Valley Metro in Phoenix, Ariz., awarded a contract to a joint venture of Parsons Brinckerhoff and PGH Wong Engineering to provide program management/construction management services to support the planned expansion of the metro Phoenix high-capacity transit system.
By the end of 2012, Amtrak expects to more than triple the number of track-miles on its own railroad where Positive Train Control safety technology is installed.
The Virginia Senate Finance Committee unanimously approved an amended Senate budget, which will provide $300 million dollars in additional state funds to Phase 2 of the Metrorail to Dulles Project in northern Virginia.
Construction progress for three new Houston METRO light-rail lines is more than 45 percent complete and expected to end in time for 2014 service dates.
Valley Transit Constructors, a Kiewit/Mass Electric Joint Venture, was selected as the team that will continue designing and building the Valley Metro 3.1-mile Central Mesa light-rail extension in Arizona. Parsons Transportation Group, also part of the team, will serve as lead designer.
A motion by Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority First Vice Chair, Supervisor Michael Antonovich, supporting the Antelope Valley Line Infrastructure Improvement Strategic Plan was unanimously approved by the LACMTA Board of Directors.
A regional agreement between the California High Speed Rail Authority and more than a half-dozen California Bay Area public agencies will fully fund the electrification and modernization of the Caltrain system, a long-planned, critically-needed improvement that will improve the service and help ensure the long-term viability of the commuter rail system.
After setting performance records in 2011, Norfolk Southern Corporation looks ahead to its 30th anniversary in 2012 and beyond “with confidence, optimism and a great deal of enthusiasm,” CEO Wick Moorman told stockholders in the 2011 annual report, posted on the company’s website.
Seattle-area Sound Transit tunneling contractors Traylor Kemper Frontier pushed through the wall into the Capitol Hill station site to complete a two-mile light-rail tunnel from the University of Washington. The 21-foot diameter tunnel boring machine emerged within three millimeters of its target as part of the University Link light rail expansion.
The Denver Colo., Regional Transportation District Board’s FasTracks Monitoring Committee endorsed the RTD staff’s hybrid option recommendation on how to proceed with the FasTracks Northwest Rail Line. The vote was 13 – 2 moving, the motion to the full RTD Board of Directors for a final decision will take place March 27.
The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority police officers went on strike at 2:00 p.m., March 21.
While SEPTA management was hoping to negotiate a new contract without a strike, it has implemented a contingency plan to deal with this situation.
Watco Transportation Services named Steve Beske general manager of the Wisconsin & Southern Railroad. Beske will be responsible for the day-to-day operations on the WSOR and will report directly to the director of operations.
Florida East Coast Industries, Inc., is developing a privately owned, operated and maintained passenger rail service to connect South Florida and Orlando, which will be operational in 2014.
Last month, I wrote about safety as it pertains to the elimination of the Harriman awards. Safety is again at the forefront, this time thanks to legislation introduced to the Illinois General Assembly.
RailComm has been selected to provide the GCOR dispatch system for Genesee and Wyoming’s Arizona Eastern Railway. RailComm’s Domain Operations Controller (DOC®) train control system will be accessed through a web-enabled Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) delivery model.
Southern California’s Caltrain will conduct construction on the San Bruno Grade Seperation Project and perform maintenance at several locations.
The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority released its Final Environmental Impact Statement/Report for the Westside Subway Extension Project.
John Orrison has joined HDR as the practice leader for railroad operations. He is based in the firm’s Fort Worth, Texas, office. His responsibilities include developing and expanding HDR’s freight rail program in North America and abroad.
Scott Henderson has accepted the position of general manager for Watco Transportation Services’ Pacific Sun Railroad. He most recently served as general manager for the Baton Rouge Southern Railroad in Louisiana.
Union Pacific is enhancing Nebraska’s transportation infrastructure by investing $8.7 million in the rail line that runs between Sarben and Joyce. The project is in progress and is scheduled to be completed by the end of August.
