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May
10

KCS appoints new leaders of chemical and petroleum, industrial and consumer groups

Kansas City Southern has reorganized its leadership in charge of the chemical, petroleum, industrial and consumer commodity groups, the Class I announced today.

KCS has appointed Ginger Adamiak vice president of energy and chemical products, adding chemical and petroleum in the United States and Mexico to her responsibilities. She previously served as VP energy, industrial development and innovation.

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May
10

KCS appoints new leaders of chemical and petroleum, industrial and consumer groups

Kansas City Southern has reorganized its leadership in charge of the chemical, petroleum, industrial and consumer commodity groups, the Class I announced today.

KCS has appointed Ginger Adamiak vice president of energy and chemical products, adding chemical and petroleum in the United States and Mexico to her responsibilities. She previously served as VP energy, industrial development and innovation.

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May
09

CTA adds Wi-Fi service to downtown subway stations

Rail News Home Passenger Rail 5/9/2019 Rail News: Passenger Rail
Wireless service is now available at 18 stations in the Chicago Transit Authority network.Photo – CTA Facebook

The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) yesterday expanded free Wi-Fi network service to its downtown Red and Blue line station platforms. 

Wireless service is now available at 18 stations in the network, according to a CTA press release.

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May
09

House transportation committee OKs harbor maintenance bill

Rail News Home Federal Legislation & Regulation 5/9/2019 Rail News: Federal Legislation & Regulation
The U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee yesterday approved H.R. 2440, the Full Utilization of the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund Act.The bipartisan bill would make it easier for Congress to appropriate funds collected in the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund for authorized harbor maintenance needs, including the existing $9.3 billion balance in the fund, according to a committee press release."For years — during Republican and Democratic administrations alike — the Harbor Maintenance tax has been diverted from its intended purpose, which is to ensure our nation's ports and harbors are properly dredged and fully operational. It's past time we put those taxes back into much needed improvements," said committee Chairman Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.). The legislation enables the expenditure of about $34 billion over the next decade, which would allow the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to dredge all federal harbors to their constructed widths and depths, committee officials said.

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May
09

VIA Rail reports 2018 ridership, revenue increases

Rail News Home Passenger Rail 5/9/2019 Rail News: Passenger Rail
VIA Rail Canada logged 4.7 million passengers in 2018, an increase of 353,000 passengers compared with 2017.Photo – VIA Rail

VIA Rail Canada Inc. logged 4.7 million passengers and CA$392 million in total revenue in 2018, marking a four-year trend of steadily increasing ridership. 

The number of VIA Rail passengers increased by 353,000 last year compared with 2017's level. The railroad's total revenue increased by CA$26.9 million, according to VIA Rail's annual report.

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May
09

AAR: U.S. rail traffic fell 2 percent in Week 18

Although U.S. rail carload volume ticked up, intermodal traffic fell during the week ending May 4 compared with the same week a year ago, according to Association of American Railroads (AAR) data.

U.S. railroads logged a total 535,089 carloads and intermodal units, down 2 percent compared with the same week last year. Total carloads for the week climbed 1 percent to 268,559 units, while intermodal volume dropped 4.9 percent to 266,530 containers and trailers.

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May
09

FRA proposes changes to locomotive engineer certification

Rail News Home Federal Legislation & Regulation 5/9/2019 Rail News: Federal Legislation & Regulation
FRA Administrator Ronald BatoryPhoto – fra.dot.gov

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) yesterday announced a notice of proposed rulemaking to update the regulation governing locomotive engineer qualification and certification.

The proposed change would make the rule consistent with the corresponding regulation for conductors, FRA officials said in a press release.

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May
09

FTA announces $15M mobility funding opportunity

Rail News Home Passenger Rail 5/9/2019 Rail News: Passenger Rail
The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) yesterday announced a research funding opportunity through a new program to support innovations in public transportation service models, payment systems and automation applications.The Integrated Mobility Innovation Demonstration program will provide a total of $15 million in funding to improve mobility across the country. Funding is divided into three focus areas: mobility on demand, strategic transit automation research and mobility payment integration. Applicants can propose projects that involve one or multiple areas. Mobility on demand projects could be funded $8 million, and include new tools and service models that make transit more convenient and accessible. Projects could include first- and last-mile connections to transit hubs; improved mobility for those with limited transportation choices; and approaches for data sharing and collection.Strategic transit automation research could be granted $5 million, and is specifically targeted at projects identified in the FTA-developed five-year Strategic Transit Automation Research (STAR) Plan to explore the use of vehicle automation technologies in bus transit operations.Mobility payment integration projects are allocated $2 million to develop payment integration that allows seamless, complete trip planning.Applications will be accepted until Aug. 9. 

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May
09

Norfolk Southern's strategic plan is producing results, Squires says

Norfolk Southern Railway in 2019 is "reimagining possible" in all aspects of its business to improve customer service, increase efficiency, drive growth and create shareholder value, President and Chief Executive Officer James Squires Squires said today at the company's annual shareholders meeting.

"We are moving full speed ahead with a new plan for the future that provides a clear path to continued success — success that benefits our customers, our employees, and our shareholders,” said Squires in a press release.

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May
09

Norfolk Southern's strategic plan is producing results, Squires says

Norfolk Southern Railway in 2019 is "reimagining possible" in all aspects of its business to improve customer service, increase efficiency, drive growth and create shareholder value, President and Chief Executive Officer James Squires Squires said today at the company's annual shareholders meeting.

"We are moving full speed ahead with a new plan for the future that provides a clear path to continued success — success that benefits our customers, our employees, and our shareholders,” said Squires in a press release.

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May
09

CN expands service in western Canada, agrees to acquire H&R Transport

CN is expanding its operations in western Canada with two additional major export supply chain projects, the Class I announced yesterday.

Both projects are focused on maximizing the use of rail into the Port of Prince Rupert in British Columbia. The first train of thermal coal from Coalspur Mines Ltd.'s Vista Mine in Hinton, Alberta, has shipped to Ridley Terminals. CN is also delivering the first unit train of propane from Alberta for export via the new AltaGas Ridley Island Propane Export Terminal, according to a CN press release.

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May
09

CN expands service in western Canada, agrees to acquire H&R Transport

CN is expanding its operations in western Canada with two additional major export supply chain projects, the Class I announced yesterday.

Both projects are focused on maximizing the use of rail into the Port of Prince Rupert in British Columbia. The first train of thermal coal from Coalspur Mines Ltd.'s Vista Mine in Hinton, Alberta, has shipped to Ridley Terminals. CN is also delivering the first unit train of propane from Alberta for export via the new AltaGas Ridley Island Propane Export Terminal, according to a CN press release.

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May
08

Rail supplier news from Loram, Railhead, Alstom, Siemens, J.B. Hunt, Heartland and NRC (May 8)

Loram Maintenance of Way Inc. has acquired the rail division business of Roadscanners Oy, a Finland-based company. The purchase included Roadscanners’ Rail Doctor software and related intellectual property rights. Roadscanners Oy will continue its asset management business in other sectors.

Railhead Corp. has been awarded a contract to supply the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District (NICTD) with locomotive digital video recorder systems and seven cameras to be installed on 300 series bi-level gallery cars. The Railhead system, including forward and passenger facing cameras, is being installed to support NICTD’s safety initiative, according to a Railhead press release.

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May
08

DART creates new report for construction updates

Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART), which is pursuing $2.5 billion in rail projects, has launched the DART Plus program to communicate progress on the projects.

In a report this week, DART officials outlined progress on its downtown light-rail replacement, platform extensions, the Cotton Belt regional rail project and the D2 Subway project. 

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May
08

TransLink seeks comment on 30-year transportation plan

Rail News Home Passenger Rail 5/8/2019 Rail News: Passenger Rail
TransLink is soliciting the public’s response to a new 30-year regional transportation strategy for Vancouver, British Columbia.Now through September, TransLink’s outreach campaign Transport 2050 will include interactive exhibits at public events, meetings with multicultural communities, stakeholder roundtables and a social media campaign. Participation and public response will be used in the draft of a new regional transportation strategy that will determine how TransLink will meet the region’s future transportation needs, agency officials said in a press release.“With Metro Vancouver experiencing rapid growth, the impacts of climate change, new technologies, and shifting demographics over the next 30 years, we want input from the broadest cross-section of people possible," said TransLink Chief Executive Officer Kevin Desmond. 

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May
08

Santa Clara VTA OKs transit service plan

Rail News Home Passenger Rail 5/8/2019 Rail News: Passenger Rail
The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority board unanimously approved final recommendations for a new transit service plan.Photo – VTA Facebook

The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) board in California last week unanimously approved the final recommendations outlined in the 2019 New Transit Service plan

The plan includes 70 changes across light-rail and bus services, and an expansion of VTA’s core network of frequent routes to serve an additional 266,000 county residents.

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May
08

Boston Surface Railroad, Siemens test new PTC prototype

Boston Surface Railroad Co. Inc. (BSRC), a private intercity passenger railroad that has proposed a new route in the U.S. Northeast, is developing a pilot to prove new enhancements to positive train control (PTC) capabilities.

BSRC is working with Siemens Mobility to test prototype technology on Siemens' Advanced Civil Speed Enforcement System-II (ACSES) and 9-Aspect Cab Signal Systems, according to a BSRC press release.

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May
08

AAR highlights rail safety technology at Capitol Hill event

The Association of American Railroads (AAR) yesterday hosted its second annual RailxTech event on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., to demonstrate new technologies for improving rail industry safety.

At the event, Class I representatives met with lawmakers, congressional staff and other transportation stakeholders to learn more about the implementation and testing of new rail innovations, including positive train control (PTC) safety technology, drones, advanced digital imaging and ultrasonic inspection tools.

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May
08

Canadian Pacific elects Courville board chair

Rail News Home Canadian Pacific 5/8/2019 Rail News: Canadian Pacific
Courville is the first woman to chair a North American Class I, according to CP.Photo – cpr.ca

Canadian Pacific's board yesterday elected Isabelle Courville as its new chair to succeed Andrew Reardon, who announced last year he is retiring.

At the company's annual shareholders meeting in Calgary, Alberta, the board also reelected Courville as a director. She is the first woman to hold the position at CP, as well as among other North American Class Is, said CP President and Chief Executive Officer Keith Creel in a press release.

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May
08

BLET marks 156th anniversary

Rail News Home Labor 5/8/2019 Rail News: Labor
Today, the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) marks 156 years as a labor organization.The union was founded as the Brotherhood of the Footboard on May 8, 1863, in Marshall, Michigan. The following year, the organization changed its name to Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and retained that name for 140 years until merging with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters on Jan. 1, 2004, according to a BLET press release.The union was formed in the early 1860s when locomotive engineers on the Michigan Central Railroad became discouraged with pay cuts and the dismissal of their firemen, BLET officials said.The BLET was the first labor organization to obtain contracts with railroads Among the earliest was an agreement with the former New York Central in 1875. Today, the BLET has hundreds of contracts with large and small railroads. It represents locomotive engineers on 98 percent of rail trackage in the United States.

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