Railroad News

An Alstom-led consortium with SNC-Lavalin has obtained a CA$2.8 billion contract to deliver a complete automatic and driverless light-rail system for the Reseau Express Metropolitan (REM) project in Montreal.

The consortium's contract with CDPQ Infra includes rolling stock and signaling, as well as operation and maintenance services. Alstom's share of the contract is CA$2.2 billion and SNC-Lavalin's share is CA$600 million, according to an Alstom press release.

A groundbreaking ceremony was held on April 12 to mark the start of construction on Montreal's Metropolitan Electric Network (REM), the new 67km automated light metro for the Canadian city.

The Los Angeles City Council on Wednesday approved a 30-year, $4.9 billion contract with LAX Integrated Express Solutions (LINXS) to design, build, finance, operate and maintain a new automated people mover (APM) train system at Los Angeles International Airport.

The agreement marks the largest contract ever awarded in the city's history, according to a press release issued by Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA).

By This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., Managing Editor

Brightline yesterday announced plans to continue its rail safety efforts as it prepares to launch service to downtown Miami.

The passenger railroad has begun crew testing on the Florida East Coast Railway corridor between Fort Lauderdale and downtown Miami. Simulated service is expected to begin shortly, Brightline officials said in a press release.

Earlier this week, the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA)  recognized short lines for success in marketing and military veteran recruitment.

The Veterans Recruitment Award was presented to Louisville & Indiana Railroad Co. (LIRC), a subsidiary of Anacostia Rail Holdings. The short line has a 30 percent ratio of veterans in its workforce, and 30 percent of its 2017 new hires are veterans, according to an ASLRRA press release. LIRC now has won the award for two straight years.

MTA Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) President Patrick Nowakowski will resign tomorrow.

In a statement, he said now is a good time to "step aside and allow new leadership to continue the progress we've begun to make on improving customer service."

People with expertise in transportation related roles have been shifting agencies and positions this week with major job changes occurring among the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee and a nomination to the National Transportation Safety Board.

HNTB Corporation has announced the addition of John Orrison as a senior technical advisor in the railway engineering practice.

Union Pacific will invest $22.3 million into its Idaho network as part of the state's capital program for the year.

Amtrak this week announced its plans for infrastructure renewal work at New York Penn Station during the summer.

The projects will feature what Amtrak describes as critical reconstruction of three major rail assets in New York City: the Empire Tunnel and Spuyten Duyvil Bridge, which provides access between Upstate New York and Penn Station, as well as renewal work on the station's Track 19.

Infrastructure Ontario (IO) and Metrolinx have issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) and a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for two projects that will help expand GO Transit rail service to improve the movement of people around the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area.

Five prequalified teams received the RFP to build and finance the Lakeshore East – Central Corridor Expansion project. The project includes two grade separations, track grading and drainage work and all supporting infrastructure.

By This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., Associate Editor

Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) applications in the rail industry can help improve efficiency and safety, said ARC Advisory Group Research Analyst Pranav Misal during a webcast yesterday.

Mosaic Transit Group has been selected by Metrolinx and Infrastructure Ontario as the preferred proponent for the Finch West Light Rail Transit (LRT) project in Toronto, Ontario.

U.S. rail traffic climbed 3.8 percent to 524,905 carloads and intermodal units in the week ending April 7 compared with traffic the same week a year ago, according to the Association of American Railroads (AAR).

U.S. carload traffic during the week rose 4.6 percent to 261,898 units, while intermodal volume increased 3.1 percent to 263,007 containers and trailers compared with the same week in 2017.

The New Jersey Transit (NJ Transit) Board of Directors has approved the reconstruction of the Elizabeth rail station.

The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) is applying for $1.4 billion from California's Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program (TIRCP) to build six major transit projects.

The project list includes building the West Santa Ana Branch light-rail line between Artesia and downtown Los Angeles, as well as extending the Green Line light-rail route to Torrance. The funds also would go toward building a light-rail line or bus rapid transit route in the East San Fernando Valley.

By This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., Associate Editor

From Berlin to San Francisco, hackers continue to launch cyber attacks on rail industry targets. Earlier this year, the Ontario government confirmed that Metrolinx was the victim of a cyberattack originating in North Korea. In May 2017, Germany’s Deutsche Bahn rail network was swept up in the worldwide “WannaCry” ransomware attack, while the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) endured a different ransomware attack only six months earlier.