UP reaches safety milestone
Union Pacific employees capped a decade of safety improvement in 2011 by achieving a 1.15 reportable injury rate, the best performance on record in the company’s history.
Safety
TÜV Rheinland acquires Rail Safety Consulting
TÜV Rheinland Rail Sciences, a subsidiary of TÜV Rheinland in North America, has acquired Rail Safety Consulting, a company specializing in addressing the safety needs and regulations affecting modern electronic-based train control and signal systems.
NS Heartland Connector open for business
Norfolk Southern has cleared the way for more double-stack intermodal trains to use its Heartland Corridor with the opening this week of a newly improved double-stack rail line between Columbus and Cincinnati, Ohio. The Heartland Connector will reduce transit times by one to two days and increase service reliability for double-stack freight traveling to and from the Port of Virginia and Cincinnati and Detroit.
UIUC to lead rail-specific UTC
The U.S. Department of Transportation awarded a grant of $3.5 million to a multi-university consortium led by the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign to establish a rail transportation and engineering research center.
Three Ohio crossings to see improvements
The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio approved authorization from the Ohio Rail Development Commission, directing CSX, Norfolk Southern and Wheeling & Lake Erie Railway to install flashing lights and gates at grade crossings in Delaware, Jefferson and Lorain counties, respectively.
US DOT awards $77 million to University Transportation Centers
U.S. Department of Transportation awarded $77 million in grants to 22 University Transportation Centers to advance research and education programs that address critical transportation challenges facing the nation. The UTCs, which are located throughout the United States, conduct research that directly supports the priorities of the US DOT and the participating universities are a critical part of the national transportation strategy.
RailComm upgrades remote control yard system at BNSF Corwith
RailComm upgraded its existing yard system at BNSF Corwith’s mechanical facility in Chicago, Ill. RailComm’s Domain Operations Controller System is used to remotely control derails.
Three more unions ratify agreements with freight railroads
Members of the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, Blacksmiths, Iron Ship Builders, Forgers and Helpers; the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers; and the Sheet Metal Workers’ International Association have ratified new contracts with the nation’s largest freight railroads.
NTSB sends safety recs to FRA following rear-end collisions
The National Transportation Safety Board issued two safety recommendations to the Federal Railroad Administration related to five rear-end collisions in which crewmembers failed to operate their trains at the required restricted speed.
NYCT continues signaling and station work on Flushing Line
A continuation of upgrade and modernization work to the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority Flushing Line and its stations will necessitate suspension of 7 train service between Queensboro Plaza and Times Square for eleven weekends beginning January 21, as well as the full closure of the Court Square Station on the 7 line until April 2, 2012.
WMATA GM recommends budget that continues path of improvement
Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority General Manager and CEO Richard Sarles recommended operating and capital budgets for the next fiscal year that continue the authority’s path of improvement on safety and reliability, as well as provide more and enhanced service for rail and bus riders.
Sen. Feinstein: Combine High Speed Rail Authority with CalTrans
Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) urged California Governor Jerry Brown to act swiftly to improve the viability of high-speed rail in California by strongly supporting a plan to move the California High Speed Rail Authority into a transportation agency under the governor’s direction.
BLET members ratify national contract
By a margin of better than two-to-one, members of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen approved a new collective bargaining agreement with the National Carriers’ Conference Committee.
FRA announces proposed enhancements to Passenger Train Emergency Systems
The Federal Railroad Administration released proposed improvements to existing Passenger Train Emergency Systems regulations that could further protect occupants of passenger trains during emergencies.
GE acquires RMI
GE Transportation completed its acquisition of software provider RMI from The Carlyle Group. The acquisition significantly expands GE Transportation’s Software and Optimization Solutions business to serve railroad customers worldwide. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Letter From The Publisher
Dear Railway Track & Structures and Rail Group News readers,
Happy New Year. January 1 marked my first day as publisher of the Simmons-Boardman Rail Division, which consists of Railway Age, International Railway Journal and Railway Track & Structures.
Watco creates new division
Watco Companies, LLC, has created a new service division named Watco Compliance Services. Team members of this division will be tasked with providing a uniform and standardized approach to compliance, training and operational excellence throughout Watco.
NTSB reports U.S. transportation fatalities rose in 2010
Despite an overall downward trend in transportation fatalities in the United States, estimates for 2010 released by the National Transportation Safety Board reveal a rise in several categories, including motorcycles, medium and heavy trucks, buses, rail and pipeline.
“Though the NTSB continues to advocate for changes to address human factors, equipment and infrastructure improvements to prevent crashes, we continue to see far too many deaths each year,” said NTSB Chairman Deborah A.P. Hersman.
The data indicate that overall transportation fatalities decreased to 34,925 in 2010 from 35,994 in 2009.
Rail fatalities increased from 742 to 813, with the majority at grade crossings, though deaths on light, heavy and commuter rail rose from 229 to 253.
RailComm to provide remote control yard system at BNSF Longview
RailComm has been selected to provide its wireless remote control automation system at BNSF’s Longview facility in Washington.
ProTran1 wins $1.2 million contract in Australia
After three years of development, ProTran1 has been awarded a major contract from IMTRAM LTD in Australia to supply several wireless fail-safe bi-directional Portable Automatic Track Warning Systems, which will be used by several Australian railways all over the country for work zone protection.