Farmrail named BNSF Shortline of the Year; MNN earns special recognition
BNSF Railway Company (BNSF) citing a commitment to growth and teamwork, named Farmrail System its 2017 Shortline of the Year at its annual Shortline Conference.
Class 1
Metra leads 34th CREATE improvement project
Chicago Region Environmental and Transportation Efficiency (CREATE) Program began construction on Project B1, its 34th project aimed at improving safety and keeping Metra and freight trains moving through the region more efficiently.
KCS forms Health, Safety and Environmental unit
Kansas City Southern has formed a new Health, Safety and Environmental group within the Operations department “to consolidate occupational health, workplace and public safety, and environmental functions under a single management to better align and coordinate with the company’s Operations groups,” KCS reported on Oct. 17.
$67-million CREATE project complete
The intersection improvement project at Irving Park Road (Illinois 19) and York Road, which follows a railroad overpass companion project built on Irving Park Road, is now complete, according to The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT).
CP, G&W in Ohio intermodal pact
Canadian Pacific Railway (CP) announced a new partnership with Genesee & Wyoming Inc. (GWI) and Bluegrass Farms of Ohio that will open up the Ohio Valley to CP intermodal customers and further extend its reach into key North American heartland markets.
New TNW-operated transload facility opens in Texas
The Panhandle Logistics Solutions (PLS), a bulk transload facility operated by TNW Corporation, opened Oct. 3. The facility is located approximately 50 miles north of Amarillo, near Sunray, Texas.
Railway Interchange 2017 a record-setter
Organizers for Railway Interchange, North America’s largest railway industry exhibition and technical conference, report that the 2017 event, held in Indianapolis Sept. 17-20, posted total registered attendance of 8,150, with a record-breaking 738 exhibitors. There were 1,099 international attendees and 108 international exhibitors representing 46 countries.
Port of Oakland looking to “beef” up rail infrastructure
The Port of Oakland Commissioners approved a rail project last week that will offer “a refrigerated gateway to Asia for U.S. meat exports.”
BNSF completes Washougal River Railroad Bridge replacement
BNSF Railway has completed the replacement of the Washougal River Railroad Bridge near Camas, Wash., using innovative techniques that preserved delicate wildlife in the area.
FRA issues Record of Decision for Atlanta to Chattanooga passenger route
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) released a Tier I combined Final Environmental Impact Statement and Record of Decision (FEIS/ROD) for the High-Speed Ground Transportation (HSGT) project that will ultimately connect Atlanta to Chattanooga, Tenn.
USDOT looks to align FRA, FTA and FHWA environmental regs
The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) Sept. 28 that will “harmonize” the environmental review process between the three highway, transit and railroad agencies.
BNSF, UP expanding, upgrading in northern Idaho
Track projects this summer in northern Idaho are expanding capacity on a busy segment of BNSF’s Northern Corridor, and upgrading conditions on Union Pacific’s (UP) route to the Canadian border.
Class 1s spread U.S. Rail Safety Week message
Operation Lifesaver, Inc. (OLI), is spearheading the inaugural Rail Safety Week (RSW) in the U.S. Sept. 24-30. Class 1s are supporting the focus on rail safety with their own efforts throughout the week.
HDR to lead design efforts of Class 1 rail bridge over Mississippi
HDR has been awarded a contract to lead the final design of a Class 1 fixed, high bridge near Clinton, Iowa.
UP redesigns Marketing and Sales organization to better meet customer needs
In effort to evolve with its customer needs, Union Pacific announced plans to redesign its Marketing and Sales organization. The Class 1 plans to consolidate six major business units into four and four customer service center subsidiaries into one.
AAR awards Scott Carey David W. Fries Award
Scott Carey of BatesCarey LLP was posthumously awarded the Association of American Railroads (AAR) 2017 David W. Fries Award for exemplary risk management efforts and practices in the railroad industry.
GREX intros next evolution of its Aurora platform
Georgetown Rail Equipment Company (GREX) unveiled the next development of its Aurora platform: Aurora XivTM.
BNSF, WSDOT awarded W.W. Hay Award
The American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association (AREMA) presented the 2017 Dr. William W. Hay Award for Excellence to BNSF and the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) for the Improvements for Passenger Rail Service and Reliability on BNSF Railway in Washington State project.
U.S. House passes FY18 omnibus spending bill
The U.S. House of Representatives passed a $1.2-trillion omnibus package to provide all discretionary funding for the federal government for the 2018 fiscal year.
Metra awards $21.6-million contract for Fox River bridge
Metra’s Board of Directors has awarded a $21.6-million contract to replace the 136-year-old Fox River bridge to Illinois Constructors Corporation of Elburn.