texas, will begin in May.

The Class I previously offered intermodal service in the lane, but it was discontinued following Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

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Apr
26

BART's Antioch extension to open next month

Bay Area Rapid Transit's (BART) 10-mile extension to Antioch, California, will begin passenger service on May 26.

The extension will feature diesel multiple units (DMU) that will operate on standard gauge track instead of BART's wider gauge rails. The new line will run in the median of State Route 4 and connect to the agency's station in Pittsburg, California.

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Apr
26

Union Pacific reports PTC progress

Union Pacific (UP) has shared recent strides it has made toward the required implementation of positive train control (PTC) as federal deadlines loom ahead.

 

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Apr
26

AAR honors CSX's Bailey for environmental excellence

Rail News Home Railroading People 4/26/2018 Rail News: Railroading People
(From left) CSX's Charles Bailey accepts the Chafee award from the AAR's Ed Hamberger.Photo – AAR

The Association of American Railroads (AAR) yesterday announced that CSX Director of Design and Construction Engineering Charles Bailey won the 2017 John H. Chafee Environmental Excellence Award.
 
The award is named in honor of the late Rhode Island senator, who was a strong advocate for sustainability and rail’s environmental benefits. The Chafee award recognizes a railroad employee who has demonstrated the highest level of environmental stewardship in the previous year.

Bailey developed a culture at CSX where design and construction methodologies benefit both the environment and the railroad, AAR officials said in a press release. His collaborative approach with environmental teams has had a significant impact on the environmental performance of the Class I, they added.

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