BNSF‘s 2015 capital program for its operations in Minnesota will be more than last year’s investment with an estimated $326 million for key rail capacity improvement projects and a robust maintenance program.
BNSF ‘s 2015 capital program for its operations in Nebraska will be an estimated $226 million for rail capacity improvement projects and maintenance.
President Obama unveiled his proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2016, which includes a six-year $478-billion surface transportation reauthorization proposal that contains rail funding sources through the Generating Renewal, Opportu¬nity, and Work with Accelerated Mobility, Efficiency, and Rebuilding of Infrastructure and Communities throughout America (GROW AMERICA) Act.
U.S. freight railroads plan to spend an estimated $29 billion on the nation’s rail network and project to hire about 15,000 people in 2015, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported in its 2015 Outlook. The AAR says these high-paying jobs and record private spending will further strengthen an essential transportation system that is today powering a U.S. economic comeback.
Kansas City Southern says that implementation of Positive Train Control (PTC) technology is a major, ongoing initiative, especially for the Signal, Mechanical, Telecommunications and IT groups.
Canadian National and members of the United Steelworkers (USW) union Local 2004 have ratified a four-year labor agreement covering approximately 3,000 maintenance-of-way employees who inspect, maintain and repair CN’s track, bridges and structures in Canada. The new agreement was reached prior to the expiration of the previous agreement and is retroactive to Jan. 1, 2015.
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), the Senate Budget Committee ranking member, has introduced legislation to rebuild America’s crumbling network of roads, bridges and transit systems and other infrastructure projects. The five-year plan would invest $1 trillion and create or maintain at least 13 million decent-paying jobs, says Sanders.
A new pedestrian grade-crossing system was activated at the Wheaton, Ill., Metra station along the Union Pacific West Line on January 26. The system was activated at the Maywood, Melrose Park, Elmhurst, Villa Park, Glen Ellyn, College Avenue, Winfield and Geneva stations in 2011.
Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton has proposed a plan to fix Minnesota’s aging transportation systems, which would invest $6 billion over the next 10 years to address the state’s highway funding deficit, invest $2.356 billion in local government transportation projects and provide $2.92 billion for Metro and Greater Minnesota transit systems. The Governor’s proposal would create an estimated 119,000 new jobs and build the infrastructure necessary to meet the demands of a growing population and an expanding state economy.
A North American Class 1 railroad with a large switching yard located in Louisville, Ky., has chosen to upgrade their existing RailComm yard control system.
Norfolk Southern is targeting a $2.4-billion capital expenditure program in 2015 the railroad revealed during its fourth-quarter and full-year 2014 results presentation. This year’s program reflects a $277-million increase over the railroad’s 2014 program.
Alameda Corridor-East Construction Authority (ACE) completed major construction on a four-lane roadway underpass and a two-track railroad bridge carrying freight trains over Baldwin Avenue, north of Valley Boulevard in the City of El Monte, Calif.
Union Pacific says its 2014 annual employee safety performance was the best in company history. Employees achieved a 0.98 reportable injury rate, surpassing the previous record established in 2012.
Recent track upgrades meeting or exceeding all applicable Federal Railroad Administration standards will allow Union Pacific to increase the speed of its trains in several locations on its rail line between Arlington and Picacho, Ariz.
Canadian Pacific has appointed Timothy Marsh to senior vice-president sales and marketing, effective Feb. 1, 2015.
BNSF announced plans for a $6-billion capital expenditure program in November and has revealed more details about where and on what the money will be spent.
Canadian National has negotiated a tentative labor agreement with the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference-Rail Canada Traffic Controllers (TCRC-RCTC) union.
Claude Mongeau, president and chief executive officer of Canadian National, says CN’s substantial investments in its U.S. Midwest operations, particularly the former Elgin, Joliet and Eastern Railway (EJ&E), are keeping its network fluid,
In its investigation report, the Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) determined that a Canadian Pacific train derailed when a wheel flange struck and climbed a switch point and then fell between the switch point and the rail.
CSX, in partnership with North Carolina Department of Transporation, will begin construction on a series of projects to build universal crossovers on the CSX A-line in three eastern North Carolina locations: South Weldon, Enfield and Rocky Mount. Construction at the three project locations will include grading, drainage improvements, track and signal construction.