Author: jrood

Patriot Rail Corp. and Pro Sands Processing enter into agreement

Patriot Rail Corp., a privately-held shortline and regional freight railroad company, through its Louisiana and North West Railroad subsidiary, has entered into a long-term lease and rail freight services agreement with Pro Sands Processing, LLC, a frac sand supply, storage and delivery services company serving the oil and gas industry.

Under the exclusive five-year agreement, Pro Sands will lease 10 acres of property at LNW’s newly-constructed Iron Bridge Road transload facility in Gibsland, LA. LNW will deliver freight carloads of frac sand to Pro Sands at the Iron Bridge Road facility where the product will then be dried, processed and transloaded to truck for delivery to energy customers in the region. Pro Sands has committed moving a minimum of 2,400 carloads of freight annually into the facility. Once the Pro Sands facility at Iron Bridge Road is fully operational, it is anticipated that LNW will move up to 5,000 annual carloads of frac sand for them.

"We are pleased to have Pro Sands join other shippers at our newly constructed Iron Bridge Road transload facility," said Patriot’s Chairman, President & CEO, Gary Marino. "Pro Sands is a well-known and established frac sand supplier and at this location will be positioned to serve the energy-related customers in the Haynesville shale region. This new business allows Patriot to fully utilize its assets at the LNW and generate significant carloads and guaranteed revenue."

 

MBTA to begin Red Line slab replacement project

Crews from the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority will begin replacement of concrete slabs along Red Line track from Harvard to Alewife. The track sits on concrete slabs that float on rubber disks, which absorb noise and vibration from trains. Years of water filtration into the tunnel has resulted in corrosion and cracking that must be addressed in order to maintain safe and reliable Red Line service.

MBTA work crews will be removing and replacing corroded concrete slabs as part of a project partially funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. In addition to correcting problems with the floating slab structure, the project will involve the replacement of track and 3rd rail. Workers will also address leaks in the tunnel to prevent further deterioration.

FRA issues new rules for camp cars

The Federal Railroad Administration issued new regulations to improve conditions of rail camp cars, backing several recommendations by the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Division of the Teamsters Rail Conference.

The sleeping and eating quarters installed in former freight rail cars or trailers will now have to comply with the rules issued by the FRA, including requirements for potable hot and cold water for bathing and washing, an increase in minimum square footage of living space per occupant, improved sanitation provisions and restrictions against locating camp cars in the immediate vicinity of switching and humping of placarded rail cars carrying hazardous materials.

The new rule can be found here: http://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2011/10/31/2011-27818/safety-and-health-requirements-related-to-camp-cars

The Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Division represents 32,000 men and women who work to maintain and build rail track and related infrastructure on freight and commuter rail lines in the United States. Founded in 1903, the Teamsters Union represents more than 1.4 million hardworking men and women in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico.

Invensys Rail awarded Reading Western Mainlines signaling contract

Network Rail has awarded the £28 million (US$44.6 million) signaling contract for the Reading Western Mainlines program in Great Britain to Invensys Rail.

The scope of the overall program covers the remodeling of the Reading Station Area from Sonning to Pangbourne, a new train care depot and four new platforms, which will provide increased capacity at and through the station.

Over the four year contract period, Invensys will be responsible for the design, supply, installation, testing and commissioning of the signaling works, including new LED signals, gantries and posts and new lineside equipment.

The contract award follows the success of the Reading Enabling Project, an intensive 27-month program, which saw control of Reading Station transferred to three WESTLOCK computer-based interlockings at the new Thames Valley Signaling Control Center at Didcot. One of these will be remodeled as part of the Reading Southern Lines signaling project, which will be commissioned over Christmas 2011.

David Attmere, senior project manager at Invensys Rail said, "We’re absolutely delighted to have been awarded this contract, following the work that we have already completed for the Reading Remodeling program. The same core team will deliver this next program of work, remaining co-located on site with Network Rail. This arrangement has worked extremely well and has undoubtedly contributed to the success of the project to date. We’re now looking forward to working closely with our Network Rail colleagues to deliver this next challenging and technically complex program of work."

The first major commissioning of the Reading Western Mainlines project will deliver increased capacity at Reading Station and will take place over Easter 2013; the final commissioning is scheduled for August 2015.

Snow storm snarls freight, transit traffic in northeast

CSX, NJ Transit and Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority service on the East Coast has been affected by the severe autumn snowstorm over the weekend.

CSX freight service operating in Massachusetts and other areas of the Northeast has been slowed significantly. Customers with traffic that originates, terminates or passes through this region should expect delays of 24-48 hours as crews clear lines of snow and fallen trees.

Widespread commercial power outages also are impacting service. CSX equipment and personnel have been deployed across affected lines to restore service as quickly as possible.

NJ Transit’s Morris & Essex Lines, including the Gladstone Branch and Montclair-Boonton Line rail service will remain suspended Monday, October 31, while crews remove hundreds of trees and repair miles of overhead wire damage.

An aerial inspection was made of the lines, which revealed the extensive damage caused by heavy, wet snow and strong winds that brought down the trees and overhead wires. Crews will continue to work around the clock today to make the necessary repairs.

MBTA commuter rail customers who use the Worcester/Framingham, Fitchburg and Haverhill lines should expect delays due to damage caused by the weekend storm. Delays will range anywhere from 20 to 40 minutes.

Tri-Rail agreement reached between UTU, SFRTA

Operations center employees of South Florida Tri-Rail, who are represented by the United Transportation Union, have their first collective bargaining agreement in place. It provides for a signing bonus; an immediate wage increase, plus additional wage increases in 2012 and 2013; a 40-hour weekly guarantee, plus punitive overtime pay; a reduction in the health care insurance premium; a meal period and a scope rule.

Additionally, the agreement provides an enhanced vacation entitlement; a path to enter train and engine service with seniority protection; a bid process for assignments; a formal process for grievance and discipline handling; a 401(k) plan with an employer match and work rules and conditions equivalent to those provided by contract for Tri-Rail’s train and engine workers represented by the UTU.

"Overall, this is an excellent first contract for a newly organized work group," said UTU International Vice President John Previsich, who assisted with negotiations. "It is always very difficult to provide any improvements to the status quo on a new contract as companies are very reluctant to reward employees for choosing to bargain collectively."

 

SEPTA celebrates revitalized Croydon Station

Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority officially celebrated the completion of a renovation project at its Croydon Regional Rail station with a ribbon cutting ceremony. Federal Transit Administration Administrator Peter Rogoff, SEPTA Board Chairman Pasquale Deon, Sr., General Manager Joseph Casey, elected officials and community leaders celebrated the improvements made to the station, which serves SEPTA’s Trenton Line.

"Croydon Station is a vital transportation link for Bucks County residents traveling south to Philadelphia and north to Trenton for work, school and to make other rail connections for destinations along the Northeast Corridor," said Deon. "Croydon Station also serves as a stop for passengers on our Route 128 bus. It was important for SEPTA to update the station’s amenities to provide our customers with a safe, state-of-the-art station to serve all of their mass transit needs."

Renovations at Croydon Station began in June 2009 and cost $19 million. The project received $8.5 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, with the balance coming from non-ARRA FTA funding that included a 20 percent state and local match.

The station is now fully-compliant with Americans with Disabilities Act requirements, making it SEPTA’s 98th ADA accessible station. Additional improvements include full-level platforms with radiant-heated passenger shelters, new signage, lighting and audio/visual public address system; improved storm detention system; radiant heating beneath the exposed walkway and ramp to melt ice and snow; new off-street bus turn-outs and shelters for faster and easier connections between trains and buses; privacy wall on outbound parking lot to benefit local residents; new parking lot and lighting system and landscaping surrounding the parking area and station.

 

Denver RTD opens Auraria West Station

Denver, Colorado’s Regional Transportation District opened the new Auraria West Station, directly across from the site of the former station, on October 31. The station was moved so that it could be expanded to accommodate four-car trains and additional light rail coming into Denver Union Station. This expansion, which will make connections with Golden and downtown Denver, is part of the long-term FasTracks plan that is paving the way for the planned opening of the West Rail Line in Spring 2013.

RailComm recognized by Rochester Top 100

RailComm has been ranked second in the Rochester Top 100 list. RailComm was recognized based on its dollar and percentage growth.

The Rochester Top 100, now in its 25th year, ranks privately held companies based on their three most recent years of revenue growth. Companies must have at least $1 million in revenue for each of those years and ranking takes into account both dollar and percentage growth.

Sound Transit Board endorses agreement for tunnel partnership with Bellevue

Seattle, Wash.’s Sound Transit Board endorsed a landmark agreement with the city of Bellevue, Wash., to enable the East Link light rail project to serve downtown Bellevue via a tunnel.

The board authorized Sound Transit CEO Joni Earl to execute a Memorandum of Understanding with Bellevue following upcoming action by the Bellevue City Council. Bellevue Mayor Don Davidson presented the board with a letter stating the city’s commitment to take action on the MOU on or before Nov. 14.

The MOU establishes a collaborative partnership for Sound Transit and the City of Bellevue to work together during the final design and construction processes for East Link to manage the project’s costs and impacts and to share the additional cost of building the tunnel. Benefits of the partnership include saving time for transit riders as well as motorists by avoiding at-grade street crossings in downtown Bellevue and establishing a grade-separated light rail alignment all the way from Seattle to the Bel-Red Corridor.

"Building the voter-approved East Link line is critical for the mobility and prosperity of our region. This agreement is good for the people of Bellevue and good for the people of King County," said Sound Transit Board member and King County executive Dow Constantine.

Following the issuance of a Record of Decision by the Federal Transit Administration, Sound Transit will move the East Link project into final design. Sound Transit is expected to start construction of East Link in 2015 or 2016 and launch passenger service in 2023.

The tunnel is estimated to cost an additional $276 million beyond the cost of an at-grade alignment through downtown after factoring in cost savings from locating East Link’s South Bellevue alignment along 112th Avenue Southeast. The MOU establishes a firm funding commitment by the city of Bellevue for up to $160 million (2010 dollars), identifies the city’s preferred design for the alignment along 112th Avenue Southeast and commits Sound Transit to review and consider the design changes.

 

LIRR to finish track renewal interrupted by Hurricane Irene

A track modernization project that Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s Long Island Rail Road was unable to complete in August because of Hurricane Irene is scheduled to resume this coming weekend, October 29-30, and continue on the following weekend, November 5-6. The work taking place on the mainline will result in some cancellations and service adjustments on the Huntington-Port Jefferson, Oyster Bay, Ronkonkoma, Far Rockaway and Babylon branches.

LIRR personnel will be performing surfacing and railroad tie renewal, welding repairs and installing some new running rail between Queens Village and Carle Place on October 29-30 and between New Hyde Park and Hicksville on November 6-7. When finished, work will provide a smoother ride and more reliable service.
Since one of two mainline tracks will be out of service during the project, the LIRR has revised weekend service on trains that travel the mainline to accommodate the track work.

SFMTA renames streetcar yard for Cameron Beach

The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency Board of Directors, which oversees all surface transportation in the city, including the Municipal Railway (Muni), held a ceremony to rename Muni’s Geneva Yard for SFMTA board member and transit advocate Cameron Beach.

Durbin: House Transportation Bill wrong approach to Amtrak funding

A House transportation funding proposal would dismantle Amtrak service and stunt high-speed rail growth in spite of record ridership numbers, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) said during a news conference at the Gateway Multimodal Transportation Center in St. Louis, Mo.

"St. Louis is one of the most important hubs in the nation’s passenger rail network and Gateway Station is the anchor of that network. Residents of the St. Louis region on both sides of the river have come to rely upon Amtrak," Durbin said. "We need to maintain and grow passenger rail service-not dismantle it. People are clearly demanding more train service, yet the House bill takes us in exactly the wrong direction-eliminating the service we already have."

The U.S. House of Representatives Fiscal Year 2012 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD) Appropriations bill, which has been passed by the THUD Appropriations Subcommittee, cuts Amtrak’s operating funding by 60 percent, includes a legislative rider prohibiting Amtrak from using any federal funds to help states pay for state-supported routes and provides no money for high-speed and intercity rail projects.

The U.S. Senate’s FY2012 THUD Appropriations bill would maintain current funding levels for Amtrak and also includes a bipartisan, Durbin-authored amendment that would restore $100 million for high-speed and intercity passenger rail. This funding is completely eliminated in the House version of the bill.

"The House of Representatives spending proposal is devastating to Amtrak in Illinois, Missouri and the entire Midwestern network. Two million passengers use Amtrak’s rail service in Illinois and Missouri every year. By slashing Amtrak’s operating budget by more than half and prohibiting Amtrak from helping fund state-supported routes, their bill would deliver a death blow to passenger rail service in St. Louis and hundreds of other cities and towns across the nation. These cuts will degrade our state’s world-class transportation system and cost the St. Louis area good paying jobs. Stopping Amtrak service to this station would force riders to make do with fewer travel options, which means more cars on the road and more congestion," Durbin said.

In addition to the Chicago to St. Louis route, the House bill would also mean elimination of the Amtrak service from Chicago to Carbondale, Milwaukee and Quincy. With Amtrak unable to provide support, Illinois would not have the funds needed to cover the shortfall and keep the routes in service. Illinois has had state-supported Amtrak service since 1972 and there are now 14 round-trip trains traveling from Chicago’s Union Station to Milwaukee, Quincy, Carbondale and St. Louis, moving 1.7 million passengers each year.

 

Progress Rail opens Muncie, Indiana locomotive assembly operation

Almost one year to the date of announcing its decision to locate a locomotive manufacturing facility in Muncie, Ind., Progress Rail Services Corporation, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Caterpillar Inc., officially opened its Muncie operation.

Progress Rail announced the site selection in October of 2010 and began work in earnest in January of this year. In less than 10 months, the facility has produced completed diesel-electric locomotives for its customers.

"This is the type of responsiveness our customers have come to expect from Progress Rail," said Billy Ainsworth, president and CEO of Progress Rail. "Through its Progress Rail subsidiary, Caterpillar has proven its commitment to the rail and transit industries and since 2006 has invested more than $2 billion to meet our customers’ growing needs."

Progress Rail and EMD offers a broad range of locomotive engine solutions and remain the only manufacturer of two- and four-cycle locomotive engines. The companies are also working on numerous alternative fuel projects for customers. In December of 2008, Progress Rail utilized the first common rail fuel system for mainline locomotives, with its 4,300-horsepower PR43C locomotive, powered by two rugged Cat® engines – the C-175 and C-18.

"We are proud to be in Muncie, Ind., today celebrating the official opening of our locomotive assembly plant. We look forward to being a part of this community’s economic future for many years to come," Ainsworth said. "We have assembled a talented and dedicated group of local employees eager to meet our customers’ needs. As we continue to grow our business and build additional manufacturing capacity, Progress Rail will be well-equipped to produce and support the largest global population of locomotives."

 

California awards $448 million in bonds to L.A. County transportation Projects

Eight key transportation projects in Los Angeles County were awarded a total of $448 million in state bond money on Oct. 25 by the California Transportation Commission at its meeting in Sacramento, Calif.

The Alameda Corridor East project received $336.6 million to help eliminate street crossings of the busy Union Pacific tracks in San Gabriel, Calif. The overall project aims to improve safety and reduce the number of street crossings along 70 miles of railroad tracks in the San Gabriel Valley.

The second phase of the Expo Line light-rail project, which will run for 6.7 miles between Culver City, Los Angeles and Santa Monica, received $35.3 million. When completed in 2015, the full Expo Line between downtown Los Angeles and downtown Santa Monica is expected to be one of the busiest light rail lines in the United States.

"We’re expanding our transit system, increasing the number of High Occupancy Vehicle lanes, optimizing traffic flow in our streets and we’re helping speed the flow of freight through our region," said Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, who is also the chair of LACMTA’s Board of Directors. "These projects will help bolster our local economy, create jobs and help reduce traffic congestion in Los Angeles County."

The money comes from Prop 1B bonds approved by California voters in 2006 to help pay for transportation needs throughout the state. The California Transportation Commission is in charge of allocating most of the $19.925 billion in bond money based on the merit and need of the projects.

UP promotes two in operating department

Union Pacific promoted Kurt Zalar to general superintendent-transportation services for the Forth Worth Service Unit, who will replace Jeff Jones who is retiring Jan. 1. Zalar will be responsible for the safe operation of trains on the more than 1,200 miles of track in Texas and southeast Oklahoma.

Jay Everett was promoted to general superintendent-transportation services for UP’s Denver Service Unit, replacing Zalar. He will be responsible for the safe operation of trains on more than 1,700 miles of track in Colorado, Kansas, Wyoming and Utah.

TriMet faces budget shortfall for FY2013

Portland, Oregon’s TriMet kicked off its Fiscal Year 2013 budget process three months ahead of schedule to begin developing options to respond to a projected $12 million to $17 million shortfall. The shortfall results from the continued recession and slow recovery, an anticipated cut in federal operating grants and costs associated with a new labor contract.

The shortfall is part of the agency’s FY13 operating budget that begins July 1, 2012. TriMet’s FY12 operating budget is $444 million.

"We have already cut $60 million from past budgets, but our financial challenges remain," said TriMet General Manager Neil McFarlane. "We face some tough decisions ahead and everything is on the table as we look to take corrective actions to close our budget gap and realign our cost structure."

With employment and wage growth stagnant, TriMet expects to receive about $3 million less in payroll tax revenues than previously anticipated.

TriMet receives $40 million to $45 million in federal funds for annual preventive maintenance. There is significant uncertainty in the federal budget, including the continuation of that funding level. TriMet is estimating a cut of $4 million.

TriMet is working to bring the union contract in line with revenue growth and make it financially sustainable. The contract expired in 2009 and both parties are now heading to interest arbitration scheduled for mid-January 2012. A recent Employee Relations Board decision, which TriMet is asking ERB to reconsider, currently has eliminated potential wage and retiree benefit savings from the current labor arbitration. The ERB decision adds $5 million to $10 million to the FY13 budget shortfall, an amount that grows significantly in future years. There are also additional outstanding items related to the labor contract that could increase the shortfall further.

TriMet will create a Budget Task Force with community members that will provide the general manager with recommendations on how to balance the budget. TriMet has limited options to lower costs and increase revenues. The task force will consider internal efficiencies, fare increases and service reductions.

 

VIA Rail, CN to perform track and signal work

VIA Rail Canada and Canadian National will periodically perform overnight track and signal work along the railway right-of-way between William Street and the western end of Delhi Street during the period from November 1 to November 15, 2011.

On two occasions this work will require the closure of Perth Street at the rail crossing. The first closure (to perform track work) will take place from Friday, November 4 at 9:00 p.m. until Monday, November 7 at 8:00 a.m. The second closure (to test signal operation) will take place from Saturday, November 12 at 9:00 p.m. until Sunday, November 13 at 5:00 p.m.

During these closures, traffic will be diverted to William Street/Stewart Boulevard.

This project is linked with other work VIA is undertaking in its Ontario-Quebec Corridor with the overall result being improvements in train safety and better passenger rail service.

GWI’s Powell awarded 2011 Professional Environmental Excellence Award

Genesee & Wyoming Inc. Vice President of Motive Power David Powell received the 2011 Professional Environmental Excellence Award from the Association of American Railroads in a ceremony at the University of Illinois. This achievement marks the first time that the AAR’s top award for environmental professionals has been won by someone from the shortline and regional railroad industry.

Powell’s accomplishments include organizing GWI’s Environmental Team; leading efforts to fund, design and build three ultra-low-emission GenSet locomotives; entering GWI in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s "SmartWay" Program; developing GWI’s Standard Environmental Procedures and instituting GWI’s annual Earth Day cleanup, hazmat spill reporting and worldwide recycling programs.

"This honor is wonderful recognition for David and for everyone at GWI who supports our commitment to protect the environment wherever we operate in North America and worldwide," said Jack Hellmann, GWI president and CEO.

Powell joined GWI in 2003 and has more than 35 years of railroad experience.

HDR PE/Environmental awarded task order for Redlands Passenger Rail Project

California’s San Bernardino Association of Governments (SANBAG) has awarded HDR a task order contract to provide preliminary engineering/environmental services for a new nine-mile passenger rail service, the Redlands Passenger Rail Project. This project will extend rail service from San Bernardino to Redlands, Calif. The award is an amendment of a previous contract with HDR.

That contract includes work delivering the Redlands First-Mile Metrolink Extension and alternative analysis phase of the Redlands Passenger Rail Project. The new amendment adds an 18-month schedule and associated scope of services to prepare preliminary engineering and environmental clearance for the project.
"This is a unique opportunity to work on a brand new passenger rail system from the ground up," said Mike Boraks, senior rail/transit project manager who will manage this task order for HDR.