U.S. Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.) released the following statement after New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority Chairman Joe Lhota expressed his support for Amtrak’s Gateway Tunnel project under the Hudson River.
The California High-Speed Rail Authority revised its Business Plan to launch high-speed rail service, capable of traveling 220 miles-per-hour, from Merced to the San Fernando Valley, within 10 years.
The editors of Railway Track & Structures are pleased to bring you “Rail Brief,” a weekly e-mail newsletter that brings breaking news about rail engineering and maintenance-of-way to your inbox. Whether it occurs on or off the track, RT&S “Rail Brief” will cover advancing projects, developing technologies and other updates on rail infrastructure.
Unitrac Railroad Materials, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Healey Railroad Corporation, received a $1.1 million contract to supply special trackwork to Amtrak.
A groundbreaking in Osage, Mo., has taken place for a new railroad bridge that will eliminate one of the worst rail bottlenecks in the country. The $28 million project received $22.6 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s High-Speed and Intercity Passenger Rail Program.
The Illinois Department of Transportation and Union Pacific will be upgrading Illinois’ high-speed route, Chicago-St. Louis, for future high-speed Amtrak trains, from April 16 through May 25. The improvements for 110-mph service include the installation of new premium rail with concrete crossties and ballast; upgrades to bridges, culverts and drainage; signal and wayside equipment installations and upgrades and roadway-rail grade crossing improvements.
From the editors at Railway Age
New York State Gov. Andrew Cuomo reportedly has brokered a deal with Republican state legislative leaders to fully fund the last three years of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s five-year capital plan.
Amtrak is reaching a milestone in its efforts to replace the existing 104-year old Niantic River Bridge in East Lyme, Conn., with the float-in of the new bascule lift span to the new alignment south of the existing bridge.
By the end of 2012, Amtrak expects to more than triple the number of track-miles on its own railroad where Positive Train Control safety technology is installed.
A motion by Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority First Vice Chair, Supervisor Michael Antonovich, supporting the Antelope Valley Line Infrastructure Improvement Strategic Plan was unanimously approved by the LACMTA Board of Directors.
Florida East Coast Industries, Inc., is developing a privately owned, operated and maintained passenger rail service to connect South Florida and Orlando, which will be operational in 2014.
Effective March 15, 2012, Norfolk Southern lowered the railroad operating speed limits on certain sections of the Michigan Line between Dearborn and Kalamazoo that handle both Amtrak’s passenger service and Norfolk Southern’s freight service. These lower speed limits, 25-30 mph, have been imposed to reflect the maximum safe operating speeds for the line, given the line’s condition.
Federal Railroad Administrator Joseph Szabo visited the Port of Vancouver to review early construction work on a critical rail connection that will link the Port of Vancouver to BNSF Railway’s east-west mainline.
Federal Railroad Administrator Joseph Szabo visited King Street Station in Seattle, Wash., to celebrate the Pacific Northwest Passenger Rail Corridor construction project, which will help increase the station’s capacity while transforming it into a modern transit hub.
John McPherson has been elected as a director to the Board of Las Vegas Railway Express, Inc.
“X” Train CEO/President Michael Barron said, “We are pleased that Mr. McPherson has joined our company on the board. He brings a very successful career to the company and an oversight role to our operations.”
Sustained public education efforts, engineering improvements and law enforcement programs have contributed to a nationwide reduction in vehicle-train collisions and pedestrian-train deaths and injuries in 2011, according to Operation Lifesaver, Inc.
RailComm has provided a wireless remote control derail system at Amtrak’s Maintenance Facility near Miami, Fla. Two customized Local Control Panels, located within the maintenance building, provide wireless remote control to the derails.
Amtrak recently achieved Climate Registered status by successfully measuring its carbon footprint according to The Climate Registry’s best-in-class program, then having it third-party verified and reporting the data on The Registry’s website. With this status, Amtrak takes a major step toward reducing its energy usage, costs and carbon emissions.
Las Vegas Railway Express, Inc. (“X” Train) received support from the state of Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT) for the X Train as the viable short term conventional passenger rail project in the state of Nevada for the zero-five year time frame.