Will Short Lines Continue to Swing In The Wind? RT&S Commentary

WASHINGTON – A little over a week ago, RT&S reported that Representative Byron Donalds (R-FL) reintroduced H.R. 3782 – The Short Line Railroad Relief Act with several of his colleagues. This legislation authorizes the establishment of a disaster relief program to provide much-needed immediate financial assistance to our nation’s short line railroads.

Nature’s Fury – Extreme Weather Can Ruin a Railroader’s Day

ATLANTA – A major challenge for the railroad industry is that it operates outside. Railroads build, own, and maintain their infrastructure, and when bad weather hits, it’s up to them to plan for and deal with it with their personnel and money.

South Carolina Lawmakers Fund Rail Line to Volvo Plant

RIDGEVILLE, S.C. – After years of delays, the South Carolina legislature has approved funding for a Palmetto Railways extension to a Volvo plant in Ridgeville.

OCTA Board Declares Rail Emergency to Take Necessary Actions to Protect and Reopen Track through San Clemente

ORANGE, Calif. – The geologic problems along the rail line at San Clemente seem to be getting worse. OCTA has now declared a Rail Emergency.

Rail Projects Are Rolling Down the Line

WASHINGTON – America is preparing to work on the railroad.

Donalds Reintroduces Legislation To Secure Disaster Relief For Short Line Railroads As Hurricane Season 2023 Begins

WASHINGTON – [Last week] Representative Byron Donalds (R-FL) reintroduced H.R. 3782 – The Short Line Railroad Relief Act alongside Representatives Doug LaMalfa (R-CA), Randy Feenstra (R-IA), Mike Bost (R-IL), Mary Miller (R-IL), Jake LaTurner (R-KS), Tracey Mann (R-KS),

State rail safety regulation bill vetoed by Nevada governor

CARSON CITY, Nev. – We reported earlier today that the Pennsylvania House passed a rail safety regulation bill that is now being considered by the state Senate. Across the country in Nevada, Gov. Joe Lombardo vetoed a similar bill that arrived on his desk for signature.

Pennsylvania House Passes Rail Safety Regulation Bill

HARRISBURG, Pa. – The Pennsylvania House of Representatives passed a new rail safety regulation bill on Monday, the rationale for which appears to be Norfolk Southern’s derailment in East Palestine, Ohio in February.

CTA’s Red and Purple Modernization (RPM) Phase One Project to Begin Final Major Phase

CHICAGO – CTA will begin building four new, fully accessible stations at Lawrence, Argyle, Berwyn and Bryn Mawr that replace century-old stations; CTA to also begin rebuilding southbound Red, Purple tracks.

NTSB Preliminary Report – Norfolk Southern Derailment in May 2023

WASHINGTON – The National Transportation Safety Board yesterday released its preliminary report on a Norfolk Southern train derailment that occurred in New Castle, Pa. on May 10, 2023. [1]

Brooklyn’s Livonia Avenue Station ADA Modernization Wins Construction Project of the Year

BROOKLYN – A major subway accessibility improvement project at the Livonia Avenue Station on the Canarsie Line in Brooklyn, NY has been named 2022 Project of the Year in the $10 – $60 million category by the Construction Management Association of America (CMAA) Metro New York/New Jersey Chapter.

TEXRail Celebrates Two Million Rides

FORT WORTH – Trinity Metro TEXRail celebrated 2 million rides over the Memorial Day weekend, marking an ongoing trend in ridership growth. In honor of the occasion, agency employees rode the trains to visit with passengers about TEXRail and to offer colorful commemorative t-shirts for riders. 

RT&S June Digital Issue Now Online

The June 2023 issue of Railway Track & Structures features our Top Project honorees. We selected nine projects based on their excellence and atypical project goals.

MTA Completes Re-NEW-vation at Pelham Bay Park 6 Subway Station

NEW YORK – The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) yesterday announced crews completed cosmetic and functional renovations of the Pelham Bay Park  subway station in the Pelham Bay section of the Bronx.

MxV Rail, CSU Pueblo Establish Partnership to Focus on Education, Training, and Research

PUEBLO, CO – MxV Rail and Colorado State University Pueblo (CSU Pueblo) signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to establish a framework to work together cooperatively on future education, training, and research related to the safety, security, and innovation of rail transportation in the State of Colorado.

Metro summer construction continues June 3, with four Orange Line station closures in Virginia

WASHINGTON –Beginning Saturday, June 3, Metro will begin rail replacement work on the Orange Line in Virginia.

Rail Service, Including Metrolink, Pacific Surfliner, Cleared to Resume Through San Clemente

SAN CLEMENTE, Calif. – The rail line through San Clemente was set to reopen for passenger rail service on Saturday, May 27, as emergency work has stabilized a hillside north of the Pier that last month scattered debris into the rail right of way below.

Jim Blaze photo

Amtrak OIG Identifies Fraud Risks as Agency Begins Large Acquisitions and Infrastructure Programs

WASHINGTON – Amtrak’s Office of Inspector General released a report this week outlining fraud risks Amtrak could face as it leverages significant federal investments for major acquisitions and capital projects.

‘The Rail Corridor Has Never Been In More Jeopardy’

RT&S has filed several reports over the past year about the very challenging situation with erosion, rock and mud slides on the southern California coastal rail corridor. Railroads, state and local agencies and others have been dealing with this for months, and it seems when remedial action is completed in one area, another area of trouble crops up.

Balfour Beatty Awarded $60 Million On-Call Contract for Metrolink’s Passenger Rail System

LOS ANGELES – The Southern California Regional Rail Authority (Metrolink) awards Balfour Beatty an on-call installation service contract to deliver communication and signal systems installation services for the Metrolink regional passenger rail system. 

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