WMATA plans major weekend trackwork
Washington Metropolitan Transportation Authority will advance major projects to rebuild sections of the Red and Orange lines December 2 to December 4.
Author: jrood
Michigan receives $150 million to expand HSR in Midwest
The Federal Railroad Administration awarded $150 million to the Michigan Department of Transportation for a high-speed rail project that will increase the safety and reliability of Amtrak’s Wolverine and Blue Water services between Detroit and Chicago and put more than 800 Americans back to work this spring.
Washington state approves funds for crossing enhancements
Washington state regulators approved funds to improve the safety at railroad crossings in Clark County.
California HSR construction receives $928 million grant
The Federal Railroad Administration awarded a $928.6 million grant to the California High-Speed Rail Authority for initial construction of California high-speed rail. Construction will begin next year in Fresno, Calif., creating tens of thousands of jobs in California.
STB approves Alaska Railroad line in Port Mackenzie
The Surface Transportation Board issued a decision granting final approval for the Alaska Railroad Corporation to construct and operate approximately 35 miles of a new rail line connecting Port MacKenzie in south-central Alaska, to a point on ARRC’s existing mainline, between Wasilla and an area north of Willow, Ala.
Federal rail funding advances Seattle’s King Street Station restoration
Travelers using Seattle’s historic King Street Station, grand and ornate when it opened in 1906, will be transported back to that era when seismic and utility upgrades and historic restoration work are complete in two years.
SFRTA receives TIGGER grant to build “green” station
South Florida Regional Transportation Authority will receive $5.7 million through the Federal Transit Administration’s TIGGER III Grant Program. The funds will be used to construct Tri-Rail’s first green, LEED certified, sustainable station at Pompano Beach. The SFRTA project was one of 46 nationwide selected to receive grants.
The FTA reviewed 266 project applications representing more than $1 billion in funding requests from transit providers across the country. The awards to the projects selected totaled over $100 million.
“We are grateful to the FTA for providing the funds to go forward with this very important project. It is a win-win for South Florida. A win for the environment and a win for the economy due to the construction jobs it will create,” said SFRTA Chair, Commissioner Kristin Jacobs.
The rebuilt Pompano Beach Station will generate more than 100 percent of the station’s energy demand through solar panels. The project will send the excess energy to the power grid and store daytime energy for nighttime lighting of the station, parking area, and other parts of the facility.
Implementation of this demonstration project will result in a significant reduction in energy consumption, which is consistent with the FTA’s livability and environmental sustainability goals to support green building. Tri-Rail’s Pompano Beach Station will be the first transit station in the State of Florida to be 100 percent supported by solar energy and will become SFRTA’s green station prototype for future improvements at all Tri-Rail stations.
RailComm to expand remote control yard system at BNSF Nebraska yard
RailComm was selected to expand its existing yard system at BNSF’s Alliance South Yard in Alliance, Neb. RailComm’s Domain Operations Controller System will be used to remotely control switches.
TriMet ridership up in October
Portland-area TriMet’s ridership during the month of October showed strong upward trends and reached new records. For the month, there were 8.8 million trips taken on buses, MAX and WES Commuter Rail, up more than two percent compared to October 2010.
Right of way for DesertXpress approved
The Bureau of Land Management released the Record of Decision for the DesertXpress Passenger Rail Project in San Bernardino County, Calif. and Clark County, Nev.
Caltrans receives $21 million grant for Surfliner Corridor
The Federal Railroad Administration awarded $21 million to the California Department of Transportation for engineering to begin on three projects to improve Southern California’s Pacific Surfliner Corridor.
Georgia Ports Authority Board approves Savannah area intermodal terminal expansion
The Georgia Ports Authority Board approved a $6.5 million, 6,000-foot extension of the Mason Intermodal Container Transfer Facility in Garden City, Ga. The initiative is designed to expand capacity, improve efficiencies and reduce costs for customers.
EIS issued for proposed Corman line in Pennsylvania
The Surface Transportation Board’s Office of Environmental Analysis has issued a Final Environmental Impact Statement for the R.J. Corman Railroad Company/Pennsylvania Lines Inc. proposed construction, operation and reactivation of a 20-mile railroad line between Wallaceton and Gorton, in Clearfield and Centre Counties, Pa.
USDOT receives 32 letters of support for Port of Quincy rail intermodal terminal
More than 30 legislators (state and federal), businesses, organizations and communities have recently sent letters to the U.S. Department of Transportation, expressing extensive support for a TIGER Grant to expand the Port of Quincy Intermodal Terminal in Washington State.
Wabtec acquires Fulmer Company
Wabtec Corporation has acquired Fulmer Company, manufacturer of motor components for rail, power generation and other industrial markets. Based in Export, Pa., Fulmer has annual sales of about $15 million. Wabtec expects the transaction to be accretive in the first year.
NCCC has tentative agreements with 10 out of 13 unions
The nation’s major freight railroads reached tentative collective bargaining agreements with then out of 13 unions, the National Carriers’ Conference Committee reported.
Sound Transit’s East Link light rail alignment receives FTA approval
Seattle’s Sound Transit Board received the Federal Transit Administration’s Record of Decision for the East Link light rail project and voted unanimously to launch work on the final design for the route between Seattle, Mercer Island, Bellevue and Redmond.
FTA divides $112 million among 46 “green” transit projects
The Federal Transit Administration has doled out $112 million to 46 transit projects, which were chosen for their capacity to help cut the nation’s dependence on oil and create marketplace for 21st century “green” jobs.
TxDOT receives $5.6 million grant for Oklahoma City-South Texas Corridor
The Federal Transit Administration awarded $5.6 million to the Texas Department of Transportation for planning and environmental work to advance the development of the Oklahoma City-South Texas Corridor. Future intercity passenger rail service will connect Oklahoma City, Dallas-Fort Worth, Austin, San Antonio and South Texas, some of the fastest growing metropolitan areas in the nation.
Tesoro plans new rail project to ship ND crude
Senator John Hoeven (R-ND) met with Tesoro CEO Greg Goff to review the company’s major expansion plans in North Dakota, including a new rail project to ship North Dakota crude to its Anacortes, Wash., facility.