The Coalition for America's Gateways and Trade Corridors (CAGTC) today kicked off its annual meeting by calling on Congress and the Trump administration to produce a federal infrastructure investment package that features the movement of freight.CAGTC used its new "Freight Can't Wait" booklet to highlight its point that a large-scale infrastructure package should address the movement of freight across the nation. The booklet features descriptions of 43 freight projects of regional and national significance in need of federal "partnership," according to a CAGTC press release."Dollar for dollar, direct federal investment in freight infrastructure yields a high return, creating construction jobs in the immediacy, and in the long term, bolstering the infrastructure that moves commerce," said Tim Lovain, CAGTC chairman and executive vice president of Crossroads Strategies.Making freight infrastructure investment the hallmark of the federal plan "presents a unique opportunity to both attract and retain domestic manufacturing and strengthen U.S. infrastructure — both of which are goals held by the administration," coalition officials said. Contact Progressive Railroading editorial staff. More News from 5/16/2017
Railroad News
The Coalition for America's Gateways and Trade Corridors (CAGTC) today kicked off its annual meeting by calling on Congress and the Trump administration to produce a federal infrastructure investment package that features the movement of freight.CAGTC used its new "Freight Can't Wait" booklet to highlight its point that a large-scale infrastructure package should address the movement of freight across the nation. The booklet features descriptions of 43 freight projects of regional and national significance in need of federal "partnership," according to a CAGTC press release."Dollar for dollar, direct federal investment in freight infrastructure yields a high return, creating construction jobs in the immediacy, and in the long term, bolstering the infrastructure that moves commerce," said Tim Lovain, CAGTC chairman and executive vice president of Crossroads Strategies.Making freight infrastructure investment the hallmark of the federal plan "presents a unique opportunity to both attract and retain domestic manufacturing and strengthen U.S. infrastructure — both of which are goals held by the administration," coalition officials said. Contact Progressive Railroading editorial staff. More News from 5/16/2017
5/16/2017
Rail News: Passenger Rail
The project calls for extending Sound Transit's light-rail system 3.7 miles.Photo – Sound Transit
Sound Transit will hold an open house Wednesday in Redmond, Wash., to share details on the Downtown Redmond Link light-rail extension.
Conceptual design plans will be discussed for the extension's two stations, the preliminary engineering process and the project's overall timeline.
5/16/2017
Rail News: Financials
The railroad last raised fares in 2016.Photo – Caltrain
Caltrain has proposed increasing zone fares by 25 cents to help cover a projected $10 million operating budget shortfall.
The railroad's fares are based on the number of zones traveled. Under the proposal, the cost of traveling within one zone would remain the same, but fares for additional travel would increase by 25 cents per zone.
The new loading system will be used to bring aggregates to the L.A. region.Photo – flickr.com
Cemex USA last week announced plans to build a rail-served distribution terminal in Bell, Calif., and a new aggregate loading system at its quarry in Victorville, Calif.
The new loading system will be used to bring aggregates to the L.A. region, while the terminal is designed to accommodate an increase in construction projects in the area, according to a company press release.
5/16/2017
Rail News: Mechanical
5/16/2017
Rail News: Mechanical
5/16/2017
Rail News: BNSF Railway
5/16/2017
Rail News: BNSF Railway
BNSF Railway Co. has appealed an environmental review of the proposed Columbia River coal-export terminal in Washington state, according to reports in local news media.Last year, Millennium Bulk Terminals-Longview LLC proposed the construction and operation of a terminal to export coal from the site of the former Reynolds Aluminum smelter in the city of Longview in Cowlitz County. The terminal would be served by BNSF.The project's Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) by the Washington Department of Ecology and Cowlitz County determined that diesel particulate emissions from trains serving the terminal would cause "an unavoidable increase" in the cancer risk rate for area residents, according to The Daily News.BNSF officials believe the FEIS "makes several faulty assumptions about BNSF's railway operations, resulting in conclusions that overstate, in a counterproductive manner, the potential health risks associated with railroad operations in Washington, and the United States," according to BNSF's "Inside Track" newsletter dated May 10."Our biggest concern with this new analysis is that it suggests diesel particulate emissions from locomotives substantially increase cancer risks in communities that are located by railroad tracks in Washington," the BNSF newsletter states. "No credible scientific studies have ever shown this to be the case."Millennium Bulk Terminals-Longview operates a bulk materials port on the Columbia River. Contact Progressive Railroading editorial staff. More News from 5/16/2017
BNSF Railway Co. has appealed an environmental review of the proposed Columbia River coal-export terminal in Washington state, according to reports in local news media.Last year, Millennium Bulk Terminals-Longview LLC proposed the construction and operation of a terminal to export coal from the site of the former Reynolds Aluminum smelter in the city of Longview in Cowlitz County. The terminal would be served by BNSF.The project's Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) by the Washington Department of Ecology and Cowlitz County determined that diesel particulate emissions from trains serving the terminal would cause "an unavoidable increase" in the cancer risk rate for area residents, according to The Daily News.BNSF officials believe the FEIS "makes several faulty assumptions about BNSF's railway operations, resulting in conclusions that overstate, in a counterproductive manner, the potential health risks associated with railroad operations in Washington, and the United States," according to BNSF's "Inside Track" newsletter dated May 10."Our biggest concern with this new analysis is that it suggests diesel particulate emissions from locomotives substantially increase cancer risks in communities that are located by railroad tracks in Washington," the BNSF newsletter states. "No credible scientific studies have ever shown this to be the case."Millennium Bulk Terminals-Longview operates a bulk materials port on the Columbia River. Contact Progressive Railroading editorial staff. More News from 5/16/2017
5/16/2017
Rail News: Passenger Rail
The plan includes separating the agency's chairman and CEO positions into two separate roles.Photo – Metropolitan Transportation Authority
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) yesterday unveiled a comprehensive plan aimed at improving New York City's subway system.
The plan includes efforts to advance legislation that would separate the agency's chairman and chief executive officer positions into two roles. Splitting the positions would enable MTA to strengthen the overall leadership team and achieve needed operational improvements, agency officials said in a press release.
5/16/2017
Rail News: Federal Legislation & Regulation
U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao yesterday addressed the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's Intrastructure Week forum.Photo – uschamber.com
President Donald Trump's infrastructure proposal will be announced in the next several weeks, and will include $200 billion in direct federal funds to leverage $1 trillion in infrastructure investment over the next 10 years, U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao told the U.S. Chamber of Commerce yesterday.
The administration's goal will be to use federal funding "as an incentive to get projects underway and built more quickly with greater participation by state, local and private partners," Chao said in an address at the U.S. Chamber's forum to kick off "Infrastructure Week 2017."
U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao said the Trump administration would share its vision for an infrastructure plan soon, specifying within the next several weeks during a speech.
Sec. Chao spoke May 15 at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce kickoff event for Infrastructure Week 2017.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) said she would not support any U.S. Department of Transportation nominee until funding for Caltrain's electrification project is released.
The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority's (MBTA) Fiscal and Management Control Board (FMCB) approved a contract with Barletta Heavy Division, Inc., for the construction of improvements to the Wellington Maintenance Facility.
The cost of the Wellington Maintenance Facility project through FY18 is $98.28 million.