Railroad News

Caltrain has announced that John Funghi will serve as chief officer of the Caltrain Modernization Program.

Caltrain has announced that John Funghi will serve as chief officer of the Caltrain Modernization Program.

ExxonMobil has partnered with retailer Grupo Orsan to open eight Mobile-branded service stations in Queretaro, Mexico. Fuel will be distributed by rail via two private terminals that are served by Kansas City Southern de Mexico.

The terminals are located in San Luis Potosi and San Jose Iturbide, Mexico.

ExxonMobil has partnered with retailer Grupo Orsan to open eight Mobile-branded service stations in Queretaro, Mexico. Fuel will be distributed by rail via two private terminals that are served by Kansas City Southern de Mexico.

The terminals are located in San Luis Potosi and San Jose Iturbide, Mexico.

A bill reauthorizing the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) was introduced last week in the Senate and aims to enhance the board's safety investigations through added transparency.

U.S. Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.) and Bill Nelson (D-Fla.), who serve respectively as the chairman and ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, and three other committee members introduced S. 2202, the National Transportation Safety Board Reauthorization Act on Dec. 6. The legislation reauthorizes the NTSB at an average level of $113.4 million through fiscal year 2023 and, according to the senators, offers several key reforms to modernize and improve transparency in the safety agency's investigations, recommendations and board member discussions.

A bill reauthorizing the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) was introduced last week in the Senate and aims to enhance the board's safety investigations through added transparency.

U.S. Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.) and Bill Nelson (D-Fla.), who serve respectively as the chairman and ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, and three other committee members introduced S. 2202, the National Transportation Safety Board Reauthorization Act on Dec. 6. The legislation reauthorizes the NTSB at an average level of $113.4 million through fiscal year 2023 and, according to the senators, offers several key reforms to modernize and improve transparency in the safety agency's investigations, recommendations and board member discussions.

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) said a key factor in a September 2016 collision between a VIA Rail passenger train and a tractor-trailer in Quebec was an obstructed view of the crossing warning system.

The accident occurred Sept. 20, 2016, when a VIA Rail passenger train traveling southward on the Joliette Subdivision was struck by a tractor-trailer at the Highway 348 crossing in Sainte-Ursule, Quebec. The track and the crossing warning system were damaged and the tractor-trailer was destroyed. The driver sustained serious injuries and two passengers on the train sustained minor injuries

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) said a key factor in a September 2016 collision between a VIA Rail passenger train and a tractor-trailer in Quebec was an obstructed view of the crossing warning system.

The accident occurred Sept. 20, 2016, when a VIA Rail passenger train traveling southward on the Joliette Subdivision was struck by a tractor-trailer at the Highway 348 crossing in Sainte-Ursule, Quebec. The track and the crossing warning system were damaged and the tractor-trailer was destroyed. The driver sustained serious injuries and two passengers on the train sustained minor injuries

The Alaska Railroad (ARRC) has promoted Clark Hopp, vice president of engineering, to serve as chief operating officer (COO) beginning Jan. 1, 2018.

The Alaska Railroad (ARRC) has promoted Clark Hopp, vice president of engineering, to serve as chief operating officer (COO) beginning Jan. 1, 2018.

The Alaska Railroad Corp. (ARRC) has named Clark Hopp chief operating officer effective Jan. 1.

Hopp is currently ARRC's vice president of engineering. As COO, he will succeed Doug Engebretson, who is retiring. The COO oversees ARRC's rail transportation, engineering, mechanical, safety and grant administration functions.

Patricia Reilly to Retire at the End of the Year

WASHINGTON, D.C. – December 11, 2017 – The Association of American Railroads (AAR) announced today that Patricia M. Reilly, SVP – Communications, will be leaving at the end of the year. Reilly will be succeeded by Kristin Smith, who was recently promoted to VP – Communications.

Reilly has been spearheading the Communications efforts at the AAR since 2008, and was instrumental in establishing the long-running and award-winning "Freight Rail Works" branding/advocacy ad campaign as the face of the freight rail industry inside Washington, DC. During her time at the AAR, Reilly has expanded the scope and reach of the industry's efforts to raise awareness about freight rail's many benefits and contributions, with an emphasis on all the industry does in the name of safety.   Reilly will be launching a strategic communications consultancy, Cabin8Communications, in the new year.

Imports at the United States' major retail container ports are projected to grow 1.5 percent this month over the same period last year, according to the latest Global Port Tracker report released by the National Retail Federation (NRF) and Hackett Associates.

Ports covered by the report are expected to handle 1.6 million 20-foot equivalent units (TEUs) this month. For October, ports handled 1.77 million TEUs, up 0.3 percent and up 5.9 percent year over year. November was estimated at 1.64 million TEUs, down 0.3 percent.

Norfolk Southern Railway trained 3,241 first responders this year on the company's hazmat safety train, a rolling learning lab that helps communities prepare for and safely respond to potential rail incidents.

The safety train visited 23 communities across 14 states during its 2017 tour, providing free training to firefighters, law enforcement, emergency management personnel and other first responders, according to an NS press release.

Norfolk Southern Railway trained 3,241 first responders this year on the company's hazmat safety train, a rolling learning lab that helps communities prepare for and safely respond to potential rail incidents.

The safety train visited 23 communities across 14 states during its 2017 tour, providing free training to firefighters, law enforcement, emergency management personnel and other first responders, according to an NS press release.

Texas Central Partners LLC, the private firm developing a bullet-train line between Houston and Dallas, has appointed Drayton McLane Jr. chairman.

A former owner of the Houston Astros, McLane first joined the board in January. He's currently chairman of the McLane Group and other family controlled companies.

The nation's freight railroads have reached tentative labor agreements with four unions, the National Railway Labor Conference (NRLC) announced late last week.

Agreements have been reached with the Brotherhood Railway Carmen (BRC), the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM), the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), and the Transportation Communications International Union (TCU), according to an NRLC press release.

Australian Rail Track Corp. (ARTC) has selected GE Transportation's Movement Planner software to provide real-time traffic planning and optimization for the Hunter Valley coal rail network. The control center for the network manages 24,000 metric tons of freight per hour, ARTC officials said in a press release. GE's software develops an optimized traffic plan by weighing multiple factors such as train schedules, traffic-control systems and train movements relative to each other. Movement Planner's Network Viewer and Network Optimizer modules will be implemented progressively on the Hunter Valley network through 2018 and 2019. The rail network is one of the busiest and most complex in Australia, said ARTC Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer John Fullerton.

Stantec and Amec Foster Wheeler have been awarded a contract to provide technical advisory, design and construction support services for Metrolinx's Bowmanville rail expansion. The project involves building 12.4 miles of track to extend GO Transit rail service along the Lakeshore East corridor from Oshawa to Bowmanville, Ontario. Stantec and Amec will provide technical services related to the addition of two GO Transit tracks, a new layover facility, four new stations, grade separations and bridge expansions, several culvert and grade crossing modifications and associated utility work. Metrolinx aims to complete construction by 2023, Stantec officials said in a press release.