• March 14, 2012
• Shortline/Regional

Watco names GM for Baton Rouge Southern Railroad

Duane Stephenson joined Watco Transportation Services in the position of general manager of the Baton Rouge Southern Railroad. Stephenson will be responsible for the day to day operations on the BRS including achieving per¬formance goals with optimum safety, economy, efficiency and effectiveness.

He previously worked for Genesee & Wyoming (G&W), where he held multiple management positions over the past five years. His most recent position was operations manager where he led his region in the lowest human factor incident (HFI) rating per 200,000 man hours and going on five years injury free. Duane began his railroad career with Lodestar Logistics as the Logistics Coordinator in 2004.

• March 14, 2012
• Ballast, Ties, Rail

Axion International receives second tie order from BART

Axion International received its second purchase order from San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit for switch ties. Axion says its ECOTRAX ties has no chemicals or preservatives added and can be reused at the end of their useful lifecycle, eliminating standard disposal issues.

• March 13, 2012
• Class 1

UP to spend $9.2 million on Arizona infrastructure improvements

Union Pacific is enhancing Arizona’s transportation infrastructure by investing $9.2 million in the rail line that runs between Crag and downtown Phoenix. The project is in progress and is scheduled to be completed by the end of April.

• March 13, 2012
• Rapid Transit/Light Rail

Met Council testifies before legislature on need for expanded transit system

Light rail transit, not more buses, is the most cost effective option for supporting the existing jobs and the tens of thousands of jobs the Southwest corridor will add before 2030, Minnesota’s Twin Cities Metropolitan Council Chair Susan Haigh told a State Senate panel.

• March 13, 2012
• Commuter/Regional

Thales, Siemens awarded contract for New York MTA test track

Thales and Siemens have been awarded a contract to provide a permanent communications-based train control test track facility for Metropolitan Transportation Authority New York City Transit.

• March 13, 2012
• Commuter/Regional

MARC sees on-time performance nears record levels

The Maryland Transit Administration’s MARC Train service recorded some of the best on-time performance numbers ever during the month of February.

• March 13, 2012
• Intercity

“X” Train names McPherson to the Board of Directors

John McPherson has been elected as a director to the Board of Las Vegas Railway Express, Inc.

“X” Train CEO/President Michael Barron said, “We are pleased that Mr. McPherson has joined our company on the board. He brings a very successful career to the company and an oversight role to our operations.”

• March 12, 2012
• Commuter/Regional

VTA to receive $900 million for BART Silicon Valley Berryessa project

On March 12, the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority will receive a $900 million grant commitment from the Federal Transit Administration for the Bay Area Rapid Transit Silicon Valley Berryessa Extension Project.

• March 12, 2012
• Rapid Transit/Light Rail

Court dismisses lawsuit seeking to stop East Link light rail project

In the Seattle, Wash.-area, a Kittitas County Superior Court Judge issued a summary judgment in the lawsuit by Kemper Freeman seeking to stop the East Link light rail project.

• March 09, 2012
• Safety

Operation Lifesaver notes reductions in 2011 U.S. crossing collisions

Sustained public education efforts, engineering improvements and law enforcement programs have contributed to a nationwide reduction in vehicle-train collisions and pedestrian-train deaths and injuries in 2011, according to Operation Lifesaver, Inc.

• March 09, 2012
• Class 1

CP: Customer relations drives Multi-Year Plan’s success

In a letter to shareholders, John Cleghorn, Chairman of the Board of Canadian Pacific outlined the railroad’s Multi-Year Plan and customer relationship success.

• March 09, 2012
• Intercity

RailComm provides remote control derail system to Florida Amtrak facility

RailComm has provided a wireless remote control derail system at Amtrak’s Maintenance Facility near Miami, Fla. Two customized Local Control Panels, located within the maintenance building, provide wireless remote control to the derails.

• March 09, 2012
• Shortline/Regional

Railway Age names 2012 Short Line of the Year, 2012 Regional Railroad of the year

From the editors at RailwayAge

Railway Age magazine has named Vermont Railway the 2012 Short Line Railroad of the Year, and the Indiana Rail Road Co. its 2012 Regional Railroad of the Year. The awards will be presented at the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association’s annual meeting in Indianapolis, Ind., Tuesday evening, April 24, 2012.

• March 08, 2012
• Intercity

Amtrak becomes Climate Registered

Amtrak recently achieved Climate Registered status by successfully measuring its carbon footprint according to The Climate Registry’s best-in-class program, then having it third-party verified and reporting the data on The Registry’s website. With this status, Amtrak takes a major step toward reducing its energy usage, costs and carbon emissions.

• March 08, 2012
• Rapid Transit/Light Rail

NYCT fourth round of FASTRACK improvements to start

Metropolitan Transportation Authority New York City Transit is bringing FASTRACK to the Eighth Avenue Line beginning March 12, following success on the Lexington Avenue, Seventh Avenue and Sixth Avenue Lines.

• March 08, 2012
• Rapid Transit/Light Rail

WMATA progresses capital rebuilding effort

Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority provided an update on its progress to rebuild the system following years of underinvestment. In the six-month period from July 1 to December 31, 2011, Metro spent $307 million on capital projects ranging from replacing railcars, switches, rail and track components to rehabilitating station platforms, escalators and elevators.

• March 08, 2012
• Intercity

Nevada DOT supports Las Vegas “X” Train

Las Vegas Railway Express, Inc. (“X” Train) received support from the state of Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT) for the X Train as the viable short term conventional passenger rail project in the state of Nevada for the zero-five year time frame.

• March 07, 2012
• Class 1

CSX recognized as a top employer for veterans

CSX Corporation was named a finalist in CivilianJobs.com’s 2012 Most Valuable Employer (MVE) for military ranking. CivilianJobs.com is a career resource organization dedicated to connecting American employers with experienced military talent.

• March 07, 2012
• Rapid Transit/Light Rail

Projected cost of Dulles rail project decreases

Preliminary engineering cost estimates decreased for Phase 2 of the Dulles Rail Project in northern Virginia, which includes 11.4 miles of rail through the Dulles Corridor to Dulles International Airport and Loudoun County.

• March 07, 2012
• Intermodal

Port of Stockton California improves capacity

The Port of Stockton California in a public/ private partnership with Union Pacific and Metropolitan Stevedore Company completed a project to add 5,828 feet of track to the East Port interchange Tracks. This new track allows a loop upon which inbound and outbound trains can move on without interfering with operations of the port’s east complex class yard. The track will be in service effective March 9, 2012.