Railroad News

LTK Engineering Services hired David Genova as director of transit advisory services. Genova is former general manager and chief executive officer of the Regional Transportation District of Denver (RTD). He retired from RTD last year after nearly 26 years. In his new role, Genova will share his expertise to bridge the gap between the firm’s technical experts and the firm’s transit executive clients, LTK officials said in a press release.

Harsco Corp. released its Environmental, Social & Governance Report highlighting its sustainability accomplishments in fiscal-year 2019 and the first half of 2020. In that time, Harsco launched 22 new environmental solutions, saved over 5 million metric tons of carbon emissions through the environmental division, and recycled almost 19 million tons of materials. In addition, Harsco Rail introduced the TX16 production and switch tamper, which offers "significantly" lower fuel consumption per mile of tamped track and a reduced carbon footprint, company officials said in a press release.

The Reading & Northern Railroad (R&N) will start running passenger trains Aug. 14 under its Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway banner in Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania.

The trains will depart from the Jim Thorpe station on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Riders are required to wear a mask on board trains, and extra rail cars will be added to the schedule to allow physical distancing between riders, railroad officials said in a press release.

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) has opened the application period for 2020 Rail Transportation Assistance Program (RTAP) and Rail Freight Assistance Program (RFAP) grant funds.

The RFAP provides financial assistance for freight-rail infrastructure projects. The program's intent is to preserve essential freight-rail service where economically feasible and preserve or stimulate economic development through the generation of new or expanded freight-rail service.

The Metropolitan Council yesterday announced it will explore alternative routes for the planned Blue Line light-rail extension in Minneapolis after failing to reach an agreement with BNSF Railway Co. to use the Class I’s right of way. 

After years of discussions, Met Council, Hennepin County and other elected officials could not reach an agreement regarding collocation of light rail and freight rail in the Bottineau Corridor. 

Francisco Fabila, 34
General manager
Ferrovalle

Nominator’s quote: “Francisco is the consummate professional and it shows in all his interactions and relationships and as evidenced through his nomination to his current position at Ferrovalle. He is able to easily collaborate with peers, customers, executives and varying levels within the government and is able to skillfully gain collaboration from stakeholders regardless of party affiliation, ideologies or agendas.” — Jose Zozaya Delano, KCSM

The Transportation Communications International Union (TCU)/International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) National President Robert Scardelletti retired July 31 after 29 years as president and after more than 53 years as a TCU/IAM member. 

Scardelletti was TCU’s longest serving president, union officials said in a press release.

The Jacksonville Port Authority (Jaxport) in Florida late last week welcomed the Siem Confucius, the world's first vehicle carrier of its size operated by liquefied natural gas (LNG).

The vessel arrived at Jaxport from Veracruz, Mexico, and unloaded factory-new Volkswagen Group of America cars and SUVs at the port's Blount Island Marine Terminal. It was the vessel's maiden voyage to the United States, Jaxport officials said in a press release.

VIA Rail Canada Inc. last week announced on Aug. 14 it will temporarily lay off 30 management and other professional employees due to the financial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The layoffs are in addition to retirements and vacant positions that will not be filled. In total, 80 VIA Rail positions will be affected.

The California Department of Transportation last week awarded the Sacramento Regional Transit District (SacRT) $3.75 million in Low Carbon Transit Operations Program (LCTOP) funding to assist with mobility improvement projects, including light-rail modernization. 

The funding will help support the purchase of additional low-floor light-rail vehicles, and the continued operations of expanded evening light-rail service along the Gold Line in Folsom, California. Funding will also support SacRT bus operation improvements.

CSX last week published its 2019 Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) report, which highlights the railroad's sustainability actions on safety, environment, people, communities and governance.

The report addresses CSX's "record-setting" safety performance, achieving 2020 emissions reduction targets ahead of schedule, and CSX becoming the first Class I to operate at a fuel efficiency rate of less than one gallon of fuel per 1,000 gross ton miles for a quarter.

The San Diego Metropolitan Transit System's (SDMTS) security officers this week will begin testing a new use-of-force policy. 

The new policy bans officers from using carotid restraints and chokeholds, including the prohibition of using knee pressure on a person's neck, throat or head. The policy also requires use of force to be proportional to the seriousness of the subject’s alleged offense; instructs officers to intervene if witnessing excessive force by another employee; and requires officers to give a warning to an individual prior to use of force.

President Donald Trump has approved a permit to allow Kansas City Southern to build an additional, parallel bridge span next to its existing international rail bridge in Laredo, Texas.

The Class I applied for the permit with the U.S. Department of State in March.

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

Progressive Railroading and RailTrends® have named CSX President and Chief Executive Officer James Foote the 2020 recipient of the Railroad Innovator Award, which recognizes an individual's outstanding achievement in the rail industry.

Marcelo Estrada, 35
General manager, intermodal operations
CSX Corp.

Nominator’s quote: “As general manager of CSX Intermodal Terminals, Marcelo oversaw the transformation of Fairburn Terminal outside of Atlanta into one of the most advanced intermodal operations in the industry.” — Jamie Boychuk, CSX

Progress Rail has developed a battery-powered switcher locomotive. The EMD® Joule locomotive includes smart lithium-ion battery technology and provides zero-emission, zero-idle and low noise operations, Progress Rail officials said in a press release. The EMD Joule will go into a pilot phase this year. Soon thereafter, the locomotive will support Vale’s Tubarao yard operations in Brazil. Progress Rail anticipates global availability of the new switcher locomotive in early 2021.

The government of British Columbia awarded the ACCIONA-Ghella consortium a $2 billion contract to design and construct the Broadway Subway Project, a 4-mile extension of the Millennium rail line in Metro Vancouver. The extension will include underground tunnels and six new stations. Construction will begin this year and the system will open in 2025.

Maywood, Illinois, village officials recently adopted an updated transit-oriented development (TOD) plan to help guide downtown redevelopment and identify potential transit improvements.

The updated plan — which was supported by the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) Community Planning program — includes recommendations for the area surrounding the Maywood Metra commuter-rail station, with a focus along the 5th Avenue and Lake Street downtown business corridors within a quarter mile of the station.