NS joins BiTA
Add Norfolk Southern to the growing list of railroads that have joined the Blockchain in Transport Alliance.
Author: William C. Vantuono
NYCT’s Byford: Now is the time to think big
MTA New York City Transit President Andy Byford on May 23 revealed “Fast Forward: The Plan to Modernize NYCT,” an estimated $19 billion* program described as “a comprehensive plan to completely modernize every major aspect of the organization and its services, from subways to buses to accessibility to corporate culture.”
FRA: We’ve got PTC funds available. Act now!
The Federal Railroad Administration on May 15 issued a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for $250 million in Positive Train Control (PTC) Systems Grants.
Achieving and maintaining a state of good transit repair
Ensuring that rail and transit systems are maintained in a state of good repair (SGR) “is critical to providing efficient, reliable, and safe service,” says Bentley Solutions Executive-Rail and Transit Andrew Smith, host of a webinar on “well-maintained, reliable transit infrastructure—track, signal systems, bridges, tunnels, vehicles and stations.”
Alstom Coradia iLint wins GreenTec Mobility Award
Alstom’s Coradia iLint, the world’s first hydrogen fuel cell powered regional passenger train, has won the 2018 GreenTec Award in the Mobility category by Germany-based Schaeffler Group Industrial, a manufacturer of machinery, power transmission and railway, heavy industry and consumer products with facilities around the world.
NYCT appoints Librera, Jezycki to executive posts
MTA New York City Transit President Andy Byford, recently arrived from the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) and working diligently to improve operations, has named two agency veterans to executive posts running North America’s largest rapid transit network.
Changing of the guard at BRC
Belt Railway Company of Chicago (BRC) President Pat O’Brien will be retiring this summer after 32 years with the railroad, the past 16 years as president. Norfolk Southern veteran Mike Grace will replace him.
KCS’s Ottensmeyer to STB: ‘Most of the network operating normally’
Kansas City Southern Railway Co. on March 30 responded to the Surface Transportation Board’s March 16 blanket letter requesting information on Class 1 railroad 2018 service outlooks.
Virginia, Colorado receive FTA SSO certification
Virginia and Colorado have obtained Federal Transit Administration certification of their rail transit State Safety Oversight (SSO) Programs, well in advance of the 2019 deadline.
UP lands ONE contract
Ocean Network Express Pte. LTD (ONE) and Ocean Network Express North America have selected Union Pacific to handle all intermodal shipments arriving on ONE container ships at U.S. West Coast ports beginning April 1, 2018.
MTA proposes ‘value capture’ to New York City
New York MTA Chairman Joe Lhota and New York City Mayor Bill De Blasio—bitter political enemies since at least 2013, when Democrat De Blasio trounced Republican Lhota 73.2% to 24.3% in the mayoral election—have been battling publicly over the City’s share of funding for New York’s subway system, which is in need of major capital investment.
Aadnesen retires from GREX
Chris Aadnesen is retiring as Executive Chairman of the Georgetown Rail Equipment Company (GREX) board of directors, following a long and distinguished railroad industry career, including 15 years at GREX.
MTA Genius Transit Challenge winners announced
The New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) on March 9 announced eight winners of the MTA Genius Transit Challenge, including two that “plan to immediately reinvest their cash awards from the competition and contribute seed money to advance their ideas in conjunction with the MTA.”
It’s official: Batory sworn in as FRA Administrator
WASHINGTON – Ronald L. Batory officially became the 14th United States Federal Railroad Administrator on Feb. 28, 2018.
B-256 gets an extended life span
One of the oldest railroad bridges in Wisconsin, a more-than-century-old, 2,200-foot timber structure spanning the Wisconsin River at Spring Green on the Wisconsin & Southern Railroad’s (WSOR) Prairie Subdivision, has undergone a a major improvement project. WSOR, a Watco Cos.subsidiary, and the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) collaborated on the project.
Rinaldi named Metro-North President
The New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) has appointed Catherine Rinaldi as the sixth President of MTA Metro-North Railroad, the first woman to serve in that capacity.
Thelma Drake next Federal Transit Administrator
The White House announced late on Feb. 13 that President Donald Trump intends to nominate former Virginia Republican Congresswoman Thelma Drake to be Federal Transit Administrator.
Slaughter joins HNTB
Kimberly Slaughter has joined HNTB Corp. as transit/rail market sector leader. She brings 30 years of comprehensive experience in transportation and public transit.
Sanborn surfaces at Union Pacific
Cindy Sanborn, the first woman to hold a senior operating executive role at a Class I railroad, and who was unceremoniously axed by the late E. Hunter Harrison in a messy management purge at CSX, has joined Union Pacific as Regional Vice President Transportation-Western Region, effective Feb. 16, 2018.
Harris new ops lead at CSX
Veteran railroader and long-time Hunter Harrison and Jim Foote colleague Edmond L. Harris has come out of retirement a second time to head operations at CSX.