L.A. looking at public-private partnerships to get light rail ready for 2028 Olympics

If Los Angeles is going to host the 2028 Olympics, the city knows its light-rail system has to meet qualifying marks. Los Angeles Metro Senior Executive Officer Rick Meade attended the Canadian

Bells & Whistles, Episode 19

 Top stories in video: Howard Street Tunnel Expansion Sound Transit top safety officer out CP locomotive engineer killed  Brightline track most dangerous

CSX

Funding now secured for Baltimore’s Howard Street Tunnel expansion

Stacking freight rail cars two high is now a reachable reality in Maryland, as the state and CSX have come up with enough funding to expand the Howard Street Tunnel, which leads to the Port of Baltimore.

short line railroad

Railroad is in favor of removing track in New Jersey

Instead of a swap, the city of Passaic, N.J., is now preferring that only money changes hands.

Rail Group to debut podcast in December

Railway Age, Railway Track & Structures and International Railway Journal are teaming together to produce a podcast about the rail industry and all of the challenges that goes with it. The podcast

Class 1 railroad

Canadian Pacific pulls property in Minneapolis off the market for rail expansion

There have been talks of a new brewery opening up on the southeast corner of Canadian Pacific’s Shorham Yards railroad terminal in northeast Minneapolis. That brewery, however, might have just lost its

Norfolk Southern

Norfolk Southern wants to raise bridges, lower track in north Pittsburgh, but residents are in no mood

Norfolk Southern wants to double-stack its trains as they move through Pittsburgh, but residents in the north side of the city are stacking up arguments and fighting back.

railroad tracks

Laconia, N.H., faces opposition to removing active railroad tracks in favor of trail

Pulling out train tracks is like removing the spine of the economy. That’s what several people expressed during a Laconia (N.H.) City Council meeting.

Officials looking into weekend LIRR derailment

It was business as usual for the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) on Monday, Nov. 25. Three days earlier, however, it was complete chaos.

Bells & Whistles, Ep. 18

 The top stories we were following the week ending Nov. 22: MBTA clears funding for phases 2 and 3 of Franklin Line Double Track Project. U.S. DOT pushes for increased safety

OmniTRAX

Rail construction begins at new Savannah Gateway Industrial Hub

A delegation of Georgia state, county and municipal representatives joined officials from OmniTRAX, The Broe Group and A&R Logistics, Inc. to mark the historic opening of Savannah Gateway Industrial Hub (SGIH)—Georgia’s first

Sound Transit begins process of response to Initiative 976 passage

At its meeting on Nov. 21 the Sound Transit Board of Directors began the process of reviewing the agency’s response to the adoption of Initiative 976 (I-976) by statewide voters. After the

Alaska Railroad makes final repairs following 2018 earthquake

The Alaska Railroad is executing the final round of repairs following the 7.1 magnitude earthquake that shook the region in November 2018.

Progress Rail

Indiana Northeastern Railroad track in Ohio will receive upgrade in track condition

The condition of the Indiana Northeastern Railroad in Ohio will soon be upgraded to a Federal Railroad Administration Class 2 after the Ohio Rail Development Commission (ORDC) gave the green light to

U.S. DOT wants to advance highway-rail grade crossing safety

U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao announced significant plans to advance highway-rail grade crossing safety. The announcement comes as the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) hosted a grade-crossing safety summit, with remarks from

MBTA

MBTA moves forward with Franklin Line Double Track Project

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority’s (MBTA) Fiscal and Management Control Board approved a $30 million contract for second phase work and third phase preliminary design work of the Franklin Line Double Track

Kansas City Southern

Kansas City Southern partners with CloudMoyo to help with safety, regulation compliance

Kansas City Southern has now deployed CloudMoyo across all of its operations in Mexico and the U.S.

Metra

Chicago train services preparing for extreme cold this winter

Last year’s polar vortex in the Chicago area was no joke, and it might not be a no-show this winter season.

Bells & Whistles—Calif. wants cleaner air around railroads and railyards, and more

For the Port Authority settlement story, click here. For the STB demurrage story, click here. For the Amtrak passenger story, click here. For the CARB story, click here.

CSX

California Air Resources Board wants locomotives and railyards to be better on the environment

Railroad companies in California might be feeling more pressure when it comes to the environment. On Nov. 20, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) is going to start holding public meetings and