CTA begins Blue Line overhaul this weekend
The Chicago Transit Authority’s Your New Blue track and station improvement program for the Blue Line O’Hare branch will begin this weekend, with track closures between Western and Logan Square.
Ballast, Ties, Rail
RTD FasTracks breaks ground on North Metro Rail Line
Denver Regional Transportation District’s (RTD) FasTracks broke ground March 20 on the North Metro Rail Line, a new passenger rail service that will improve transit options for Denver’s northern communities when it opens in 2018.
NJ mayors band together for light rail extension
Englewood, N.J., Mayor Frank Huttle III, along with 11 other mayors in the state have formed a mayors’ commission to spearhead a plan to extend the northern portion of New Jersey Transit’s Hudson-Bergen Light Rail Line through Bergen County.
Study puts price of New Orleans to Baton Rouge passenger train at $262 million
A study by HNTB Corp. indicates that a passenger train linking New Orleans and Baton Rouge, La., on existing freight tracks, with stops in between, could begin two daily trips, ultimately growing to regular service with a possible station near the New Orleans International Airport.
Maintaining ballast
Technological advancements are being incorporated into North American ballast maintenance products and services.
CREATE keeps Chicago rail moving
In it’s 11th year, the CREATE program continues its capacity and safety enhancements to secure Chicago’s place in a strong national rail network.
UP performing $4.5 million in trackwork between Nebraska and Iowa
Union Pacific will strengthen transportation infrastructure in Nebraska and Iowa by investing nearly $4.5 million in the rail line between Omaha, Neb., and near Missouri Valley, Iowa. The project, funded entirely by Union Pacific, began March 5 and is scheduled to be completed by the end of May.
UNITRAC, NRC host Rep. Duncan for Knoxville facility tour
U.S. Rep. John Duncan, Jr. (R-TN-02), joined representatives from UNITRAC Railroad Materials, the National Railroad Construction and Maintenance Association (NRC), the Gulf & Ohio Railway and Nisus Corp. for a tour of UNITRAC’s manufacturing facility in Knoxville, Tenn., on March 17.
Stella-Jones to acquire Boatright wood treating facilities
Stella-Jones Inc. has signed a non-binding letter of intent to acquire the wood treating facilities of Boatright Railroad Products, Inc., located in Montevallo and Clanton, Ala.
RTD to break ground March 20 on North Metro Rail Line
Denver Regional Transportation District (RTD) will break ground March 20 on the North Metro Rail Line, a new passenger rail service that will improve transit options for Denver’s northern region and connect riders to existing transit services.
Railway Age names 2014 Short Line, 2014 Regional Railroad of the Year
Railway Age magazine has named Coos Bay Rail Link the 2014 Short Line Railroad of the Year, and Arkansas & Missouri Railroad Co. its 2014 Regional Railroad of the Year. The awards will be presented at the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association’s annual meeting in San Diego, Calif., Friday, April 25, 2014.
AAR: Freight railroads to spend $26 billion on infrastructure in 2014
According to an estimate released by the Association of American Railroads (AAR), the nation’s freight railroads project they will spend approximately $26 billion to build, maintain and upgrade their nationwide rail network this year.
APTA asks Congress to authorize $100-billion federal transit program
The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) has released its recommendations for authorization of the transportation bill that is set to expire at the end of September 2014.
BNSF plans $250 million in capacity enhancements in North Dakota
BNSF has committed to making $250 million in investments for rail transportation improvements in North Dakota.
Amtrak outlines 2014 infrastructure schedule
Amtrak plans to move forward on key improvement projects in 2014, including continued installation of positive train control (PTC), the start of major construction to upgrade Northeast Corridor high-speed rail and expansion of station accessibility for passengers with disabilities.
MBTA opens Yawkey Station
The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority opened its new Yawkey Station and marked the start of enhanced passenger rail service on the Framingham/Worcester Line.
Massachusetts Senate approves transportation bond bill
The Massachusetts Senate passed a bill authorizing $13 billion in capital spending over the next five years to fund improvements to the commonwealth’s transportation system.
UP to begin Nebraska crossing project
Union Pacific will begin a$1-million track improvement project in Nebraska March 10 and will start at the Webb Road crossing and progress eastward through Grand Island. The work is anticipated to be completed in three weeks.
Sound Transit to study alignment for potential Tacoma Link expansion
Sound Transit has identified an alignment along Stadium Way and Martin Luther King, Jr. Way to the Hilltop District for the planned expansion of Tacoma Link light-rail service.
President Obama outlines $302-billion, four-year surface transportation reauthorization effort
President Obama proposed a $302-billion, four-year surface transportation reauthorization effort while visiting the historic Union Depot train station in Saint Paul, Minn.