CP receives 72-hour strike notice from TCRC
Canadian Pacific has received a 72-hour strike notice from the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference, which represents 4,800 engineers, conductors and rail traffic controllers in Canada.
Freight
New CP Board appoints Tobias interim CEO
Canadian Pacific Board of Directors appointed newly-elected Director, Stephen Tobias, as interim CEO. Tobias is a 40-year veteran of the railroad industry and former vice chair and chief operations officer of Norfolk Southern. In 2008, Tobias was awarded Railway Age magazine’s Railroader of the Year award.
Iowa Pacific to operate Santa Cruz branch line
The Regional Transportation Commission for Santa Cruz County in Southern California authorized the selection of Iowa Pacific Holdings to operate on the Santa Cruz Branch Rail Line. The RTC will enter into an administration, coordination and license agreement with Iowa Pacific to conduct freight and passenger rail service, as well as maintain the line and provide general commercial insurance.
HART receives approval for work on rail guideway and precast yard
Hawaii’s Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation received the green light from the Federal Transit Administration to move forward with $21.8 million in work that includes a precasting yard that will create the concrete guideway for Oahu’s rail system.
NCRR, CATS and NS reach agreements for LYNX Blue Line extension
The North Carolina Railroad Company, the Charlotte Area Transit System and Norfolk Southern signed lease, construction and operating agreements for the LYNX Blue Line Extension light-rail project along the North Carolina Railroad corridor. The 2.7-mile section begins near East 12th Street and ends a half mile east of Eastway Drive in Charlotte, N.C.
Ohio commission approves crossing work
The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio approved construction authorization from the Ohio Rail Development Commission, authorizing Wheeling & Lake Erie Railway to install flashing lights and gates at the County Road 35A (001-913V) grade crossing in Wyandot County.
CP’s Green steps down, five directors will not stand for re-election
Fred Green, president and chief executive officer of Canadian Pacific has stepped down, effective immediately. Green leaves the company following 34 years of dedicated service. In addition, Green has resigned as a director and will not stand for re-election at the company’s shareholder meeting.
Sample PATH reports record ridership in 2011
The Port Authority of New York & New Jersey’s PATH rail system reported record ridership in 2011, with 76.6 million commuter trips made during the year, the highest
Rail bridge that serves as gateway to famed Trestles Beach completed
The completion of the nearly $8 million San Mateo Creek Bridge, gateway to California’s Trestles Beach and its famous surf break, was formally marked on Monday as a northbound Amtrak Pacific Surfliner made its way across the new bridge.
BNSF plans $372 million capital investment in Kansas and Missouri
BNSF Railway Company plans to invest an estimated $242 million on maintenance and rail capacity enhancement and expansion projects in Kansas and an additional $130 million in Missouri this year.
CalAmp receives initial production orders for PTC radios
CalAmp Corp., provider of wireless products, services and solutions, received initial purchase orders totaling approximately $5 million to supply interoperable Positive Train Control radios to two North American Class 1 railroads for delivery in the second half of calendar 2012.
Invensys Rail and DPS Electronics sign agreement
Invensys Rail and DPS Electronics entered into a manufacturer’s licensing arrangement under which DPS may manufacture and sell its end of train devices (EOTs) with certain telemetry features patented by Invensys. For those EOTs, Invensys Rail will provide the communications, central office services and end-user experience through its software as a service business hosted at www.eotph.com and commonly referred to as EOT Phone Home.
Feds ok freight rail service to Adirondacks region
The Surface Transportation Board approved the request of Iowa Pacific Holdings, LLC, for common carrier status, which will allow them to reopen the Tahawus Line between North Creek and Newcomb, N.Y., and resume hauling freight to and from businesses along that line.
Invensys Rail acquires PHW, Inc.
Invensys Rail Corp. acquired PHW, Inc., from the current owner/managers for up to $24,000,000.00. The company will operate as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Invensys Rail Corp.
NS invites public to help protect the rail line; joins BNSF in expanding community rail security
Norfolk Southern is making it easier for communities, businesses and informed observers to report issues relating to public safety and security to the railroad’s police force. The NS announcement is a significant expansion of the community-based rail security initiative started by BNSF.
KCS pursues public safety improvements through engineering
There are three components to Kansas City Southern’ U.S. public safety program, education, enforcement and engineering. KCS works closely with Operation Lifesaver on the education and enforcement components. Example activities include Officer on a Train events, like the one in May in Gulfport, Miss., that yielded 42 citations for violations at public crossings; the multitude of presentations given by employees who volunteer their time to speak to community organizations about public safety and KCS police participation with local law enforcement at annual public safety expos throughout Louisiana.
FRA, Michigan reach $15.8 million agreement to eliminate Detroit bottleneck
A final agreement of $15.8 million for the West Detroit Connection Track project has been made. The project will eliminate congestion for Detroit-area Amtrak passengers by addressing a bottleneck that comes from serving both freight and passenger rail on the same tracks.
PUCO approves upgrade of rail crossing in Butler County
The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio approved construction authorization from the Ohio Rail Development Commission, authorizing Norfolk Southern to install flashing lights and gates at the Station Road/Township Road 120 (524-701M) grade crossing in West Chester Township, Butler County.
BLET members ratify contract at Eastern Idaho Railroad
The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen members unanimously approved a new contract agreement with the Eastern Idaho Railroad.
CivilianJobs.com names NS and CSX to Most Valuable Employers for Military
CSX Corporation and Norfolk Southern have both been named CivilianJobs.com’s Most Valuable Employers for Military.