Railroad News

Texas' Capital Metro board of directors approved a contract with Modern Railway Systems, Inc. to design, build and commission a positive train control (PTC) system.

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) currently regulates Capital Metro's commuter rail system. The approved contract will allow Modern Railway Systems to complete a portion of the work within 15 months, which will make the agency eligible to apply for a two-year extension to the December 2018 PTC deadline to complete the rest of the system.

Texas' Capital Metro board of directors approved a contract with Modern Railway Systems, Inc. to design, build and commission a positive train control (PTC) system.

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) currently regulates Capital Metro's commuter rail system. The approved contract will allow Modern Railway Systems to complete a portion of the work within 15 months, which will make the agency eligible to apply for a two-year extension to the December 2018 PTC deadline to complete the rest of the system.

The Port of Prince Rupert in British Columbia, Canada, celebrated the completion of the two-year "Phase 2 North" expansion of DP World's Fairview Container Terminal with a ribbon cutting ceremony.

The expansion project grows the terminal's annual throughput capacity from 850,000 to 1.35 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) and allow the port to accommodate the largest container vessels in the world.

The Port of Prince Rupert in British Columbia, Canada, celebrated the completion of the two-year "Phase 2 North" expansion of DP World's Fairview Container Terminal with a ribbon cutting ceremony.

The expansion project grows the terminal's annual throughput capacity from 850,000 to 1.35 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) and allow the port to accommodate the largest container vessels in the world.

The Port of Prince Rupert in British Columbia, Canada, celebrated the completion of the two-year "Phase 2 North" expansion of DP World's Fairview Container Terminal with a ribbon cutting ceremony.

The expansion project grows the terminal's annual throughput capacity from 850,000 to 1.35 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) and allow the port to accommodate the largest container vessels in the world.

Kansas City Southern (KCS) is entering a 50/50 joint venture investment with Bulkmatic Transport Company, which aims to facilitate and expand the exportation of liquid fuels from the United States to Mexico.

The project will include the construction of a unit train liquid fuels terminal located in Salinas Victoria near Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico. Kansas City Southern de Mexico, S.A. de C.V. (KCSM) will serve the facility.

Kansas City Southern (KCS) is entering a 50/50 joint venture investment with Bulkmatic Transport Company, which aims to facilitate and expand the exportation of liquid fuels from the United States to Mexico.

The project will include the construction of a unit train liquid fuels terminal located in Salinas Victoria near Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico. Kansas City Southern de Mexico, S.A. de C.V. (KCSM) will serve the facility.

Kansas City Southern (KCS) is entering a 50/50 joint venture investment with Bulkmatic Transport Company, which aims to facilitate and expand the exportation of liquid fuels from the United States to Mexico.

The project will include the construction of a unit train liquid fuels terminal located in Salinas Victoria near Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico. Kansas City Southern de Mexico, S.A. de C.V. (KCSM) will serve the facility.

​The Association of American Railroads (AAR) today reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending August 26, 2017.

For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 551,776 carloads and intermodal units, up 2.3 percent compared with the same week last year.

Ohio this week became the first state in the country to have its state safety oversight (SSO) program certified by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA).

Under a final rule that went into effect in April 2016, the FTA requires strengthened SSO programs at transit-rail agencies. The rule also provides greater authority for SSO agencies to oversee their transit agencies.

BNSF Railway Co. and Union Pacific Railroad provided updates on the status of their operations in the Gulf Coast area, as flooding in Houston and parts of southeastern Texas continued in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey.

Several BNSF subdivisions remain out of service due to multiple washouts and high water. As a result, all traffic destined to or originating from Houston — as well as traffic scheduled to route through the area — remains suspended, according to a BNSF announcement.

Bombardier Transportation obtained a $143.7 million contract from the London Underground to supply new motors and traction control equipment for the subway's fleet of Central line trains. The contract requires Bombardier to provide ongoing maintenance support until 2024. Bombardier's re-traction project is part of the London Underground's larger Central line improvement program, which calls for a number of enhancements to reduce failures on the route. For the program, Bombardier is replacing direct current traction motors on Central line trains with the latest MITRAC alternating current traction systems and traction control equipment, company officials said in a press release. In total, Bombardier will supply new motors and traction control for 85 eight-car Central line trains.

L.B. Foster Co. has appointed James Maloney senior vice president, chief financial officer and treasurer. He'll join the company on Sept. 18. Based in L.B. Foster's office in Pittsburgh, Maloney will oversee global finances and accounting, as well as investor relations. He previously served as CFO at First Insight Inc., a company providing consumer data to global retailers and brands. Before that, Maloney was vice president-global financial planning and supply chain finance at H.J. Heinz Co., where he managed strategic and annual operating plans.

The Port Authority of Allegheny County and Comcast yesterday announced Wi-Fi availability at seven of Pittsburgh's busiest light-rail stations.

In January, the agency's board approved a seven-year, nonexclusive agreement with Comcast. The pact permitted Comcast to install wireless hotspots at the Station Square, First Avenue, Steel Plaza, Wood Street, Gateway, North Side and Allegheny stations.

The largest container shop to arrive on the U.S. East Coast made its first stop yesterday at the Port of Virginia.

The 1,200-foot CMA CGM Theodore Roosevelt, which has a capacity of 14,400 20-foot equivalent units (TEUs), was guided through the Norfolk Harbor yesterday morning, port officials announced in a press release.

The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) has released its draft Michigan Freight Plan, a supplement to the 2040 MI Transportation Plan.

The Michigan Freight Plan provides a comprehensive overview of the state's freight transportation system, including existing assets, system performance and investments needed to "ensure long-term success," MDOT officials said in a press release. 

Freight- and passenger-rail services remain suspended in Southeast Texas as Tropical Storm Harvey continues to cause rainfall and widespread flooding, railroads and industry associations announced.

Amtrak, the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) and Class Is announced yesterday that service disruptions and suspensions will remain in effect, according to service alerts and press releases.

Amtrak's new Siemens Charger locomotives have begun serving riders in Illinois and Wisconsin, the railroad announced yesterday.

The units are slated to operate on state-sponsored routes in the Midwest. The locomotives feature the new "Amtrak Midwest" logo to promote the five-state network of trains, Amtrak officials said in a press release.

CSX has responded to the Surface Transportation Board's (STB) request for details on the Class I's new operating plan for the remainder of the year.

In a letter to STB Acting Chairwoman Ann Begeman, CSX President and Chief Executive Officer E. Hunter Harrison described the railroad's plan for implementing precision scheduled railroading (PSR) across the CSX network and throughout its organization.

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has signed a $900 million federal grant agreement for Maryland's Purple Line light-rail project, the agency announced yesterday.

The signing coincided with a groundbreaking ceremony held yesterday in Hyattsville, Maryland. The 16.2-mile light-rail line will connect to three Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) rail lines, all three Maryland Area Regional Commuter (MARC) rail lines and Amtrak's Northeast Corridor trains.