FRA prepared to levy penalties for non-PTC compliance

Positive Train Control (PTC) was again in the spotlight this week, as the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee’s Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines and Hazardous Materials held a hearing June 24 on “The State of Positive Train Control in the United States.”

Metrolink has PTC in Revenue Service Demonstration across network

Metrolink says Positive Train Control (PTC) is in Revenue Service Demonstration (RSD) across its entire 341-mile network earlier this month, making it the first railroad in the nation to have PTC running during regular service on all of its hosted lines.

R. J. Corman plans purchase, rehab of Carolina Southern

R. J. Corman Railroad Company has signed an agreement to purchase Carolina Southern Railroad, an 80-mile shortline railroad in eastern North and South Carolina, for $13.9 million.

BNSF helps fund congestion relief study for Washington town

BNSF plans to contribute $50,000 to help study potential solutions to ease congestion at railroad crossings along the Edmonds waterfront in the state of Washington.

LRIW sets annual conference agenda

 as part of Railway Interchange 2015

The League of Railway Industry Women (LRIW) released the agenda for its annual conference, which will be held in conjunction with Railway Interchange 2015, taking place October 4-7 in Minneapolis, Minn.

Blitzes, new machinery help KCS crews focus on safety

Kansas City Southern (KCS) says transportation and safety teams from Kansas City Southern de Mexico (KCSM) and KCS met in Laredo, Texas, for a safety blitz, which covered observation and testing of safety behaviors, such as slip trip and fall prevention and switching techniques; star rules for vehicles, equipment and tools inspections; securing equipment and air brake testing and General Code of Operating Rules, such as shove movements and safe and efficient switching.

L&I, CSX complete agreement on joint infrastructure upgrade project

Louisville & Indiana Railroad (L&I), a subsidiary of Anacostia Rail Holdings (ARH), and CSX completed an agreement that grants CSX a permanent easement to operate over the L&I’s 106-mile rail corridor between Indianapolis, Ind., and Louisville, Ky.

NCRIA approves more than $1.1 million in grants to help with rail access

North Carolina Rural Infrastructure Authority (NCRIA) approved four grants totaling more than $1.1 million that will improve rail access for businesses in the state.

GREX acquires bridge monitoring company

Georgetown Rail Equipment Company (GREX) has acquired SENSR from Reference LLC, located in Elkader, Iowa. The company is now known as SENSR Monitoring Technologies, LLC (SMT), a wholly- owned subsidiary of GREX.

CN and Alabama State Port Authority sign MOU

Canadian National signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Alabama State Port Authority (ASPA), which owns the public terminals at the Port of Mobile, intended to drive increased supply chain efficiency and a greater share of transportation markets in North America.

Ontario Northland and Teamsters Rail reach agreement for MOW employees

Ontario Northland Transportation Commission (Ontario Northland) and Teamsters Rail Conference Maintenance of Way Employees Division (TCRC MWED) have reached a tentative five-year collective agreement.

Granite names Rantala to head business development

Granite Construction Incorporated named Richard Rantala senior vice president of business development, reporting to Granite Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Christopher Miller.

O-Train Confederation Line kicks off track installation with laying of first rail

Royal Galipeau, Member of Parliament (Ottawa–Orléans), Bob Chiarelli, Member of Provincial Parliament (Ottawa West–Nepean) and Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson installed the first official rail of the O-Train Confederation Line light-rail transit project June 12.

KCS says MOW crews keep operations safe in challenging spring weather

Kansas City Southern (KCS) says that frequent storms, rain and high water have created a number of challenges on its network this spring. The most significant of these are trees with roots saturated due to heavy rain, falling onto the tracks; power outages affecting signal equipment and grade crossing warning devices; track washouts and driftwood from high water gathering around bridges.

RailComm finalizes rail yard SaaS contract with Kinder Morgan

RailComm completed negotiations with energy infrastructure company Kinder Morgan for a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) contract for remote rail yard control at its Deepwater Terminal in Pasadena, Texas.

UP plans $92 million investment in Nevada, Arizona and New Mexico properties in 2015

Union Pacific plans to invest about $23 million in its infrastructure in Nevada, $46 million in Arizona and $23 million in New Mexico.

AAR: Freight railroads making measurable strides toward PTC implementation

Association of American Railroads (AAR) President and CEO Edward R. Hamberger said that America’s freight rail industry is making progress on positive train control (PTC) and remains committed to ensure all is being done to safely reach the goal of nationwide interoperability.

Former FRA Administrator Szabo named executive director of CMAP

The Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) will soon have a new executive director, Joseph Szabo.

Union Pacific plans $85 million investment in Washington and Oregon property

Union Pacific‘s infrastructure in Oregon and Washington state will see $85 million in track and signal work that the railroad says will enhance employee, community and customer safety while increasing rail operating efficiency.

Mobile app giving first responders real-time dangerous goods info continues roll out

AskRail™, the mobile application developed as an added safety tool for first responders, continued its industry-wide roll out with a demonstration at BNSF‘s Chicago (Corwith) Intermodal Facility on June 8.

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