CN and United Steelworkers reach tentative agreement for maintenance-of-way employees

Canadian National and the United Steelworkers Local 2004 have reached a tentative agreement to renew the labor contract for approximately 2,800 maintenance-of-way employees in Canada. The current agreement is scheduled to expire on Dec. 31, 2011.

Despite the ax, Kresge remains committed to Detroit’s light rail project

Rip Rapson, the president and CEO of The Kresge Foundation, issued a statement formally responding to the announcement that a long-planned light-rail project in Detroit would be abandoned in favor of a regional bus rapid transit system. The foundation is part of the private funding group that initiated the rail project. Members of that group, M1 Rail, together pledged almost $100 million. Kresge’s commitment is $35 million.

LIRR Train Time™ pilot launched

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s Long Island Rail Road launched a pilot of LIRR Train TimeTM, a digital service that provides real-time train arrival status to customers using mobile devices or desktop computers. Starting December 19, LIRR customers using the Port Washington Branch will be able to use the service by going to http://mta.info/lirr/TrainTime.

RailAmerica chief commercial officer to retire

Charlie Patterson, senior vice president and chief commercial officer of RailAmerica Inc. plans to retire, effective December 31, 2011.

Safe Railroad Contractor of the Year Awards announced

The results of the 2011 NRC/RT&S/Commercial Insurance Associates Safe Railroad Contractor of the Year Awards are in. Enthusiastic participation in the contest continued this year, with 45 total railroad contracting companies preparing entries.

BART names new board president and vice president

Retired Oakland Fire Department Battalion Fire Chief John McPartland is the new Bay Area Rapid Transit Board president, an opportunity he says he’s fired up about as he aims to tackle challenges ranging from earthquake safety to extensions of BART service.

FASTRACK coming to NYCT

New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority is set to introduce FASTRACK, a new way of working on the rails. Beginning Monday, January 9, the 4, 5 and 6 lines will be shut down from 10 p.m. until 5 a.m., suspending all Lexington Avenue Line service between Grand Central-42nd Street and Atlantic Avenue in both directions for four consecutive weeknights.

CP adds two to board of directors

Canadian Pacific appointed Tony Ingram and Edmond Harris, both seasoned railroad executives, to the company’s board of directors, effective immediately.

Sound Transit adopts 2012 budget, elects board chair and narrows focus on expansion

The Seattle-area Sound Transit Board of Directors adopted a 2012 budget that includes more than $700 million for new construction, as Sound Transit continues building the mass transit expansions voters approved in 2008.

NS moves forward with TIGER grant, plans to expand Harrisburg intermodal operations

This is an update to a story first reported on December 15, 2011, Click here.

Norfolk Southern is moving forward with plans to expand operations at its Rutherford Intermodal Facility near Harrisburg, Pa., after the U.S. Department of Transportation awarded a $15 million TIGER III grant to the project.

Rail-related projects receive $279 million in TIGER funds

United States Department of Transportation awarded $511 million in TIGER III discretionary grants to 46 capital construction projects in 33 states, of which $279 million of funding will go to rail-related projects.

West Virginia Ports Authority awarded $12 million for Heartland Corridor terminal

The West Virginia Ports Authority has been awarded $12 million by the U.S. Department of Transportation to construct a long-planned intermodal terminal along Norfolk Southern’s Heartland Corridor near Prichard, W.Va.

CP, Manitoba government sign collaboration agreement

Canadian Pacific and the province of Manitoba, Canada, signed a 10-year memorandum of agreement to help improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the overall transportation system in Manitoba.

PennDOT receives $15 million for Rutherford yard expansion

The U.S. Department of Transportation awarded Pennsylvania Department of Transportation a $15 million grant to expand capacity at the freight processing facility in Rutherford, Pa., a project which has the potential to create nearly 4,000 direct and indirect jobs and reduce the number of trucks traveling on Pennsylvania’s roadways.

GCRTA awarded $12.5 million grant for new Mayfield Station

The Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority was awarded a $12.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation, via the Federal Transit Administration.

Sound Transit receives $10 million for South 200th street extension project

The U.S Department of Transportation awarded $10 million in TIGER funding to Seattle area’s Sound Transit in support of constructing an extension of Link light rail from Sea-Tac Airport to South 200th Street.

AECOM wins New Orleans streetcar expansion contract

AECOM Technology Corporation has been awarded a $10.6 million contract for the second phase of the New Orleans Streetcar Expansion project in the Rampart/St. Claude corridor.

CP completes first year of infrastructure upgrades to enhance northern network

Canadian Pacific has completed the first year of infrastructure enhancements as part of an aggressive three-year plan to upgrade its North Main Line between Winnipeg, MB, and Edmonton, AB, Canada.

North Dakota receives $10 million for line near Devils Lake

The U.S. Department of Transportation has awarded $10 million in federal resources to help upgrade the rail line near Devils Lake, N.D. These federal resources will be added to additional funding the state’s congressional delegation worked to secure from Amtrak and BNSF to help cover the cost for the project, which many deem critical to regional commerce.

DART takes next steps to direct DFW Airport connection

Dallas Area Rapid Transit is making the final push to DFW Airport with the award of a design-build contract to construct a 5.2-mile extension of the Orange Line from the future Belt Line Station to the airport’s Terminal A. A joint venture of Kiewit, Stacy and Witbeck, Reyes, Parsons (KSWRP) was selected by the DART Board of Directors to complete the $149,750,000 project known as Irving-3 (I-3).

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