News and Opinion

Small North Carolina towns fret rail crossing closing plans






The railroad spawned a
string of towns north of Raleigh, N.C., in the 19th century, and now it
threatens to cut them in half, the News Observer reports. Many residents worry
that Youngsville, Franklinton, Henderson and Norlina will see little benefit
from a plan to run passenger trains between Raleigh and Richmond, Va., at
speeds up to 110 mph. The $2.3-billion project is part of a planned high-speed
rail corridor that would cut nearly two hours from train trips between North
Carolina and the Northeast.

Cleveland RTA repair work temporarily closing stations






In order to replace a
stairway, the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority is temporarily
closing the West 25th Red Line Rail station. The one-week project is
scheduled to close the station from August 11 through August 18. The Red Line
will continue to travel through this location, but passengers will not be able
to enter or exit through this station during the stairway construction project.

Temporary parking changes at BART Ashby Station due to construction






During the week of August 9
through August 13, some areas surrounding the BART Ashby Station will be
unavailable due to construction work on the Station Modernization Project.
There will be a crane in the north parking lot that will be moving steel into
position for construction during the day. A "safety area" will be set
up which will cut off access to part of the sidewalk, parking lot and roadway.
Access will also be cut off to the bicycle lockers under the Adeline Street
Plaza at the Concourse level.


New federal freight bill praised by green transportation group






A bill introduced July 30
in the U.S. House of Representatives could help transform America’s
transportation policy and investment by directing federal investment to
freight system projects that update the freight system and help reduce
freight’s environmental and health impacts, according to an environmental advocay group.

South Shore names Fox president






The Chicago South Shore
& South Bend Railroad said that Henry Lampe, president and CEO, would
retire at the end of October 2010. Succeeding him will be Andrew Fox, managing
director of Pacific Harbor Line and former PHL president since 1997.

Secretary LaHood announces $727,000 
for New York high-speed rail






U.S. Transportation
Secretary Ray LaHood said $727,000 would be coming for the State of New York to
continue work on its high-speed rail program with the rehabilitation of the
Buffalo-Depew railroad station. The Department of Transportation has provided
New York $1.7 million of the $151 million awarded under the American Recovery
and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) for high-speed rail.

New England states pursue joint plan to revamp rail system






A 20-year transportation
proposal to renovate more than 500 miles of passenger rail throughout New
England is anticipated to increase speed between stations while unclogging some
of the region’s congested highways, the Brattleboro, Vt., Reformer reports. The
ambitious project, running through Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont, is
designed to improve connection times and spark economic growth throughout the
Northeast.

BNSF proposes wind energy hub in Pasco, Wash.






BNSF wants to create a
wind energy hub in the Big Pasco Industrial Center, the Tri City Herald reports.
The railroad company, which operates one of North America’s largest rail
networks, with about 32,000 route miles in 28 states and two Canadian
provinces, recently proposed setting up a transload facility on Port of Pasco
land. The idea is to haul wind
turbine components by rail from production sites and deliver them to Pasco for
loading onto trucks for shipment to wind farm sites within 150 miles.

 

Rail line repair in Wharton, N.J., Roxbury, N.J., may be done in 4 months






The rehabilitation of the
Chester Branch Railroad, a four-mile
rail line extending from Wharton, N.J., and ending in Roxbury, N.J., is under
way and should be completed within four to five months, county officials said,
according to the Daily Record. The county Board of Freeholders in April awarded
a $5.1-million contract to the firm Railroad Construction Co. Inc., of Paterson
to rehabilitate the rail line, with the money coming from the American Recovery
and Reinvestment Act, part of the economic stimulus package.

Virginia makes deal with CSXT to advance DC-Richmond high-speed rail






Virginia and CSX
Transportation have reached an agreement about how to proceed with federal
stimulus spending on a new high-speed rail line between Washington and Richmond,
the Washington Post reports. A framework agreement over the $75-million project
has now been submitted to the U.S. Department of Transportation.

L.B. Foster Company extends of tender offer for Portec Rail Products






L.B. Foster Company said
that it is extending its previously announced cash tender offer, through its
wholly-owned subsidiary Foster Thomas Company, for all outstanding shares of
common stock of Portec Rail Products, Inc., until 12:00 midnight, New York City
time, on August 16, 2010. The tender offer was previously set to expire at midnight,
New York City Time on July 30, 2010.


Vossloh wins two big contracts in Libya






Vossloh has won two major
contracts worth together around 115 million euros ($115.6 million) in
connection with the construction of Libya’s new rail network. On behalf of
general contractor China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation, Vossloh
will equip around 1,300 km (806 miles) of the planned network with its fastening
systems and switches. Deliveries will extend from 2010 to 2012.

NS completes $21 million worth of track work in seven days in Pennsylvania






Earlier in July, Norfolk
Southern’s maintenance of way and structures department completed $21 million
in track, signal and bridge work in seven days on one if its primary coal lines
in southwestern Pennsylvania. The Mon Line extends approximately 85 miles from
Pittsburgh to coal mines in Washington and Greene counties. In 2009, almost 42
million tons of coal was transported over this rail line. Approximately 20
trains daily use the Mon Line.

Houston’s University light rail marks federal milestone






The NEW METRO in Houston has
received good news in the form of a federal Record of Decision on the
University light-rail line, signifying final approval of the environmental
review process on this 11.3-mile project. With this approval, METRO will
continue to evolve the design, engineering, utility coordination,
pre-construction planning work and ongoing FTA coordination needed to go
forward while renewing community outreach efforts to make sure the public
continues to be engaged in this historic project.

Push on for oversight of DC’s Metro






Maryland’s congressional
delegation is scheduled to meet July 30 with the chairwoman of the National
Transportation Safety Board, which issued a scathing report this week on an
"anemic safety culture" that contributed to last year’s deadly Metro
crash, the Gaithersburg, Md., Gazette reports. NTSB Chairwoman Deborah A.P.
Hersman recommended the federal government provide oversight for public transit
systems the way it does for railroad systems through the Federal Railroad Administration.

Joliet’s new intermodal welcomes first trains






Trains are scheduled to
begin rolling into Union Pacific’s new intermodal yard in Joliet, Ill., next
week, the Herald News reports. The Union Pacific facility is the anchor
operation for CenterPoint Intermodal Center-Joliet, a 4,000-acre industrial
park under development on the south end of the city.