Railroad News

The Federal Transit Administration's (FTA) downgrading this week of two critical "Gateway" projects in the Northeast Corridor will further jeopardize the projects from receiving federal funding, supporters of the passenger-rail corridor said yesterday.

In its annual funding recommendations report to Congress on the Capital Investment Grants (CIG) program, the FTA this week rated both the Hudson Tunnel and the Portal North Bridge replacement projects as "medium-low" in priority for federal grants. Medium-low is second-lowest rating on a five-point scale that helps determine whether federal funding is warranted.

The White House announced late on Feb. 13 that President Donald Trump intends to nominate former Virginia Republican Congresswoman Thelma Drake to be Federal Transit Administrator.

The White House announced late on Feb. 13 that President Donald Trump intends to nominate former Virginia Republican Congresswoman Thelma Drake to be Federal Transit Administrator.

Intermodal volumes continued their upward trend for U.S. railroads, which posted a 3.7 percent increase in containers and trailers for the week ending Feb. 10 compared with the same week last year, according to the Association of American Railroads (AAR).

U.S. railroads' total traffic volume for the week rose 1.6 percent to 519,545 carloads and intermodal units compared with the same week in 2017. However, carload traffic slipped 0.5 percent to 251,058 units compared with a year ago.

A revision by the Federal Transit Administration lowering the priority rating for the proposed Gateway rail tunnels could endanger funding for the project linking New York and New Jersey.

President Donald Trump has nominated former U.S. Rep. Thelma Drake to serve as administrator of the Federal Transit Administration (FTA).

Drake is an assistant director of public works for Norfolk, Virginia, and is the former director of the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT).

New Jersey Transit's board yesterday approved a proposed alignment for the Hudson-Bergen light-rail expansion project.

The locally preferred alternative consists of a 10-mile, two-track extension of the Hudson-Bergen line from its current terminus at the Tonnelle Avenue station in North Bergen to the Englewood Hospital and Medical Center.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) yesterday issued a special investigation report on two end-of-track collisions at terminal stations in New Jersey and New York.

The report includes new safety recommendations to the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) and new safety recommendations to New Jersey Transit and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA).

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As we reported in our Daily News on Jan. 29, Trade Press Media Group Inc. has been acquired by Forum Media Group, which is based in Merching, Germany.

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The Association of American Railroads (AAR) today reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending February 10, 2018.

Sound Transit has appointed Russell Arnold chief customer experience officer.

He is tasked with finding ways to improve the experience for future passengers as the agency designs and expands its system. Arnold also will collaborate with agency departments to resolve existing issues and enhance experience of current riders, Sound Transit officials said in a press release.

The Ports of Indiana handled 11.8 million tons in 2017, a 5 percent increase from 2016 and the second-highest annual shipment total in the organization's 57-year history, port officials announced today.

Last year was the fourth consecutive year that the ports handled more than 10 million tons of cargo. Major cargo increases in 2017 included minerals, up 28 percent; limestone, up 26 percent; steel, fertilizer and ethanol, each up 14 percent; and coal, up 9 percent.

BNSF unveiled details of its planned $385 million capital plan across Montana, Missouri and Kansas. The focus of all three state programs will be on maintenance projects.

BNSF says the largest component of its $135 million Montana plan will be for replacing and upgrading rail, crossties and ballast. The maintenance program in Montana this year includes approximately 820 miles of track surfacing and/or undercutting work, as well as the replacement of nearly 60 miles of rail and about 200,000 crossties. BNSF also says multiple projects are scheduled on the Kootenai River Subdivision, which runs between Sandpoint, Idaho and Whitefish, Mont. BNSF will signalize various sidings on the subdivision between Sandpoint and Whitefish to enable Centralized Traffic Control (CTC) and make improvements to the Flathead Tunnel, the 7-mile long railroad tunnel in northwest Montana.

BNSF unveiled details of its planned $385 million capital plan across Montana, Missouri and Kansas. The focus of all three state programs will be on maintenance projects.

BNSF says the largest component of its $135 million Montana plan will be for replacing and upgrading rail, crossties and ballast. The maintenance program in Montana this year includes approximately 820 miles of track surfacing and/or undercutting work, as well as the replacement of nearly 60 miles of rail and about 200,000 crossties. BNSF also says multiple projects are scheduled on the Kootenai River Subdivision, which runs between Sandpoint, Idaho and Whitefish, Mont. BNSF will signalize various sidings on the subdivision between Sandpoint and Whitefish to enable Centralized Traffic Control (CTC) and make improvements to the Flathead Tunnel, the 7-mile long railroad tunnel in northwest Montana.

Ontario has named David Collenette as the leader of its High Speed Rail (HSR) Planning Advisory Board, officials said.

Ontario has named David Collenette as the leader of its High Speed Rail (HSR) Planning Advisory Board, officials said.

The Regional Transportation District of Denver (RTD) has begun testing positive train control (PTC) and a wireless crossing system (WCS) on its G Line commuter-rail route.

The work involves synchronizing and optimizing the PTC system and the conventional control systems at 16 grade crossings along the line, RTD officials said in a press release issued earlier this month.

The Senate by voice vote early Tuesday evening, Feb. 13, confirmed Ronald Batory as Federal Railroad Administrator, the nation's rail safety watchdog agency.

The Senate by voice vote early Tuesday evening, Feb. 13, confirmed Ronald Batory as Federal Railroad Administrator, the nation's rail safety watchdog agency.