Watco Transportation Services appointed Steve Coomes to vice president of operations, transportation services. He will be responsible for the continued development and improvement of safety, service, growth, people, asset utilization and efficiency in all areas of Watco Transportation Services. This will cover both railroad and switching sites.
Canadian Pacific (CP) and Genesee & Wyoming Inc. (GWI) have executed an agreement pursuant to which CP will sell the west end of its Dakota, Minnesota & Eastern (DM&E) line to GWI for continued rail operations.
New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) received an $18.5-million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) to reduce passenger and freight train congestion along Amtrak’s Empire Corridor at the Syracuse, N.Y., train station.
The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) published a Final Rule on Dec. 24, 2013, that increases the rail equipment accident/incident reporting threshold for 2014 from $9,900 to $10,500.
The North Carolina Railroad Company (NCRR) paid a $15.5-million dividend to the state of North Carolina on December 20, 2013 to be designated for a freight rail and safety fund to support the state’s economic development efforts.
Watco Terminal and Port Services appointed Earon Berotte to terminal manager at the Greens Port Crude by Rail Terminal in Houston, Texas.
Kansas City Southern’s President and CEO David Starling issued his annual State of the Railroad letter sharing KCS’ “successes and tremendous potential.”
Kinder Morgan Energy Partners L.P. and Imperial Oil have entered into a 50-50 joint venture to build a crude oil rail-loading facility in Strathcona County, Alberta, called the Edmonton Rail Terminal.
Union Pacific has awarded 21 grants to community-owned railroad safety initiatives across its 23-state operating system. Ranging from $500 to $5,000, the grants support initiatives developed by community organizations to enhance and promote railroad safety through activities tailored for their communities.
U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY) launched his push for the Short Line Railroad Rehabilitation and Investment Act of 2013 while visiting Saratoga Train Station in New York.
Pacific Imperial Railroad is moving forward with plans to provide freight rail services to the Tijuana-Tecate region of Baja California by naming Charles Patterson as chief commercial officer.
The Pennsylvania Department of Transporation has released $25.8 million in rail freight grants, which will help improve facilities, help businesses expand operations and ensure safety across the state.
BNSF promoted President and Chief Operating Officer Carl Ice to president and chief executive officer, effective January 1, 2014. Matthew Rose, chairman and chief executive officer, will assume the role of executive chairman.
The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) is accepting applications through January 18, 2014, for recipients of $2.5 million to $3 million available in state grants through the Shortline Industrial Access Program (SIAP).
Canadian National will start serving a new frac sand producer on its Wisconsin rail network this month.
At Pactiv, a food packaging manufacturing company in Canandaigua, N.Y., U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY) joined Finger Lakes Railway President Mike Smith and Pactiv Plant Manager Rod Kucera to launch his push for the Short Line Railroad Rehabilitation and Investment Act of 2013, which extends the tax credit to shortline freight railroads.
The Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) issued an order approving construction of a new highway-rail grade rail crossing on Broadway Road in Coal City.
Claude Mongeau, president and chief executive officer of Canadian National, said the railway’s reach, service, innovation, understanding of its customers’ markets and commitment to delivering safely make it a true backbone of the economy.
Union Pacific plans to strengthen Colorado’s transportation infrastructure by investing $6.5 million in the rail line between Boyero and Limon. The project, funded entirely by Union Pacific, began November 21 and is scheduled to be completed by the end of December.
Canadian National started a special program to acquire additional monitoring equipment to enhance its technological base for early detection of defects.
