Beijer Electronics, through its subsidiary Westermo, won a $SEK30 million (US$4 million) contract from Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority to provide its new solution for IP communication (Westermo IP-train solution).
U.S Rep. Bill Huizenga (R-MI), a member of the Financial Services Committee and strong rail advocate, joined Marquette Rail for a tour of its rail yard in Ludington, Mich., to show his support of the rail industry and the shortline railroad rehabilitation tax credit.
PS Technology, a wholly owned subsidiary of Union Pacific, has acquired the Yard Control Systems division of Ansaldo STS USA, which is based in Norristown, Pa. The acquisition boosts PST’s capabilities by adding rail yard process control and automation solutions.
Rail America has been using RailComm’s Domain Operations Controller (DOC) train control system to dispatch multiple subdivisions for their railroads since 2002. The DOC System at Rail America’s American Rail Dispatch Center will soon have the ability to dispatch based on Canadian Railroad Operating Rules (CROR). The new functionality is being designed in conjunction with Rail America personnel.
Forty-seven transportation projects in 34 states and the District of Columbia will receive a total of almost $500 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) 2012 program.
BNSF honored 98 shippers with the railroad’s 15th Annual Product Stewardship Award for the safe transportation of hazardous materials by rail during 2011.
New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority launched a new visual information campaign aimed at reminding subway customers how dangerous it is to stand too close to the tracks. The posters have begun appearing in subway cars this week, rotating through three different themes.
The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio approved construction authorization from the Ohio Rail Development Commission for the installation of flashing lights and gates at four grade crossings in Lucas, Medina and Ottawa counties. The upgrades will be made as follows:
No official word from the U.S. Department of Transportation has been released regarding awards of the fourth round of the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery, but news from various congressional offices is revealing what projects will benefit from the latest round of grants. The initial tally indicates rail related projects did not fare as well as they had in past TIGER funding cycles, but several key projects will see federal money.
The results of a study regarding railroad worker fatigue management, sleep and sleep disorders have been made publicly available. The website, titled “Railroaders’ Guide to Healthy Sleep” (www.railroadersleep.org), is the result of a collaborative project that began in 2010 between Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, Harvard Medical School, the WGBH Educational Foundation and the UTU. The final product reflects anonymous survey results from numerous BLET and UTU members.
Calling for action on the most critical safety issues facing Canada’s transportation system, the Transportation Safety Board of Canada released its new Watchlist.
“In 2010, the TSB’s first Watchlist became a blueprint for progress,” said Wendy Tadros, chair of the TSB. “Transport Canada and industry acted together and today, significant progress has been made on many of these important safety issues.””
In announcing its new Watchlist, Tadros added, “”We’ve removed issues where the risk has been reduced and left issues on the list where little or no progress has been made. The new Watchlist also features several emerging challenges, challenges that will need to be tackled to make Canada’s transportation system safer.”
The board reported progress in six key areas: emergency preparedness on ferries; voyage data recorders on vessels; the operation of longer, heavier trains; crashworthy data recorders on trains; advances in rail safety management systems; and planned improvements for cockpit voice recorders.
The Federal Railroad Administration proposed an addition of seven new Categorical Exclusions (CE) to its environmental procedures that will help expedite project delivery across the country. The proposed CEs, which were developed in coordination with the White House Council on Environmental Quality, are part of the Obama Administration’s on-going efforts to streamline government and allow job creators to break ground on shovel-ready projects months or even years faster without doing damage to the environment.
Union Pacific built a fleet of mobile classrooms to bring state-of-the-art operations and safety training to locomotive engineer and conductor locations across its 23-state system.
Congressman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), a member of the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee and a leading advocate for the freight rail, intercity passenger rail and rail transit industries, toured the corporate headquarters offices of RailWorks Corporation in Manhattan on Thursday, June 14.
Wabtec Corporation has acquired Mors Smitt Holding, a manufacturer of electronic components for rail and industrial markets, from the investment company Eurazeo PME, for about $88 million.
The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio approved construction authorization for the installation of flashing lights and gates at five grade crossings in Crawford, Cuyahoga, Logan and Seneca counties.
To all my faithful readers, this will be the last monthly installment of “Chicago Perspective.” I thank you for giving me a platform for 13 years where my thoughts, opinions, theories and assessments of the industry have been allowed to flourish.
Chicago, where I live and where RT&S is put together each month, represents various things to various people. To my grandfather, who worked with the American Angus Association, memories of the old Union Stockyards come to mind.
The Illinois Department of Transportation and Union Pacific are beginning the final phase of 2012 upgrades to Illinois’ signature high-speed route, Chicago-St. Louis, for future high-speed Amtrak trains.
