NYCT plans rail bridge and trackwork
New York City Transit will advance rehabilitation of a bridge and perform another round of FASTRACK improvements in the coming weeks.
Ballast, Ties, Rail
CN to build five sidings on B.C. North Line
Canadian National plans to construct five extended sidings on its B.C. North Line in 2012 as part of a multi-year capital program to expand freight train capacity to handle growing freight volumes along its important Edmonton, Alberta, to Prince Rupert, B.C., corridor.
Houston Metro celebrates six-mile mark on LRT extension
Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County, Houston, Texas, has completed six miles on the light-rail transit extension. Six miles equals about 64,000 linear feet of track in the ground, leaving nine miles to go.
VIA Rail unveils plan to continue modernization
VIA Rail Canada, as part of its ongoing modernization, is taking action to better meet customer demand. VIA Rail is introducing significant improvements to its operations, including tracks, stations and trains, better interconnectivity with other carriers, enhanced customer experience and e-services.
UP performing more than $22 million in Nebraska infrastructure improvements
Union Pacific is enhancing Nebraska’s transportation infrastructure by investing more than $22 million in the rail line that runs between O’Fallons, Neb., and the Wyoming border. The project is in progress and is scheduled to be completed by mid-October.
TIGER IV funding light on rail
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.
Boatright plans crosstie plant in Chilton County, Alabama
Boatright Companies is building a crosstie plant in Chilton County, Ala., a $55 million investment with plans to have 100 workers by the end of next year. The new 400,000-square-foot facility on 100 acres in the Chilton County Industrial Park will put the Boatright plant on a CSX rail line and give the company the ability to more than double its current railroad tie production capacity.
Denver RTD receives two sound proposals for I-225 rail project
The Denver Regional Transportation District received two competitive proposals for the I-225 Light Rail Project.
Maintenance-of-Way Challenges: Automated tie inspection
Automated crosstie evaluation systems work toward removing subjectivity and improving accuracy of crosstie inspections.
High-speed rail grinding and metal removal
Controlling grinding speed allows for the amount of metal removal to be fine-tuned and results in improved effectiveness and utilization of grinding operations.
Not quite the end of the line
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.
Illinois to St. Louis HSR corridor enters final stage of construction
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.
FASTRACK returns to the NYCT’s Lexington Avenue Line
Metropolitan Transportation Authority New York City Transit is bringing FASTRACK back to the Lexington Avenue Line.
Port of Coos Bay preps for next phase of rail line rehabilitation
The Oregon International Port of Coos Bay issued documents and is seeking bids for the 2012 Major Track Rehabilitation Project. This is the largest reconstruction phase to date related to the Coos Bay Rail Line rehabilitation.
Manufacturer rep agency, Railliance, Inc., launches
Industry sales veteran Eric Schook has formed Railliance, Inc., a manufacturer’s rep agency specifically focused on rail (freight, transit and industrial) industries. Schook has nearly 20 years of experience in domestic and international railway supply with Cattron, Hirschmann and Ansaldo STS.
BNSF plans $65 million capital program in New Mexico
BNSF plans to invest an estimated $65 million on track and rail capacity improvement projects in New Mexico this year.
CTA to rebuild 10-mile stretch of Red Line
The Chicago Transit Authority plans to take on one of the biggest CTA construction projects in CTA history: the complete reconstruction of the South Red Line from Cermak-Chinatown to 95th Street.
SANDAG begins construction on Sorrento to Miramar Double Track Project
The San Diego Association of Governments started construction on Phase 1 of the Sorrento to Miramar Double Track Project, one of 20 capital improvement projects now in development along San Diego County’s 60-mile segment of the Los Angeles-San Diego-San Luis Obispo rail corridor (LOSSAN).
BNSF to invest $80 million in Arizona track maintenance
BNSF plans to invest an estimated $80 million on maintenance and rail capacity improvement projects in Arizona this year.
UP plans $19 million capital program in Colorado and Wyoming
Union Pacific is enhancing transportation infrastructure in Colorado and Wyoming by investing more than $19 million.