International peer review positive on Amtrak HSR plan for Northeast Corridor

Leading European and Japanese high-speed rail operators reviewed the Amtrak next-generation high-speed rail vision plan and have expressed support for its phased approach to achieve 220 mph service on the Northeast Corridor. The operators also suggested that while Amtrak’s total assessment is sound and reasonable, the proposed service may generate more ridership, revenue and market share and may cost less to build than initially estimated.

"The positive feedback from our experienced colleagues around the world is encouraging and demonstrates that Amtrak’s high-speed rail plan is a proper response to meet the region’s need for increased transportation capacity and is a viable way forward," said Al Engel, Amtrak vice president, high-speed rail.

He added, "Amtrak’s initial projections of ridership, revenues and costs for this new system were appropriately conservative and we are pleased that many of the world leaders in high-speed rail have offered their ideas to help refine and improve our plans."

Amtrak submitted its vision plan for international peer review and invited comments on identifying opportunities to strengthen the business case, improve the operations plan and achieve construction efficiencies, among many other areas.

Responses were received from high-speed rail operators in Europe and Asia as well as several railcar equipment suppliers. Most respondents focused on the technical analysis report, in particular sections on conceptual engineering, operational planning, operating and maintenance costs, travel demand/market analysis, ridership and revenue forecasts.

Most reviewers agreed with the phased approach as outlined by Amtrak for a clear, structured and coordinated path to achieve 220 mph service on exclusive operational segments between Washington and Boston. The East Japan Railway Company, a major operator of the Shinkansen bullet trains in Japan, said that it is "extremely important to build capital from early project phases so that additional profits can be obtained and invested in future phases" as they did themselves for a previous extension of their service.

There also was the recurring theme by the reviewers that the Amtrak plan would likely generate more ridership and revenue than projected in the plan given current market conditions and expected increases in travel demand.

Many of the reviewers commented on the initial projected $117 billion cost of the plan. One long-time developer and high-speed operator noted that the capital costs discussed in the report were somewhat higher than their experience and another high-speed operator wrote that the cost for the train equipment may be less than what is proposed if the procurement is similar to their own. Others suggested facilities and structures could be redesigned to reduce their footprint thereby reducing total land acquisition costs.

More detailed studies in specific areas to analyze and verify assumptions made in the Amtrak vision plan reports are already underway. The peer review comments will be addressed in these and future study phases that will refine engineering needs, develop a business and finance plan, and embark on a major corridor environmental review and alternatives analysis.

 

FRA delays concrete tie safety standards implementation

The Federal Railroad Administration has pushed back the implementation date of its final rule on Track Safety Standards concerning concrete crossties from July 1, 2011 to October 1, 2011. The delay in the effective date is in response to two petitions for reconsideration of its final rule that mandates specific requirements for effective concrete crossties, for rail fastening systems connected to concrete crossties and for automated inspections of track constructed with concrete crossties.

 

BNSF Abo Canyon double track now open for business

BNSF employees had reason to celebrate Friday, June 3, as the first train traversed the completed double track through the Abo Canyon on the Southwest division.

This project addressed one of the last remaining segments of single-line track on BNSF’s busy Southern Transcon. The 2.5-year-long project, which included laying five miles of new track, blasting approximately 3.6 million tons of rock and building nine bridges totaling about 3,000 feet in length, was completed ahead of schedule.

"The new track, about 25 miles east of Belen, N.M., will help improve velocity through the canyon, eliminate bottlenecks and accommodate rail traffic growth on this section of BNSF’s transcontinental line, which connects Los Angeles to Chicago," said Sam Sexhus, vice president of engineering.

 

New Orleans streetcar project breaks ground, receives additional training Grant

U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood joined New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu and other city officials to break ground on the Union Passenger Terminal/Loyola Avenue streetcar project, which received $45 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act’s Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery program last year. The new streetcar extension is expected to begin service in June 2012.

"The New Orleans Streetcar project will create new jobs, economic opportunities and greater transit choices," Secretary LaHood said. "Not only will it stimulate development along Loyola Avenue, but it will also provide residents greater access to the central business district."

The new streetcar extension will run through New Orleans’ central business district along Loyola Avenue from the Union Passenger Terminal to Canal Street. The Union Passenger Terminal is a major Southern hub for Amtrak, with three trains serving the station.

In addition to the streetcar project, Secretary LaHood said that the New Orleans Regional Transit Administration will receive a $400,000 grant from the Federal Transit Administration to establish a streetcar maintenance training program to assist in hiring and training skilled streetcar maintenance workers.

RTA’s new training program is one of a dozen programs supported by FTA’s Innovative Workforce Development grants offering support for efforts that improve the state of the practice in workforce development and help address the needs of human capital in the transit industry.

Lautenberg, Holt speak out against rail security cuts

U.S. Senator Frank Lautenberg and Representative Rush Holt joined mass transit workers at the Trenton Transit Center on Monday to oppose a Republican effort to cut rail security funding by 65 percent.

"Just weeks after reports that hand written notes from Osama bin Laden were found in his compound targeting our rails, the Tea Party Republicans in the House slashed funding for rail security. The Republican cuts to homeland security funding are reckless and dangerous for New Jersey and I’m going to fight in the senate to defeat them," said Sen. Lautenberg, who is also the vice chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on homeland security, which has jurisdiction over rail security funding.

Since 2004, terrorist cells have conducted deadly bombings on major passenger rail systems in Spain, the United Kingdom, India and Belarus, with more than 600 people killed and more than 3,200 wounded.

Under the House version of the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, which passed the U.S. House of Representatives earlier this month, security programs for intercity passenger rail, freight rail and mass transit would fall by 65 percent below the administration’s 2012 budget request. Rep. Holt co-sponsored an amendment that would have reversed many of the cuts, but his proposal failed on an almost entirely party-line vote.

Under current law, transit security is underfunded and has persisted despite ongoing threats to surface modes of transportation. Aviation receives 12 times as much security funding despite the fact that surface transit provides 18 times as many passenger trips.

 

 

ICC approves pedestrian bridge, crossing work in five Illinois counties

The Illinois Commerce Commission approved a stipulated agreement between BNSF, LaSalle County Highway Department, Allen Township Road District and the Illinois Department of Transportation providing for the installation of flashing light signals and gates and improvement of the highway approaches, at the E 25th Road crossing near Ransom, LaSalle County. This is to be completed by June 2012.

The estimated cost to install the new automatic flashing light signals and gates is $533,560 and the cost to improve the highway approach gates is $205,487. The Commission approved funding 95 percent of the cost of the project from the Grade Crossing Protection Fund and Allen Township will pay the remaining.

The ICC approved a stipulated agreement requiring Chicago, Central and Pacific Railroad Company to replace existing crossbuck warning signs and antiquated automatic signals with new automatic flashing light signals and gates with constant warning circuitry at 12 grade crossings located in Cook, DuPage, Kane and DeKalb counties.

Total cost for the safety improvements is $2.4 million. The Commission authorized spending approximately $2.1 million from the Grade Crossing Protection Fund to help pay for the projects. The Illinois Department of Transportation will pay the remaining ten percent.

The ICC has also authorized the construction of a pedestrian overpass crossing of UP’s rail corridor in Lombard, including an estimated $1.9 million from the Grade Crossing Protection Fund to pay approximately 60 percent the total cost of the project. This is to be completed by December 2012.

The total cost of the pedestrian overpass project is estimated to be $3.3 million and will cross over three of UP’s mainline tracks. The remaining costs will be paid by the Village, using local and federal revenue sources.

 

TriMet sees double digit ridership gains in May on MAX, WES

More than 8.8 million rides were taken on TriMet buses, MAX and WES Commuter Rail in May, up 4.9 percent compared with May 2010.

New record high figures were reached for MAX and WES with double-digit increases. Weekday MAX trips went up 11.5 percent, while rush hour MAX trips increased 12.3 percent. Weekday Green line trips went up 18.3 percent and WES weekday/rush hour trips increased 30.2 percent.

 

 

 

CPR finds home for new Regina Intermodal Facility

Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall and Regina Mayor Pat Fiacco joined Canadian Pacific Railway President and Chief Executive Officer Fred Green, as well as other dignitaries in officially unveiling the future home of CP’s Intermodal Facility at the Global Transportation Hub on June 10.

The new facility will be located on a 124-hectare (about 300 acres) site adjacent to CPR’s main line between Regina and Moose Jaw. Initial construction is expected to start this summer with completion scheduled for late 2012.

CPR joined Canadian Logistics Services in locating to the GTH, which encompasses about 2,000 acres of serviced land and will replace the existing terminal that opened in 1980.

"Canadian Pacific’s relocation of its intermodal facility to the GTH is an important stage for the GTH and it clearly demonstrates the railway’s ongoing commitment to Regina and why CP is such a valued corporate citizen," said Fiasco. "CP is clearly one of the anchor tenants of the GTH, which will attract other potential business to this important intermodal hub for Regina and Saskatchewan."

The new facility’s footprint allows for a said potential of up to 250,000 container handlings per year or about five times the number of container handlings at the 31-year old terminal.

"The new intermodal facility will further strengthen CP’s ability to meet the growing shipping needs of our customers and will make Regina a key intermodal location for the company, joining Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver as major intermodal centers in Canada," said Chief Executive Officer Fred Green.

 

CTA extends hours on Green, Orange and Brown lines

Beginning Sunday, June 12, the Chicago Transit Authority adjusted the hours of operation on the Green, Orange and Brown lines in an effort to provide earlier service to Midway Airport for travelers on weekends, provide more convenient transfers between rail lines and accommodate increases in ridership.

In addition, all eight rail lines have new schedules in effect. Most routes continue to have the same general frequency and span of service; however, arrival times may change up to a few minutes.

Green Line
On Saturday and Sunday mornings, service between Harlem and Cottage Grove/63rd and from Harlem to Ashland/63rd will begin approximately 30 minutes earlier. Service from Ashland/63rd to Harlem will begin at approximately 5:15 a.m.

Brown Line
On weekdays and Saturday mornings, the first train downtown will leave Kimball 30 minutes early and the first train from downtown to Belmont will leave 30 minutes early. The last train from Kimball to downtown and the last train from downtown to Kimball will leave 30 minutes earlier as well.

Orange Line
On Sunday mornings and evenings, the first train from downtown to Midway Airport will leave one hour earlier and the last train to Midway from downtown will leave an hour and a half earlier. The first train from Midway to downtown leaves one hour earlier and the last train to downtown from Midway leaves at approximately 1 a.m.

Stabler elected new TTCI president

The Transportation Technology Center, Inc. Board of Directors elected Lisa Stabler as TTCI’s new president, effective Oct. 7, 2011. Stabler will succeed Roy Allen, who will retire this October.

Stabler has been TTCI’s vice president of operations and training since arriving from BNSF, where she was assistant vice president of quality and reliability engineering. While at BNSF, she chaired the Advanced Technology Safety Initiative Program, the industry‐wide initiative that redefined the way that freight car maintenance is performed. She was also director of marketing, planning and administration at Delphi Corporation in Dayton, Ohio.

 

AECOM acquires India’s Spectral Services Consultants Pte. Ltd.

AECOM Technology Corp., has acquired Spectral Services Consultants Pte. Ltd., a building services consultancy based in Noida, India.

Spectral is a 500-employee, Indian market leader in the provision of mechanical, electrical and specialist consultancy services for national and global clients who are looking to minimize their environmental footprint.

"The addition of Spectral to the AECOM family advances our Asian strategy and demonstrates our commitment to investing in emerging geographies," said John M. Dionisio, AECOM president and chief executive officer.

AECOM expects the transaction to be completed in fiscal year 2011.

 

HNTB hires four

HNTB Corporation has added four rail professionals to the firm’s Northeast division. The need has been fueled by recent growth through several pursuits and project wins in New York, New Jersey, Maryland and Connecticut. Each of these individuals will work with the division’s high-speed rail, intercity rail and transit teams focusing on further strengthening the rail practice in the northeast.

"The Northeast Division is honored to have these talented individuals join the firm," said Bob Sutton, senior vice president and HNTB’s Northeast division president.

Jeffrey Parker has joined HNTB’s Philadelphia office as an associate vice president and senior project manager. He brings more than 22 years of senior level experience at multimodal transportation agencies.

Al Trotta, PE, has joined HNTB’s Philadelphia office as a senior project manager. He brings more than 30 years of experience in engineering, 17 years working for the Long Island Rail Road and the Port Authority Transit Corporation.

Joseph Pizzurro, PE, has joined HNTB’s New York office as an associate vice president, director of rail, New York metropolitan area, where he will work with HNTB’s Northeast division high-speed rail, intercity rail and transit teams focusing on growing the rail and transit practice. Pizzurro brings more than 16 years of in-depth track, structural and civil engineering rail-related design and construction expertise.

Lester Eckrich, PE, has joined HNTB’s Wayne, N.J., office as senior project manager. He will work to further develop the division’s rail and facilities practice. Eckrich brings 29 years of experience working for NJ TRANSIT where he served in positions ranging from facilities engineer in the bus operations unit to chief engineer in the capital planning and programs division.

 

SEPTA Morton Station Restored

Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority representatives, elected officials and the Pennsylvania, Morton Borough community celebrated the $1.37 million, year-long station improvements project at the Authority’s Morton Station, which serves passengers on SEPTA’s Media/Elwyn Regional Rail Line.

The project included improvements at Clifton/Aldan Station on SEPTA’s Media/Elwyn line and Folcroft Station on the Authority’s Wilmington/Newark line.

Morton station is the last completely intact station in Delaware County and one of the last remaining 19th century suburban complexes in the Delaware Valley.

"Morton Station has been a landmark and hub of borough activity for more than 120 years," said SEPTA General Manager Joseph Casey. "The renovations pay homage to the station’s rich history."

 

 

VIA offers new ticketing option to Go Transit, Airport

VIA Rail Canada and GO Transit join together to offer tickets for GO Transit connections in Toronto which will be available for purchase from VIA Rail, allowing passengers to travel using both services with a single transaction.

"Through new kinds of partnerships with other carriers, VIA Rail plans to bring train travel into the future by promoting green travel, offering users greater efficiency and simplicity and also connecting more communities," said Marc Laliberté, president and CEO, VIA Rail Canada. "Today, I am very pleased to announce that an agreement has been reached with a partner who shares in our vision, GO Transit."

"GO is constantly exploring innovation to provide the best possible service for our customers," said Gary McNeil, president at GO Transit. "Through this partnership with VIA, we offer our customers greater flexibility and convenience."

The service will apply to the following routes:

* Lakeshore East (Toronto to Oshawa)
* Lakeshore West (Toronto to Hamilton)
* Georgetown (Toronto to Georgetown)
* Niagara Falls (summer service only)


Additionally, VIA Rail Canada and Pacific Western Transportation Ltd./Airport Express have partnered together allowing VIA passengers to purchase their train and bus travel to Toronto Pearson International Airport with one single transaction.

"VIA Rail wants to offer new solutions to the customers and it is a pleasure to see that we can count on partners like Pacific Western Transportation, who shares the same vision of service, innovation and efficiency," said Laliberté.

"We are very pleased that our users will be able to access our Airport Express service through VIA Rail sales channels," said Dean Wright, general manager at Pacific Western Transportation. "We continue to source innovative methods to facilitate travel and promote public transportation".

WMATA introduces new trackwork approach

Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority will accelerate its efforts to improve safety and return the system to a state of good repair while impacting fewer customers through a new approach to trackwork.

For about two of every three weekends over the next 18 months, the new approach involves temporarily closing individual stations or clusters of stations and replacing trains with buses to allow work to proceed on a faster timetable and to preserve normal or near-normal weekend service levels elsewhere on the line.

"Our new approach will enable us to get more work done, more safely and more effectively with less overtime, while inconveniencing fewer customers than we otherwise would given the massive rebuilding effort we’re undertaking," said Richard Sarles, WMATA general manager and CEO.

The approach is similar to major construction work such as the project that recently took place over Memorial Day weekend. Rather than attempting to single-track every train through a work zone, affecting service on the entire line, customers instead will be provided free shuttle bus service around the work area.

"Focusing our resources in centralized locations will help minimize weekend single tracking and customer impacts elsewhere on the rail system," said Dave Kubicek, Deputy general manager of operations at WMATA.

As an example of projects that will be completed ahead of schedule through the program, Kubicek pointed to WMATA’s plans to replace track circuit modules on the Red Line to comply with National Transportation Safety Board recommendations.

"This will put us on a path to complete NTSB-recommended track circuit replacement on the Red Line about 18 months sooner, by this time next year, as opposed to late 2013 if the work only took place during non-revenue hours," Kubicek said.

Metro officials are finalizing the schedule of upcoming rail construction projects and related station closures and will make the list public in the near future. Extensive public notification and outreach is planned to give customers ample notice about the weekend track work.

 

UP honored by EPA for Genset technology

The United States Environmental Protection Agency honored Union Pacific with its Clean Air Excellence Award for developing Genset switching locomotive technology. UP says this significantly surpasses EPA Tier 2 locomotive standards and serves as a testament to its ongoing commitment to developing environmentally responsible technologies.

"This award recognizes Union Pacific’s leadership role in creating and implementing technologies that seek to solve environmental challenges and embody our dedication to environmentally responsible practices," said Bob Grimaila, Union Pacific vice president of Safety, Security and Environment. "We will continue working to develop technologies and improve processes that drive safety, service and efficiency."

The Genset, which today is used by each of the nation’s large railroads, was pioneered by UP in 2005 in an effort to develop a solution to curb the amount of emissions and fuel usage by locomotives. By using only as many of its three engines as necessary at any given time, the Genset reduces emissions of oxides of nitrogen by 80 percent and particulate matter by 90 percent and fuel usage and greenhouse gas emissions by as much as 37 percent. Of the more than 300 Gensets operating worldwide, UP owns approximately half.

CSX receives Maryland Green Registry award

CSX Corporation has received the Maryland Green Registry’s 2011 Leadership Award for its commitment to improvements and achievements in environmental stewardship. The Maryland Green Registry is a voluntary initiative designed to share best practices in environmental leadership among companies dedicated to improving their environmental footprints in the state.

The award specifically highlights CSX’s deployment of ultra-low emission GenSet locomotives around its network, including the company’s Curtis Bay Yard in Baltimore, Md. That GenSet, the 21st acquired by CSX, is the first of two to be deployed in Maryland and represents public-private partnership between CSX, the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the Mid-Atlantic Regional Air Management Association.

"We appreciate the Maryland Green Registry recognizing our dedication to improving air quality and the company’s overall commitment to environmental sustainability in the State of Maryland," said Carl Gerhardstein, assistant vice president, environmental systems and sustainability, CSX.

 

U.S. railroads help promote grade-crossing safety

The Association of American Railroads announced that its freight railroads are joining with the international community to raise awareness among motorists and pedestrians about the dangers of railroad grade crossings.

"U.S. railroads operate the safest freight rail transportation system in the world and are honored to share their learnings and experiences with the international community as we look to eliminate grade-crossing accidents," said AAR President and CEO Edward Hamberger.

The third annual International Level Crossing Awareness Day (ILCAD) features grade crossing safety events in 40 countries around the world, with a focus on the common message: "Act safely at level crossings!" Planned activities include the distribution of flyers at grade crossings, in schools, driving schools and to scouts; the display of posters and the "Just in Time" video in railway stations and the internet; broadcast ads on radio and television and a press conference organized with national and local press.

Major U.S. freight railroads will host ILCAD events across the United States ranging from officer on a train to public and private crossing sign inspection trips and grade-crossing closure meetings.

NJ Transit implements “Text Against Terror”

As part of NJ TRANSIT’s commitment to maintaining a heightened sense of vigilance across the transit system, NJ TRANSIT Police Chief Christopher Trucillo announced a new and convenient way for customers to report suspicious activity or unattended packages: text messaging.

Through this initiative, called "Text Tips" or "Text Against Terror," customers will be able to report suspicious activity, packages or vehicles around NJ TRANSIT facilities or onboard the system by sending a text message to NJTPD. Messages will complement NJ TRANSIT’s existing security hotline and will go directly to the NJ TRANSIT Police Department.

"As the eyes and ears of the NJ TRANSIT system, our customers and employees are the first line of defense in the war against terror, so it is critical that we all remain vigilant and aware of our surroundings," said Chief Trucillo.

NJ TRANSIT has also launched a special security page on the mobile version of njtransit.com, accessible from web-enabled mobile devices where customers can also report suspicious activity.

 

UTU, TRRA seek anti-terrorist training grant

The United Transportation Union and the Terminal Railroad Association of St. Louis are jointly seeking an anti-terrorist security grant from the Department of Homeland Security.

If the grant is approved, the UTU and TRRA will collaborate on a three-year project to train front-line TRRA employees to enhance security awareness.

The project proposes joint UTU/TRRA creation of a security awareness manual, plus emergency preparedness classroom training, drills and exercises that will present various terrorist scenarios and means of recognizing, reporting and responding to terrorist threats against TRRA facilities.

"The nature of TRRA’s operation, its importance to national rail-network reliability and its location in the heart of a major U.S. city could make TRRA a high-priority target for foreign terrorists as well as disturbed individuals," said UTU International employee, Bruce Feltmeyer.

The UTU is currently working with Amtrak to develop training of conductors, assistant conductors, on-board service personnel and yard employees to enhance their abilities to recognize behavioral traits and deal with unruly passengers.

Additionally, discussions are underway with Class 1 freight railroads regarding joint UTU/railroad applications for federal grants to develop similar training programs for front-line Class 1 employees. The DHS is expected to provide a decision regarding the grant in August.

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