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.
RailComm has provided its Track Warrant Control (TWC) System for Chile’s Empresa de los Ferrocarriles del Estado (EFE). RailComm’s Domain Operations Controller train control system is used for dispatching and train management at two of EFE’s three dispatching centers.
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.
Daniel L. Brown, 76, of Glen Carbon, Ill., born July 29, 1935, in St. Louis, Mo., passed away on Saturday morning, April 21, 2012, at Anderson Hospital in Maryville, Ill.
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.
Union Pacific is enhancing Colorado’s transportation infrastructure by investing $4 million in the rail line that runs between Grand Junction and Cameo. The project is in progress and is scheduled to be completed by mid May.
International Asset Systems, provider of cloud-based solutions for intermodal transportation and global cargo container shipping, has equipped Florida East Coast Railway with its IAS® EquipmentRepair to modernize equipment maintenance and repair operations. Automating the maintenance and repair and re-billing processes is said to improve collections and provide compliance with FMCSA and other regulatory agencies.
Corporate Responsibility Magazine named CSX Corporation one of the country’s 100 Best Corporate Citizens.
This weekend, crews will begin work associated with the Loop Track Renewal project in Chicago and replace deteriorated rail and track components along the Wells and Van Buren elevated structure.
The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio approved construction authorization from the Ohio Rail Development Commission directing Norfolk Southern to install flashing lights and gates at the Union Street (524-663F) grade crossing in the city of Carlisle, Warren County.
The Maryland Transit Administration has made plans to complete repair projects for the light-rail system and the Washington Metropolitan Area Transportation Authority subway system.
The Board of Directors of the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency, which oversees all transportation in the city, including the Municipal Railway, approved the agency’s two-year budget for Fiscal Year (FY) 2013 and FY 2014. The fiscal year is July 1 to June 30.
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.
Bombardier Transportation has teamed up with the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority in a demonstration project to enhance the safety of rail transit workers at the track side.
Metropolitan Transportation Authority New York City Transit finished work at three Queens stations three days early, just in time for the weekend. Manhattan-bound platforms at Sutphin Blvd (Hillside Avenue), Briarwood-Van Wyck Blvd. and 75th Avenue reopened at 3 p.m. Friday, April 13 instead of 5 a.m. Monday, April 16 as originally scheduled.
Construction began on a new 3.9-mile modern streetcar line project that will directly connect thousands of commuters with Tucson, Ariz.’s major downtown employers, health care facilities, the University of Arizona and regional attraction.
This month, Southern California’s Metrolink will complete the first phase of implementation of a $1.6 million upgrade to its communication system that will provide passengers with more timely train schedule information and status updates at Metrolink train stations. The new system is now installed and operational on Metrolink’s San Bernardino, Orange County, Inland Empire-Orange County and 91 lines.
The North Carolina Department of Transportation will hold a citizens’ informational workshop regarding the proposed railway safety improvement project affecting railroad crossings on and between Carmon Road and Frieden Church Road in Guilford County. The workshop will be held from 5-7 p.m. on Tuesday, April 24.
Transportation Community Awareness and Emergency Response (TRANSCAER), a voluntary national outreach effort that focuses on assisting communities to prepare for and respond to a possible hazardous materials transportation incident, awarded six Class 1 railroads for its 2011 National Awards Recognition Program.