HDR, Inc., has hired Tom Waldron as transit market sector director, based in HDR’s New York City office. His responsibilities include setting HDR’s vision and initiatives for continued growth and expansion in transit across North America and globally.
Genesee & Wyoming Inc.’s (GWI) newly-established subsidiary, Rapid City, Pierre & Eastern Railroad, Inc., has completed the acquisition of the west end of the Dakota, Minnesota & Eastern (DM&E) rail line from Canadian Pacific for approximately $210 million plus approximately $7.5 million for the purchase of certain inventory, equipment and vehicles.
Sand Springs Railway Company is being acquired by Sand Springs Holdings, LLC, a managed affiliate of OmniTRAX, Inc. The Sand Springs Railway, which runs freight service between Sand Springs and Tulsa, Okla., on 32 miles of track, will commence operations no later than July 31, 2014.
The N.C. Department of Transportation awarded more than $16 million to 40 projects across the state through the Freight Rail and Rail Crossing Safety Improvement program.
U.S. Sens. Patty Murray (D-WA) and Susan Collins (R-ME), chair and ranking member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee for Transportation, respectively, urged U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx to increase safety resources for shortline railroads, which make up one third of the nation’s rail network, but lack the funding and support that larger, Class 1 railroads receive.
The U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee (EPW) released its proposed bill text for the MAP-21 Reauthorization Act (S. 2322). The six-year legislation plans to maintain highway program funds at current levels plus inflation.
South County Economic Development Council (SCEDC) board members voted to support the reactivation of the San Diego Arizona Eastern Railway at its May board of directors meeting.
The House Appropriations Committee released its Fiscal Year 2015 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development funding bill. The committee proposal allocates $17.1 billion for the Department of Transportation, $727 million below FY 2014 funding levels.
Watco Transportation Services named Kenneth Barnhouse general manager at the Wallula (Wash.) Switching Site, where it switches cars for Boise Cascade.
Oklahoma awarded the opportunity to purchase a 97.5-mile line known as the Sooner Sub to the Stillwater Central Railroad, L.L.C. (SLWC), a subsidiary of Watco Transportation Services, L.L.C. BNSF also made an offer on the line, which runs between Del City, Okla., and Sapulpa, Okla.
Charles Steffensmeier has joined the staff of the Oregon International Port of Coos Bay as chief engineer. He will have primary responsibility for engineering oversight for rehabilitation and upgrade of the port’s Coos Bay rail line serving southwest Oregon industrial and agricultural operations and marine terminals in the Coos Bay harbor.
Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) has applied for six Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grants, which would improve highways, ferries and freight rail.
The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) is sending a long-term transportation bill to Congress for consideration as the House and Senate face deadlines to avoid the economic uncertainty and job loss that would ensue if the Highway Trust Fund runs out of money this summer.
Genesee & Wyoming Inc.’s (GWI) Atlas Railroad Construction subsidiary is reorganizing under a region-based commercial and operating structure to facilitate expansion into the U.S. Midwest, Southeast and Southwest. As part of the reorganization, Atlas is relocating its headquarters from Bridgeville, Pa., to Jacksonville, Fla.
Watco Transportation Services (WTS) appointed Jason Cathey to safety director. He will be responsible for managing the Safety Department Training and QA programs, assisting with incident reporting and statistics record keeping and leading WTS safety initiatives supporting safe work practices among WTS locations.
Massachusetts awarded seven grants totaling $2.5 million for industrial rail projects as part of the 2014 Industrial Rail Access Program (IRAP), which is being matched by more than $1.9 million in private sector funds for a total $4.5 million investment.
The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) will receive a $1,656,401-grant from the Federal Railroad Administration to help restore the Great Western Railway that was devastated by severe flooding in September.
The Metropolitan Council voted 14-2 on April 9 to approve the Southwest LRT (METRO Green Line Extension) Project, the Minneapolis area’s third light-rail transit line.
The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) revealed its intention to issue a proposed rule requiring two-person train crews on crude oil trains and establishing minimum crew size standards for most mainline freight and passenger rail operations. The FRA also intends to advance a rulemaking on train securement and recommends a rulemaking on the movement of hazardous materials.
