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.

Metra backs away from moving Ravenswood station






Residents on Ravenswood
Avenue on Chicago’s North Side were so upset by the idea of a Metra station
closer to their homes that they complained to officials, circulated a petition,
formed an association and hired an attorney, the Chicago Tribune reports. Their
efforts seem to have worked.

DOT Secretary LaHood, TSA Administrator Pistole visit TTCI






Secretary Ray LaHood’s made
his first visit to his research and testing facility on July 28, 2010. FRA
Associate Administrator for Safety Jo Strang, AAR President & CEO Ed
Hamberger and TTCI President Roy Allen quickly welcomed the Secretary to the
site with a brief history lesson and an update on various safety related research
and testing programs performed under interagency agreement.

WMATA weekend renovation to improve reliability, service






July 30-August 1,m
Washington, D.C., Metro will make upgrades to its track, platforms and bridges
on the Red, Blue, Yellow and Orange lines to improve reliability and service.
As a result of this crucial work aimed at keeping the railroad in a state of
good repair, riders can expect delays of up to 30 minutes. 



Green light for LACMTA’s Expo Line






Citing extensive safety
improvements, state regulators cleared the way for completion of the first leg
of the Expo light rail project by approving a controversial street-level
crossing next to Dorsey High School, the Los Angeles Times reports.

UP’s Duffy to retire; Fritz named executive vice president-operations






Union Pacific said
Dennis J. Duffy, vice chairman – Operations, has declared his intention to
retire this fall.  Duffy joined the
company in 1973 and held positions in the finance, marketing & sales, and operating
departments during his career. He is the longest-serving head of Union Pacific’s
Operating department in company history, serving since 1998.

TriMet opens first Bike & Ride at Sunset Transit Center






TriMet in Portland, Ore.,
opened its first Bike & Ride facility at the Sunset Transit Center. The
Bike & Ride provides secure parking for 74 bikes and helps more cyclists
make connections to bus and MAX. The facility features BikeLink keycard access
and security cameras.

U.S. Dot to provide $46.5 Million for Wisconsin high-speed rail






U.S. Transportation
Secretary Ray LaHood and Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle signed an agreement
providing $46.5 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds for
work to continue on the state’s aggressive high-speed rail program. The funding
is the latest installment from the $822 million that President Obama announced
for Wisconsin high-speed rail from the Recovery Act in January.

Seattle University Link project update






Late next year, the first
Tunnel Boring Machine will arrive at Pine Street from Capitol Hill. To prepare
for the TBM, ground stabilization (jet grouting) is needed in Pine Street, west
of the Paramount Theatre. Starting in early August and lasting through
September, a lane reduction is needed on Pine Street between 9th and Boren
avenues. The eastbound lane of Pine Street between 9th and Boren avenues will
be closed and traffic detoured to Pike Street. The two-westbound lanes will
remain open. In addition, the sidewalk on the south side of the Pine Street
between 9th and Boren avenues will be closed to pedestrians.

BNSF’s Chihuahuita Connection represents “win-win”






The completion of BNSF
Railway’s Chihuahuita Connection represents a "win-win" for the railroad, the
Chihuahuita neighborhood, the City of El Paso, Texas, and rail customers using
the El Paso/Juarez border gateway.

MTA releases 2011 preliminary budget and four-year financial plan






The Metropolitan
Transportation Authority released its 2011 preliminary budget and proposed four-year
financial plan for 2011-2014. The proposed plan reflects unprecedented internal
cost cutting initiatives undertaken in response to a $900-million shortfall for
2010 resulting from cuts to state assistance and dramatic downturns in tax
revenue. These shortfalls amount to more than $2.5 billion over the plan
period.

Passenger rail vulnerable, GAO says






With intelligence
indicating that Al Qaeda and associated movements continue to express interest
in attacking U.S. mass transit systems, especially passenger rail and subway
systems, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) issued a redacted version
of a classified report on "explosives detection technologies [that] are
available or in development that could help secure passenger rail systems,"
according to the Homeland Security Today Website.

Railroad, Maine DOT in talks on track deal






The
state could buy 233 miles of northern Maine freight rail tracks slated for
abandonment within several weeks if it and track owner Montreal, Maine &
Atlantic Railway agree on a price, officials said July 28, according to the
Bangor Daily News. The railway and Maine Department of Transportation are
working to find common ground between DOT’s argument that the tracks and other
equipment are worth $18.1 million and MMA’s contention that they should fetch
$26.2 million as a whole or $23.7 million if broken into smaller pieces or
parcels.

New induction heating installation in Spain for high-speed turnouts






The
Spanish fixed-track material manufacturer, Talleres Alegria, invested in a new
induction heating installation for increasing its competitiveness in the high-speed
turnout market.

Railroad track being upgraded in Williamston, N.C.






The Greenville and
Western Railway Company has begun a track upgrade and maintenance project in
Williamston, N.C., local media report. The project is expected to be completed
by Aug. 15 and involves:

–Construction of two
retaining walls and roadbed stabilization near Gossett Drive;

–Replacement of bridge
timbers on the rail-highway overpass at Gossett Drive;

–Installation of new
ties south of Gossett Drive;

–Installation of 1/4-mile
of new and heavier-duty rail between the north end of the concrete bridge
behind Mineral Springs Park to just south of Prince Street; and

–The rebuilding of the
Prince Street rail-highway grade crossing.

Barrington, Ill., files briefs for appeal of CN purchase of EJ&E






Barrington, Ill., and other
communities and entities appealing aspects of Canadian National Railway’s
purchase of the Elgin, Eastern and Joliet Railway filed final briefs with the
U.S. Court of Appeals last week, the Barrington Courier Review reports. CN also
filed briefs, appealing certain aspects of the conditions for purchase set by
the federal government.

Countdown begins for Railway Interchange 2011






September 18-21, 2011,
marks the dates for Railway Interchange 2011, as Minneapolis hosts the first
North American event combining the technical conferences of AREMA (American
Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association) and CMA (Coordinated
Mechanical Associations), as well as the exhibits of RSI (Railway Supply
Institute), REMSA (Railway Engineering & Maintenance Suppliers
Association), and RSSI (Railway Systems Suppliers, Inc.).

BNSF consultants explain clean-up plans n Whitefish, Mont.






Clean-up work on the
upper reach of the Whitefish River will have a completely different look this
year, as BNSF continues to remove sediments contaminated by diesel spilled at
the railroad’s locomotive refueling station, the Whitefish Pilot
reports.

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