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Aug
23

Port authority orders giant cranes for Virginia International Gateway

Rail News Home Intermodal 8/23/2017 Rail News: Intermodal
Port of Virginia officials yesterday signed a contract to purchase four new ship-to-shore cranes as part of the $320 million expansion of the Virginia International Gateway (VIG). The port authority's board last month approved a $44.8 million spending package that covers the cost of the cranes, parts, their delivery to Virginia from China and installation at VIG.Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries Co. Ltd. is building the cranes, which will be the largest of their kind in the United States, port authority officials said in a press release.The units will be able to handle the ultra large container vessels that now call at the port, as well as an anticipated higher volume of ships."What is unique about these cranes is their outreach, they will be able to reach across a vessel that is 26 containers wide, which is three-to-four containers wider than most cranes," said John Milliken, who chairs the port authority's board. "We anticipated needing this capacity (of the cranes) for the ships that will be coming to Virginia 10 years from now."

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Aug
23

SFMTA wraps up tests for new light-rail trains

A new train is tested outside the Sunset Tunnel on the N Judah Line.Photo – SFMTA

The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) has completed all required testing for five of its next-generation light-rail trains.

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Aug
23

NCDOT project would improve CSX track

Rail News Home Maintenance Of Way 8/23/2017 Rail News: Maintenance Of Way
The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) has proposed improving sections of CSX tracks in Scotland and Bladen counties to help alleviate traffic congestion and allow freight-rail transportation to grow.The NCDOT Rail Division's proposal calls for using a federal grant to improve the tracks to reduce freight-rail delays, improve air quality and lower highway congestion, department officials said in a press release.Part of a busy freight line between Wilmington and Charlotte, the tracks reduce the number of heavy trucks on state highways, they said.NCDOT will host a hearing Aug. 31 in Laurinburg to solicit public opinion on the project proposal. Additional details can be viewed on the department's website as they become available.

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Aug
23

Trump signs off on WMATA safety oversight commission

Rail News Home Safety 8/23/2017 Rail News: Safety
The new safety commission will be staffed by at least six people.Photo – WMATA/Larry Levine

President Donald Trump yesterday signed a resolution that gives final approval for a safety commission to oversee the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA).

The resolution is the final legislative requirement before a safety oversight organization can be created for agency, The Washington Post reported.

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Aug
23

AAR Reports Weekly Rail Traffic for the Week Ending August 19, 2017

The Association of American Railroads (AAR) today reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending August 19, 2017.

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Aug
23

Senators call on Chao to reconsider sleep apnea rule

U.S. Senate Democrats have asked the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) to reconsider its recent decision to withdraw an Obama-era proposal to mandate sleep apnea testing for train operators and commercial truck drivers.

In a letter sent Monday to Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, the senators asked for the data the USDOT used to make the decision to withdraw the rule, along with the department's plan to identify and treat rail operators and truckers diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea.

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Aug
23

CSX revises service metrics to better reflect performance

Rail News Home CSX Transportation 8/23/2017 Rail News: CSX Transportation
CSX has revised the way it calculates its service metrics to more accurately reflect the Class I's operational performance, company officials announced yesterday.The revised metrics address train velocity, terminal dwell and cars online."CSX is transitioning to precision scheduled railroading, which focuses heavily on service to customers and asset utilization," said President and Chief Executive Officer E. Hunter Harrison in a press release. "These revised service metrics give us a more accurate understanding of how we are performing and where there are additional opportunities for improvement."The revised metrics are as follows:
• Train velocity now includes a train's end-to-end time, and accordingly, speed. The previous definition only counted time on line of road, and excluded intermediate dwell time for crew changes, freight car pick-up or set-off, or other work events at an intermediate yard. The updated definition includes intermediate dwell, reflecting the true speed of a train from origin to destination, and will help identify all opportunities to move trains faster and more reliably from origin to destination.
• Terminal dwell now includes all car dwell time encountered on an end-to-end trip. The previous definition excluded the amount of time a car spent at a terminal during an intermediate work event if it arrived and departed on the same train. The updated definition includes intermediate car dwell for terminal work events when a car arrives and departs on the same train.
• Cars online now measures the number of active freight rail cars on rail lines operated by CSX. The previous definition included all cars that were last reported on a line operated by CSX, which counted several categories of inactive freight rail cars.
 
To help users analyze the company's performance history, CSX restated its 2016 and 2017 train velocity and terminal dwell performance data using the definitions. The data, along with 2017 cars online data, are available on the company's website.Yesterday's announcement follows recent reports of shippers' complaints and regulators' concerns about a deterioration of CSX service as the railroad restructures under Harrison's leadership.In a letter to the Rail Customer Coalition last week, Harrison said CSX is "addressing aggressively" its customers' service issues.

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More News from 8/23/2017


Aug
23

CSX revises service metrics to better reflect performance

Rail News Home CSX Transportation 8/23/2017 Rail News: CSX Transportation
CSX has revised the way it calculates its service metrics to more accurately reflect the Class I's operational performance, company officials announced yesterday.The revised metrics address train velocity, terminal dwell and cars online."CSX is transitioning to precision scheduled railroading, which focuses heavily on service to customers and asset utilization," said President and Chief Executive Officer E. Hunter Harrison in a press release. "These revised service metrics give us a more accurate understanding of how we are performing and where there are additional opportunities for improvement."The revised metrics are as follows:
• Train velocity now includes a train's end-to-end time, and accordingly, speed. The previous definition only counted time on line of road, and excluded intermediate dwell time for crew changes, freight car pick-up or set-off, or other work events at an intermediate yard. The updated definition includes intermediate dwell, reflecting the true speed of a train from origin to destination, and will help identify all opportunities to move trains faster and more reliably from origin to destination.
• Terminal dwell now includes all car dwell time encountered on an end-to-end trip. The previous definition excluded the amount of time a car spent at a terminal during an intermediate work event if it arrived and departed on the same train. The updated definition includes intermediate car dwell for terminal work events when a car arrives and departs on the same train.
• Cars online now measures the number of active freight rail cars on rail lines operated by CSX. The previous definition included all cars that were last reported on a line operated by CSX, which counted several categories of inactive freight rail cars.
 
To help users analyze the company's performance history, CSX restated its 2016 and 2017 train velocity and terminal dwell performance data using the definitions. The data, along with 2017 cars online data, are available on the company's website.Yesterday's announcement follows recent reports of shippers' complaints and regulators' concerns about a deterioration of CSX service as the railroad restructures under Harrison's leadership.In a letter to the Rail Customer Coalition last week, Harrison said CSX is "addressing aggressively" its customers' service issues.

Contact Progressive Railroading editorial staff.

More News from 8/23/2017


Aug
23

Groundbreaking held for Glacier Rail Park

Federal, state and local dignitaries kicked off construction of the Glacier Rail Park in Kalispell, Mont., Aug. 22.

The rail park is part of the larger $21-million Kalispell Core & Rail Development Project, which aims to revitalize Kalispell's city center by building an industrial park for rail-served businesses and removing railroad tracks that dissected the town. Stakeholders say the project will improve overall traffic flow, walkability and bikeability of Kalispell, which will contribute to economic development of the western Montana community.

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Aug
23

Groundbreaking held for Glacier Rail Park

Federal, state and local dignitaries kicked off construction of the Glacier Rail Park in Kalispell, Mont., Aug. 22.

The rail park is part of the larger $21-million Kalispell Core & Rail Development Project, which aims to revitalize Kalispell's city center by building an industrial park for rail-served businesses and removing railroad tracks that dissected the town. Stakeholders say the project will improve overall traffic flow, walkability and bikeability of Kalispell, which will contribute to economic development of the western Montana community.

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Aug
23

Groundbreaking held for Glacier Rail Park

Federal, state and local dignitaries kicked off construction of the Glacier Rail Park in Kalispell, Mont., Aug. 22.

The rail park is part of the larger $21-million Kalispell Core & Rail Development Project, which aims to revitalize Kalispell's city center by building an industrial park for rail-served businesses and removing railroad tracks that dissected the town. Stakeholders say the project will improve overall traffic flow, walkability and bikeability of Kalispell, which will contribute to economic development of the western Montana community.

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Aug
23

SCVTA: BART Silicon Valley Extension enters final stretch of Phase 1

Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (SCVTA) has entered what it calls the "final and most complicated stretch of" the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) Silicon Valley Extension project.

The extension, which broke ground in April 2012, will bring BART from South Fremont into Milpitas and San Jose. SCVTA's Phase 1 team has constructed 10 miles of track, two BART stations and campuses and roadway improvements to the fully separate system for pedestrians, bicyclists and motorists. SCVTA says the project has remained more than six months ahead of schedule for the majority of the last five years of construction. The project is expected to finish before its estimated completion date of June 2018.

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Aug
23

SCVTA: BART Silicon Valley Extension enters final stretch of Phase 1

Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (SCVTA) has entered what it calls the "final and most complicated stretch of" the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) Silicon Valley Extension project.

The extension, which broke ground in April 2012, will bring BART from South Fremont into Milpitas and San Jose. SCVTA's Phase 1 team has constructed 10 miles of track, two BART stations and campuses and roadway improvements to the fully separate system for pedestrians, bicyclists and motorists. SCVTA says the project has remained more than six months ahead of schedule for the majority of the last five years of construction. The project is expected to finish before its estimated completion date of June 2018.

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Aug
23

SCVTA: BART Silicon Valley Extension enters final stretch of Phase 1

Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (SCVTA) has entered what it calls the "final and most complicated stretch of" the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) Silicon Valley Extension project.

The extension, which broke ground in April 2012, will bring BART from South Fremont into Milpitas and San Jose. SCVTA's Phase 1 team has constructed 10 miles of track, two BART stations and campuses and roadway improvements to the fully separate system for pedestrians, bicyclists and motorists. SCVTA says the project has remained more than six months ahead of schedule for the majority of the last five years of construction. The project is expected to finish before its estimated completion date of June 2018.

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Aug
23

MBTA kicks off Ruggles Station improvement project

Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) began a $38.5-million improvement project at Ruggles Orange Line and Commuter Rail Station on Aug. 22.

 

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Aug
23

MBTA kicks off Ruggles Station improvement project

Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) began a $38.5-million improvement project at Ruggles Orange Line and Commuter Rail Station on Aug. 22.

 

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Aug
23

MBTA kicks off Ruggles Station improvement project

Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) began a $38.5-million improvement project at Ruggles Orange Line and Commuter Rail Station on Aug. 22.

 

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Aug
23

4TRANSIT awarded US$239.02 Metrolinx RER contract

4TRANSIT has been awarded a CA$300-million (US$239.02-million) contract to provide technical advisory services for two work packages offered under Metrolinx's 10-year Regional Express Rail (RER) Capital Program.

The RER Capital Program - a CA$13.5 billion (US$ 10.75 billion) undertaking that also includes a CA$7 billion (US$ 5.57 billion) State of Good Repair and Optimization and Expansion program - is designed to transform the GO Transit rail network in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA) to a two-way, all-day electrified service, where trains run every 15 minutes or better. This program will significantly boost the frequency and overall number of trips the GO Transit system offers. Metrolinx anticipates increased GO Transit ridership to approximately 127 million customers within five years of the RER Capital Program's completion and expects to reduce journey times for select cross-region transit trips by as much as 50 percent.

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Aug
23

4TRANSIT awarded US$239.02 Metrolinx RER contract

4TRANSIT has been awarded a CA$300-million (US$239.02-million) contract to provide technical advisory services for two work packages offered under Metrolinx's 10-year Regional Express Rail (RER) Capital Program.

The RER Capital Program - a CA$13.5 billion (US$ 10.75 billion) undertaking that also includes a CA$7 billion (US$ 5.57 billion) State of Good Repair and Optimization and Expansion program - is designed to transform the GO Transit rail network in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA) to a two-way, all-day electrified service, where trains run every 15 minutes or better. This program will significantly boost the frequency and overall number of trips the GO Transit system offers. Metrolinx anticipates increased GO Transit ridership to approximately 127 million customers within five years of the RER Capital Program's completion and expects to reduce journey times for select cross-region transit trips by as much as 50 percent.

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Aug
23

4TRANSIT awarded US$239.02 Metrolinx RER contract

4TRANSIT has been awarded a CA$300-million (US$239.02-million) contract to provide technical advisory services for two work packages offered under Metrolinx's 10-year Regional Express Rail (RER) Capital Program.

The RER Capital Program - a CA$13.5 billion (US$ 10.75 billion) undertaking that also includes a CA$7 billion (US$ 5.57 billion) State of Good Repair and Optimization and Expansion program - is designed to transform the GO Transit rail network in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA) to a two-way, all-day electrified service, where trains run every 15 minutes or better. This program will significantly boost the frequency and overall number of trips the GO Transit system offers. Metrolinx anticipates increased GO Transit ridership to approximately 127 million customers within five years of the RER Capital Program's completion and expects to reduce journey times for select cross-region transit trips by as much as 50 percent.

Continue reading