In Memoriam: Richard W. Sprague, 1929-2014

Richard Wilder Sprague, 85, retired senior vice president of Bangor and Aroostook Railroad (BAR), died peacefully on July 5, 2014, in Malvern, Pa.

Ohio plans work on 11 crossings

The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) has approved 11 highway-rail grade crossing projects in Hamilton, Hancock, Sandusky, Portage, Erie, Butler and Paulding counties.

CSX completes maintenance jamboree

Earlier this month, more than 525 CSX employees worked to complete the company’s 2014 maintenance “Jamboree” on a section of its network in the Southeast, replacing about 68,000 ties and 200,000 feet of rail and completing nearly 120 miles of surfacing work.

Hudson Bay Railway reopens

The Hudson Bay Railway line reopened on July 5, 2014, with freight train 295 arriving in Churchill, SK, Canada, carrying supplies for the community after OmniTRAX Canada suspended service due to permafrost issues.

NJ Transit adopts FY15 operating and capital budgets

The New Jersey Transit Board of Directors approved a $2.019-billion operating budget that holds fares stable for the fifth consecutive fiscal year and a $1.203-billion capital program that supports continued investments in infrastructure and equipment to maintain the system in a state of good repair for Fiscal Year 2015.

INRD’s track investment results in faster train speeds

The Indiana Rail Road (INRD) is investing millions of dollars in private capital on the north end of its Indianapolis Subdivision this summer, which will result in faster, quieter-moving trains and smooth grade crossings.

Expansion of rail unloading capacity at Port Metro Vancouver complete

Work to expand the rail unloading capacity of the West Coast Reduction facility at Port Metro Vancouver has been completed.

Minneapolis, Met Council’s Southwest LRT tentative agreement removes shallow tunnel from plan

Minneapolis and the Metropolitan Council (Met Council) have reached a tentative agreement regarding the plan to build the Southwest Light Rail Project from Minneapolis to Eden Prairie, Minn.

Global Partners and KCS to develop Port Arthur, Texas crude oil terminal

Global Partners LP (Global) and Kansas City Southern (KCS) will develop a unit train terminal in Port Arthur, Texas.

North Carolina grade crossing undergoing facelift from town, NCDOT and CSX

The town of Cary, N.C., North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) and CSX are teaming up to give a major intersection in Cary a facelift.

EDA awards funds to Indiana rail project

The Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding a $1.6-million grant to the city of Madison, Ind., to upgrade critical railroad infrastructure to support increased commerce.

GO Transit marks West Toronto Diamond grade separation progress

GO Transit’s West Toronto Diamond (WTD) continues its progress and marked a milestone in May when the east tunnel opened to rail traffic.

Watco names GMs to GRNW and Wallula Switching

Watco has installed two to general manager positions at Great Northwest Railroad (GRNW) and the company’s Wallula switching site.

Stacy Grant has accepted the position of general manager for the GRMW. Grant will be responsible for supervising daily operations, specifically focusing on improving productivity, efficiency and safety. He has been with Watco Transportation Services since September of 2004 when he began working as a conductor for the Palouse River and Coulee City Railroad (PCC). He then served as a trainmaster on the GRNW before being named assistant general manager of the GRNW and the PCC.

Travis Chamberlain has accepted the position of general manager for the Wallula switching site. Chamberlain will be responsible for the day-to-day operations of the site and will report directly to the director of Switching Operations. His duties will be to coordinate efforts between all railroad departments and to achieve performance goals with optimum safety, economy, efficiency and effectiveness, ensuring profitability of all departments.

Chamberlain previously worked in the paper industry at Boise for 11 years before joining the Watco Team in May of this year.

MWAA issues Notice of Recommended Award for Silver Line

The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority on July 2 issued a Notice of Recommended Award to Hensel Phelps Construction Co. of Chantilly, Va., to design and build the rail yard and maintenance facility for Phase 2 of the Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project.

UP to repair five crossings in Beaumont, Texas

Five railroad crossings will be closed within the next week in Beaumont, Texas, while Union Pacific crews make repairs; all closings are expected to last one day, from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

On July 3, repairs will be made at the crossing on Coburn Drive; on July 4, the crossing on Todd Street will see repairs; on July 5, the crossing on Langham Road will see repairs; on July 6, the UP crossing on Keith Road will be closed to through traffic for repairs and on July 7, the crossing on S. Major Drive will see repairs last.

 

Goldman named president of Louisville & Indiana Railroad, succeeding Stolzman

John Goldman, vice president of the Louisville & Indiana Railroad (L&I) has been promoted to president, effective July 11, succeeding Mike Stolzman, who is joining Colo Railroad Builders in Houston, Texas.

OCTA completes Kraemer Boulevard grade separation

Kraemer Boulevard is now open to traffic as Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) puts finishing touches on a new grade separation that separates car traffic from the busy freight rail line that now travels overhead.

Axion awarded fifth European contract for ties

Axion International Holdings, Inc., has received its fifth purchase order for ECOTRAX® rail ties to be shipped to Europe.

FRA issues Record of Decision for Fresno to Bakersfield HSR section

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has issued a Record of Decision (ROD) for the 114-mile Fresno to Bakersfield Section of the California high-speed train system. The ROD is the last step in the National Environmental Policy Act process and clears the way to break ground on the project.

CTC allocates more than $113 million to rail-related projects

The California Transportation Commission (CTC) has allocated $510 million to 83 transportation projects, including upwards of $113 million for rail-related projects.

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