Railroad News

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) earlier this week presented to Congress a final report on restoring Amtrak service along the U.S. Gulf Coast.

Prepared by the Gulf Coast Working Group, the report estimates that the capital costs for restoring the service would be $118 million.

James R. Push, James LeVan and Dean Smith have joined Quandel Consultants. The company says it's added the three veteran engineers to its team this spring in order to "further enhance the firm's expertise and client offerings."

"We are very pleased to welcome Mr. Push, Mr. LeVan and Mr. Smith to our team," said Quandel Consultants CEO Charlie Quandel. "Their combined 68 years of experience and their status as professionally licensed engineers will enable us to pursue new clients and move our firm forward. The entire office benefits greatly from their unique expertise, as well."

James R. Push, James LeVan and Dean Smith have joined Quandel Consultants. The company says it's added the three veteran engineers to its team this spring in order to "further enhance the firm's expertise and client offerings."

"We are very pleased to welcome Mr. Push, Mr. LeVan and Mr. Smith to our team," said Quandel Consultants CEO Charlie Quandel. "Their combined 68 years of experience and their status as professionally licensed engineers will enable us to pursue new clients and move our firm forward. The entire office benefits greatly from their unique expertise, as well."

James R. Push, James LeVan and Dean Smith have joined Quandel Consultants. The company says it's added the three veteran engineers to its team this spring in order to "further enhance the firm's expertise and client offerings."

"We are very pleased to welcome Mr. Push, Mr. LeVan and Mr. Smith to our team," said Quandel Consultants CEO Charlie Quandel. "Their combined 68 years of experience and their status as professionally licensed engineers will enable us to pursue new clients and move our firm forward. The entire office benefits greatly from their unique expertise, as well."

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The Association of American Railroads (AAR) today reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending July 15, 2017.

Norfolk Southern Corp. will consolidate its Central Division headquarters operation in Knoxville, Tennessee, into three surrounding divisions by early November, the Class I announced yesterday.

The consolidation will reduce the number of NS' operating divisions to nine from 10. Dispatching responsibilities now handled from the Central Division, which includes track primarily in Tennessee and Kentucky, will be divided among operating divisions headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama; Decatur, Illinois; and Fort Wayne, Indiana, NS officials said in a press release.

Norfolk Southern Corp. will consolidate its Central Division headquarters operation in Knoxville, Tennessee, into three surrounding divisions by early November, the Class I announced yesterday.

The consolidation will reduce the number of NS' operating divisions to nine from 10. Dispatching responsibilities now handled from the Central Division, which includes track primarily in Tennessee and Kentucky, will be divided among operating divisions headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama; Decatur, Illinois; and Fort Wayne, Indiana, NS officials said in a press release.

CSX Corp. reported second-quarter net earnings rose 15 percent to $510 million from $445 million during the same period last year, as the Class I continued its restructuring under President and Chief Executive Officer E. Hunter Harrison.

Q2 earnings per share increased to 55 cents for the quarter from 47 cents a year ago. Without a $122 million restructuring charge taken during the quarter, the Class I's adjusted earnings per share was 64 cents, CSX officials said in a press release.

CSX Corp. reported second-quarter net earnings rose 15 percent to $510 million from $445 million during the same period last year, as the Class I continued its restructuring under President and Chief Executive Officer E. Hunter Harrison.

Q2 earnings per share increased to 55 cents for the quarter from 47 cents a year ago. Without a $122 million restructuring charge taken during the quarter, the Class I's adjusted earnings per share was 64 cents, CSX officials said in a press release.

A report submitted to Congress on July 17 says restored Gulf Coast Amtrak service would expand travel markets; improve access to jobs, education and healthcare; reduce vehicular congestion and provide support for disaster and emergency response during coastal storm events.

A report submitted to Congress on July 17 says restored Gulf Coast Amtrak service would expand travel markets; improve access to jobs, education and healthcare; reduce vehicular congestion and provide support for disaster and emergency response during coastal storm events.

A report submitted to Congress on July 17 says restored Gulf Coast Amtrak service would expand travel markets; improve access to jobs, education and healthcare; reduce vehicular congestion and provide support for disaster and emergency response during coastal storm events.

Norfolk Southern will be consolidating its Central Division headquarters operations in Knoxville, Tenn., into three surrounding divisions "as part of ongoing efforts to enhance customer service and improve operating efficiencies."

The consolidation, effective on or about Nov. 1, will reduce NS's number of operating divisions to nine from 10. Dispatching responsibilities now handled from the Central Division, which includes lines primarily in Tennessee and Kentucky, will be divided among operating divisions headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., Decatur, Ill., and Fort Wayne, Ind.

Norfolk Southern will be consolidating its Central Division headquarters operations in Knoxville, Tenn., into three surrounding divisions "as part of ongoing efforts to enhance customer service and improve operating efficiencies."

The consolidation, effective on or about Nov. 1, will reduce NS's number of operating divisions to nine from 10. Dispatching responsibilities now handled from the Central Division, which includes lines primarily in Tennessee and Kentucky, will be divided among operating divisions headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., Decatur, Ill., and Fort Wayne, Ind.

Norfolk Southern will be consolidating its Central Division headquarters operations in Knoxville, Tenn., into three surrounding divisions "as part of ongoing efforts to enhance customer service and improve operating efficiencies."

The consolidation, effective on or about Nov. 1, will reduce NS's number of operating divisions to nine from 10. Dispatching responsibilities now handled from the Central Division, which includes lines primarily in Tennessee and Kentucky, will be divided among operating divisions headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., Decatur, Ill., and Fort Wayne, Ind.

PowerRail Inc. has announced the formation of a new sister company known as PowerSeal Solutions™. The move is aimed at helping the rail industry solve locomotive leak issues while increasing reliability, PowerRail officials said in a press release. PowerSeal Solutions will manufacture all of its products in-house and will perform its own analysis and testing processes. The new company also will provide the same product lines currently offered by PowerRail in all applications.

ABB has obtained a $20 million contract from Great Britain's Network Rail to provide a trackside power electronics solution for new high-speed trains along the East Coast Mainline route. To run on electricity, the trains will need about three times more power than is currently available. ABB developed a "static frequency converter" solution that will adapt the feed from the existing Northern Powergrid local distribution network. This is expected to result in a total cost saving of 60 percent compared with building a new high-voltage connection, ABB officials said in a press release.

The Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon (TriMet) yesterday launched the Hop Fastpass™ electronic fare payment system.

The technology enables riders to use a contactless payment devices — such as a Hop card — to pay for fares on TriMet trains and buses. In the coming weeks, passengers will be able to use a contactless bank card or smartphone with a mobile wallet connected to a bank card to pay for trips.

Pennsylvania's Public-Private Partnership (P3) Board has approved a project to pursue transit-oriented development (TOD) at one or more train stations along Amtrak's Keystone Corridor between Harrisburg and Philadelphia.

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) will seek proposals to develop and connect the areas around at least one Amtrak station. Locations to be considered include Harrisburg, Elizabethtown, Mount Joy, Lancaster, Parkesburg and Downingtown, according to a PennDOT press release issued late last week.

Sound Transit's Angle Lake light-rail station has earned Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.

The designation results from Sound Transit's use of sustainable practices in the construction and design of the station, which opened in SeaTac, Washington, in September 2016.