Railroad News

Construction is set to begin on a grade separation project in San Mateo, Calif., that has been a long sought goal of the city and Caltrain.

Work will begin Oct. 23 on Caltrain's 25th Avenue Grade Separation Project, which will bring improved safety for motorists and pedestrians, as well as a reduction in local traffic congestion once complete.

Kansas City Southern reported record third-quarter operating income, operating ratio and adjusted earnings per share, company officials announced today.

Operating income for third-quarter 2017 rose 17 percent to $234 million, adjusted earnings per share increased 21 percent to $1.35 and the operating ratio improved 2.5 points to 64.4 percent compared with third-quarter 2016 results, according to a KCS press release.

Kansas City Southern reported record third-quarter operating income, operating ratio and adjusted earnings per share, company officials announced today.

Operating income for third-quarter 2017 rose 17 percent to $234 million, adjusted earnings per share increased 21 percent to $1.35 and the operating ratio improved 2.5 points to 64.4 percent compared with third-quarter 2016 results, according to a KCS press release.

​FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Announces Annual Holden-Proefrock and Grand Slam Awards 

Washington, D.C. – October 20, 2017 – The Association of American Railroads (AAR) announced the 2017 recipients of the Holden-Proefrock Award and the 2016 Non-Accident Release (NAR) Grand Slam Awards. The awards are given annually to individuals and railroads operating in hazardous material fields.

During the first nine months of 2017, the number of average weekday rides on TransLink's system increased 6.2 percent compared with ridership for the same period last year.

In September alone, ridership on the agency's Expo/Millennium SkyTrain line shot up 10.6 percent to 9.2 million boardings. SkyTrain's Canada Line logged 4 million boardings, marking a 4.6 percent increase.

The Port of Longview in Washington has entered into an agreement with International Raw Materials (IRM) to lease the port's Bridgeview Terminal, port officials announced yesterday.

IRM operated from the port between 1981 and 2001. Based in Philadelphia, IRM intends to use the terminal for the export of bulk minerals, fertilizers and grains.

After just more than a year since it announced what it called "a design breakthrough," Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) has released the results of its new, reduced-contact wheel profile.

BART says the new wheel profile has shown as much as a 15-decibel decrease in interior noise on the current fleet. Additionally, BART says the new wheel profile will no longer rely on the wheel flange catching the rail to turn around corner, which will "drastically reduce the amount of wheel and erosion, and will stretch the life of our infrastructure by many years." The new wheel profile has been outfitted on 13 percent of BART's legacy fleet and the transit authority estimates 90 percent of the fleet will be converted by 2019.

After just more than a year since it announced what it called "a design breakthrough," Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) has released the results of its new, reduced-contact wheel profile.

BART says the new wheel profile has shown as much as a 15-decibel decrease in interior noise on the current fleet. Additionally, BART says the new wheel profile will no longer rely on the wheel flange catching the rail to turn around corner, which will "drastically reduce the amount of wheel and erosion, and will stretch the life of our infrastructure by many years." The new wheel profile has been outfitted on 13 percent of BART's legacy fleet and the transit authority estimates 90 percent of the fleet will be converted by 2019.

After just more than a year since it announced what it called "a design breakthrough," Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) has released the results of its new, reduced-contact wheel profile.

BART says the new wheel profile has shown as much as a 15-decibel decrease in interior noise on the current fleet. Additionally, BART says the new wheel profile will no longer rely on the wheel flange catching the rail to turn around corner, which will "drastically reduce the amount of wheel and erosion, and will stretch the life of our infrastructure by many years." The new wheel profile has been outfitted on 13 percent of BART's legacy fleet and the transit authority estimates 90 percent of the fleet will be converted by 2019.

Bay Area Rapid Transit's (BART) new reduced-contact wheel profile has helped cut down on interior noise in trains.

Staff of U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY), of U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY), and of Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin joined TRAM Construction to celebrate company's 35th anniversary.

TRAM is a family owned and operated railroad contracting company that provides track services and railroad materials for the private and public sectors. The company currently has 25 employees, and has served clients throughout the Midwest and Southeast regions of the United States during its 35-year history.

Staff of U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY), of U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY), and of Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin joined TRAM Construction to celebrate company's 35th anniversary.

TRAM is a family owned and operated railroad contracting company that provides track services and railroad materials for the private and public sectors. The company currently has 25 employees, and has served clients throughout the Midwest and Southeast regions of the United States during its 35-year history.

Staff of U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY), of U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY), and of Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin joined TRAM Construction to celebrate company's 35th anniversary.

TRAM is a family owned and operated railroad contracting company that provides track services and railroad materials for the private and public sectors. The company currently has 25 employees, and has served clients throughout the Midwest and Southeast regions of the United States during its 35-year history.

Teresa Cole has been named vice president of Safety and Risk at Keolis Transit America (KTA).

Cole's career in safety management includes serving as the senior director of Safety in the Eastern Region for First Group, overseeing transit and school bus operations across 300 properties encompassing 30,000 employees. Prior to that, she was the area safety manager for Laidlaw Education Services and safety manager for Laidlaw Environmental Services.

Teresa Cole has been named vice president of Safety and Risk at Keolis Transit America (KTA).

Cole's career in safety management includes serving as the senior director of Safety in the Eastern Region for First Group, overseeing transit and school bus operations across 300 properties encompassing 30,000 employees. Prior to that, she was the area safety manager for Laidlaw Education Services and safety manager for Laidlaw Environmental Services.

Teresa Cole has been named vice president of Safety and Risk at Keolis Transit America (KTA).

Cole's career in safety management includes serving as the senior director of Safety in the Eastern Region for First Group, overseeing transit and school bus operations across 300 properties encompassing 30,000 employees. Prior to that, she was the area safety manager for Laidlaw Education Services and safety manager for Laidlaw Environmental Services.

Carload and intermodal volumes rose for U.S. railroads during the week ending Oct. 14, according to data from the Association of American Railroads (AAR).

Total carloads for the week rose 0.5 percent to 264,161 units, while U.S. weekly intermodal volume increased 5.5 percent to 284,103 containers and trailers compared with the same week last year, AAR officials said in a press release.

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) on Saturday will finish installing positive train control (PTC) infrastructure on the Needham commuter-rail line.

The work is wrapping up one month earlier than scheduled, MBTA officials said in a press release. Regular Saturday service on the line will resume Oct. 28.

Metra and Canadian Pacific have begun a project to upgrade signals and add several crossover tracks in Franklin Park, Illinois. The effort is the 34th project to begin under the Chicago Region Environmental and Transportation Efficiency Program (CREATE).

Crews will install five crossovers and associated signaling on Metra's track serving its Milwaukee District West Line and CP. The area is located between the grade crossings of Scott Street and Ruby Street.