Author: jrood

KCS promotes three operating officers

Kansas City Southern has promoted three senior level operating officers, effective March 1.

• David R. Ebbrecht was promoted from senior vice president operations to executive vice president operations for KCS and its U.S. subsidiaries and closely coordinating with the leadership of Kansas City Southern de Mexico, S.A. de C.V.

• John S. Jacobsen was promoted from vice president and chief engineer to senior vice president and chief engineer for KCS’ U.S. subsidiaries, also closely coordinating with the leadership of KCSM.

• Oscar A. Del Cueto was promoted from vice president operations to senior vice president operations for KCSM.

Ebbrecht has 23 years of transportation industry experience. He joined KCS in 2001 and has held positions in strategic planning, materials logistics, business development, transportation management and network operations.

Jacobsen has 40 years of railroad industry experience. He re-joined KCS as vice president and chief engineer in 2008. He held the same position from 1993 to 2001. In the interim, he provided consultation to KCS’ subsidiary Superior Tie and Timber and was integral to the rebuilding of the Panama Canal Railway.

Del Cueto has 20 years of railroad experience. He joined the company known today as KCSM in 1997 and has held a number of transportation positions.

$590M secured for Washington state passenger rail

Agreements have been signed that guarantee Washington state will get $590 million in federal stimulus money to improve the Amtrak Cascades rail corridor from Portland to Seattle.

One agreement was signed between the Washington State Department of Transportation and the Federal Railroad Administration that commits FRA to allocate 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act money to Washington’s passenger rail projects. The $590 million initially was awarded in early 2010, and this new agreement guarantees the money.

Separately, Amtrak, BNSF and WSDOT signed an agreement that outlines how rail investments will be made based on service outcomes and passenger rail performance benchmarks on rail lines shared by freight and passenger rail, such as on-time performance, faster travel times and frequency of service.

As a result of the $590 million in Recovery Act high-speed-rail funding:

• Two additional daily Amtrak Cascades round trips will be added between Seattle and Portland, for a total six, by 2017.
• On-time reliability is expected to increase from 62 to 88 percent.
• More consistent speeds will be possible throughout the corridor, resulting in faster travel times between Seattle and Portland.
• Major construction projects will be completed that will include building bypass tracks to allow for increased train frequency and multiple upgrades to existing track.
• Several safety-related projects will be completed, including grade separations and the latest technology in advanced-warning signal systems. This will reduce passenger/freight congestion, making passenger travel times shorter with more reliable on-time service.

"This is another great development for our state in that this rail work will generate thousands of highly skilled construction and operating jobs and result in important improvements in rail passenger service," Gregoire said.

Gregoire said credit is due to the state’s congressional delegation, including Sen. Patty Murray and Rep. Rick Larsen, who were instrumental in working with federal partners in Washington, D.C., to secure this passenger rail funding.

"Signing this agreement now means work can begin during this year’s construction season," said Washington Transportation Secretary Paula Hammond, noting that the ARRA funds will create more than 6,000 direct and indirect jobs in the Pacific Northwest. "Ultimately, the goal is to boost the rail-line capacity and relieve mainline congestion, allowing Amtrak Cascades to offer more frequent and reliable passenger rail service between Portland and Seattle."

"This is an important milestone in our longstanding relationship with WSDOT to fund improvements for additional and improved passenger service in the Cascades corridor," said Matt Rose, BNSF Railway chairman and CEO. "We believe reaching this agreement is consistent with that long-term relationship with WSDOT and our agreement with Amtrak, which will bring improved passenger service in the corridor."

Washington state received an additional $161.5 million in high-speed rail funds redirected from Wisconsin and Ohio, which declined the ARRA money. Agreements to obligate this additional funding for Washington projects are expected in the near future.

 

UP launches safety campaign aimed at truckers

Union Pacific Railroad has launched an outdoor billboard campaign aimed at getting South Texas truck drivers to safely use railroad crossings.
At the center of the campaign is a yellow traffic sign featuring an 18-wheeler truck stuck on railroad tracks. Along with this visual warning comes a variety of written reminders, including, "Always expect a train," "Keep your rear clear," and for Spanish-speaking drivers, "Cuidado con el tren" ("Use caution with trains").

An estimated 1.3 million South Texas drivers will view these messages over the next year. The messages will be displayed on six billboards located along Interstate 35, between San Antonio and Laredo.

"There has been an increase in heavy truck traffic across the rail line that parallels I-35 and we hope to reach truck drivers before they cross the tracks," said Mike Brazytis, superintendent for UP’s San Antonio Service Unit. "The signs will remind them to stop for trains and ensure their trucks are equipped to safely cross the tracks."

Trucks that are longer than the space between the highway and the railroad tracks often leave their bumpers hanging over the tracks. And heavy trucks that lack enough space between the bottom of their trailers and the grade crossing often get stuck on the tracks. Both scenarios pose the life-threatening risk of collision with trains. The billboards encourage professional truck drivers to follow traffic laws requiring them to allow enough space between their trucks and the railroad tracks. They also remind drivers to make sure they have adequate vertical clearance before attempting to cross the tracks.

"Union Pacific is literally raising the rail safety message to remind professional truck drivers of their responsibility to cross the tracks safely," said Webb County Judge Danny Valdez. "The billboards will also reach the general public, which will make our community even safer."

UP, Metra activate new pedestrian safety system

A new pedestrian grade crossing system will be activated March 1, 2011 at eight stations along the Union Pacific West Line. The new system, called the Another Train Warning System, is part of a $132million dollar project designed to improve the flow of commuter and freight traffic on the heavily used line, as well as to allow trains to safely operate through a station when a commuter train is stopped there.

The system is being activated at the Maywood, Melrose Park, Elmhurst, Villa Park, Glen Ellyn, College Avenue, Winfield and Geneva Illinois stations

Metra and Union Pacific studied station improvement initiatives across the country and the West Line safety infrastructure is incorporating the best practices, creating the most comprehensive safety system of any commuter rail operation in the United States.

The Another Train Warning System uses audible and visual alerts to warn pedestrians at crossings near the stations that another train-in addition to the one that is stopped at the station-is approaching or present. The system enhances other grade crossing protections, including new paths that safely guide pedestrians to a gated crossing, more pedestrian gates and more inter-track fencing to discourage pedestrians from crossing at unsafe and unauthorized locations.

Work at the stations began in March 2009 and was completed in December 2010. Metra service was not disrupted while the project was under way.

Harold Tynes appointed president of Atlas Railroad Construction Co.

RailAmerica, Inc., has appointed Harold D. Tynes as president of its Atlas Railroad Construction Company and named Jeffrey D. Sciullo assistant vice president-transit for Atlas.

Tynes joined RailAmerica in July 2007 as vice president & controller. In December 2009, he became RailAmerica’s vice president-financial services and treasurer. Prior to joining RailAmerica, Mr. Tynes was chief financial officer for QualServ Corporation in Kansas City, Mo.; corporate controller at Great Lakes Transportation LLC in Monroeville, Pa. and vice president-finance for Precision Castparts Corp.

Jeffrey Sciullo is a Registered Professional Engineer. With more than 27 years of construction-industry experience, Sciullo has been a project engineer and most-recently served as senior vice president for Dick Corporation, a major construction company. His experience covers a broad range of markets including bridge & highway, commercial, corrections, energy, and military.

Bowles elected to NS Board

Erskine B. Bowles has been elected a director of Norfolk Southern Corporation.

Bowles served as president of the University of North Carolina from 2006 to 2010, when he was appointed co-chair of President Obama’s National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform.

Bowles was a North Carolina senatorial candidate in 2002 and 2004 and general partner in Forstmann Little & Co. from 1999 to 2002.He served as chief of staff to President Bill Clinton from 1996 to 1998 and as assistant to the president and deputy chief of staff from 1994 to 1996.

Bowles currently is a senior advisor to Carousel Capital and a director of Morgan Stanley and Cousins Properties Inc.

New Metra CEO hits the ground running

Beginning the reform work he was hired to perform, new Chicago-area Metra CEO Alex Clifford used a special Metra board meeting to describe policy changes he has already implemented and outline changes or strategies he will soon undertake.

The changes were primarily in response to recommendations from consultants who were hired by the Metra Board of Directors to improve the agency’s management and operations. Those reports were delivered to Metra two weeks ago; the same day Clifford started his new job. Blackman Kallick, an accounting and financial risk management firm, performed a risk assessment and internal controls analysis, while the law enforcement firm of Hillard Heintze, which has been serving as Metra’s Inspector General since last May, made several recommendations for change in its annual report.

The immediate changes include:

• Requiring that all "leniency reinstatements" of dismissed workers be reviewed and approved by the CEO.
• Terminating the practice of "exploratory interviews."
• Requiring that manual timekeeping entries be regularly reviewed by managers.
• Requiring managers and supervisors to review all overtime reports.
• Ordering senior staff to conduct a management self-assessment.
• Beginning development of a request for proposal for support services for a comprehensive non-contract classification and compensation study.
• Reaching out to employees for suggestions on cost savings and efficiencies.
• Clifford said he received clear instructions from the board to carry out its reform agenda in a swift and comprehensive manner.

"I understand that it is my job to expand upon this and to inspire and empower Metra’s employees to come into alignment with this critically important mission," Clifford said. "I will push these reforms and others down through the organization. Most importantly, senior management must lead by example."

Clifford said he plans to review and update Metra’s strategic/capital plan, including assessing the needs across the six-county region, reviewing the current project scoring systems, assigning updated values to projects, identifying high-priority projects and identifying funding strategies.

Clifford said he is working with Metra’s Human Resources Department and Blackman Kallick to make recommendations relative to health, pension and cost-avoidance issues. He will also ask Blackman Kallick to complete a risk assessment for the remainder of Metra and to develop a comprehensive annual enterprise risk assessment, an internal audit and a controls strategy.

Clifford is conducting an analysis of high-overtime groups to determine the appropriate cost-benefit of hiring more workers versus paying overtime. He also will begin a monthly review of overtime reports for the Metra Police Department and will review existing policies on filling vacancies with overtime. He will recommend that Metra undertake a comprehensive review of the department, including its organizational structure, its responsibilities and its external security contracts.

 

PANYNJ awards last WTC hub contract

The Port Authority Board of New York and New Jersey of Commissioners approved a major construction contract to fabricate and erect the steel for the signature Santiago Calatrava-designed Oculus, which will serve 250,000 people daily as the gateway to the World Trade Center Transportation Hub and its various interconnected transit systems and world-class green office and retail space.

The award marks the last major contract for the WTC Transportation Hub with 94 percent of the contracts now awarded. The Oculus will serve as the primary link for pedestrian access to the PATH system, 13 New York City subway lines, 500,000 square feet of world-class retail, four office towers at the WTC site and the World Financial Center – representing one of the most extensive underground pedestrian connections in the City. Under the $221 million contract, Skanska/Koch Inc., a division of Skanska USA Civil, will build the structure that will frame the Transportation Hub’s main concourse. The contract includes fabricating and erecting approximately 11,000 tons of structural steel.



This contract – along with increased insurance costs and other trade contracts associated with the Hub project – required the Port Authority to draw down $180 million from a $600 million program-wide contingency fund that the agency established in 2008. This allocation will go toward a Board-reauthorized Transportation Hub budget of $3.44 billion, up from $3.26 billion. 



In addition, the Board authorized $151 million to fund expenses related to the commercial infrastructure that supports the office space site-wide as well as approximately $8 million for systems-integration planning given the interconnectedness of all of the site’s projects. Of this $159 million total, $61 million will be allocated out of the Board-approved WTC East Side Development Plan, which was authorized in August 2009 to establish greater certainty over the phased development of the commercial office space in the east bathtub, and the rest will be allocated from the $600 million of program-wide contingency. 

Taken together, these authorizations leave a total of $322 million of program-wide contingency for future risks, on top of $280 million in Hub contingency that the Federal Transit Administration had previously established.

Port Authority Chairman David Samson said, "With the award of this contract, progress is forging ahead with work under way on every major piece of this key transportation facility that serves commuters from both states. It will significantly increase transportation capacity downtown and provide first-class retail and restaurant space to help revitalize the Lower Manhattan economy, essentially to create jobs."



LaHood statement on HSR

U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood issued the following statement on February 26, 2011:

"President Obama’s historic investments in a national high-speed rail network will enable America to win the future by creating construction and manufacturing jobs today and laying the foundation for future economic growth. By building safe, reliable and energy-efficient passenger rail corridors we will be able to help small businesses thrive and move people and goods more quickly than ever before. I am thrilled to congratulate the State of Washington, BNSF, and Amtrak for their contributions to the agreement signed today by the Federal Railroad Administration and Washington DOT that will make $590 million available for work to begin on significant improvements to the popular Cascades corridor, which connects Eugene, Portland, Seattle and Vancouver. Thanks to the hard work, dedication, and flexibility of all parties involved in the negotiations, this agreement will immediately put Washingtonians to work in good paying jobs, significantly improve rail service for commuters and travelers and preserve the world-class freight rail system America has today."

CPR, Port of Montreal partner on performance, productivity

Canadian Pacific Railway and the Montreal Port Authority have signed a collaborative agreement on performance and productivity that formalizes the railroad’s and the port’s ongoing supply chain collaboration.

"This collaboration agreement continues to strengthen our long partnership with the Port of Montreal, setting the stage for a cross-supply chain collaboration that improves performance and service of the Continental Gateway," said CP Executive Vice-President and Chief Marketing Officer Jane O’Hagan. "Our collaboration will create the most efficient and reliable routing for freight traffic moving between Europe and the American Midwest."

"This new service agreement reflects the commitment of the port and the Canadian Pacific to improve efficiency and productivity of our management of containers traffic and strengthen the Port of Montreal’s competitiveness," said Sylvie Vachon, president and chief executive officer of the MPA.

 

SEPTA to begin Sunday Delaware service

Beginning Sunday, March 6, Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority’s Wilmington and Claymont passengers will be able to hop aboard the Authority’s Regional Rail Line for trips to Philadelphia seven days a week. That day, SEPTA, in partnership with DART First State, will start its Sunday service at the Wilmington and Claymont Stations. Sunday trains will replicate SEPTA’s Saturday service schedule, offering seven daily round trips between Wilmington and Center City Philadelphia.

"We are pleased to offer this extended service," said SEPTA General Manager Joseph M. Casey. "The Sunday schedule gives our Delaware passengers an environmentally and economically friendly option when visiting Philadelphia." DART Executive Director Stephen Kingsberry added, "The addition of the Sunday service is in response to requests for more trains in Delaware."

Illinois Democrats vow to fight for CREATE funding

Congressman Dan Lipinski (IL-03) and Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin vowed to fight to preserve $133 million in federal funding for the Englewood Flyover, a linchpin of the CREATE rail modernization program that will reduce Metra delays, create 1,450 jobs and boost long-term economic growth. The project’s funding would be immediately eliminated in the spending bill for the current fiscal year that the House approved and Congressman Lipinski opposed. The legislation now heads to the Senate for consideration.

"As my record reflects, I believe that the national debt is a threat to America’s long-term economic health and that we need to cut unnecessary spending to assure our future prosperity," Lipinski said. "But we can’t cut with our eyes closed; we must continue to make investments that are critical for the future of our nation, especially our middle class. The Englewood Flyover provides a tremendous bang for the buck, and cutting it now would be incredibly shortsighted. It will create 1,450 jobs at a time when there aren’t nearly enough middle class jobs available. It will reduce delays on Metra’s Rock Island District line and is the critical first step toward eliminating delays on the Southwest Service line, benefiting 40,000 riders every weekday. As a linchpin of the CREATE rail modernization program, it will boost economic growth for years to come. It’s vital we continue to move the program forward."

"Yes, we need to cut spending, but we need to do so in a responsible manner," Durbin said. "We shouldn’t abandon our commitments to creating jobs and economic development in the midst of this recession."

The Englewood Flyover will build a bridge to carry Metra’s Rock Island line over the Norfolk Southern/Amtrak tracks at 63rd Street in Chicago, ending delays that occur when trains must wait for other trains to cross at the rail-rail intersection before proceeding. Failure to increase freight rail capacity through CREATE would mean missing out on 17,000 jobs and $2 billion in annual economic production in the Chicago metropolitan area.



L.A. Metro to purchase Los Angeles Union Station

The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority has announced that it has successfully negotiated the purchase of Los Angeles Union Station from Catellus Operating Limited Partnership for $75 million.

The direct purchase includes 38 acres of land and 5.9 million square-feet of entitlements that provide Metro the right to build on the property and draw lease revenues from both transit operators and businesses. Currently, the station is home to Amtrak, Metrolink, Metro Red and Purple Lines, Metro Gold Line, L.A. FlyAway and numerous Metro and municipal bus lines serving Los Angeles County and beyond. The station is also home to several new retail businesses.

"As Southern California’s largest public transportation hub, Los Angeles Union Station is absolutely critical to the current and future mobility of our region," said L.A. county supervisor Don Knabe, chairman of the Metro Board of Directors. "Our purchase of this historic station will enable us to make the needed investments to enable this facility to accommodate greater increases in transit ridership resulting from Measure R transit projects and anticipated future arrival of high-speed rail. We now have the ability to retain the historic nature of Union Station and prepare it to serve as a world-class 21st century transportation hub."

Metro’s negotiations with the seller began in November 2010. In the seller’s interest to conduct an expedited sale, Metro will purchase the station independently. The California High-Speed Rail Authority has indicated an interest in partial ownership of the station as it continues efforts to bring high-speed rail service to the region.

"Union Station is a critical transportation hub for the high-speed rail system, providing passenger access and intermodal connectivity," said Roelof van Ark, CHSRA CEO. "The High-Speed Rail Authority has identified a significant amount for their participation in this purchase and we will be working with Metro to, ultimately, determine the details behind this partnership."

The income generated from the deal supports a substantial portion of the station’s purchase price. Metro already owns Union Station’s East Portal, the adjacent Metro Headquarters building and Patsaouras Transit Plaza. Not included in the purchase agreement are Axis Union Station Apartments, the Metropolitan Water District Headquarters building or the office building in front Union Station on Alameda Street.

Following an expected April 2011 closing, Metro will review the station premises and plan for future transportation and development needs. Metro will evaluate, among others, potential efforts to add and improve pedestrian flow through Union Station, parking, and bus capacity issues on Patsarouas Transit Plaza.

 

CPR and CAW union reach agreement

Canadian Pacific Railway has been notified by the Canadian Auto Workers union that the Memorandum of Settlement reached on February 5, 2011 by CP and the CAW has been ratified by the membership.

The renewal collective agreement, which covers Canadian Pacific’s mechanical services employees in Canada, is four years in duration, extending to the end of 2014.

 

Chicago-area Metra activates new pedestrian crossing system

A new pedestrian grade crossing system is being activated at eight stations on the Metra Union Pacific West Line on March 1, 2011. The Another Train Warning System is part of a $132 million project that aims to improve the flow of commuter and freight traffic on the heavily used line, as well as to allow trains to safely operate past a station when a commuter train is stopped there.

Metra and Union Pacific studied station improvement initiatives across the country and the West Line safety infrastructure is incorporating the best practices, creating the most comprehensive safety system of any commuter rail operation in the U.S.

The ATWS uses audible and visual alerts to warn pedestrians at crossings near the stations that a second train – in addition to the one that is stopped at the station – is approaching or present. The system is being activated at the Maywood, Melrose Park, Elmhurst, Villa Park, Glen Ellyn, College Avenue, Winfield and Geneva stations. It remains active until only one train or no train is present. The system enhances other grade crossing protections, including new paths that safely guide pedestrians to a gated crossing, more pedestrian gates and more fencing to discourage pedestrians from crossing at unsafe and unauthorized locations.

Other project changes include an upgraded rail signal system that will improve train flow, new crossovers that will make it easier to route a train around problems and the completion of a third set of tracks in two areas that are now bottlenecks.

IMT introduces new product manager of material handling

Iowa Mold Tooling Co. Inc., an Oshkosh Corporation company, has named John Field as the company’s new product manager of material handling. Field brings to the position more than 25 years of experience in product application support and material handling systems.

"We are excited to have someone with John’s experience and tenure with the company move into this role," said Steve Fairbanks, president of IMT. "His dedication to IMT and depth of product knowledge will only serve to strengthen IMT’s commitment to the material handling market and our customers."

Field will be responsible for leading the company’s line of material-handling equipment and helping drive business strategy for the segment. In addition, he will work to strengthen the IMT material handling product lineup, so the company’s product offerings continue to meet and exceed the needs of its customers.

"I am happy to move into this new role with IMT and look forward to the opportunity to continue working closely with our distributors and customers," Field said. "I have been proud to help IMT develop innovative products that meet the needs of our customers for more than 25 years. I look forward to the opportunities presented by my new role."

WMATA trackwork on Red, Orange, Blue, Yellow and Green lines

The weekend of Feb. 25-27 the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority will continue its efforts to rebuild the Metrorail system by upgrading its track and infrastructure systems. As a result of this critical work, trains on the Red, Orange, Blue, Yellow and Green lines will single-track from 10 p.m., Friday, Feb. 25 to closing on Sunday, Feb 27. When the work is complete, it will mean riders will have a safer, smoother ride.

Red Line Service

Trains will be single-tracking between the Shady Grove and Twinbrook Metrorail stations in order to allow Metro to work on rebuilding the platform at the Rockville Metrorail station to return it to a state of good repair.

Repairs will be made to the aerial structure outside the Rhode Island Ave-Brentwood Metrorail station that will help improve reliable service through that area on Feb. 26 to 27. Trains will depart about every 15 minutes from the Shady Grove and Glenmont Metrorail stations.

From 9:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., more frequent service will be offered on the Red Line and will operate approximately every 7 to 8 minutes between the Grosvenor-Strathmore and New York Ave-Florida Ave-Gallaudet U Metrorail.

Blue and Orange Line Service

Metrorail customers traveling between the Eastern Market and Stadium-Armory

Service will be affected between the Eastern Market and Stadium-Armory stations while Metrto installs communications cables in support of expanded cell phone coverage throughout the Metrorail system.

Blue and Yellow Line Service

Service will be slowed between the Artlington Cemerery and Pentagon City Metrorail stations while Metro makes upgrades to the electrified third rail in this area.

Green and Yellow Line Service

Service will be affected between the Georgia Ave-Petworth and Fort Totten Metrorail stations while Metro welds new rail to provide a smoother ride.

On Feb. 26 and Feb. 27, all Green Line trains will operate approximately every 18 minutes and all Blue, Orange and Yellow Line trains will operate approximately every 20 minutes. Also, throughout the weekend, all Yellow Line trains will operate between the Huntington and Mt. Vernon Sq/7th St-Convention Center Metrorail station.

 

AAR to STB: Our system works

The Association of American Railroads recently told the Surface Transportation Board that the current rail economic regulatory framework is a success for both railroads and their customers. Testifying at a hearing to review regulatory exemptions for certain types of rail traffic, AAR President and CEO Edward R. Hamberger noted that today’s rail regulatory policies are the very reason freight railroads are such a critical part of the U.S. economy and vital to our nation’s financial recovery.

Since 1980, when the government partially deregulated the rail industry, freight railroads have invested $480 billion in private capital to build, maintain and grow the national rail network that serves both freight and passenger rail customers.

The hearing examined exemptions from regulation given by the STB and its predecessor the Interstate Commerce Commission to certain types of rail traffic where railroads face aggressive competition for customer business. These exemptions were directed by Congress in an effort to remove government regulation, stimulate industry growth and allow competition to work in the marketplace.

"These exemptions work for both railroads and the customers they serve," Hamberger added. "They allow railroads to be flexible to meet customer needs, and to compete with other modes of transportation in the marketplace – particularly trucks."

Prior to 1980, government regulations prohibited pricing flexibility, leaving the railroads unable to compete with other forms of freight transportation. Federal controls proved to be detrimental to rail industry financial stability and ultimately hampered their ability to adapt to new circumstances. As a result of this heavy-handed economic regulation, carriers went bankrupt, investments stagnated and countless jobs were lost.

"Today’s balanced, commonsense regulation works. Now is not the time to reverse this progress as the nation works toward economic recovery," said Hamberger.

 

BNSF

President Obama named BNSF CEO Matt Rose, AFL-CIO President Rich Trumka and United Food and Commercial Workers’ Secretary-Treasurer Joseph Hansen to the White House Council on Jobs and Competitiveness.

The three join a long list of mostly business executives and bankers on the council.

Its task is to recommend ways to promote growth and bolster U.S. competitiveness in fulfilling Obama’s State of the Union pledge to "out-innovate, out-educate, and out-build" other nations.

Additional positions that Rose has held include president and chief operating officer, senior vice president and chief operations officer and senior vice president of the company’s Merchandise Business Unit. He is a member of the Board of Directors of AMR Corporation; a member of the Board of Directors of Centex Corporation; a member of the Board of Directors of the Association of American Railroads; a member of the Board of Directors of American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity; a member of the Texas Governor’s Business Council; a member of Business Roundtable; a member of The Business Council; a member of the Board of Trustees of Texas Christian University; and a member of the National Infrastructure Advisory Council. Mr. Rose received a B.S. from the University of Missouri.

Ohio crossing improvements approved

The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio approved an agreement between PUCO, Wheeling & Lake Erie Railway Company and the City of Twinsburg authorizing W&LE to install flashing lights and gates at two grade crossings in Summit County.

W&LE will install the upgrades at the Cannon Road and Glenwood Drive grade crossings, located in Twinsburg, Summit County.

W&LE must submit site plans and cost estimates for the projects to the PUCO by May 24, 2011. Funding for the upgrades will be shared among the PUCO, the City of Twinsburg and W&LE. The railroad will be responsible for completing construction of the upgrades by Feb. 23, 2012.

To increase public safety during the construction of the projects, the PUCO will assist the local government with the cost of improvements such as rumble strips, illumination, improved signage or other safety enhancements at the project locations. Funding for the improvement will come from the State Grade Crossing Safety Fund, and will not exceed $5,000.