Author: jrood

Solar project gets green light despite BNSF safety objections






Mohave County, Ariz.,
Supervisors unanimously approved general plan amendments that allow a large-scale
proposed 1200MW solar project to go head despite opposition from railroad
officials, Havasu News reports. The vote came down after BNSF officials pleaded
with supervisors for a continuance citing safety concerns surrounding Needle Mountain
Power’s Sterling Solar Generating Facility, slotted to set up shop northwest of
the Interstate 40 and State Route 95 interchange.

 

SEPTA takes part In National Escalator And Elevator Safety Awareness Week






Philadelphia’s SEPTA
officials are talking safety with riders as part of National Escalator and
Elevator Safety Awareness Week. The goal is to make travel safer by reminding
customers to take some simple yet effective steps to stay out of harm’s way.
For example, when using elevators, always use handrails, stand in the middle
facing forward and keep loose clothing away from edges. On elevators, don’t
force doors open or closed – and if you get stuck, push the "help"
button and wait for assistance.

Hulcher Services adds division in Montreal






Hulcher Services Inc. has opened a new full-service division
in Montreal, Quebec. The new division is staffed and equipped to provide
a broad range of services for railroads and general industry. Service offerings
include railroad services, engineering work, transfer and load adjustments,
industrial services, snow removal, flood control and emergency/disaster
response.


LIRR completes major clean-up of track area In Jamaica, N.Y.






Nearly 200 cubic yards of
trash and more than 400 old rail ties have been removed from the track area in
and around Jamaica Station, completing one of the largest clean-up projects in
the history of MTA Long Island Rail Road. The work was carried out by LIRR
track maintenance workers over two weekends in October and November while a
state-of-the-art switch and signal control system was being installed at
Jamaica, a critical hub for the railroad.

CN Aurora, Ill, overpass cost in the hands of the courts






It’s been nearly two
years of legal battles over Canadian National Railway Company’s purchase of the
Elgin, Joliet and Eastern rail line, and it all comes down to this, the Aurora
Beacon-News reports. Sometime in the next four months, the U.S. Court of
Appeals is expected to rule on whether Canadian National will have to pay more
to separate grade crossings in Aurora and Lynwood, and whether the federal
Surface Transportation Board conducted a thorough study of the impacts of the
$300-million sale before approving it in 2008.

Cost of NSU’s light-rail demands pegged at $10 million






Changes to the light-rail
line pushed by Norfolk State University officials and agreed to by city leaders
will cost city taxpayers $10 million, The Virginian-Pilot reports. These costs
are not new. They are included in the $338-million light-rail price tag, but
after three years of negotiations, NSU, HRT and the city are nearing an
agreement for the changes. They include moving a
passenger station farther from campus and redesigning the storage and
maintenance building.

UP North ridership fell 10 percent, Chicago’s Metra says






Ridership on Metra’s Union
Pacific North line dropped in September, reflecting widespread displeasure with
schedule changes, which the commuter line was forced to rescind, the Chicago
Tribune reports. The number of monthly passenger trips fell 10 percent to
820,462 compared with September 2009, according to recent figures.

LA Metrolink launches new mobile Website






Saving time, money and
being more environmentally friendly just got easier now that Metrolink in the
Los Angeles area has implemented a BETA launch of its new, mobile Website. 
Customers can visit Metrolinktrains.com from their web-enabled cellular devices
and they will automatically be directed to the new mobile site. 

Axion International Celebrates “America Recycles Day”






In
an effort to bring attention to the ground-breaking work being done in
recycling, Axion International producer of the recycled, composite plastic
industrial building products, takes the occasion of November 15, "America
Recycles Day," to call upon American consumers and manufacturers to
increase recycling efforts to help build a better, greener and more sustainable
future.

Companies compete to operate New York shortline






First up was a $100-million
company that operates eight railroads in two countries, a firm that brought
four of its top executives to town to try to answer any question posed to them,
the Glens Falls, N.Y., Post-Star reports. Next was a train conductor from
Pennsylvania who has no funding, no equipment and no experience running an
operating railroad.

Experts say Columbus & Greenville rail line should reopen






Restoration
of the Columbus and Greenville Railway line in Mississippi could have far-reaching and
long-lasting results, not just for the areas it touches directly but also for
the entire nation, the Commercial Dispatch reports. As freight volumes and fuel
costs increase, shippers will move toward rail and barge, prompting more rail
activity.

Government of Canada, and VIA Rail unveil new Cobourg Station design






Northumberland-Quinte West
Member of Parliament Rick Norlock, Peter Delanty, Mayor of Cobourg, and Yves
Desjardins-Siciliano, General Counsel and Secretary of VIA Rail Canada,
unveiled the design for VIA’s enhanced and expanded Cobourg, Ont., passenger
rail station. 

Representing an estimated investment of C$9 million, the
project will receive C$1 million in funding from the Government of Canada’s
Economic Action Plan. This investment will provide modern, attractive
facilities for passengers, with capacity to meet potential future growth.





Amtrak says it has no plan to work on ARC project in New Jersey






The following statement
was issued by Amtrak to make clear its position on the Access to the Regions’
Core (ARC) tunnel project in New Jersey: "Amtrak is not having formal
discussions with NJ TRANSIT regarding a joint tunnel project and has no plans
to purchase any NJT work related to the ARC project.

GO Transit wraps up Passenger Charter week






Following a week of
events launching GO Transit’s first-ever Passenger Charter, GO riders in the Toronto
area are getting a chance to tell their favorite customer service stories with
the launch of the new Random Acts of GO-ness program.


Changing of the guard at Railway Track & Structures






Tom Judge, who has been
Editor of Railway Track & Structures magazine since joining Simmons-Boardman Publishing Corporation in July
1998, will be retiring effective Dec. 31, 2010. Managing Editor Mischa Wanek-Libman,
who has been with the publication nine years, will become Editor of RT&S.

Chicago Transit Board approves 2011 budget






The Chicago Transit Board approved a $1.337-billion budget for 2011 that, through cost-conscious
management, maintains current fares and service levels for riders. The proposed
budget is $66.7 million, or 5.2 percent, more than the 2010 budget due in part
to contractually dictated union wage increases, along with pension and
healthcare obligations. These fixed increases will be partially offset by
management efficiencies that are expected to save nearly $54 million in 2011.