Transport Canada to incorporate rail condition data into future inspections
Transport Canada will incorporate rail surface condition data into its inspection cycles; following a recommendation by the Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB).
Class 1
Howard Street Tunnel expansion plans implode
Plans to expand the Howard Street Tunnel in Baltimore came to a halt as CSX has decided not to pursue the project.
SNC-Lavalin acquires asset management firm
SNC-Lavalin has acquired Data Transfer Solutions LLC (DTS) for $45 million. The company says the acquisition will add to the capabilities of SNC-Lavalin’s Atkins sector and will enhance service offerings in digital asset management for clients.
Port of South Louisiana commits to rail project
Dow St. Charles will be able to utilize rail as a shipping method thanks to a $9.5-million commitment from the Port of South Louisiana to build a rail link.
CN, NS reengineer Chicago connection to save transit times
An agreement between Canadian National (CN) and Norfolk Southern Corporation that allows the Class 1s to bypass Chicago is saving up to 48 hours in transit time.
O.C. Bridges program wraps up with final two grade separations
A five-year, $663-million program to build seven bridges and underpasses to separate vehicle, pedestrian and freight rail traffic in Anaheim, Fullerton and Placentia, Calif., is now complete.
Pilot program allows testing of UAS outside of FAA regs
A pilot program to advance the use of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) will partner the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) and local jurisdictions in developing rules that will allow broader testing.
Changes at the top for CSX
Three top CSX executives will be leaving the railroad on Nov. 15—Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Cindy M. Sanborn; Executive Vice President and Chief Sales and Marketing Officer Fredrik J. Eliasson; and Executive Vice President Law and Public Affairs, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary Ellen M. Fitzsimmons. Sanborn and Eliasson are resigning “to pursue other interests.” Fitzsimmons is retiring. All “will remain engaged in supporting the transition until early 2018,” CSX said.
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.
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.