Railroad News

On Monday, the Bay Area Rapid Transit Police Department (BART PD) swore in six lateral police officers — the most the department has sworn in at one time in recent history, agency officials said in an April 29 press release.

So far this year, the department has hired 19 officers and "will easily surpass" last year’s total of 24, agency officials said, citing an "aggressive recruitment effort" aimed at reducing the  officer vacancy rate from a high of 41 down to 20 as of this week. 

Sound Transit's board and the King County Council this week will consider extending an agreement through which King County Metro would continue to operate and maintain Sound Transit Link light-rail service during certain hours.

More than 370 King County Metro employees operate and maintain the service — which was launched in 2009 — from 5 a.m. to 1 a.m. daily under the current agreement.

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority's (MBTA) Fiscal and Management Control Board on Monday approved contracts for a new commuter-rail station in Chelsea and additional locomotive overhaul work.

The station contract was awarded to A.A. Will Corp. for $32.4 million. The new Chelsea Station will be an intermodal facility that connects the Newburyport/Rockport lines to the Silver Line 3-Chelsea line that began operating in April 2018. Construction is projected to start in early summer, with completion pegged in late 2021.

On Tuesday, President Donald Trump, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Democratic Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) agreed to work together on a $2 trillion surface transportation infrastructure package.

Pelosi and Schumer led a Democratic delegation to the White House to discuss a bipartisan infrastructure bill. The two had sent a letter to President Trump outlining several priorities for a comprehensive bill.

The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) plans to hold events May 3 and 4 to mark the 80th anniversary of LA Union Station.

The events will include cultural displays, concerts, guided tours, arts and crafts, model train exhibits, train memorabilia, live music and family activities.

Last year, total ridership reached an all-time high for TransLink, while overcrowding remained a key issue, according to a 2018 Transit Service Performance Review (TSPR).

The annual TSPR measures the agency's ridership, cost, reliability, on-time performance and crowding across all transit modes. TransLink uses the review's findings to identify service improvement opportunities.

The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) yesterday announced Director of Transportation Ed Reiskin has resigned. He will continue to serve in the role until his contract expires in mid-August.

Reiskin assumed the post in July 2011. Prior to joining SFMTA, he was director of the Department of Public Works for the city and county of San Francisco.

Port of Los Angeles officials last week proposed the creation of a "cyber resilience center" with port stakeholders, including railroads.

Port officials convened a stakeholder working group — including representatives from railroads, ship lines, marine terminal operators, trucking companies and labor unions — to discuss closer collaboration to address potential cybersecurity threats.

Genesee & Wyoming Inc. (G&W) today reported first-quarter adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of 78 cents, an 11.4 percent increase over the same period in 2018 despite severe winter weather and flooding in North America.

The severe weather resulted in a 9 cent, or 10 percent reduction, in diluted EPS versus first-quarter guidance, said G&W Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Jack Hellmann in a press release.

Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf and the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation yesterday announced the approval of 27 freight-rail improvement projects and their state share of funding.

"Keeping goods and services moving across Pennsylvania's more than 5,000 miles of freight track is vital to the state's economy," said Wolf in a press release. "These investments in our rail infrastructure will continue to support business development and create new jobs throughout the state.

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

Despite extreme and prolonged cold temperatures that prompted shorter trains in portions of the first quarter, CN registered solid financial results with strong top-line growth in the period, the Class I reported yesterday.

United Rail Inc. has appointed former Surface Transportation Board (STB) Chairman Daniel Elliott III to its board.

Elliott is a partner at Conner & Winters, a Washington, D.C., law firm. He was appointed by President Barack Obama to serve two terms on the STB, and was designated chairman for both terms until January 2017.

The Port of Longview, Washington, recently approved a measure to spend up to $250,000 on a rail expansion and infrastructure redevelopment study.

KPFF Consulting Engineers Inc. will conduct the study. The port's strategic business plan includes several redevelopment projects, including an expansion and reconfiguration of its rail networks, the redevelopment of a berth and relocation of its main office.

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) President Dorval Carter Jr. late last week announced the completion of track improvements on the Red Line at Addison Station.

The nearly $4 million project was preparatory work for the $2.1 billion Red and Purple Modernization Program's (RPM) first phase. Work crews replaced worn track components on the Red Line, the CTA’s busiest rail line. Completed on time and on budget, the project also eliminated a slow zone and improved poor track conditions that could lead to future slow zones, CTA officials said in a press release.

The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) is seeking public feedback on its proposed fiscal-year 2020 capital budget and FY2020-2031 capital program.

Two public hearings will be held today; the public can submit comments about the proposals online.