Rail-related projects in eight states receive TIGER awards
Several rail-related projects across eight states will benefit from close to $90 million million in Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grants.
Track Construction
Indiana Rail Road: Regional with its eye on the big picture
Indiana Rail Road takes a serious approach to its capital investment strategy in order to plan for growth.
M-1 Rail begins welding track; receives TIGER grant
The M-1 Rail streetcar project in Detroit, Mich., has set up an assembly line near Cass Avenue to weld steel rail into about forty 560-foot-long strings of continuously welded rail (CWR).
Rail component of Sarah Mildred Long Bridge to benefit from $25-million TIGER grant
The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) will award $25 million in a Transportation Investment Generation Economic Recovery VI grant to the Maine Department of Transportation to replace the Sarah Mildred Long Bridge connecting Kittery, Maine, and Portsmouth, N.H.
Union Pacific plans rail replacement project near Chicago
Union Pacific will begin a major rail replacement project September 15 on its West Line, which serves freight and Metra passenger trains in Illinois.
IP Automation hosts Rep. Lamborn
U.S. Rep. Doug Lamborn (R-CO-05) joined representatives from IP Automation and the National Railroad Construction and Maintenance Association (NRC) for a tour of IP Automation’s manufacturing facility in Colorado Springs, Colo., on August 29.
Overpass opening marks completion of Roberts Bank Rail Corridor improvements
The official opening of the Mufford Crescent overpass marks the official completion of all nine Roberts Bank Rail Corridor (RBRC) infrastructure improvement projects in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia, Canada.
NYCT reopens Greenpoint Tube following five-week closure for repairs
Metropolitan Transportation Authority New York City Transit (NYCT) G Line service was restored on September 2 after a five-week suspension between Court Square and Nassau Avenue for maintenance crews to make Fix&Fortify resiliency repairs to the tubes, which were flooded and badly damaged during Superstorm Sandy nearly two years ago.
Chicago-St. Louis HSR receives a $102-million investment
Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn’s Illinois Jobs Now! capital program will make a $102-million investment to improve system performance and reliability on a key segment of the Chicago-to-St. Louis high-speed rail line.
Maryland DOT terminates agreement, pulls funding of CSX Morrell Park facility
The Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) said on Aug. 28 that it has terminated its agreement with CSX Transportation, Inc., and CSX Intermodal Terminals, Inc., (CSX) to attempt location of the Baltimore Rail Intermodal Facility at Morrell Park and has pulled all state funding from the project.
UP invests $20 million in Kansas’ infrastructure; begins double track project in Texas
Union Pacific will strengthen Kansas’ transportation infrastructure by investing $20 million in the rail line between Topeka and Kansas City, Kan. The project, funded entirely by Union Pacific, began June 16 and is scheduled to be completed by mid-November.
Oklahoma plans $100-million grade crossing safety initiative
The Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT) and Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin are implementing a new initiative to fast-track hundreds of projects to improve more than 300 rail crossings statewide and upgrade safety warning features on rail crossings.
Rocla opens new crosstie manufacturing facility
Rocla Concrete Tie, Inc. (RCTI), supplier of pre-stressed concrete ties, has opened a 30,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in San Jose Iturbide, Mexico.
Met Council receives federal OK to begin design of Blue Line extension
The Metropolitan Council received federal approval to begin designing the METRO Blue Line Extension northwest of Minneapolis, Minn., the region’s fourth light-rail transit project. Future approvals needed include approval to enter Final Engineering (anticipated late 2016) and approval of the Full Funding Grant Agreement (anticipated in 2018).
Massachusetts to purchase rail line for Knowledge Corridor project
The commonwealth of Massachusetts plans to purchase the Knowledge Corridor rail line between East Northfield and Springfield from Pan Am Southern, a joint venture of Pan Am and Norfolk Southern.
Mississippi River Intermodal Terminal construction contract awarded
The Port of New Orleans Board of Commissioners awarded a $13.3-million construction contract to Hard Rock Construction LLC for the Mississippi River Intermodal Terminal improvement project. Hard Rock Construction, of Metairie, La., was the lowest of eight bidders.
LACMTA prepares for Blue Line station and track overhaul
Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA) will begin work on a major upgrade and modernization of the Blue Line in downtown Long Beach September 20.
Next phase of LIRR’s Massapequa Station improvements scheduled
Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) Long Island Rail Road’s (LIRR) $40-million improvement project at Massapequa Station will enter its next phase August 25 with work shifting to the station’s east end.
Track rehabilitation results in higher speeds along KCS’ Gulfport to Hattiesburg Line
Effective September 1, Kansas City Southern will increase train speed on portions of its line from Gulfport to Hattiesburg, Miss., from 25 miles per hour to 49 miles per hour.
Illinois grade separation in Lynwood breaks ground
Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn joined local and state officials August 19 to break ground on a $29.6-million grade separation project in Lynwood, Ill., which will improve traffic flow and safety at the U.S. Route 30 and Canadian National crossing.