UP, IDOT to invest $90 million in Chicago line; celebrate completion of CREATE project

Union Pacific (UP) and the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) are making a significant investment in Chicago’s Metra West Line. Each will invest $45 million for the construction of a new third mainline track on the line from River Forest to Melrose Park and then from West Chicago to Geneva.

“Today, we are investing in jobs that will help solidify Illinois’ status as the premier rail center of the nation,” Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn said. “This final piece of the West Line improvement program will enhance commuter and freight travel on one of our state’s busiest rail lines. Building world-class infrastructure is vital to a healthy economy and today’s investment will help get us there.”

The West Line improvements are designed to ensure smoother traffic flow and reduce conflicts between the passenger and freight trains that share the line. Earlier projects completed by Metra and UP modernized the signal system and added crossovers to make freight movement more efficient. A third phase on the West Line, improving the Lombard and Wheaton Metra stations, will be finished in 2015. The West Line third track construction is the final step that will allow the 59 Metra trains and 70 freight trains that use the line each day to operate at the same time, a critical step to improving the line’s reliability and efficiency.

The announcement was made during a celebration to mark the completion of a Chicago Region Environmental and Transportation Efficiency (CREATE) rail project that included the construction of a rail overpass, the rehabilitation of two passenger stations and the addition of pedestrian tunnels in Bellwood and Berkeley and signal and track improvements along the UP/Metra West Line. The project created and supported 1,000 jobs and was funded primarily through a $52-million Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery grant, a $27 million commitment from UP and other freight railroad partners, other federal funding of $3 million and a $615,000 investment by the state of Illinois.

“Our nation’s system of bridges, rail and roads is the strength of the nation, tying us together and giving us access to the world,” said U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL). “Chicago remains the busiest rail hub in the United States, with more than 1,000 trains passing through the region every day. Protecting and investing in our nation’s infrastructure and specifically in Illinois’ transportation network, is one of my top priorities.”

“This is a new day for Metra, one in which we want to ensure that every project we execute puts commuters first,” Metra Chairman Martin Oberman said. “We are confident the West Line improvements will greatly improve the commuter experience.”

 

With no shared use option, study ups LYNX Red Line estimates by $215 million

A study released by Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) shows cost estimates for a proposed passenger line between Mooresville and Charlotte, N.C., rose significantly due to new infrastructure needs rather than using existing infrastructure.

IntegroCo receives order for composite crossties

IntegriCo Composites has received an order from a railroad in the U.S. for approximately 5,000 composite crossties for installation in their railway system.

Blue Ridge Southern to purchase three NS branch lines

Blue Ridge Southern Railroad (BLU), a subsidiary of Watco Transportation Services (WTS), has reached a definitive agreement with the Norfolk Southern to purchase three branch lines in North Carolina that feed into its terminal in Asheville. The lines are the T-Line, which runs west of Asheville; the W-Line, which runs south of Asheville and the TR-Line, which branches off the W-Line south of Asheville. BLU could begin operations by July 26, 2014.

Canadian Wheat Board acquires Prairie West Terminal, majority stake in Great Sandhills Railway

Great Sandhills Terminal Ltd. (GST) Board of Directors and Canadian Wheat Board (CWB) have entered into an agreement where CWB will acquire all of the issued and outstanding common shares of GST for cash consideration of CA$581.98 (US$542.80) per share.

Federal funds to aid projects in Oklahoma; Port of San Francisco

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has awarded a $1.8-million Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant to rehabilitate 12 miles of track on the state-owned rail line located between Erick and Sayre, Okla., that will enable faster speeds and increases in freight service along the line.

NS and Operation Lifesaver partner to promote public safety

Norfolk Southern and Operation Lifesaver are bringing their Whistle-Stop safety train tour to Delaware and eastern and central Pennsylvania to stress the importance of public safety around railroad tracks.

ARRC crews continue washout repair efforts

Alaska Railroad (ARRC) crews continue to make progress on plugging an 80-foot-long washout following high waters at Skookum Creek (ARRC milepost 59.7).

The incident began about 7:30 a.m. June 17, when high water eroded the trackbed, leaving the track suspended over the water. Alaska Railroad track maintenance crews, heavy equipment and a rockhauling work train have been working round-the clock for three days to plug the gap and re-route a high volume of water.

“Earlier this week, this area experienced significant isolated rainfall that measured as much as a half inch every 10-15 minutes for a sustained period,” said ARRC Vice President Engineering Clark Hopp. “We are essentially dealing with a new river channel that did not previously exist.”

While freight traffic is not affected, passenger train traffic southbound from Anchorage has been suspended since the incident occurred. A decision to restore passenger service will be made at 7p.m. on June 20 and is based on the progress of the repair efforts.

The railroad has not yet determined the final financial impact of the outage. However, ARRC says revenue losses are expected to reach tens of thousands of dollars due to refunds and cancellations. Track repair expenses will also be considerable, costing hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Sens. Collins and Murray introduce bill to establish shortline safety institute

U.S. Sens. Susan Collins (R-ME) and Patty Murray (D-WA), ranking member and chair of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee for Transportation, respectively, have introduced a bill that would authorize a new Short Line Rail Safety Institute the senators say will enhance the safety practices and culture of shortline railroads.

Union Pacific performing $11 million track renewal project in Wisconsin

Union Pacific will strengthen Wisconsin’s transportation infrastructure by investing $11 million in the rail line between Rusk and near Eau Claire and between Black River Falls and Wyeville, Wis. The project, which is funded entirely by Union Pacific, began June 5 and is scheduled to be completed by the end of August.

Alaska Railroad dealing with track washout

Alaska Railroad passenger train traffic southbound from Anchorage was interrupted June 17 due to high water damage to the track at Skookum Creek, located between Luebner Lake and Portage.

INRD kicks off bridge project; welcomes “new” ballast cars

The Indiana Rail Road (INRD) outlines a new bridge project that will get underway in July and details its new and rebuilt fleet of ballast cars in the latest edition of its newsletter, “Mileposts.”

Gravel to succeed Brault as president of Genesee & Wyoming Canada

Genesee & Wyoming Inc. (GWI) appointed Louis Gravel as president of Genesee & Wyoming Canada Inc. Gravel will succeed Mario Brault, who is retiring in September.

FEIS for Virginia Avenue tunnel project released

Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) released a Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the proposed reconstruction of CSX‘s Virginia Avenue Tunnel, located immediately beneath Virginia Avenue in southeast District of Columbia.

Southton Rail Yard in Texas celebrates grand opening

Southton Rail Yard, a 300-acre dual rail-serve facility in San Antonio, Texas, designed for transloading energy-related products, celebrated its grand opening June 11.

OmniTRAX to manage Brownsville & Rio Grand International

OmniTRAX, Inc. will now manage the Brownsville & Rio Grande International Railroad, a shortline railway based in Brownsville, Texas, and will also develop a large-scale industrial park on land owned by the Brownsville Navigation District (BND) of Cameron County, the parent governmental body of the Port of Brownsville.

Watco names GM for Pecos Valley Southern

Watco Terminal and Port Services hired Jeff Lederer as general manager at the Pecos Valley Southern Railway (PVSR) in Pecos, Texas. Lederer will be succeeding Mike Salts, who will be returning to the South Kansas and Oklahoma Railroad (SKOL).

AAR’s Hamberger outlines steps taken to increase safety at Railway Age’s Crude By Rail Conference

Association of American Railroads (AAR) President and Chief Executive Officer Edward Hamberger touted the many steps freight railroads are taking to boost the safety of moving crude oil by rail, while reiterating the industry’s call for the federal government to increase tank car standards at Railway Age‘s Crude By Rail Conference and Expo in Arlington, Va.

FRA, MDOT, Amtrak partner to further study to improve Civil War-era tunnel

Working to improve rail service, reliability and address a longstanding bottleneck along Amtrak’s busy Northeast Corridor (NEC), the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) and Amtrak are advancing an engineering and environmental study to examine various

House approves fiscal year 2015 THUD bill

The U.S. House of Representatives approved the fiscal year 2015 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD) funding bill on a vote of 229-192. The legislation includes funding for the Department of Transportation, the Department of Housing and Urban Development and other related agencies.

LOAD MORE