The OneRail Coalition, a diverse group of rail stakeholders, issued a statement congratulating both parties and the House and the Senate for working together to advance transportation reauthorization legislation, which saves and creates millions of jobs by maintaining federal transportation spending at current levels.
The Federal Railroad Administration issued a Notice of Intent that it will prepare an Environmental Impact Statement to evaluate potential passenger rail improvements on the Northeast Corridor between Washington, D.C., and Boston, Mass. The FRA is leading the planning and environmental evaluation of the NEC, an effort known as NEC Future, in close coordination with the involved states, the Northeast Corridor Infrastructure and Operations Advisory Commission, Amtrak and other stakeholders.
Founded July 1, 1862, when President Abraham Lincoln signed the Pacific Railway Act, Union Pacific today celebrates 150 years of building America. Starting by helping construct the first transcontinental railroad, surviving the country’s multiple economic crises, supporting America’s military men and women through conflicts and forging forward to overcome hurricanes, floods and droughts, Union Pacific remains on America’s landscape.
Both the House and Senate passed “Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century,” or MAP-21, on Friday, June 29. President Obama is expected to sign the legislation into law shortly.
Canadian Pacific appointed Hunter Harrison as president and chief executive officer and a member of the Board of Directors.
The state of Illinois has made a $8.6 million commitment toward the Phase II engineering studies on high-speed rail service on a consolidated 10th Street corridor through Springfield, should that be the chosen corridor in the Record of Decision. The planned commitment coincides with the Federal Railroad Administration’s approval to release Draft Environmental Impact Statements on future enhancements to the Chicago-to-St. Louis high-speed route currently under construction.
Kansas City Southern promoted Jeff Songer from assistant vice president planning and administration for KCS’ U.S. engineering department to vice president and chief engineer of KCS U.S. subsidiary, closely coordinating with the leadership of its Mexican subsidiary, effective July 1.
Patriot Rail Corp. hired James Schultz to its management team as executive vice president and chief administrative officer. Schultz will be responsible for all rail-related administrative functions and will assist the CEO in providing overall daily organizational governance of the company.
BNSF plans to invest an estimated $92 million on maintenance and rail capacity improvement projects in Oklahoma this year.
The Tier 1 Draft Environmental Impact Statement evaluating high-speed rail service improvements along the 280-mile Chicago to St. Louis Corridor was released on Tuesday, June 26. A key question with the improvements was what route to funnel freight and passenger traffic as it traversed through Springfield, Ill. The Illinois Department of Transportation recommended rail traffic be moved to the existing Norfolk Southern corridor running along 10th Street.
Rick George resigned from the Canadian Pacific Board of Directors.
Union Pacific plans to enhance Illinois’ transportation infrastructure by investing nearly $25 million in the rail line that runs between Fults (about 30 miles south of Dupo) and near Chester. The project is in progress and is scheduled to be completed by mid-October. This work is in addition to the project Union Pacific is doing in 2012 on the Illinois Department of Transportation’s High Speed Rail corridor between Chicago and St. Louis.
CSX Corporation unveiled its 2011 Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Report outlining the company’s operations, environmental, social and financial performance.
PS Technology, a wholly owned subsidiary of Union Pacific, has acquired the Yard Control Systems division of Ansaldo STS USA, which is based in Norristown, Pa. The acquisition boosts PST’s capabilities by adding rail yard process control and automation solutions.
Canadian Pacific and U.S. Silica Holdings, Inc., have entered into a multi-year agreement for the movement of frac sand from U.S. Silica’s newest mining and processing facility in Sparta, Wis.
Forty-seven transportation projects in 34 states and the District of Columbia will receive a total of almost $500 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) 2012 program.
Union Pacific is enhancing Nebraska’s transportation infrastructure by investing more than $22 million in the rail line that runs between O’Fallons, Neb., and the Wyoming border. The project is in progress and is scheduled to be completed by mid-October.
The Virgina Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) approved $11.4 billion in allocations for transportation improvement projects over the next six years beginning July 1. The Six-Year Improvement Program distributes funding for highway, road and bridge projects, as well as rail, transit, bicycle, pedestrian and other transportation improvements across the state.
BNSF honored 98 shippers with the railroad’s 15th Annual Product Stewardship Award for the safe transportation of hazardous materials by rail during 2011.
The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio approved construction authorization from the Ohio Rail Development Commission for the installation of flashing lights and gates at four grade crossings in Lucas, Medina and Ottawa counties. The upgrades will be made as follows: