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Apr
04

G&W's board adds Carter, Hostetler

Genesee & Wyoming Inc. (G&W) announced the appointments of Bruce Carter and Cynthia Hostetler to its board.

Their appointments expand the number of G&W board directors to 12, 11 of whom are independent directors, company officials said in a press release.

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Apr
04

Dewberry welcomes former NJ Transit executive director

Dewberry has added Steven H. Santoro, former executive director of New Jersey Transit, as its new director of rail and transit.

 

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Apr
04

MBTA awards $102 million contract to rebuild Wellington rail yard

Rail News Home Passenger Rail 4/4/2018 Rail News: Passenger Rail
The yard upgrades are needed to support the arrival of 152 new Orange Line subway cars.Photo – MBTA

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority's (MBTA) Fiscal and Management Control Board on Monday awarded a $102.7 million contract to Barletta Heavy Division to rebuild the Wellington rail yard in Medford, Massachusetts.

The contract also calls for upgrading the Orange Line's signal system. The 36-month project is needed to support the arrival of 152 new Orange Line subway cars, MBTA officials said in a press release.

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Apr
04

Two RFQs issued for GO rail expansion project

Infrastructure Ontario (IO) and Metrolinx have issued two Requests for Qualifications (RFQ) for the next phase of the GO Regional Express Rail (RER) expansion.

One RFQ is for interested parties to design, build and finance two of the Stations and Off-Corridor projects. The projects - new Regional Express Rail (RER) Stations and Smart Track Stations - are part of a larger, system-wide plan to improve GO Transit service.

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Apr
04

Norfolk Southern responds to STB on service issues

Norfolk Southern Railway's service "is not where we or our customers need it to be," the Class I's Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer James Squires acknowledged in a letter to the Surface Transportation Board (STB).

Squires' letter was sent April 2 in response to the STB's recent request for the Class Is to submit 2018 service outlook reports, as the board looks into shippers' complaints about deteriorating freight-rail service.

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Apr
03

Rail supplier news from Dewberry, Peaker Services, RSI and NRC (April 3)

Rail News Home Railroading Supplier Spotlight 4/3/2018 Rail News: Railroading Supplier Spotlight
Steven Santoro has been hired as Dewberry's director of rail and transit.Photo – Dewberry

Former New Jersey Transit Executive Director Steven Santoro has joined Dewberry as director of rail and transit. In the new role, he'll help grow Dewberry's practice by mentoring employees, expanding relationships with rail and transit agencies on costs and assisting with project delivery. Santoro had worked at NJ Transit for 18 years. The agency him in 2000 to manage the Hudson-Bergen light-rail project. He became executive director in fall 2016.

Peaker Services Inc. has acquired Energy Conversions Inc. (ECI), a firm that develops natural gas conversion kits for high horsepower diesel engine applications. Those applications include using multipoint direct gas injection and custom engine modifications in dual-fuel natural gas EMD locomotives. ECI will continue to operate out of its plant in Tacoma, Washington, as Engenious Engineering LLC, Peaker Services officials said in a press release. PSI was founded in 1971 to repair and maintain EMD diesel generators. The company grew and diversified into complete locomotive remanufacturing, marine propulsion service and other industrial EMD applications. Financial details of the acquisition were not disclosed.

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Apr
03

Metra to end website ticket purchases

Metra in June will stop selling tickets on its website in an effort to save money.

Rolled out in September 2009, the railroad's Ticket-by-Internet program allows riders to buy monthly passes and 10-ride tickets on Metra's website. The program also allows passengers to set up recurring orders to receive tickets on a monthly schedule.

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Apr
03

Cleveland RTA Board President Dixon steps down

Rail News Home Railroading People 4/3/2018 Rail News: Railroading People
George Dixon III resigned as president of the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority's (GCRTA) board last week at the board's request.The board requested the resignation after being made aware of reports that Dixon neglected to pay premiums for health insurance provided by GCRTA, according to an agency press release.Dixon has been on the board since 1992 and president since 1994. He previously enrolled in GCRTA's health care coverage, which is available to board members.GCRTA board member Georgine Welo said the board was made aware of the questions about Dixon’s payments on March 27. With an "internal investigation underway," the board requested Dixon’s resignation and accepted it on March 29.Board members could not provide more details until the internal investigation is completed."We know people will have many questions about this. So do we. We're going to get answers, and when we do, we’re going to share them with the community," Welo said.

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Apr
03

Operation Lifesaver launches e-learning tool for first responders

Rail News Home Safety 4/3/2018 Rail News: Safety
Operation Lifesaver Inc. (OLI) is offering a free online "Rail Safety for First Responders" program to help raise safety awareness when responding to rail-related incidents.The interactive learning program "brings attention to the choices first responders often make around tracks and trains and is intended to help them safely traverse highway-rail intersections," said OLI Interim President Wende Corcoran in a press release.Although it can take extra caution to navigate a railroad crossing while heading to an emergency, ambulance drivers, law enforcement officers, firefighters, EMTs and dispatchers can mitigate the risk by knowing what to do, Corcoran said.Developed with input from first responders, OLI's e-learning program addresses railroad topics, crossing challenges, safety searches and incident responses.OLI was able to create the program using funds from the Federal Railroad Administration and Federal Highway Administration.

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Apr
03

Seattle Mayor Durkan halts streetcar project over cost concerns

Rail News Home Passenger Rail 4/3/2018 Rail News: Passenger Rail
The project could be facing a $23 million funding shortfall.Photo – seattlestreetcar.org

Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan has halted all work related to the Center City Connector streetcar project pending an independent review of its proposed cost.

Last week, Durkan called for an independent technical review of the proposed costs of the project. In conducting a preliminary assessment, it was discovered that the project could face a "significant capital shortfall," according to a press release issued by Durkan's office. The release didn't state who or what organization conducted the assessment.

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Apr
03

INDOT launches $125 million Local Trax rail safety initiative

The Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) shared details of its new "Local Trax" matching grant program, which will make at least $125 million available for high-priority railroad safety projects on local roads statewide.

The funds available through Local Trax will aid Indiana cities, towns and counties interested in pursuing high-priority railroad grade separations, crossing closures and other safety enhancements at railroad intersections with local roads. The initiative requires local governments to provide 20 percent of funding for land acquisition and construction with the state providing the remaining 80 percent.

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Apr
03

INDOT launches $125 million Local Trax rail safety initiative

The Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) shared details of its new "Local Trax" matching grant program, which will make at least $125 million available for high-priority railroad safety projects on local roads statewide.

The funds available through Local Trax will aid Indiana cities, towns and counties interested in pursuing high-priority railroad grade separations, crossing closures and other safety enhancements at railroad intersections with local roads. The initiative requires local governments to provide 20 percent of funding for land acquisition and construction with the state providing the remaining 80 percent.

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Apr
03

SCVTA Board set to approve second phase of BART extension

The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority's (SCVTA) Board of Directors is set to vote at its April 5 meeting on the staff-recommended BART Silicon Valley Phase II extension project description.

 

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Apr
03

SCVTA Board set to approve second phase of BART extension

The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority's (SCVTA) Board of Directors is set to vote at its April 5 meeting on the staff-recommended BART Silicon Valley Phase II extension project description.

 

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Apr
03

LA Port to get new container staging facility

Rail News Home Intermodal 4/3/2018 Rail News: Intermodal
A rendering of the proposed container staging facility.Photo – HPEC

A new $130 million container staging facility designed to boost productivity will be constructed on Terminal Island at the Port of Los Angeles.

The Harbor Performance Enhancement Center (HPEC) — a public-private partnership dedicated to facilitating freight movement and supply-chain efficiencies — has reached an agreement with Macquarie Principal Finance to provide capital for the development of the 5.5 million-square-foot container hub.

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Apr
03

Union Pacific to invest $45 million into Oklahoma network this year

Union Pacific detailed plans to invest $45 million during 2018 into its Oklahoma network. The railroad says the investment will enhance safety, operating efficiency and support customer service.

 

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Apr
03

Union Pacific to invest $45 million into Oklahoma network this year

Union Pacific detailed plans to invest $45 million during 2018 into its Oklahoma network. The railroad says the investment will enhance safety, operating efficiency and support customer service.

 

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Apr
03

MBTA awards Wellington Yard, Orange Line signal system contract

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority's (MBTA) Fiscal and Management Control Board (FMCB) has voted to offer a $102.7 million contract to Barletta Heavy Division for work to rebuild its Wellington Rail Yard and upgrade its signal systems.

 

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Apr
03

MBTA awards Wellington Yard, Orange Line signal system contract

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority's (MBTA) Fiscal and Management Control Board (FMCB) has voted to offer a $102.7 million contract to Barletta Heavy Division for work to rebuild its Wellington Rail Yard and upgrade its signal systems.

 

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Apr
03

Indiana DOT to offer $125 million in grants for rail crossing safety projects

Rail News Home Safety 4/3/2018 Rail News: Safety
The Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) announced the availability of $125 million for "high-priority" railroad safety projects through the agency's new Local Trax matching grant program.Local Trax provides state matching funds for Indiana cities, towns and counties interested in pursuing grade separations, crossing closures and other safety enhancements at railroad intersections with local roads.INDOT will accept local agencies' project proposals from May through August. Local Trax requires local governments to provide 20 percent of funding for land acquisition and construction; the state will provide the other 80 percent."Eliminating at-grade rail crossings on local roads makes our transportation network safer, reduces congestion, and better connects our communities," said Gov. Eric Holcomb in a press release.INDOT will hold meetings around the state this month to answer questions about the new program. Funding for Local Trax was included in the state's long-term road funding legislation that Holcomb signed in April 2017.

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