KCS operations department undergoes reorganization
Kansas City Southern has reorganized several of its operations department functions.
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UP boosts Kansas track speeds following track upgrades
Recent track upgrades meeting or exceeding all applicable Federal Railroad Administration standards will allow Union Pacific to increase the speed of its trains from 30 mph to 49 mph on nearly four miles of its rail line in Wichita, Kan., between near 63rd St. and just north of the Arkansas River.
UP to perform improvements on Nebraska line
Union Pacific will strengthen Nebraska’s transportation infrastructure by investing $2.4 million in the rail line between South Morrill and Joyce, Neb. The project began on November 7 and is scheduled to be completed by mid-December.
NCRR, NS begin Webb Avenue Bridge restoration effort
The North Carolina Railroad’s (NCRR) West Webb Avenue underpass at Glen Raven in Burlington, N.C., is getting a facelift. NCRR and Norfolk Southern Railway have contracted for cleaning and refurbishing the bridge and work started Monday, November 11.
NCDOT hosts planning forum centered on rail’s role in state
The North Carolina Department of Transportation’s (NCDOT) Rail Division hosted a Rail Planning Forum in Chapel Hill November 12 focused on the role that rail transportation plays in the continued growth of North Carolina’s economy, key industries and its overall quality of life.
X Train terminates agreement with UP
The Las Vegas Railway Express, Inc. (X Train), has terminated its agreement with Union Pacific, effective October 31, 2013, citing an alternative capital plan which will relieve the company from raising $100 million from its own equity to finance the Los Angeles to Las Vegas rail route.
Vice President Biden pushes infrastructure investment during CSX Northwest Ohio Terminal visit
U.S. Vice President Joe Biden and U.S. Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx visited CSX‘s Northwest Ohio Intermodal Terminal in Wood County on November 6.
CN unveils WinterREADY plan
Canadian National says it has spent the past 12 months engaging customers in order to better position the railroad for success during the upcoming winter. The result is CN’s WinterREADY Plan 2013-2014, which the railroad says adds resiliency to its network and improves communication flow.
CSX’s Adkins wins AAR’s environmental excellence award
The Association of American Railroads (AAR) has awarded its 2013 North American Environmental Employee Excellence Award to CSX Manager of Environmental Remediation Matthew Adkins. Adkins was one of seven industry professionals nominated for this annual award and is the sixth CSX employee to win in the past 12 years.
Engineering Chicago-St. Louis HSR
Coordinating a project of this scope, size and time-frame requires ultimate cooperation between all parties involved.
UP installs permanent Shermer Road bridge
Union Pacific installed a new bridge during the weekend of Nov. 2-4 at Shermer Road south of Willow Road in Glenview, Ill., to replace a temporary embankment of crushed concrete the railroad has been using since last year.
CREATE 71st Street grade separation complete
On November 2, Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn was joined by local and state officials to open the new 71st Street railroad underpass in Bridgeview, a Chicago Region Environmental and Transportation Efficiency (CREATE) project that will greatly reduce traffic delays and improve safety at the former automobile/rail intersection.
NS renames Lancaster, Pa. rail yard in honor of former NS vice president and state senator H. Craig Lewis
Norfolk Southern renamed its Dillerville Yard in Lancaster, Pa., in honor of H. Craig Lewis. After serving as state senator for the 6th District in Bucks County for five terms (1975-1994), Lewis joined NS as vice president corporate affairs in 1997, retiring from the railroad in 2009. He died unexpectedly earlier this year.
BNSF names Montana Rail Link 2013 Shortline of the Year
BNSF selected Montana Rail Link, Inc. (MRL) as its 2013 Shortline of the Year for its significant growth and continued emphasis on a strong safety record. In addition, Bighorn Divide & Wyoming Railroad (BDW) won the Special Recognition Award. The awards were presented during the annual BNSF Shortline Conference on October 21 in Irving, Texas.
CN and TCRC-CTY reach tentative agreement
Canadian National has reached tentative collective agreements with the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference – Conductors, Trainpersons and Yardpersons (TCRC-CTY).
PUCO approves upgrades to three CSX crossings
The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio approved construction authorization from the Ohio Rail Development Commission under which, CSX Transportation will install mast-mounted flashing lights and roadway gates at three crossings.
Special T&I panel releases report on improving U.S. freight transportation
The Panel on 21st Century Freight Transportation, led by the panel’s Chairman, U.S. Rep. John Duncan, Jr. (R-TN) and Ranking Member Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), released its final report on the current state of freight transportation in the United States and its recommendations for freight transportation improvements to strengthen the U.S. economy.
CN’s Mongeau says Canadian railroads are safe and continue to improve
Claude Mongeau, president and chief executive officer of Canadian National said that Canadian railways have a solid record of improving their overall safety performance and remain committed to achieving further safety gains.
BNSF’s Hund to retire, Piggot named new CFO
BNSF’s Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Tom Hund will retire during the first quarter of 2014. Hund will be replaced by Julie Piggott, currently vice president, planning and studies and controller.
MoDOT details possible second UP mainline project
The Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) held a public open house to detail a possible project that would add a second main track between Lee’s Summit and Strasburg. The route is experiencing capacity issues and currently serves four Amtrak trains and close to 30 freight trains a day.