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Jan
23

STB: Class Is end 2017 with smaller workforce

U.S. Class Is continued to shrink their workforce last month.

As of mid-December, Class Is in the United States employed 145,416 workers, down 0.37 percent since mid-November's employment figure and down 3.19 percent compared with mid-December 2016's level, according to Surface Transportation Board (STB) data.

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Jan
23

Amtrak's Michigan trains travel faster after rail upgrades

Trains on Amtrak's Wolverine and Blue Water lines in Michigan have begun traveling faster following recent rail infrastructure improvements, the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) announced yesterday.

Amtrak staff now dispatch trains on the rail corridor between Porter, Indiana, and Dearborn, Michigan — a move that "ensures the efficient movement of passenger trains," said MDOT Office of Rail Director Tim Hoeffner in a press release.

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Jan
23

Scanlon elected to Norfolk Southern's board

Rail News Home Railroading People 1/23/2018 Rail News: Railroading People
Jennifer Scanlon is president and chief executive officer of USG Corp.Photo – Norfolk Southern Corp.

Norfolk Southern Corp. has elected Jennifer Scanlon to its board of directors.

Scanlon is president and chief executive officer of USG Corp. She has been appointed to the NS board's Compensation Committee and the Finance and Risk Management Committee.

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Jan
23

New York City MTA to sign $4 billion contract for new subway cars

Rendering of a prototype for a new subway carPhoto – New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo's office

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) is slated to sign a $3.7 billion contract with Kawasaki for 1,612 new subway cars, The New York Times reported late last week.

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Jan
23

Freight-rail groups: Don't scrap NAFTA

Freight-rail industry representatives from the United States, Canada and Mexico are calling for "constructive negotiations" on a new version of the 24-year-old North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).

In an open letter to policymakers, freight-rail associations from each country stressed the importance of trade and the need for a continental railroad network to provide businesses with access to economic markets.

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Jan
22

In memoriam: Walter Winzen

Walter Winzen, founder and chief executive officer of Missouri-based Transportation Products Sales Co. (TPSC), died Jan. 19 of heart failure, the company has announced.

"We are saddened by the passing of Walter Winzen, but confident his leadership will live on in all aspects of the business operations, especially his mission to find solutions that advance the rail industry," said TPSC President Sid Bakker in a press release.  

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Jan
22

Chicago RTA calls for stable public transit funding

Rail News Home Passenger Rail 1/22/2018 Rail News: Passenger Rail
The plan notes that Chicago-area transit agencies are "on uneven financial footing."Photo – Chicago Transit Authority

The Chicago Regional Transportation Authority's (RTA) board last week approved its 2018-2023 regional transit strategic plan, which calls for pursuing public funding for transit.

Titled "Invest in Transit," the plan makes the case for pursuing dependable funding streams that would enable the RTA, the Chicago Transit Authority, Metra and Pace to continue providing service.

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Jan
22

Gov. Brown adds execs to California high-speed rail team

Rail News Home High-Speed Rail 1/22/2018 Rail News: High-Speed Rail
The appointments follow the selection of Brian Kelly as CEO last week.Photo – California High-Speed Rail Authority

California Gov. Jerry Brown has named Joseph Hedges chief operating officer of the California High-Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA).

Hedges will ensure that all construction and engineering elements of the high-speed rail program are delivered within scope, quality standards, budget and schedule throughout the duration of the project, CHSRA officials said in a press release.

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Jan
22

KCS reduces planned 2018 capital program around four percent

Kansas City Southern estimates its 2018 capital program will be between $5530 million and $550 million; down approximately four percent from 2017.

Railroad executives explained during the 2017 Q4 earnings call that the slight reduction in the planned capital program is due to a number of large projects wrapping up in 2017 rather than an indication that growth opportunities are limited.

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Jan
22

North American freight rail associations pen joint letter in support of NAFTA

The freight rail associations representing Mexico, the United States and Canada, sent a joint letter to negotiators ahead of the sixth formal round of North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) discussions being held in Montreal, Quebec, Jan. 23-28.

 

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Jan
22

CHSRA expands executive team

The California High-Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA) has announced the appointment of Joseph Hedges as its new chief operating officer and Pamela Mizukami as chief deputy director.

 

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Jan
22

UP again recognized as 'most admired' company

Rail News Home Union Pacific Railroad 1/22/2018 Rail News: Union Pacific Railroad
Union Pacific Corp. has been named Fortune magazine's most admired company for the eighth consecutive year.The recognition also marks the 15th time in 19 years the company has been named No. 1 among trucking, transportation and logistics leaders, according to a UP press release.UP ranked first in eight of the magazine's performance categories: innovation; people management; use of corporate assets; social responsibility; quality of management; financial soundness; long-term investment; and quality of products and services."Union Pacific's top ranking by Fortune highlights our employees' commitment to deliver value to our customers, shareholders and communities," said UP Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer Lance Fritz. "Our engaged team's focus on finding new, innovative ways to operate a safe and efficient railroad will help us continue serving these key stakeholders with excellence."Fortune's research partner, the Hay Group, surveyed 3,800 senior executives, directors and analysts to select companies they admired most from a list that started with 1,500 companies. The magazine's annual World's Most Admired list is published in the February issue.

Contact Progressive Railroading editorial staff.

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Jan
22

UP again recognized as 'most admired' company

Rail News Home Union Pacific Railroad 1/22/2018 Rail News: Union Pacific Railroad
Union Pacific Corp. has been named Fortune magazine's most admired company for the eighth consecutive year.The recognition also marks the 15th time in 19 years the company has been named No. 1 among trucking, transportation and logistics leaders, according to a UP press release.UP ranked first in eight of the magazine's performance categories: innovation; people management; use of corporate assets; social responsibility; quality of management; financial soundness; long-term investment; and quality of products and services."Union Pacific's top ranking by Fortune highlights our employees' commitment to deliver value to our customers, shareholders and communities," said UP Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer Lance Fritz. "Our engaged team's focus on finding new, innovative ways to operate a safe and efficient railroad will help us continue serving these key stakeholders with excellence."Fortune's research partner, the Hay Group, surveyed 3,800 senior executives, directors and analysts to select companies they admired most from a list that started with 1,500 companies. The magazine's annual World's Most Admired list is published in the February issue.

Contact Progressive Railroading editorial staff.

More News from 1/22/2018


Jan
22

Branham promoted to executive team at Harsco Rail

Harsco Rail has announced the promotion of Allen Branham to vice president of its North America Sales and Global Contracting Services division.

 

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Jan
22

R. J. Corman sells Roadway Worker Training to RailPros

R. J. Corman Railroad Group LLC has completed the sale of Roadway Worker Training (RWT) to RailPros, a privately held consulting firm specializing in rail engineering design and management.

The sale is part of Corman's effort to accelerate growth by reinvesting and refocusing on its core competencies, according to a company press release.

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Jan
22

WMATA unveils $3.2 billion budget for FY2019

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) late last week proposed a $3.2 billion budget for fiscal-year 2019, which starts July 1.

Although the proposal doesn't include fare hikes or service cuts, WMATA is seeking additional funding from Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C., to balance the budget, agency officials said in a press release.

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Jan
22

Maryland's Purple Line rail route on track to open in 2022

Rail News Home Passenger Rail 1/22/2018 Rail News: Passenger Rail
State officials expect to have a better grasp of the project's actual timeline in a couple months.Photo – Purple Line's website

Contact Progressive Railroading editorial staff.

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Jan
22

U.S. Freight Rail Industry Partners With Canadian and Mexico Counterparts to Urge Successful NAFTA 2.0 Negotiations

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U.S. Freight Rail Industry Partners With Canadian and Mexico Counterparts to Urge Successful NAFTA 2.0 Negotiations

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Jan
22

Brightline steps up safety initiatives in response to rail-crossing deaths

Brightline executives are expanding safety outreach efforts following recent deaths on the private passenger railroad's new route in South Florida.

Two deaths occurred after Brightline trains struck individuals on the railroad's route during the service's first week of operation. Some political leaders have since called for federal transportation officials to investigate the deaths and Brightline's safety efforts.

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Jan
22

Product update: Friction modifiers and rail lubrication systems

Loram Maintenance of Way Inc. enhanced and expanded its friction management product line for 2018Photo – Loram Maintenance of Way Inc.

Loram Maintenance of Way Inc.

Railroads have individual needs that cannot be met by a traditional “one-size-fits-all” solution, as Loram Maintenance of Way Inc. officials put it in an email. Accordingly, Loram has expanded its friction management product line for 2018. The company made improvements to its top-of-rail (TOR) and Gauge Face (GF) wayside systems.

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