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Nov
11

OmniTRAX joins chemistry council's 'Responsible Care' initiative

Rail News Home Short Lines & Regionals 11/11/2019 Rail News: Short Lines & Regionals
OmniTRAX Inc. has joined the American Chemistry Council's Responsible Care® Partner Program, an environmental, health, safety and security performance initiative.OmniTRAX is the first short line in the program, which calls for members to commit to continuous improvement in environment, health, safety and security, company officials said in a press release. North America's seven Class Is also participate. The initiative aligns with the company's "core values, which focus on safety, honesty and trust, ownership, respect and value of our people," said OmniTRAX Chief Executive Officer Kevin Shuba.Many of the elements that make up Responsible Care Management System® are currently implemented at OmniTRAX, company officials said. As part of its membership, OmniTRAX will document and report performance metrics and records relevant to safety, health, environment and security.Over the past several years, OmniTRAX-managed railroads have safely transported a wide variety of chemicals. A significant portion of the company’s revenue come from chemical refineries and manufacturing facilities."We are constantly working to improve performance in all aspects of safety and compliance to achieve our goal of no injuries or accidents, and membership in Responsible Care will help us meet those objectives,” said OmniTRAX Chief Operating Officer Sergio Sabatini.

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Nov
11

Metra OKs 2020 budget, capital plan

Rail News Home Passenger Rail 11/11/2019 Rail News: Passenger Rail
Metra’s 2020 budget and capital program will be forwarded to the Regional Transportation Authority board for final approval.Photo – Metra Facebook

Metra's board last week approved a 2020 budget of $827.4 million in operating costs and $480.5 million in capital expenses.

The Chicago commuter railroad's capital spending plan — significantly bolstered by Illinois' new state capital program — includes $331.1 million in investments in locomotives and rail cars, stations, bridges and yards.

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Nov
11

BUILD grant to help fund rail transload facility near Spokane airport

Rail News Home Federal Legislation & Regulation 11/11/2019 Rail News: Federal Legislation & Regulation
The grant will help fund construction of a new rail-truck transload facility at the airport to improve multimodal freight movement.Photo – my.spokanecity.org

The Spokane International Airport Board in Washington will receive an $11.3 million federal grant for a project to develop vacant land into a freight hub connecting rail and road infrastructure, U.S. Sens. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) and Patty Murray (D-Wash.) announced late last week.

The grant will be awarded under the U.S. Department of Transportation's Better Utilizing Investment to Leverage Development (BUILD) program.

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Nov
11

California high-speed rail receives environmental clearance into Bakersfield

Rail News Home High-Speed Rail 11/11/2019 Rail News: High-Speed Rail
CHSRA received approval of its environmental impact study for a 23-mile high-speed rail route between Shafter and Bakersfield, California.Photo – CHSRA

The California High-Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA) last week completed California state’s environmental review process for its high-speed rail route between Fresno and Bakersfield.

The authority received a supplemental record of decision and federal approval of its supplemental environmental impact study that evaluates the environmental effects of a 23-mile route between Shafter and Bakersfield in the Central Valley.

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Nov
11

Amtrak logged record ridership, revenue for FY2019

Amtrak in fiscal-year 2019 delivered its "best operating performance" in its history, logging 32.5 million passenger trips and $3.3 billion in total operating revenue, railroad officials announced late last week.

In FY2019, which ended Sept. 30, Amtrak set new records for ridership, revenue and financial performance as the railroad continues on its path to break even financially in FY2020, Amtrak officials said in a press release.

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Nov
08

Rail supplier news from Duos, Alstom, Wabtec and Ayers Electronic (Nov. 8)

Rail News Home Railroading Supplier Spotlight 11/8/2019 Rail News: Railroading Supplier Spotlight
Duos Technologies Inc. has been awarded a $1.8 million contract to install its Rail Inspection Portal (rip®) on a North American Class I. Installation of rip is expected to be complete by the end of year, company officials said in a press release. The award includes a contract for technical support as well as the development and maintenance of a significant library of artificial intelligence algorithms with the objective of automating certain aspects of the mechanical inspection process. Alstom announced that between April 1 and Sept. 30, the company booked nearly $5.1 billion in orders leading to a record backlog of nearly $46 billion. Sales in the period reached $4.5 billion, a 3 percent increase from the same period in 2018, and net income from continued operations and group share amounted to $235 million, according to Alstom’s posted financial results.Wabtec Corp. reported third-quarter net income of $90.6 million, compared with $86 million in Q3 2018. The company logged an earnings per diluted share of 48 cents and adjusted earnings per diluted share of $1.03. Income from operations was $169 million in the quarter, compared with $125.2 million in the same quarter in 2018. Adjusted income from operations was $317 million, which was favorably impacted by original equipment mix, timing of policy harmonization and seasonality in the locomotive services, Wabtec officials said in a press release. “We delivered a solid operational performance in the third quarter and we remain on track to achieve our full year adjusted earnings and cash flow guidance, despite challenging conditions in the North American freight market,” said Rafael Santana, Wabtec’s president and chief executive officer.The American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association has added Ayers Electronic Systems LLC (aE) as a preferred provider in its member discount program. As part of the program, aE will provide short lines with management solutions for implementing positive train control (PTC) at a “reasonable” price for small business railroad members. The solution includes selection of PTC services, procurement, training, testing and implementation coordination.

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Nov
08

New Orleans RTA restores streetcar service

Rail News Home Passenger Rail 11/8/2019 Rail News: Passenger Rail
The New Orleans Regional Transit Authority resumed streetcar service on its Riverfront Line 23 days after service was suspended.Photo – NORTA

The New Orleans Regional Transit Authority (NORTA) earlier this week resumed streetcar service on its Riverfront Line, 23 days after service was suspended due to the partial collapse of the Hard Rock Hotel under construction near Canal Street.

Crews were working on the hotel when a portion of the building collapsed, killing three and injuring more than 19 people, local media reported.

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Nov
08

Sound Transit to host public meeting on Federal Way light-rail project

Rail News Home Passenger Rail 11/8/2019 Rail News: Passenger Rail
The 7.8-mile Federal Way extension is slated to open in 2024.Photo – Sound Transit

Sound Transit will hold two open houses this month to gather public feedback on the upcoming construction of the Link light-rail extension from Angle Lake in SeaTac to the Federal Way Transit Center in Federal Way, Washington.

On Nov. 13 and Nov. 20, Sound Transit officials and representatives from construction contractor Kiewit Infrastructure West Co. will meet with riders to discuss design progress and construction schedules. The agency will also host an online public input opportunity from Nov. 13 to Dec. 12.

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Nov
08

BLET members ratify pacts with Transit America, Louisville & Indiana Railroad

Rail News Home Labor 11/8/2019 Rail News: Labor
Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) members in recent weeks ratified new contracts with Transit America Services Inc. (TASI) and the Louisville & Indiana Railroad (LIRC).The TASI agreement was ratified Oct. 15 and governs wages, benefits and work rules for more than 60 engineers at Caltrain. The five-year agreement provides general wage increases of 14.5 percent through 2021, including retroactive pay to 2017, BLET officials said in a press release.With an average of 65,000 riders each weekday, Caltrain's commuter-rail service operates between San Francisco and Gilroy, California. Amtrak had operated the service until spring 2012.Ratified Oct. 28, the LIRC contract governs wages, benefits and work rules for 20 members. The five-year pact runs through November 2024 and provides a 17 percent increase in wages over the life of the agreement, BLET officials said.Additionally, the BLET negotiated guaranteed rest days on the guaranteed extra board, secured expanded bereavement leave and protected members' seniority when filling vacancies, they said.Based in Jefferson, Indiana, the LIRC's 106-mile main line operates between Louisville, Kentucky, and Indianapolis.

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Nov
08

Ohio panel directs short lines to improve grade crossings in Clark, Crawford counties

Rail News Home Communication and Signal 11/8/2019 Rail News: Communication and Signal
The Wheeling & Lake Erie Railroad will be installing lights and gates at the State Route 4 grade crossing in Crawford County, Ohio.Photo – wlerwy.com

The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) approved construction authorization from the Ohio Rail Development Commission directing Indiana & Ohio Railway and Wheeling & Lake Erie Railroad to make improvements at two grade crossings in Clark and Crawford counties.

Indiana & Ohio was directed to install lights and gates at the North Burnett Road grade crossings in Springfield, Clark County, by Aug. 6, 2020.

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Nov
08

Connecticut governor to invest $6.2 billion in rail

Rail News Home Passenger Rail 11/8/2019 Rail News: Passenger Rail
Connecticut Gov. Ned LamontPhoto – Office of Gov. Lamont

Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont yesterday published his 10-year vision for investing $21 billion in the state’s public transit systems, ports, bridges, roads and railroads. The plan calls for $6.2 billion for rail improvements.

The CT2030 plan would fund procurement of rail cars and locomotives, add capacity on rail lines and create partnerships with telecommunications companies to bring high-speed data service to trains. 

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Nov
08

USDOT extends funding deadline for Quad Cities-Chicago Amtrak route

Rail News Home Federal Legislation & Regulation 11/8/2019 Rail News: Federal Legislation & Regulation
The 160-mile Chicago-to-Quad Cities corridor would be located entirely in Illinois on the BNSF Railway Co. and Iowa Interstate Railroad.Photo – https://illinoisrail.org

Federal funding secured nearly a decade ago for a state-supported project to build an Amtrak Quad Cities-to-Chicago route has received a multiyear extension, three Democratic U.S. lawmakers representing Illinois announced this week.

The U.S. Department of Transportation has extended $177 million in Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) funding secured in fiscal-year 2010 for a proposed Amtrak route between Chicago and Moline until Dec. 31, 2024, U.S. Sens. Tammy Duckworth and Dick Durbin and U.S. Rep. Cheri Bustos announced Nov. 5 in a jointly issued press release.

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Nov
08

BUILD grants awarded to rail-related projects in Illinois, Hawaii

Rail News Home Federal Legislation & Regulation 11/8/2019 Rail News: Federal Legislation & Regulation
A $14 million BUILD grant was awarded to the proposed multimodal station in downtown Carbondale, Illinois. The new facility (shown in the rendering) will replace an aging Amtrak train station.Photo – explorecarbondale.com

Lawmakers representing communities in Illinois and Hawaii earlier this week announced millions in federal grant dollars have been awarded to transportation projects in those states.

The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) awarded the grants under the Better Utilizing Investment to Leverage Development (BUILD) program.

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Nov
07

Metra opens new Cary Station

Rail News Home Passenger Rail 11/7/2019 Rail News: Passenger Rail
New facilities were constructed at Cary Station as part of a project to replace the original station structure.Photo – Village of Cary

Metra yesterday opened a new station and warming shelter on the Union Pacific North Line in Cary, Illinois. 

The new facilities were built as part of a $3.3 million project to replace the original station structure built in 1942. Crews also replaced boarding platforms, Metra officials said in a press release.

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Nov
07

San Diego MTS trolley drives ridership spike

Rail News Home Passenger Rail 11/7/2019 Rail News: Passenger Rail
The SDMTS trolley has posted six straight months of year-over-year passenger gains.Photo – SDMTS

The San Diego Metropolitan Transit System (SDMTS) logged a 6.5 percent increase in trolley ridership in the first quarter of its fiscal-year 2020, which began July 1. 

The increase lead the charge for the agency’s trolley and bus combined ridership to climb by nearly 1 million more passenger trips compared with Q1 of FY2019, SDMTS officials said in a press release. 

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Nov
07

APTA: Public transit won at the polls

Rail News Home Rail Industry Trends 11/7/2019 Rail News: Rail Industry Trends
"Voters said ‘yes’ to measures that will expand and improve public transit, spur economic development and job creation, and connect communities and the people who live in them," said APTA President and Chief Executive Officer Paul Skoutelas.Photo – APTA

Six of nine public transportation-related ballot measures offered during Tuesday's elections passed, with one measure still undecided, the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) announced yesterday.

The results follow a "long track record of success" for supporting transit at the ballot box. Over the past two decades, public transportation measures have won more than 70 percent of the time, APTA officials said in a press release.

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Nov
07

BLET, Indiana Rail Road reach tentative agreement

Rail News Home Labor 11/7/2019 Rail News: Labor
BLET members reached a tentative agreement with the Indiana Rail Road on rates of pay, benefits and work rules.Photo – BLET

The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) and the Indiana Rail Road Co. (INRD) have tentatively agreed on a new contract, union officials announced yesterday.

The tentative agreement governs rates of pay, benefits and work rules for about 50 members.

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Nov
07

FRA to offer $24 million in grants for intercity passenger-rail service

Rail News Home Federal Legislation & Regulation 11/7/2019 Rail News: Federal Legislation & Regulation
"We’re encouraging applicants to leverage federal Restoration and Enhancement grants to support large-scale, intercity passenger-rail improvements," said FRA Administrator Ronald Batory.Photo – fra.dot.gov

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) yesterday announced the availability of $24 million in grant funding to initiate, restore or enhance intercity passenger-rail service.

The grants provide intercity passenger-rail operating assistance for staffing, fuel, electricity, station expenses, lease payments on rolling stock, routine planned maintenance, host railroad access costs, train yard operation and administrative costs, FRA officials said in a press release.

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Nov
07

CSX joins TradeLens shipping information platform

Rail News Home CSX Transportation 11/7/2019 Rail News: CSX Transportation
CSX has become the first North American railroad to join TradeLens, a global shipping information platform that provides customers with improved supply-chain transparency and shipment-status visibility.Developed by IBM and Maersk, TradeLens is an open, neutral platform that currently includes data on half of the world's ocean container cargo.The platform uses secure blockchain technology to support collaboration across the supply chain and provide customers with timely updates on their shipments.By leading North American railroads onto the platform, CSX is expanding its commitment to greater transparency that enables shippers to manage their supply chains more efficiently, CSX officials said in a press release.“Railroads are vital links in the global supply chain, and CSX wants to support all of the ways our customers are seeking greater efficiency and flexibility," said Mark Wallace, CSX's executive vice president of sales and marketing.As CSX customers move onto TradeLens, the Class I "will be helping provide them with better end-to-end shipment tracking capability," Wallace said.To learn more about the potential use of blockchain technology in the rail realm, read this feature in Progressive Railroading's July issue.

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Nov
07

CSX joins TradeLens shipping information platform

Rail News Home CSX Transportation 11/7/2019 Rail News: CSX Transportation
CSX has become the first North American railroad to join TradeLens, a global shipping information platform that provides customers with improved supply-chain transparency and shipment-status visibility.Developed by IBM and Maersk, TradeLens is an open, neutral platform that currently includes data on half of the world's ocean container cargo.The platform uses secure blockchain technology to support collaboration across the supply chain and provide customers with timely updates on their shipments.By leading North American railroads onto the platform, CSX is expanding its commitment to greater transparency that enables shippers to manage their supply chains more efficiently, CSX officials said in a press release.“Railroads are vital links in the global supply chain, and CSX wants to support all of the ways our customers are seeking greater efficiency and flexibility," said Mark Wallace, CSX's executive vice president of sales and marketing.As CSX customers move onto TradeLens, the Class I "will be helping provide them with better end-to-end shipment tracking capability," Wallace said.To learn more about the potential use of blockchain technology in the rail realm, read this feature in Progressive Railroading's July issue.

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