The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) investigation into the July 2013 Montreal, Maine & Atlantic Railway (MMA) train derailment in Lac-Mégantic, Quebec, concluded that a number of factors led to the accident.
On August 19, N.C. Department of Transportation (NCDOT) officials helped drive the final spike on the Greenville Transload Project, located next to the Pitt County Landfill in west Greenville. The $290,000-project provides a new siding track adjacent to the existing rail line that will allow local companies to receive and unload their products via the Carolina Coastal Railway (CLNA).
The Reading & Northern Railroad has been awarded a $10 million State Capital budget grant to build a new railroad bridge over the Lehigh River near Nesquehoning in Carbon County, Pa. The project cost is in excess of $14 million with Reading & Northern investing the balance.
Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn was joined by local and state officials August 14 to break ground on a new $7-million multimodal transportation project that will service the future Port of East St. Louis. The state-funded project will increase access, create jobs and establish utility service to the area.
CSX named Ed Jenkins vice president market strategy e-business, effective August 15. Jenkins, who will continue to report to Executive Vice Presient and Chief Commercial Officer Clarence Gooden, has fostered the development of the team responsible for translating customer needs and growth opportunities into service innovations that support each of the railroad’s key markets.
Watco Transportation Services named Ryan Williams vice president marketing – Gulf Region. In this role, Williams will be responsible for the overall performance of the Gulf and Southeast Regional marketing teams as it relates to cultivating growth and leading the expansion of the company’s existing commercial and customer relationships.
Koppers Inc., has completed its acquisition of the wood preservation and railroad services businesses of Osmose Holdings, Inc.
The Pennsylvania State Transportation Commission (STC), building on the Act 89 transportation plan, has updated Pennsylvania’s 12-Year Transportation Program with a $22-billion boost in much needed transportation improvements.
The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) and New Hampshire reached an agreement concerning a $1.4-million Transportation Investment Generating Economy Recovery (TIGER) 2013 grant for the New Hampshire Northcoast Rail Improvement Project, which will repair and improve sections of the rail line between Ossipee and Rochester.
Illinois Railway voted to make the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) the designated collective bargaining representative for its 21 train and engine service employees; the election results were certified by the National Mediation Board on August 7.
The Las Vegas Railway Express, Inc. (X Train), Board of Directors elected Ronald Batory as a director.
Union Pacific will strengthen Iowa’s transportation infrastructure by investing $6 million in the rail line between Burt and Goldfield, Iowa. The project, funded entirely by Union Pacific, began July 25 and is scheduled to be completed by mid-October.
Larry Etherton, PE, retired director engineering, Norfolk Southern and former president of the American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association (AREMA), has assumed the role of interim executive director and chief executive officer of AREMA.
The American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA) has selected Linda Bauer Darr as president, succeeding Richard Timmons, who is retiring at the end of 2014.
Kansas City Southern named Erik Hansen vice president intermodal and Daniel Bozung assistant vice president mechanical operations.
Union Pacific will strengthen transportation infrastructure in Wyoming and Nebraska by investing $9.6 million in the rail line between near Scottsbluff, Neb., and Shawnee, Wyo. The project, funded entirely by Union Pacific, began July 13 and is scheduled to be completed by the end of September.
The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority’s (SCVTA) Warren Avenue grade separation project is now complete and will be open to traffic beginning August 11. This is just one of many projects that will make way for the SCVTA Bay Area Rapid Transportation (BART) Silicon Valley Berryessa Extension.
The Tanana River Bridge in Fairbanks, Alaska, the longest in the state, has been completed on time and on budget, according to Gov. Sean Parnell.
The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) reached an agreement with Iowa Interstate Railroad (IAIS) to perform design work for a portion of the route for the new passenger rail service between Chicago and Moline. Next month, IDOT is planning to begin making improvements to accommodate service on the BNSF portion of the route.
Union Pacific will strengthen Colorado’s and Wyoming’s transportation infrastructures by investing $11 million in the rail line between LaSalle, Colo., and near Cheyenne, Wyo. The project, funded entirely by Union Pacific, began July 9 and is scheduled to be completed by mid-December.