Skip to main content
Jun
10

Port of Virginia debuts on-dock rail yard

The Port of Virginia debuted a newly completed on-dock rail yard at the Virginia International Gateway (VIG) late last month, the same month the port posted its busiest May in port history.

The rail yard has nearly 20,000 feet of new track and is supported by four cantilever rail-mounted gantry cranes. CSX and Norfolk Southern Railway provide double-stack service to and from VIG.

Continue reading
Jun
10

VTA transfers Berryessa extension testing to BART

Rail News Home Passenger Rail 6/10/2019 Rail News: Passenger Rail
The Berryessa extension project is the first phase of the BART Silicon Valley project that will extend BART’s rail system by 16 miles from Fremont into Santa Clara, California.Photo – Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority

The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) last week transferred control of the trackway, systems and facilities of the Silicon Valley Berryessa extension project to Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART). 

The 10-mile Berryessa extension from Fremont to San Jose, California is the first phase of the BART Silicon Valley project that will extend BART’s system by 16 miles from Fremont into Santa Clara, California.

Continue reading
Jun
10

Indiana short line obtains federal grant for infrastructure upgrades

Rail News Home Short Lines & Regionals 6/10/2019 Rail News: Short Lines & Regionals
Chicago South Shore & South Bend Railroad will receive a $2.38 million grant through the federal Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) program, U.S. Sen. Todd Young (R-Ind.) announced late last week.The grant will be used to help pay for rail infrastructure improvements between Michigan City and La Porte, Indiana, according to a press release issued by Young's office.An affiliate of Anacostia Rail Holdings Co., the railroad serves a "vital economic corridor" for northern Indiana, Young said."Federal investment in this critical corridor will improve rail safety and support continued economic growth in this important Hoosier manufacturing region," he said.

Contact Progressive Railroading editorial staff.

More News from 6/10/2019


Jun
10

CN marks 100th year in business

Rail News Home Canadian National Railway - CN 6/10/2019 Rail News: Canadian National Railway - CN
Founded by an act of Parliament in Canada on June 6, 1919, CN evolved from a federal crown corporation for 75 years to a private railroad company in 1995.Photo – CN

CN officially marked its 100th anniversary last week.

Founded by an act of Parliament in Canada on June 6, 1919, CN evolved from a federal crown corporation for 75 years to a private railroad company in 1995. The Class I spans North America, from eastern to western Canada and the Gulf of Mexico.

Continue reading
Jun
10

CN marks 100th year in business

Rail News Home Canadian National Railway - CN 6/10/2019 Rail News: Canadian National Railway - CN
Founded by an act of Parliament in Canada on June 6, 1919, CN evolved from a federal crown corporation for 75 years to a private railroad company in 1995.Photo – CN

CN officially marked its 100th anniversary last week.

Founded by an act of Parliament in Canada on June 6, 1919, CN evolved from a federal crown corporation for 75 years to a private railroad company in 1995. The Class I spans North America, from eastern to western Canada and the Gulf of Mexico.

Continue reading
Jun
10

Caltrain approves FY2020 operating, capital budgets

Caltrain’s board last week adopted a $155.7 million operating budget and a $47.4 million capital budget for fiscal-year 2020, which begins July 1. 

The operating budget includes $106 million in farebox revenue and $29.9 million in funds from the San Mateo County Transit District, the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority and the city and county of San Francisco.

Continue reading
Jun
10

FRA to award grant for Gulf Coast passenger-rail service

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) announced a $33 million grant will be awarded to help fund the restoration of passenger-rail service along the U.S. Gulf Coast, the Southern Rail Commission (SRC) reported late last week.

The SRC applied for the grant from the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) program. The commission has been working on restoring passenger-rail service to the Gulf Coast since service ended 14 years ago when Hurricane Katrina devastated rail infrastructure there.

Continue reading
Jun
10

From the editor: Ottensmeyer to receive 2019 Railroad Innovator Award

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

Progressive Railroading and RailTrends® have named Kansas City Southern President and Chief Executive Officer Patrick Ottensmeyer the 2019 recipient of the Railroad Innovator Award, which recognizes an individual’s outstanding achievement in the rail industry. KCS’s president since 2015 and CEO since 2016, Ottensmeyer has helmed the railroad during a pivotal stretch in its history.

Continue reading
Jun
10

From the editor: Ottensmeyer to receive 2019 Railroad Innovator Award

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

Progressive Railroading and RailTrends® have named Kansas City Southern President and Chief Executive Officer Patrick Ottensmeyer the 2019 recipient of the Railroad Innovator Award, which recognizes an individual’s outstanding achievement in the rail industry. KCS’s president since 2015 and CEO since 2016, Ottensmeyer has helmed the railroad during a pivotal stretch in its history.

Continue reading
Jun
07

Rail supplier news from Hub, All Hands Fire, Hanson, Cloud Logistics, Raven Logistics and Cylus (June 7)

Hub Group Inc.'s board appointed Phillip Yeager president and chief operating officer, effective July 1. Yeager currently is chief commercial officer and is responsible for the intermodal and truck brokerage operating units. Prior to serving as CCO, Yeager led Hub Group’s intermodal operations, procurement, sales and account management teams, according to a Hub Group press release.

All Hands Fire Equipment LLC was awarded a 27-month contract to provide MTA New York City Transit (NYCT) with over 22,000 flagging lanterns and magnetic bases. NYCT requested a modified version of the company’s Eflare lanterns to meet new specifications and requirements for light beam profile, durability, battery life and lens and body design. The updated lanterns have passed NYCT's field testing and independent testing, and will be delivered this month, according to a company press release.

Continue reading
Jun
07

SMART, BART receive Bay Area Metro Award

Rail News Home Passenger Rail 6/7/2019 Rail News: Passenger Rail
Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit received a Bay Area Metro Award for the successful start of rail service connecting the Sonoma and Marin counties in California.Photo – SMART Facebook

Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit (SMART) and Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) this week received the Bay Area Metro Award, a new awards program to recognize positive impacts on mobility and resilience in the nine-county Bay Area region in California. 

The awards program was launched jointly by the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) and the Association of Bay Area Governments last year.

Continue reading
Jun
07

Canada OKs new Hamilton-Oshawa Port Authority

The Canadian government has allowed the Oshawa and Hamilton port authorities to form the new Hamilton-Oshawa Port Authority, Transport Minister Marc Garneau announced this week.

Both located in Ontario, the Port of Hamilton and Port of Oshawa each are served by Canadian Pacific and CN.

Continue reading
Jun
07

NJ Transit taps Khan as CTO for infrastructure, operation

Rail News Home Railroading People 6/7/2019 Rail News: Railroading People
New Jersey Transit Chief Technology Officer for Infrastructure and Operation Bilal KhanPhoto – LinkedIn

New Jersey Transit hired Bilal Khan as the agency’s chief technology officer for infrastructure and operation. 

Khan has over 17 years of information technology experience. Most recently, he was the technology executive of SHI International, where he advised Fortune 500 companies on cybersecurity, digital workspace and cloud computing, NJ Transit officials said in a press release.

Continue reading
Jun
07

Illinois OKs infrastructure bill that boosts transit-rail funding

Illinois state lawmakers last week approved a six-year, $33 billion transportation capital program that includes money for improving public transportation and passenger-rail service.

To help pay for the projects, the plan calls for updating the state's motor fuel tax from 19 cents per gallon to 38 cents per gallon. Also, the tax will be indexed to inflation to ensure that the state will have a sustainable revenue source. The fuel tax has not been updated since 1990, according to Illinois State Sen. Martin Sandoval.

Continue reading
Jun
07

BNSF to serve Ceres Global's new hydrocarbon transloading venture

Rail News Home BNSF Railway 6/7/2019 Rail News: BNSF Railway
The joint venture's facilities will be located at Ceres' Northgate rail terminal in Saskatchewan, Canada, which is served by BNSF Railway Co.Photo – Ceres Global Ag, Youtube

Ceres Global Ag Corp. has established a yet-to-be-named joint venture with Steel Reef Infrastructure Corp. that will focus on transloading hydrocarbon products for transportation between the United States and Canada.

The joint venture's facilities will be located at Ceres' Northgate rail terminal in Saskatchewan, Canada, which is served by BNSF Railway Co. The joint venture will begin operations July 1, according to a Ceres press release.

Continue reading
Jun
07

BNSF to serve Ceres Global's new hydrocarbon transloading venture

Rail News Home BNSF Railway 6/7/2019 Rail News: BNSF Railway
The joint venture's facilities will be located at Ceres' Northgate rail terminal in Saskatchewan, Canada, which is served by BNSF Railway Co.Photo – Ceres Global Ag, Youtube

Ceres Global Ag Corp. has established a yet-to-be-named joint venture with Steel Reef Infrastructure Corp. that will focus on transloading hydrocarbon products for transportation between the United States and Canada.

The joint venture's facilities will be located at Ceres' Northgate rail terminal in Saskatchewan, Canada, which is served by BNSF Railway Co. The joint venture will begin operations July 1, according to a Ceres press release.

Continue reading
Tags:
Jun
07

Sound Transit begins Hilltop Tacoma Link construction

Rail News Home Passenger Rail 6/7/2019 Rail News: Passenger Rail
The Hilltop Tacoma Link will more than double the length of the Tacoma Link in 2020.Photo – Sound Transit Flickr

Sound Transit on June 20 will begin construction on the 2.4-mile Hilltop Tacoma Link Extension that will operate along Commerce Street and Stadium Way to the Hilltop District in Tacoma, Washington.

Crews will close roads north of Division Avenue and at Tacoma Avenue to work simultaneously on track installation, foundations for Link power poles and street lighting, underground sewer and stormwater utilities and new pavement, according to a Sound Transit press release. 

Continue reading
Jun
07

Canadian Pacific opens automotive compound in Vancouver

Rail News Home Canadian Pacific 6/7/2019 Rail News: Canadian Pacific
CP built the VAC on 19 acres adjacent to CP's Vancouver Intermodal Terminal. Photo – Canadian Pacific

Canadian Pacific officials this week marked the opening of the Class I's new Vancouver Automotive Compound (VAC) in Vancouver, British Columbia.

The VAC is in a prime location to handle vehicles made in North America for distribution in British Columbia, northern Washington state and parts of Alberta, as well as vehicles imported through the Port of Vancouver, CP officials said in a press release.

Continue reading
Jun
07

Canadian Pacific opens automotive compound in Vancouver

Rail News Home Canadian Pacific 6/7/2019 Rail News: Canadian Pacific
CP built the VAC on 19 acres adjacent to CP's Vancouver Intermodal Terminal. Photo – Canadian Pacific

Canadian Pacific officials this week marked the opening of the Class I's new Vancouver Automotive Compound (VAC) in Vancouver, British Columbia.

The VAC is in a prime location to handle vehicles made in North America for distribution in British Columbia, northern Washington state and parts of Alberta, as well as vehicles imported through the Port of Vancouver, CP officials said in a press release.

Continue reading
Jun
07

Passenger rail grows in Florida, as the state grapples with congested roads

Tri-Rail was started initially as a temporary traffic mitigation measure in southern Florida during an I-95 widening project.Photo – Tri-Rail

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

Continue reading