The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics added a new safety section to the Multimodal Transportation Indicators that will track seasonal and long-term rail fatality trends. The latest monthly rail data comes from the Federal Railroad Administration. The rail data exclude public grade-crossing accidents, eliminating double-counting that would occur with highway fatalities.
Amtrak is creating a new Emergency Management and Corporate Security department to integrate existing company-wide efforts into a single, cohesive unit to more effectively prepare for emergencies and disasters, mitigate effects and allow for fast and efficient response and recovery.
The National Association of Railroad Passengers 2012 Dr. Gary Burch Memorial Safety Award was presented by the Burch family to three Amtrak employees for their groundbreaking work on the monitoring of track conditions, reducing the risk of accidents and derailments. The award, which honors individuals who have significantly enhanced rail passenger safety, is sponsored by the family of Dr. Burch, who died in a 1991 passenger train derailment in South Carolina.
The Chicago City Council passed an ordinance to create the Chicago Infrastructure Trust, a way to leverage private investment for transformative infrastructure projects and guide the city’s renewal of these elements in the 21st century.
“Chicago will be a city that shapes its own destiny,” said Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel. “Nowhere is this more important than with our critical infrastructure needs. The Chicago Infrastructure Trust will allow us to consider transformative infrastructure projects and build a world-class infrastructure for our city.”
Mayor Emanuel announced the Trust on March 1, in an event in which he was joined by former President Bill Clinton.
The trust will provide advantaged financing, enabling each project to customize a financing structure using taxable or tax-exempt debt, equity investments and other forms of support. Each project will be coordinated with the city and its sister agencies’ long-term plan for transformational infrastructure investments.
The Chicago Infrastructure Trust was created with the private sector, non-profit organizations and union leaders. An amended ordinance was submitted this week, which calls for one Alderman to be on the trust’s board and clarifies that the trust will be completely subject to FOIA, Open Meetings laws and the city’s ethics ordinance.
The trust will require City Council approval for all projects and will operate as a non-profit organization as it seeks projects.
The trust passed by a vote of 41-7.
Amtrak long-distance equipment will now receive safety inspections, servicing and maintenance in an upgraded, more efficient and environmentally designed facility in Hialeah, Fla., that will dramatically improve capacity, efficiency and working conditions.
The Senate Committee on Appropriations approved the Fiscal Year 2013 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations bill by a vote of 28-1. The measure will now be reported to the full Senate for its consideration.
Amtrak named DJ Stadtler the new vice president of operations, overseeing the railroad’s transportation, engineering and mechanical departments, effective immediately.
The Federal Transit Administration celebrated Earth Day by unveiling a new environmental benefits website highlighting a commitment to investing in affordable, innovative and sustainable public transit alternatives that reduce the nation’s carbon footprint and help secure an independent energy future.
Amtrak is being recognized by the Transportation Security Administration for earning the agency’s Gold Standard on the railroad’s most recent Baseline Assessment for Security Enhancements (BASE). This designation recognizes Amtrak’s dedication to building a strong security program.
The completion of a CA$6.9 million (US$6.89 million) project to restore VIA Rail Canada’s heritage train station in Vancouver, B.C., was celebrated on April 13.
The California High-Speed Rail Authority Board passed a 2012 revised business plan that will provide for high-speed rail service within a decade, connect the state’s major metropolitan areas, utilize existing rail infrastructure in northern and southern California and provide earlier statewide benefits to commuters in the Bay Area and Los Angeles at a cost of $68.4 billion.
Washington and Oregon are creating a new partnership and will develop a plan for managing passenger-rail service between Eugene, Ore., and Vancouver, B.C., Canada, as one continuous rail corridor rather than two separate state operations. Transportation officials for each state signed an agreement as another step toward offering faster, more frequent Amtrak Cascades service.
Amtrak is on pace to set another new annual ridership record as passenger counts across its national network for the first six months of fiscal year 2012 (October 2011 – March 2012) are up 3.7 percent over the same period last year when the current record was established.
The Canadian government has set aside up to CA$7.5 million (US$7.48 million) for work on the restoration of the Vancouver Island Railway between Victoria and Courtenay, BC.
The Rhode Island Department of Transportation is planning a two-part improvement for the Providence Train Station. It’s a stop that has more than one million Amtrak and Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority commuter rail passengers who use it annually.
During Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee’s recent visit to Japan and South Korea, Japanese and South Korean officials both expressed interest in supporting and providing high-speed rail in the state of Texas. Congresswoman Jackson Lee is laying the groundwork to invite these officials to the 18th Congressional District to see first-hand the needs and plans for an expanded rail transportation system.
The demand for Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) 2012 grants have far surpassed the available funding, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation.
Federal Railroad Administrator Joseph Szabo reaffirmed the Obama Administration’s commitment to passenger rail and stressed the need for long-term planning to create market-driven passenger rail corridors while speaking at the Northern Flyer Alliance’s Passenger Rail Symposium at Kansas City’s Union Station.
Following work set to begin April 16, Amtrak Wolverine Service and Blue Water passengers can expect normal travel times on Norfolk Southern tracks in Michigan by early May.
For the past several months, Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority has been working to complete both planned and emergency construction projects on the Norristown High Speed Line.