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Jul
22

CP reports lower Q2 revenue, record low operating ratio

Rail News Home Canadian Pacific 7/22/2020 Rail News: Canadian Pacific
Canadian Pacific today announced second-quarter revenue fell 9.6 percent to CA$1.79 billion from CA$1.98 billion a year ago, as the Class I dealt with the COVID-19 pandemic's impact on volume.However, the Class I's precision scheduled railroading operating model helped the company adapt to the unusually challenging conditions, CP officials said in a press release.CP posted diluted earnings per share (EPS) of $4.66, down 10 percent from last year, and adjusted EPS of $4.07, down 5 percent. Operating income for the quarter was CA$770 million, down 6.3 percent, while net income was CA$635 million, down 12 percent.The company's operating expenses totaled CA$1 billion in the quarter, down 11.5 percent.CP's operating ratio reached a second-quarter record of 57 percent compared to 58.4 percent a year ago. "While economic uncertainty remains, we're controlling what we can control — our costs," said President and Chief Executive Officer Keith Creel. "Our strong bulk franchise, which included record movements for Canadian grain and potash in the first half of the year, helped to offset some of the declines we experienced in other lines of business."Given its cost control measures, execution of PSR and improved clarity on the volume environment, the company now expects positive adjusted diluted EPS growth for the year, Creel said.CP also continues to expect capital expenditures of CA$1.6 billion and a mid-single-digit decline in revenue ton miles.In addition, the Class I's recent acquisition of the Central Maine and Quebec Railway, combined with a "continuing pipeline of unique growth opportunities," provides optimism for the remainder of 2020 and into 2021, Creel said.

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Jul
22

CN revenue falls 19 percent in Q2, announces plan to acquire 1,500 grain cars

Rail News Home Canadian National Railway - CN 7/22/2020 Rail News: Canadian National Railway - CN
CN yesterday reported second-quarter revenue fell 19 percent to CA$3.2 billion from nearly CA$4 billion a year ago, as financial results reflected lower volumes due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Class I posted Q2 operating income of CA$785 million, down from CA$1.68 billion a year ago; net income of CA$545 million, down from CA$1.36 billion; and diluted earnings per share of 77 Canadian cents per share, down from CA$1.88. Adjusted earnings per share were CA$1.28, down from CA$1.73.CN's logged an adjusted operating ratio of 60.4 percent for the quarter, up from 57.5 percent a year earlier.Operating expenses for the quarter climbed 6 percent to CA$2.4 billion, mainly driven by a loss on assets held for sale resulting from the decision to market for sale for on-going rail operations, certain non-core lines, partly offset by lower fuel and and labor costs. Excluding that one-time charge, operating expenses fell 15 percent compared with Q2 2019's expenses.The revenue decrease was attributed primarily to lower volumes across most commodity groups caused by the pandemic and lower applicable fuel surcharge rates, which were partly offset by increased shipments of Canadian grain, higher Canadian coal exports and freight rate increases."By being adaptable, we were able to swiftly rightsize our resources and continue to provide our essential transportation services to our customers, the economy and the communities we serve," said President and Chief Executive Officer JJ Ruest in a press release.CN reaffirmed its CA$2.9 billion capital investment plan for 2020 and announced plans to purchase 1,500 new high-capacity covered hopper cars to expand its grain export business. Delivery is expected to start in January 2021."Our strategic long-term approach to investments, together with our continued focus on cost and deployment of innovative technology, as well as our commitment to enabling trade, position us to keep delivering long-term value to our stakeholders," Ruest said. 

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Jul
21

BLET ratifies new contract with WNYP

Rail News Home Labor 7/21/2020 Rail News: Labor
The agreement runs thorough 2025 and provides wage increases of about 25 percent over the life of the contract.Photo – Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen

The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) has ratified a new collective bargaining agreement with the Western New York & Pennsylvania Railroad LLC (WNYP), the union announced today.

The contract, which governs a dozen members, was approved unanimously, BLET officials said in a press release.

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Jul
21

Volkswagen opens process center at Baltimore port

Rail News Home Intermodal 7/21/2020 Rail News: Intermodal
The port will be responsible for the import of 120,000 vehicles per year from European and Mexican production facilities.Photo – Tradepoint Atlantic

Volkswagen Group of America Inc. yesterday began operations at the Tradepoint Atlantic Inc. vehicle terminal at the Port of Baltimore.

Volkswagen's port operations were made official with the arrival of the first vehicle transport vessel delivering 797 vehicles from Europe.

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Jul
21

Padgette elected state-Amtrak committee chair

Rail News Home Railroading People 7/21/2020 Rail News: Railroading People
Rob PadgettePhoto – CCJPA

The State-Amtrak Intercity Passenger Rail Committee (SAIPRC) last month elected Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority Managing Director Rob Padgette as chair.

Padgette will oversee the committee’s annual work plan to support growth of the nation’s intercity passenger-rail network, and support collaboration among its 20 member agencies in 17 states, Amtrak and the Federal Railroad Administration.

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Jul
21

Metra selects engineering, design firms for 75th Street Corridor projects

Rail News Home Passenger Rail 7/21/2020 Rail News: Passenger Rail
The Chicago Region Environmental and Transportation Efficiency Program (CREATE) announced this month that Metra has selected Jacobs Engineering Group and Ardmore Roderick Group to provide engineering and design services for two projects related to the 75th Street Corridor Improvement Project (CIP).Metra tapped Jacobs Engineering to provide design and engineering services for the Rock Island Connection part of the 75th Street CIP. Jacobs' work will apply to a double-track flyover structure that will connect the Metra Southwest Service mainline tracks to the Rock Island Line, which will enable Metra SouthWest trains to terminate at LaSalle Street Station in Chicago.The 75th Street CIP will lead to faster and more reliable passenger-rail service on the Metra SouthWest Service line and Amtrak Cardinal service, CREATE officials said in a press release.Meanwhile, Ardmore Roderick will provide structural engineering and design for the modification and raising of two spans of Bridge 87 on the Rock Island Line near 79th Street. The work is a necessary step for the 75th Street CIP, they said.The CREATE Program is a partnership between the U.S. Department of Transportation, the Association of American Railroads, state of Illinois, Cook County, city of Chicago, Amtrak, Metra and freight railroads that operate in the region.The partners are investing billions of dollars in critical infrastructure improvements designed to improve rail transportation in the Chicago area. 

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Jul
21

Reading & Northern hires Laubenstine as VP of coal marketing

Reading & Northern Railroad yesterday announced it's expanding its coal marketing department with the hire of Karl Laubenstine as vice president of coal marketing and sales.

Laubenstine joins the railroad from the Atlantic Carbon Group Inc., an anthracite mining and processing company in Hazleton, Pennsylvania, where he was responsible for marketing, sales and logistics. During his tenure, the company logged a 39 percent increase in tons sold to the domestic steel industry and export markets.

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Jul
21

WMATA to restore rail service to near pre-COVID levels

Rail News Home Passenger Rail 7/21/2020 Rail News: Passenger Rail
WMATA will add 15 hours more of service per week on the Metrorail.Photo – WMATA Facebook

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) will restore most service to pre-COVID levels starting Aug. 16, the agency announced yesterday. 

WMATA will add 15 hours more of service per week on the Metrorail, return opening times to normal and close two hours later in anticipation of potential ridership increases after Labor Day, WMATA officials said in a press release.

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Jul
21

DCTA wins federal grant for TOD planning

Rail News Home Rail Industry Trends 7/21/2020 Rail News: Rail Industry Trends
The TOD study area is a separate right-of-way for freight rail and is proposed for commuter-rail service that would connect to DCTA and DART.Photo – DCTA

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) awarded the Denton County Transportation Authority (DCTA) a $600,000 grant to conduct preliminary planning for a transit-oriented development (TOD) along a 25-mile segment of a Kansas City Southern line in Denton County, Texas.

The planning will help determine if the KCS corridor could provide mobility and economic opportunity, DCTA officials said in a press release. The study area is a separate right-of-way for freight rail and is proposed for commuter-rail service that would connect to DCTA's A-train and Dallas Area Rapid Transit. 

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Jul
20

Illinois RTA unveils draft framework of capital investments

Rail News Home Passenger Rail 7/20/2020 Rail News: Passenger Rail
The Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) last week released a draft framework document for improving transparency in how public transit projects are chosen and funded in northeastern Illinois. The transit capital investment framework outlines existing regional program processes and plans to implement new ones focused on improving clarity of the requirements and goals for RTA's five-year regional capital program, enhancing project data collected and reported by the RTA, and increasing communication on project progress.The framework was prepare by RTA staff in partnership with the Chicago Transit Authority, Metra and Pace.Public comments on the document will be collected until Aug. 28. Also last week, RTA announced the appointment of Mary Beth Canty and Jamie Gathing as board members representing Cook County.Canty is an law firm associate at Litchfield Cavo, and Gathing is vice president and compliance manager at The Northern Trust Co.The new appointments replace Ryan Higgins and Douglas Troiani on the board.

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Jul
20

Metra to begin West Hinsdale Station platform replacement

Rail News Home Passenger Rail 7/20/2020 Rail News: Passenger Rail
The station closure will cut the platform replacement project timeline in half.Photo – Metra Facebook

Metra in August will begin a two-month closure of the West Hinsdale Station on the BNSF Line in Chicago to replace the station’s boarding platforms. 

Metra crews will replace existing platforms with asphalt and install new tactile strips on the platform edges.  

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Jul
20

Valley Metro awards contract for light-rail extension project

Rail News Home Passenger Rail 7/20/2020 Rail News: Passenger Rail
Rendering of Valley Metro's planned Metrocenter Station on the Northwest light-rail extension.Photo – Valley Metro

Valley Metro’s board last week awarded the Kiewit-McCarthy joint venture a $257.3 million contract to construct Phase II of the Northwest light-rail extension in Phoenix. 

The project would extend light-rail 1.6 miles on Dunlap Avenue from 19th Avenue to a terminus on the west side of Interstate 17. 

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Jul
20

GAO: FTA should be more transparent with capital grant program

Rail News Home Passenger Rail 7/20/2020 Rail News: Passenger Rail
The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) last week issued three recommendations to the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) to make its Capital Investment Grants (CIG) program more transparent and effective.In its biennial review of the FTA’s implementation of the CIG program, the GAO found that sponsors of most of the 66 projects in program have experienced delays moving through at least one aspect of the program's development processes.The causes of the delays were often factors unique to each project. Some sponsors also reported aspects of FTA's reviews to be confusing or expected FTA to take actions sooner.Due to the reports, GAO recommends the FTA clarify aspects of the methods it uses and factors it considers when revising projects; review agency guidance to identify items that may be outdated or confusing; and communicate information, such as the reason why a project is not advancing, to sponsors in a timely manner. FTA concurred with reviewing agency guidance but disagreed with the GAO's other recommendations, stating additional action is not needed for such purposes, according to a report summary published last week.GAO believes FTA needs further action to help ensure the effectiveness and transparency of its reviews, according to the report.

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Jul
20

NRF: Retail imports remain far below last year

Rail News Home Intermodal 7/20/2020 Rail News: Intermodal
Retailers are being conservative with the amount of merchandise they import this year, NRF officials say.Photo – Port of Savannah, Georgia

Imports at the major U.S. retail container ports are expected to remain significantly below last year's levels into fall as the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic continues, the National Retail Federation (NRF) announced earlier this month.

Retailers are being conservative with the amount of merchandise they import this year, said Jonathan Gold, NRF vice president for supply chain and customers policy, in a press release.

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Jul
20

Ohio commission OKs grade crossing projects in four counties

Rail News Home Communication and Signal 7/20/2020 Rail News: Communication and Signal
The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) last week approved construction authorization for Norfolk Southern Railway, CSX and the Indiana & Ohio Railway to make safety improvements at grade crossings in Ashland, Auglaize, Morrow and Stark counties.NS will install lights and gates at the Township Road 1037 crossing in Ashland County by April 15, 2021; and modify and upgrade active warning devices at the Township Road 18/Gaskill Road crossing in Stark County by July 15, 2021.CSX will upgrade lights and gates and install new crossing surfaces at the Cabintown Road and Hunt Road crossings in Morrow County by April 15, 2021.Indiana & Ohio will install lights, gates and a new crossing surface at the Middle Pike/County Road 150 crossing in Auglaize County by April 15, 2021.Federal funding will be provided for the projects, PUCO officials said in a press release. The commission is responsible for evaluating Ohio's public crossings to determine the need for installing active warning devices.

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Jul
20

CSX named 'best place to work' for disability inclusion

Rail News Home CSX Transportation 7/20/2020 Rail News: CSX Transportation
CSX has been recognized as one of the nation's best places to work by Disability:IN and the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD), the Class I announced last week.Receiving the award for the second consecutive year from those organizations is a testament to CSX's corporate values and commitment to diversity and inclusion, said CSX spokeswoman Sheriee Bowman in an email.First launched in 2015, the Disability Equality Index (DEI) is a comprehensive disability inclusion assessment tool designed and embraced by business leaders and disability advocates.
Developed by Disability:IN and the AAPD, the DEI enables the nation's leading corporations to self-report their disability policies and practices to be scored objectively by an independent panel.

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Jul
17

Duos Technologies CEO Arcaini to retire

Rail News Home Railroading Supplier Spotlight 7/17/2020 Rail News: Railroading Supplier Spotlight
Duos Technologies Group Inc.’s board yesterday announced Founder, Chief Executive Officer and President Gianni Arcaini will retire on Sept. 1. Arcaini will continue to serve as chairman.“As founder and principal architect of our company, retirement is of course a bittersweet event, but all in all it is for the best, as the company is gearing up for the next phase of growth,” Arcaini wrote in an email.The board has initiated a search for a new president and CEO.Speaking on behalf of the board, Adrian Goldfarb thanked Arcaini for his service."We are well-positioned to build on our long-term growth trajectory and will continue to benefit from his guidance and insight as chairman for the foreseeable future," Goldfarb said in a press release.

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Jul
17

APTA solicits input on draft security standards

Rail News Home Security 7/17/2020 Rail News: Security
The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) Standards Program is seeking feedback on three draft security standards released this month.The documents for review include:“Developing a Cybersecurity Program That Meets an Agency’s Needs,” which provides planning tools to help transit agency security professionals address cybersecurity risks; “Supply Chain Cybersecurity for Transit Agencies,” which offers guidelines to help transit agencies secure their supply chain polices, procedures and processes; and  “Sensitive Security Information Policy,” a document to help transit agency's establish minimum standards for handling sensitive security information. APTA invites rail and bus executive-level administrators, operators, transit security professionals and others to provide criticism, comments and recommendations on the draft standards. The comment period ends Aug. 10.

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Jul
17

Amtrak met FY19 sustainability targets, report says

Rail News Home Amtrak 7/17/2020 Rail News: Amtrak
According to the report, Amtrak has reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent since 2010 .Photo – amtrak.com

Amtrak achieved all energy, fuel, recycling and emissions targets in fiscal-year 2019, according to the railroad's latest sustainability report, which was issued earlier this week.

According to the report, Amtrak has reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent since 2010 and lowered emissions by 4 percent in FY2019.

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Jul
17

NCTD orders 11 rail cars for Coaster commuter-rail service

Rail News Home Mechanical 7/17/2020 Rail News: Mechanical
The new BiLevel rail cars will be built at Bombardier’s manufacturing site in Thunder Bay, Canada.Photo – Bombardier Transportation

The North County Transit District (NCTD) last week awarded Bombardier Transportation a $43 million contract to supply 11 BiLevel commuter-rail cars for the Coaster service in San Diego.

The additional rail cars will position NCTD to increase service frequencies and begin state of good repair replacement of current legacy coaches and cab cars, Bombardier officials said in a press release.

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