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Oct
19

Metra, CP break ground on CREATE project

Metra and Canadian Pacific have begun a project to upgrade signals and add several crossover tracks in Franklin Park, Illinois. The effort is the 34th project to begin under the Chicago Region Environmental and Transportation Efficiency Program (CREATE).

Crews will install five crossovers and associated signaling on Metra's track serving its Milwaukee District West Line and CP. The area is located between the grade crossings of Scott Street and Ruby Street.

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Oct
19

Nashville mayor proposes 26-mile light-rail system

Rail News Home Passenger Rail 10/19/2017 Rail News: Passenger Rail
Nashville Mayor Megan Barry on Tuesday unveiled a $5.2 billion infrastructure proposal that would include a new 26-mile light-rail system.The plan would be funded by four tax increases that Davidson County residents would need to approve in a May 2018 vote. The light-rail system would be built on Nashville's busiest corridors, which include Gallatin Road, Nolensville Road, Charlotte Avenue and Murfreesboro Road. The plan also calls for using existing track to provide light-rail service to Buchanan Street near Tennessee State University. "This comprehensive transportation solution will connect more neighborhoods with each other and open the door even wider to the city's job, education and entertainment centers," Barry said in a press release.Barry's proposal also includes new rapid bus routes, as well as an increase in existing bus service.Beginning Oct. 26, Barry's office will hold a series of public meetings about the plan in neighborhoods along the proposed light-rail corridors.After the meetings, the Nashville Metro Council will consider an ordinance to authorize putting the proposed tax increases on a ballot.In April, Barry announced her support for a light-rail system in the city.

Contact Progressive Railroading editorial staff.

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Oct
19

NTSB: Crew members' sleep likely cause of train collision

Rail News Home Federal Legislation & Regulation 10/19/2017 Rail News: Federal Legislation & Regulation
The NTSB determined that the trains collided because one train's crew was likely asleep.Photo – NTSB report: Photo courtesy of News Radio KEEL, Shreveport, Louisiana.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has determined that two Union Pacific Railroad trains collided in Texas in September 2015 because the crew of one train was likely asleep before the accident occurred, the agency announced this week.

Contributing to the incident near Texarkana, Texas, was the lack of a functioning positive train control system, according to the NTSB's accident brief.

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Oct
18

Rail supplier news from Protran, dFuzion, Ontario Trap Rock, Strato and Avtec (Oct. 18)

Rail News Home Railroading Supplier Spotlight 10/18/2017 Rail News: Railroading Supplier Spotlight
U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao visited Protran Technology's booth at APTA's 2017 EXPO show.Photo – Protran Technology

U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao and acting Federal Transit Administrator K. Jane Williams last week met with Protran Technology founder Peter Bartek for a demonstration of the company's safety technology for pedestrians and track workers. Chao visited company officials at the American Public Transportation Association's (APTA) 2017 EXPO trade show, which ran Oct. 9-11. Protran provides track worker secondary warning systems to meet federal safety standards. The company has more than 13,000 warning systems in revenue service.

Amtrak has chosen dFuzion Inc.'s rMetrix®-A ride performance assessment systems for performing continuous vehicle/track interaction monitoring services on ACS-64 locomotives. The system enables operators to rapidly identify and prioritize locations for corrective and preventive maintenance, dFuzion officials said in a press release. The technology also helps detect vehicle and track abnormalities that may impact passenger comfort, equipment reliability and operational safety.

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Oct
18

Cleveland transit agency upgrades Lee-Shaker light-rail station

Rail News Home Passenger Rail 10/18/2017 Rail News: Passenger Rail
The renovation project began in October 2016.Photo – Jerry Masek / GCRTA

The Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (GCRTA) yesterday marked the completion of a $1.7 million upgrade to its Lee-Shaker Station on the Green Line.

Schirmer Construction demolished the original platform and built a new one one with new waiting shelters. Crews also installed new lighting, signage, railings and a safety security system with cameras and emergency call boxes.

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Oct
18

Savannah port moves 1 million TEUs in Q1

Rail News Home Intermodal 10/18/2017 Rail News: Intermodal
The port moved more than 1 million TEUs across the Garden City Terminal in Q1 FY2018.Photo – Georgia Ports Authority

The Port of Savannah moved more than 1 million 20-foot-equivalent container units (TEUs) across the Garden City Terminal in first-quarter fiscal-year 2018, a 5.8 percent increase from the number of TEUs moved during first-quarter FY2017.

Container tons rose 8.1 percent to 7.23 million tons for the quarter ending Sept. 30 compared with the year-ago period, according to a press release issued by the Georgia Ports Authority.

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Oct
18

GO Transit's Whitby rail shop to open by year's end

GO Transit's new rail maintenance facility in Whitby, Ontario, is slated to be completed by the end of 2017, the Ontario Ministry of Transportation announced late last week.

The 500,000-square-foot facility will provide maintenance, repair, cleaning and storage  for 13 trains. The CA$859.2 million shop is being constructed to achieve Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design gold certification, officials from the ministry said in a press release.

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Oct
18

Preferred Proppants to sell sand mine, rail terminals

Rail News Home Shippers 10/18/2017 Rail News: Shippers
Also known as Preferred Sands, the company entered into a definitive agreement to sell the Wisconsin sand mine to Source Energy for $80 million.Photo – preferredsands.com

Preferred Proppants LLC has reached a definitive agreement to sell a Wisconsin sand mine to Source Energy Services Ltd.

Also known as Preferred Sands, the company entered into a definitive agreement to sell the sand mine in Blair, Wisconsin, to Source Energy for $80 million, and entered into a production payment agreement with respect to certain exploration rights on more than 3,600 acres in the Peace River Valley of Alberta.

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Oct
18

L.A. Metro taps STV, WSP for rail-car consulting

Rendering of a new HR4000 carPhoto – L.A. Metro's blog

The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) has chosen an STV-WSP USA joint venture to serve as its consultant on an acquisition of new heavy-rail vehicles and associated equipment.

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Oct
18

AAR Reports Weekly Rail Traffic for the Week Ending October 14, 2017

The Association of American Railroads (AAR) today reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending October 14, 2017.

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Oct
18

KCS appoints Howard to lead new health, safety and environmental group

Rail News Home Kansas City Southern 10/18/2017 Rail News: Kansas City Southern
Kansas City Southern Railway Co. announced yesterday it has consolidated occupational health, workplace and public safety, and environmental functions into a new group within the company's operations.As part of the consolidation, KCS promoted Kayden Howard from associate general counsel to the newly created position of vice president health, safety and environmental. Howard has been with KCS since 2005.KCS also will create a new position of assistant vice president health and safety. The person appointed to that post will lead the team responsible for the ongoing design, implementation and administration of workplace safety and health programs for the company, KCS officials said in a press release.KCS Executive Vice President Jeff Songer said he is confident that Howard "will continue to enhance our overall commitment to safety."Prior to joining KCS, Howard practiced labor and employment law with the firm Shook, Hardy & Bacon, and worked for the U.S. Department of Labor.

Contact Progressive Railroading editorial staff.

More News from 10/18/2017


Oct
18

KCS appoints Howard to lead new health, safety and environmental group

Rail News Home Kansas City Southern 10/18/2017 Rail News: Kansas City Southern
Kansas City Southern Railway Co. announced yesterday it has consolidated occupational health, workplace and public safety, and environmental functions into a new group within the company's operations.As part of the consolidation, KCS promoted Kayden Howard from associate general counsel to the newly created position of vice president health, safety and environmental. Howard has been with KCS since 2005.KCS also will create a new position of assistant vice president health and safety. The person appointed to that post will lead the team responsible for the ongoing design, implementation and administration of workplace safety and health programs for the company, KCS officials said in a press release.KCS Executive Vice President Jeff Songer said he is confident that Howard "will continue to enhance our overall commitment to safety."Prior to joining KCS, Howard practiced labor and employment law with the firm Shook, Hardy & Bacon, and worked for the U.S. Department of Labor.

Contact Progressive Railroading editorial staff.

More News from 10/18/2017


Oct
18

Metra leads 34th CREATE improvement project

Chicago Region Environmental and Transportation Efficiency (CREATE) Program began construction on Project B1, its 34th project aimed at improving safety and keeping Metra and freight trains moving through the region more efficiently.

Metra and Canadian Pacific Railway will upgrade signals and add several crossover tracks near CP's Bensenville Yard in Franklin Park, Ill. Currently freight trains pass through the Bensenville Yard to access Indiana Harbor Belt (IHB) mainline tracks. With this improvement, 12 daily freight trains will bypass the yard on existing Metra tracks. CREATE officials say this reduces the potential for freight train delay to 58 daily Metra trains and improves Metra flexibility at the Franklin Park Station. In addition, the project will reduce delays and congestion and increase safety for pedestrians and motorists at nearby grade crossings as trains move through the region.

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Oct
18

Metra leads 34th CREATE improvement project

Chicago Region Environmental and Transportation Efficiency (CREATE) Program began construction on Project B1, its 34th project aimed at improving safety and keeping Metra and freight trains moving through the region more efficiently.

Metra and Canadian Pacific Railway will upgrade signals and add several crossover tracks near CP's Bensenville Yard in Franklin Park, Ill. Currently freight trains pass through the Bensenville Yard to access Indiana Harbor Belt (IHB) mainline tracks. With this improvement, 12 daily freight trains will bypass the yard on existing Metra tracks. CREATE officials say this reduces the potential for freight train delay to 58 daily Metra trains and improves Metra flexibility at the Franklin Park Station. In addition, the project will reduce delays and congestion and increase safety for pedestrians and motorists at nearby grade crossings as trains move through the region.

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Oct
18

Metra leads 34th CREATE improvement project

Chicago Region Environmental and Transportation Efficiency (CREATE) Program began construction on Project B1, its 34th project aimed at improving safety and keeping Metra and freight trains moving through the region more efficiently.

Metra and Canadian Pacific Railway will upgrade signals and add several crossover tracks near CP's Bensenville Yard in Franklin Park, Ill. Currently freight trains pass through the Bensenville Yard to access Indiana Harbor Belt (IHB) mainline tracks. With this improvement, 12 daily freight trains will bypass the yard on existing Metra tracks. CREATE officials say this reduces the potential for freight train delay to 58 daily Metra trains and improves Metra flexibility at the Franklin Park Station. In addition, the project will reduce delays and congestion and increase safety for pedestrians and motorists at nearby grade crossings as trains move through the region.

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Oct
18

Nashville mayor proposes $5.2B transportation plan

A new transportation proposal introduced by Nashville Mayor Megan Barry calls for long-term investment to improve the city's transportation system and includes 26 miles of light rail.

The mayor says the proposal, Let's Move Nashville: Metro's Transportation Solution, is a plan that aligns with the IMPROVE Act, which authorizes local government to collect surcharges on various taxes and fees currently being assessed by the local government, if approved by voters by referendum, passed earlier this year. In early 2018, Metro Council members will be asked to put the plan on the ballot for the May 2018 countywide vote.

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Oct
18

Nashville mayor proposes $5.2B transportation plan

A new transportation proposal introduced by Nashville Mayor Megan Barry calls for long-term investment to improve the city's transportation system and includes 26 miles of light rail.

The mayor says the proposal, Let's Move Nashville: Metro's Transportation Solution, is a plan that aligns with the IMPROVE Act, which authorizes local government to collect surcharges on various taxes and fees currently being assessed by the local government, if approved by voters by referendum, passed earlier this year. In early 2018, Metro Council members will be asked to put the plan on the ballot for the May 2018 countywide vote.

Continue reading
Oct
18

Nashville mayor proposes $5.2B transportation plan

A new transportation proposal introduced by Nashville Mayor Megan Barry calls for long-term investment to improve the city's transportation system and includes 26 miles of light rail.

The mayor says the proposal, Let's Move Nashville: Metro's Transportation Solution, is a plan that aligns with the IMPROVE Act, which authorizes local government to collect surcharges on various taxes and fees currently being assessed by the local government, if approved by voters by referendum, passed earlier this year. In early 2018, Metro Council members will be asked to put the plan on the ballot for the May 2018 countywide vote.

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Oct
18

LIRR readies for Post Avenue Bridge replacement

During the weekend of October 21-22, workers using cranes and a movable industrial-grade hydraulic lift will remove the Long Island Rail Road's (LIRR) 103-year-old Post Avenue Bridge and roll a new pre-assembled one into place.

Workers began assembling the new bridge in April of this year in the parking lot at the Westbury station to minimize traffic and rail disruptions. LIRR will suspend train service between Mineola and Hicksville for 48 hours to perform the bridge swap.

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Oct
18

LIRR readies for Post Avenue Bridge replacement

During the weekend of October 21-22, workers using cranes and a movable industrial-grade hydraulic lift will remove the Long Island Rail Road's (LIRR) 103-year-old Post Avenue Bridge and roll a new pre-assembled one into place.

Workers began assembling the new bridge in April of this year in the parking lot at the Westbury station to minimize traffic and rail disruptions. LIRR will suspend train service between Mineola and Hicksville for 48 hours to perform the bridge swap.

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