News and Opinion

Dulles Metrorail advancing in northern Virginia

Those big bright lights in the skies above the Route 123 corridor of Tysons Corner, Va., near Tysons Corner Center and the Capital Beltway are really not giant holiday decorations or an early visit by Santa’s sleigh. Instead, they are the lights of crews building aerial bridges to carry the future Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project trains.Crews are working both day and night schedules, and the nighttime work illuminates the skies.

Phase 1 of the project includes three miles each of outbound and inbound aerial track in the Tysons Corner area.

The most visible work is now taking place along Route 123 near the Westpark Bridge, which connects the Galleria Drive area and Tysons Corner Center. Using a complex segmental bridge construction process involving huge cranes, crews from Rizzani de Eccher, headquartered in Italy, are using those horizontal cranes to erect the structures. Each truss is about 360 feet long and weighs 365 tons.

Two of the horizontal cranes are now in use and a third is being assembled adjacent to I-495. Early in 2011, crews will use it to build the bridges over the Beltway. This will take 11 to 12 months to complete. Also, aerial bridge construction will take place next year along Route 7 from the site of the Tysons Central 7 Station near SAIC and the Marshalls shopping center west to and joining more aerial bridges at the Dulles Toll Road intersection where tracks will then lead westward to Reston using the median of the Dulles International Airport Access Highway/Dulles Toll Road corridor.

The bridges are built by connecting large concrete segments that are approximately 20 feet by 16 feet by 10 feet deep, large enough for workers to work inside segments suspended in the air. Approximately 2,700 segments are being built at a construction site located at Washington Dulles International Airport.

Each segment is custom engineered to fit the design. Once fabricated, each segment is then transported from the airport via truck to the spot where it will be lifted into a span in Tysons Corner.

Also, tunnel miners in Tysons Corner reached a second major milestone on Dec. 3 with the completion of the excavation for the inbound tunnel to carry trains from the future Tysons Central 7 Metrorail Station near SAIC and Marshalls to the Tysons Central 123 Station at Route 123 and Tysons Boulevard. The parallel outbound tunnel was completed on Oct. 20.

Dulles Transit Partners, the design-build contractor for the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, which owns and manages the project, are self-performing the tunnel construction. So far, more than 150,000 man-hours have been poured into tunnel construction.

During the mining process many, many truckloads of muck were transported from the tunnels to Dulles Airport, where a rail yard will be built in Phase 2 of the Metrorail Project.

Tunnel crews have now started the next phase of construction, which includes waterproofing and installation of reinforced steel lining materials.
The tunnels will carry trains below the highest natural point in Fairfax County at the intersection of Routes 7 and 123.

A shotcrete plant at Route 123 and International Drive provided 20,000 yards of a special cement mix to build the tunnel rim. Approximately 100,000 cubic yards of muck were transported from the tunnel to Dulles Airport. At its deepest point, the tunnel is 35 feet below ground.

 

LaHood unveils New DOT Webpage on ‘Buy America’

U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood introduced a new U.S. Department of Transportation ‘Buy America’ webpage that will help American businesses reap the full benefits of the Obama Administration’s investments in transportation infrastructure. Speaking at a Building America’s Future Policy Forum in Charleston, S.C., Secretary LaHood announced this latest effort to promote Buy America compliance by consolidating and improving access to Buy America provisions across all DOT agencies on one centralized webpage.

The new site can be accessed at http://www.dot.gov/buyamerica.

"The Obama Administration is making historic investments in America’s infrastructure – investments that lay the foundation for our long-term economic health while creating good-paying jobs right now," said Secretary LaHood. "We’re also committed to maximizing the economic benefits of these infrastructure investments through Buy America provisions that keep American companies healthy and families working."

Buy America provisions ensure that transportation infrastructure projects are built with American-made products. Through Buy America, the Department of Transportation supports an entire supply chain of American companies and their employees, maximizing the economic benefit of infrastructure investments.

 

Locals want Canadian Pacific to pay for crossing improvements

Homeowners on White’s Beach Road in Ballston Lakes, N.Y., say they take their lives into their hands when they leave their homes, The Saratogian reports. For 18 households, leaving means crossing a set of railroad tracks that sees up to 20 trains go past each day. Only a few stop signs keep drivers from pulling in front of a train. The road is private, so no railroad crossing gates have ever been installed.



"There have been numerous accidents," said Herb Jackson, the resident who paved the road with funds raised from his neighbors. In fact, the bucket of his tractor was hit by a train years ago. "We’re really lucky someone hasn’t been killed out there," he said.



That, too, is the sentiment of the Canadian Pacific Railroad. "The railway’s contention is that these crossings present a serious safety risk," spokesperson Breanne Feigel said. Despite their agreement on the problem, none of the stakeholders can agree on the solution.



The railroad recently sent a letter to Judge Robert Rybak in the Office of Proceedings for the New York State Department of Transportation requesting that White’s Beach Road, as well as two other private Ballston roads – Saunders Lane Road and Connolly Road – be closed.



"We want to see the opportunity for the landowners to safely get to their property," Feigel said, but she also said the crossings would be closed if a land crossing agreement is not reached between the railroads and the residents. "It is in the interest of public safety."



The letter to Rybak and local politicians also states that, "For the past three years, the CP has unsuccessfully sought to engage in meaningful discussions with the homeowners regarding the safety, use and maintenance of the crossings."

It also points out that the railroad crossings all exist within the state’s proposed corridor for high-speed rail.



"When they say they’ve been trying to negotiate with us, that is a crock of malarkey," said Jackson. According to Jackson and two of his neighbors, the railroad approached them to sign a lease agreement for the land over the crossing, shifting responsibility for insurance and liability in case of accidents onto the property owners who maintain White Beach Road.



"Our lawyer said we would be foolish to sign that agreement," said Al Eaton, Jackson’s neighbor.



"This road is not going to be closed," said Don Nash, who lives on Ballston Lake alongside Eaton and Jackson. "It’s about who is going to pay for it."



According to Ballston Town Supervisor Patricia Southworth, a railroad crossing will cost $300,000.



"I think, like any other economic development, they are responsible for making the upgrades necessary to make the project viable," Southworth said. She highlighted recent developers in Ballston who have been required to conduct extensive traffic safety studies to evaluate what upgrades they will ultimately be responsible for making to the infrastructure surrounding their development. "I don’t understand why the railroads would be any different."



One option the parties have considered is the town taking over the roads in order to capitalize on federal funds available for railway crossings.



Both Saunders Lane Road and Connolly Road are gravel roads, and even White’s Beach Road, despite being paved, does not meet town road standards. That means the town would need to pay for the narrow roads to be upgraded.

"We’re talking millions of dollars," Southworth said.



"We don’t want to pay for it and the town shouldn’t have to pay for it," Jackson said. "If the judge decides we’re on the hook for it, it’s going to be a fight."



A public hearing is scheduled for January 6 in Ballston to decide "whether closure or modifications of these crossings are in the best interest of the people of the state of New York," according to a notice from the Office of Proceedings.



Feigel said the thing that gets lost in many of these discussions is that it represents progress.

"It benefits the public and it benefits the state," she said. 

"We’re not holding up progress," Jackson said, "We just want them to fix the road and make it safe."


Overhaul of Jay Street Complex re-connects downtown Brooklyn

Overhaul of a critical subway hub in downtown Brooklyn has been completed. The project included a complete renovation of the Jay Street/Borough Hall A, C, F station; a new free connection between that station and the Lawrence Street/MetroTech R station; ADA accessibility for both stations; a new "Arts for Transit" installation; and the re-naming of the entire complex as "Jay Street/MetroTech." Metropolitan Transportation Authority officials were joined by community and elected officials today for a ribbon-cutting event.

The Jay Street/Lawrence Street rehabilitation project took four years to finish and cost $164.5 million.

The project is vital to the continued growth of downtown Brooklyn. For the first time, customers can transfer between A, C and F lines at Jay Street to R line trains at Lawrence Street. The new transfer provides a strategic connection between multiple routes in Brooklyn. The R train has existing cross-platform connections at DeKalb Avenue to the B, Q, N and D routes so connecting it to the A, C and F Lines offers several convenient travel options. It is projected that approximately 35,000 customers will use the transfer each day.

"The new Jay Street/MetroTech station dramatically improves the way that New Yorkers travel to and through Downtown Brooklyn," said MTA Chairman Jay H. Walder. "We’ve providing a host of new travel options, improving the customer experience with new amenities and making the Jay and Lawrence Street stations connected and accessible to the disabled for the first time. These stations are only steps apart, yet they’ve stood unconnected since 1933. That changes today."

The rehabilitation also includes reorganization of the fare control areas to improve customer flow, reorganization of the station rooms, a power upgrade, new lighting throughout the complex, a new communication system, new flooring, new wall tiles, painting throughout and art work chosen by MTA Arts for Transit.

Metro Transit projects bring millions

Officials from the Federal Transit Administration visited the North Hanley Metro Transit Center in St. Louis, site of the second project Metro has successfully completed using funds from the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act. Officials highlighted the positive impact of these ARRA investments, applauded Metro for its role in delivering the projects and discussed the additional $35 million in planned ARRA investments coming to the region’s transit system in 2011.

This most recent project, near the intersection of North Hanley and I-70, improved overall parking, parking for commuters with disabilities and bus access at the station. The work not only enhanced transit facilities for Metro customers, but also supported the local economy by using local contractors, including general contractor Byrne & Jones Construction.

Brian Goggins, president of Byrne & Jones Construction, noted, "With construction pricing now very competitive, it’s a great time for facilities improvement projects. Our work on the North Hanley facility will extend its useful life for decades, and we were thrilled to have the chance to work with Metro on the project, which also helped keep great people working."

Looking ahead to 2011, more than $35 million in additional ARRA funds will provide an economic boost to the area as work shifts into high gear on additional projects that will enhance the region’s transit system. The most significant of the projects slated to begin in 2011 is the rehabilitation of the Eads Bridge, which will represent an investment of at least $24.5 million in ARRA funds for the region. With time and weather having deteriorated the structural integrity of the masonry and steel elements of the bridge, this ARRA project will replace and repair critical structural elements and apply a protective coating on the steel that will protect the 136-year-old structure for decades into the future. The repairs will be critical to preserving this St. Louis landmark, which not only serves as an important connection between Missouri and Illinois, but is also a vital part of the region’s highway and public transit systems.

Geotechnical testing begins in LA

Today the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority will begin conducting geotechnical tests at more than 200 locations along the planned alignment of the Westside Subway Extension as the next step for planning and engineering the project.

Work will include soil, seismic, noise and vibration tests to be completed over a two-to-three month period. The data collected will help determine the exact route the project will ultimately take through Beverly Hills, Century City and Westwood. The first tests will be conducted in the Westwood area where work permits have been secured.

The project will be conducted along the entire planned alignment from Western Avenue to the Westwood/VA Hospital but will begin in the Beverly Hills, Century City and Westwood areas.

Geotechnical work will build on the data gathered during the previous draft environmental review phase. The new tests will provide the project team with additional soil and seismic information that is needed to narrow the route down to one. The geotechnical data gathered from the tests will be used to make recommendations about the best, safest and most effective ways to design and build the subway extension.

Metro expects to finish the final environmental review stage of the project in the next year.

METRO Subway begins repairs in Md.

Metro Subway platform repairs at the Owings Mills Station in Baltimore, Md. have started.

Some sections of concrete have started to show signs of wear and damage after 27 years of service. Those platform sections will be repaired and the yellow safety tiles will be replaced.

The work will provide passengers a more secure boarding area. The work started December 3 and will be completed by mid-January. Boarding passengers will be directed past construction barricades by signs, station and train announcements and MTA employees.

Work will be done from 10:00 p.m. until 4:00 a.m. on weekdays in order to avoid passenger delays. Weekend work is scheduled 10:00 p.m. Friday until 4:00 a.m. Monday. The project will periodically close one track at the Owings Mills Metro Subway Station but will not interfere with scheduled service.

D.C. Metro readies for platform rehabilitation

Beginning Friday, Dec. 17, and continuing through January, Metro will conduct continuous, round-the-clock daily platform rehabilitation work at the Shady Grove Metrorail station in Washington, DC, in effort to return it to a state of good repair, to ensure service reliability and improve safety.

Metro officials are expediting platform rehabilitation repairs to take advantage of traditionally lighter passenger counts during the holidays and to ensure completion of the work prior to the start of the tourist season.

The work involves replacing deteriorated sections of the platform edges with new concrete. Once the platform repairs are made, Metro will turn its attention to replacing the paver tiles with new surface platform tiles in the spring timeframe. The platform repair and rehabilitation work will require Red Line trains to share one track during this rehabilitation effort at the Shady Grove Metrorail station. 


Metro recently completed 1,200 feet of platform rehabilitation work at the Rockville Metrorail station. The platform work is a small part of the larger $213 million comprehensive Red Line rehabilitation program, which runs through 2013, and is focused on bringing the rail system back to a state of good repair to help ensure and improve service reliability.

Ontario-Quebec Corridor Trains to get Wi-Fi service

Nomad Digital has been selected to enhance Wi-Fi service for customers on VIA Rail Canada’s Ontario-Quebec Corridor passenger trains. Under the five-year, $6.3 million contract, Nomad will design, install, operate, and maintain the Wi-Fi infrastructure for VIA Rail, which will keep passengers connected and entertained throughout their journey. The federal government is providing capital funding for this project, including $3 million through its Economic Action Plan.

"Reliable mobile internet access has become an essential part of daily life for many Canadians, especially for business travelers," said Rob Merrifield, Canada’s minister of State. "This is an important step in ensuring that Canada’s passenger rail service responds to their needs."

VIA President Marc Laliberté noted that "VIA was one of the first passenger services in North America to provide on-board Wi-Fi access to customers. Now we are upgrading that service with the latest wireless technologies, higher network speeds and a consistent broadband connection. This means that passengers will soon be able to enjoy feature films, television series and documentaries from the comfort of their seats, using their own laptops, for their entire trip."

Nomad’s wireless technology has been extensively tested in the Corridor since the spring of 2010. When it is fully implemented, the infrastructure will allow VIA to offer additional value-added services to customers, such as on-board entertainment, and provide a wireless platform for VIA’s on-train personnel. Design and installation of the enhanced service will commence shortly and continue through much of 2011.

 

Amtrak Cascades services north of Seattle affected by area mudslide

Due to an additional mudslide north of Seattle, Amtrak Cascades service between Seattle and Vancouver, B.C., will be canceled on December 14 and 15. Amtrak will continue to monitor the weather conditions and will provide additional updates as necessary.

Also, Sounder commuter train riders to Edmonds, Mukilteo and Everett, Wash., will need to take special bus service from Seattle after mudslides closed northline tracks. Southline Sounder service is not affected and will operate on normal schedule.

Local media report that weekend mudslides unleashed by torrential rains in western Washington state prompted railroad officials to shut down passenger train service on several major Pacific Northwest routes. Amtrak trains were halted on Sunday as a safety precaution while crews cleared debris from tracks and inspected rain-soaked rail beds and adjacent slopes for stability, said Gus Melonas, spokesman for BNSF, which owns and operates the region’s rail lines. Except for a few brief interruptions over the weekend, BNSF managed to keep its freight traffic moving through the region by diverting those trains onto rail lines that remained unaffected by slides, he said.

Three large mudslides triggered by heavy showers struck western Washington on Saturday, one of them sweeping car-sized boulders onto a rail line in the Columbia River Gorge-area of Wishram, Wash., Melonas said. A series of smaller slides blocked rail traffic on Saturday north of Seattle and near the Skykomish River on Sunday, he said. As a result, passenger service was suspended for 48 hours on three major Amtrak routes — the Amtrak Cascades line from Portland, Ore., to Vancouver, B.C.; the Coast Starlight train between Seattle and Los Angeles and the Empire Builder connecting Portland and Seattle with Chicago, Amtrak said.

Union Pacific joins GEMI

The Global Environmental Management Initiative adds new member company, Union Pacific Railroad.

"We are pleased to welcome Union Pacific Railroad to GEMI," said GEMI Chair, Moe Bechard, vice president, Global Environment Health and Safety, Diversey, Inc. "Each GEMI member company brings an integral and unique perspective, and we look forward to the addition of Union Pacific, and the valuable insight they will bring to the organization."

Union Pacific will be represented by: Bob Grimaila, vice president – safety, security and environment; Joel Strafelda, general manager, environmental management; Robert Toy, director, environmental strategies; Mark Reimers, director, environmental operations; and, Melissa Hagan, regional environmental counsel.

"GEMI’s mission of business helping business achieve environmental sustainability excellence aligns very well with Union Pacific’s environmental management strategies and practices," said Grimaila. "We look forward to collaborating with GEMI members from other industries as we continue to improve our role as an environmentally responsible freight transportation leader."

GEMI Membership Chair, Lindell Sneed concluded, "On behalf of GEMI, I would like to welcome Union Pacific to GEMI. GEMI is an organization that is dedicated to providing strategies and solution tools to help businesses improve their environmental sustainability initiatives. Union Pacific will be an excellent addition to GEMI, and we are confident that their participation will enrich the organization as a whole."

RTD offers Army veterans guaranteed opportunities

The U.S. Army and the Regional Transportation District in Denver, Colo., are looking toward the future, offering Army veterans a foot in the door with guaranteed interview opportunities with the Partnership for Youth Success Program.

The PaYs program is a partnership between a cross section of corporations, companies and public sector agencies, which provides America’s youth with an opportunity to serve their country while they prepare for their future. It allows soldiers to reconnect with America and have employment with leading employers using skills learned in the Army. Currently there are 300-plus corporations who participate in the PaYs program.

"Army veterans are trained and dedicated with skills in not only a specific job, but leadership skills as well. These skills are an asset to many companies once they finish their commitment to the Army," said Lt. Col. Dionne Wilson, Denver Army recruiting battalion commander. "These soldiers have committed themselves to the Army, and have done service here and abroad and can adjust to many jobs, environments and situations."

 

IDOT Selects path for Amtrak service to Rockford

The Illinois Department of Transportation selected the proposed southern route for Amtrak’s new Chicago-Rockford-Dubuque service from Chicago’s Union Station to downtown Rockford. The $60 million service will create 650 construction jobs, with trains running by early 2014.

"Illinois is committed to creating jobs and promoting economic development by linking our cities, businesses and universities through passenger rail," said Governor Pat Quinn. "The selection of the southern route does the best job of accomplishing those goals safely and cost effectively."

The selection of routes was based on an independent study by the Decatur office of URS Corp., one of the country’s top engineering design firms. The analysis showed that the southern route through Genoa, Ill. will require a $26.2 million investment in upgraded infrastructure between Chicago and Rockford. Similar improvements on the proposed northern route through Belvidere, Ill. would cost $62.3 million, raising the total cost of the route to more than $96 million. The study also determined an estimated annual ridership of 76,357 on the southern route compared to 54,988 on the northern route.

Safety was another deciding factor in the study. The southern route will cross 143 roads and highways. The northern route would cross 176. The southern route also will see fewer delays using only two railroads, while the northern route would require using four railroads.

"The southern route offers the best deal for travelers and taxpayers," Illinois Transportation Secretary Gary Hannig said. "After much deliberation, we are excited to start service to an underserved part of the state."

The Chicago-Rockford-Dubuque line marks the return of passenger rail to the Rockford area for the first time since 1981. Trains will run at least one round-trip daily between Chicago’s Union Station and Dubuque, with stops in Elgin, Genoa, Rockford and Galena.

U.S. Department of Transportation redirects $1.195 billion

The $1.195 billion in high-speed rail funds, originally designated for Wisconsin and Ohio, will be redirected to other states eager to develop high-speed rail corridors across the United States.

Wisconsin has suspended work under its existing high-speed rail agreement and the incoming Governors in Wisconsin and Ohio have both indicated that they will not move forward to use high-speed rail money received under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. As a result, $1.195 billion will be redirected to high-speed rail projects already underway in other states.

"High-speed rail will modernize America’s valuable transportation network, while reinvigorating the manufacturing sector and putting people back to work in good-paying jobs," said Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. "I am pleased that so many other states are enthusiastic about the additional support they are receiving to help bring America’s high-speed rail network to life."

The Recovery Act included $8 billion to launch a national high-speed rail program that will modernize America’s transportation network, spur economic development domestically and keep the U.S. competitive with other leading nations. High-speed rail grants announced under the Recovery Act can be used only for high-speed rail projects and not for other transportation projects.

The $1.195 billion originally designated for those high-speed rail projects in Wisconsin and Ohio will now be used to support projects in the following states:

* California: up to $624 million
* Florida: up to $342.3 million
* Washington State: up to $161.5 million
* Illinois: up to $42.3 million
* New York: up to $7.3 million
* Maine: up to $3.3 million
* Massachusetts: up to $2.8 million
* Vermont: up to $2.7 million
* Missouri up to $2.2 million
* Wisconsin: up to $2 million for the Hiawatha line
* Oregon: up to $1.6 million
* North Carolina: up to $1.5 million
* Iowa: up to $309,080
* Indiana: up to $364,980

Norfolk Southern CEO Wick Moorman named Railway Age Railroader of the Year

Charles W. "Wick" Moorman, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Norfolk Southern Corporation, has been named 2011 Railroader of the Year by Railway Age.

"Wick Moorman provides the strong leadership that has enabled Norfolk Southern to make great strides in areas that are critical to the future of the railroad industry," said Railway Age Editor William C. Vantuono. "In addition to performing solidly, controlling costs, improving productivity and continuing to invest in growth capital in a recessionary economy, Norfolk Southern has excelled in technological innovation and development of public-private partnerships. Among the many examples of these accomplishments are the railroad’s building and testing of an all-electric, battery-powered yard locomotive and opening the Heartland Corridor, a major intermodal artery developed in partnership with several states. Norfolk Southern is strongly positioned for growth and is an example of why railroads are increasingly the mode of choice for the nation’s transportation needs. This is why we have chosen Wick Moorman as our 2011 Railroader of the Year."

"I am honored by this recognition. It reflects on the entire Norfolk Southern team-talented, dedicated, and committed to safety-who make our company a success. They are the very best in the business, and I’m proud to be one of them," said Moorman.

Wick Moorman is Railway Age’s 48th Railroader of the Year. Modern Railroads magazine founded the award, one of the most prestigious in the railroad industry, in 1964 as the "Man of the Year." Railway Age acquired Modern Railroads in 1991 and has presented the award annually since then. Moorman will be honored on March 15, 2011, at Chicago’s Union League Club. He follows in the footsteps of several railroad industry icons from the Norfolk Southern, Norfolk & Western and Southern railroads: Stephen C. Tobias (2008), David R. Goode (2005 and 1998), Arnold B. McKinnon (1990), L. Stanley Crane (1974) and D. W. Brosnan (1964), the first Railroader of the Year.

Railway Age will tell the story of Wick Moorman and the remarkable, innovative organization he leads at Norfolk Southern with a cover story in the magazine’s January 2011 issue.


Railroader of the Year recipients under Modern Railroads:

1964: D. W. Brosnan, Southern Railway System
1965: Stuart T. Saunders, Pennsylvania Railroad Co.
1966: Stuart T. Saunders, Pennsylvania Railroad Co.
1967: Louis W. Menk, Northern Pacific Railway
1968: William B. Johnson, Illinois Central Railroad
1969: John W. Barriger, Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad
1970: John S. Reed, Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway
1971: Jervis Langdon, Jr., Penn Central Transportation Co.
1972: Charles Luna, United Transportation Union
1973: James B. Germany, Southern Pacific Transportation Co.
1974: L. Stanley Crane, Southern Railway System
1975: Frank E. Barnett, Union Pacific Railroad
1976: Dr. William J. Harris, Jr., Association of American Railroads
1977: Edward G. Jordan, Conrail
1978: Robert M. Brown, Union Pacific Railroad
1979: Theodore C. Lutz, Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority
1980: John G. German, Missouri Pacific Railroad Co.
1981: Lawrence Cena, Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway
1982: A. Paul Funkhouser, Family Lines Rail System
1983: L. Stanley Crane, Conrail
1984: Hays T. Watkins, CSX Corp.
1985: John L. Cann, Canadian National
1986: Raymond C. Burton, Jr., Trailer Train Co.
1987: Willis B. Kyle, Kyle Railways
1988: Darius W. Gaskins, Jr., Burlington Northern
1989: W. Graham Claytor, Jr., Amtrak
1990: Arnold B. McKinnon, Norfolk Southern
1991: Mike Walsh, Union Pacific Railroad

Recipients under Railway Age:

1992: William H. Dempsey, Association of American Railroads
1993: Raymond C. Burton, Jr., TTX Co.
1994: L. S. "Jake" Jacobson, Copper Basin Railway
1995: Edwin Moyers, Southern Pacific Transportation Co.
1996: Robert D. Krebs, AT&SF, and Gerald Grinstein, Burlington Northern
1997: Paul M. Tellier, Canadian National
1998: David R. Goode, Norfolk Southern
1999: Edward A. Burkhardt, Wisconsin Central Transportation Co.
2000: The Railroad Worker (award presented as "Railroader of the Century" for 2000)
2001: Michael R. Haverty, Kansas City Southern Railway
2002: E. Hunter Harrison, Canadian National/Illinois Central
2003: Richard K. Davidson, Union Pacific Railroad
2004: Robert J. Ritchie, Canadian Pacific Railway
2005: David R. Goode, Norfolk Southern
2006: Richard F. Timmons, American Short Line & Regional Railroad Association
2007: William E. Wimmer, Union Pacific Railroad
2008: Stephen C. Tobias, Norfolk Southern
2009: Michael J. Ward, CSX
2010: Matthew K. Rose, BNSF
2011: Wick Moorman, Norfolk Southern

NCRR trains to increase speed

After months of work along the North Carolina Railroad through downtown Kinston, payoff should come to motorists after December 20 with fewer delays thanks to speedier trains through town. According to NCRR, even the slight increase in speed will make train passage through downtown more efficient and reduce delays at crossings.

"Thirty miles per hour doesn’t sound fast, but it means trains pass through three times faster than before," said Scott Saylor, NCRR president. "Thanks to this work on track realignment in Kinston over the last few months, we now have a straighter section of track with better clearance which can accommodate trains at 30 mph rather than 10 mph. Motorists should experience shorter delays at crossings in the next few weeks as train speed increases."

This project and others in the area represent improvements to enhance safety, speed and promote economic development on the NCRR and for the communities it serves. The rail line through Kinston carries three to five freight trains per day.

KCSR/KCSM establish international rail operations support team

KCSR/KCSM have established a new international rail operations support team at corporate headquarters in Kansas City, Mo. This team will further support the one network-one team concept by managing the demurrage, waybill and Management Control System functions in support of the KCSR customer solutions, KCSM customer service and KCSR and KCSM transportation teams, sharing best practices on both sides of the border.

The new group is led by director international rail operations support Kelly King, who joins KCS following a career with the U.S. Army.

The international rail operations support group joins the service design, asset management and equipment distribution functions, which report to assistant vice president network services Greg Walling.

"The addition of this team will further improve our efficiency and effectiveness in operating as a single network and providing optimal service to our customers," said Walling.

Five-mile rail line changes ownership

The smallest railroad in Grand Island, Neb., Cornhusker Railway, has changed ownership and is now FreightCar Short Line.

The five-mile line at the former Cornhusker Army Ammunition Plant runs between Union Pacific tracks at Alda, Neb., and the Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad near Abbott, Neb., passing along the east edge of the former ammunition plant.

The transaction took place along with the recent sale of DTE Rail Services, a railcar repair facility that has been the line’s only customer, to FreightCar Rail Services LLC.

The shortline was purchased in September from Cornhusker Railways LLC, an affiliate of DTE Rail Services, by FreightCar Short Line, created as part of the DTE-FreightCar Rail Services transaction.

Randy Quaife, vice president of marketing and sales for FreightCar Rail Services, said that major landowners in the former ammunition plant are the Grand Island Economic Development Corp. and Southern Public Power District, both of which are working to bring new industries to the area.

More than 15 miles of track in the ammunition plant area are also owned by FreightCar Short Line, said Quaife.

R.J. Corman prepares for Appalachian project

R.J. Corman Railroad Group moves forward with a railroad renovation project in three states, Kentucky, Tennessee and Virginia.

An expected 50 jobs will be created by the project in Kentucky alone.

RJ Corman Railroad Group’s Vice President of Strategic Planning and Development Noel Rush says the Appalachian Regional Shortline project will commence within two months and include bridge repairs and replacement of thousands of ties.

The project will receive $17.5 million in federal stimulus money, with nearly $13 million being used for work in Kentucky alone. RJ Corman will contribute about $3 million, with the state supporting the endeavor with $200,000.

Oklahoma shortline eyes more repair work

An additional two locations along the Union Pacific line between Shawnee, Okla. and Oklahoma City, Okla. may be renovated. Bids for four "critical locations" along the 38-mile line cost less than what was anticipated, said Edward Landreth, a consulting civil engineer for Arkansas & Oklahoma Railroad, who leases the line.

Bids for the four locations totaled about $2.6 million, he said, adding he estimated about $3 million for the project initially.

"It’s possible to extend the contract for two or three more locations," Landreth said.
There is still about $1.5 million left from the stimulus grant, he added.

"We just started the fourth of the original four locations," he said.

With a possibility of improving more additional locations, Landreth said he would need to talk with R&R Contracting about completing more than the original four at the same contracted rate.

Last week, Landreth said the Oklahoma Department of Transportation inspected the job and authorized two other locations for possible inclusion with the rest of the money.

As the contract currently stands, the fourth location should be completed between Christmas Day and New Year’s Day, Landreth said. If work continues, it would begin the first week of January and be completed by the middle of March, he said.