NCDOT awarded $26.5 million to alleviate passenger rail congestion

The U.S. Department of Transportation awarded $26.5 million to the North Carolina Department of Transportation to improve reliability and reduce delays on Amtrak service in eastern North Carolina. The resulting improvements are centered in the area between Rocky Mount, N.C. and Petersburg, Va., and will improve service for both the Amtrak Carolinian line, which runs between New York City and Charlotte, N.C., and the Amtrak long distance trains that run between New York City and Florida.

California HSR section receives approval from feds

In a major step forward for California high-speed rail, the Federal Railroad Administration issued a Record of Decision that approved the alignment from Merced to Fresno, allowing construction to begin next year.

BNSF wins Hay Award at AREMA conference

BNSF was awarded the 2012 Dr. William W. Hay Award for Excellence during the AREMA Annual Conference in Chicago, Ill.

Port Mac rail project progresses with permit

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has issued a Department of the Army permit to the Alaska Railroad Corporation to construct the Port MacKenzie Rail Extension project.

Minnesota Southwest light rail receives state grant

The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) released $47.5 million in competitive business development grants, including $2 million for the Southwest Light Rail Transit project.

Iowa grants more than $4 million to state railroad projects

The Iowa Transportation Commission approved more than $4 million in funding for nine rail infrastructure and related rail development projects under the Railroad Revolving Loan and Grant (RRLG) program. The rail projects are expected to support the creation and retention of more than 110 jobs within the next three years and spur development of six industrial areas across the state. The proposed developments will leverage millions in new capital investments across the state.

AECOM awarded contract to help Denver RTD complete I-225 rail line

AECOM Technology Corporation was awarded a contract to provide final design services for the Denver Regional Transportation District’s forthcoming I-225 light-rail line.

Amtrak opens Niantic River Bridge

Amtrak has achieved the main focus of its project to replace the movable Niantic River Bridgein East Lyme, Conn. On the night of September 7, all rail traffic shifted to the new bridge and the existing 105-year-old bridge was removed from service. 

Metro-North plans New Canaan Branch track maintenance

Track maintenance work on the Metropolitan Transportation Authority Metro-North Railroad’s New Canaan branch, connecting New York to Conneticut, will happen over the course of the next four weeks.

All structural work complete for the I-210 Gold Line bridge

After more than one year of intense activity, Southern California’s Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension Construction Authority says that all structural work has been completed on the I-210 Gold Line Bridge.

LOSSAN pedestrian safety project installs rail bridge

A portion of the Los Angeles-San Diego-San Luis Obispo (LOSSAN) coastal rail line between Oceanside and Downtown San Diego, Calif., will be shut down as construction crews work to install a new rail bridge for the pedestrian safety undercrossing at Santa Fe Drive in Encinitas.

City of Indianapolis receives $900,000 for rail relocation

The U.S. Department of Transportation awarded nearly $900,000 to the city of Indianapolis, Ind., to relocate freight rail traffic from the CSX Transportation mainline that goes through the heart of downtown Indianapolis to the nearby Indianapolis Belt Railroad. This project will separate passenger and freight rail operations, remove 10-12 existing grade crossings and improve safety while decreasing congestion and emissions.

UP to rebuild Shermer Road bridge

Union Pacific plans to replace the current berm/rail system on Shermer Road south of Willow Road in Glenview, Ill., with a permanent bridge. It is expected to be rebuilt within two years.

Chicago-area commuter rail bridge move a success

A commuter rail bridge, believed to be the largest truss bridge ever moved after assembly, was rolled into place over Torrence Avenue near 130th Street in Chicago, Ill.

BNSF performs maintenance and capacity improvements in Iowa and Illinois

BNSF plans to invest an estimated $154 million on maintenance and capacity improvements in both Iowa and Illinois this year.

Assembled truss to be moved for CREATE project

As part of the Chicago Region Environmental and Transportation Efficiency (CREATE) Project, on Saturday, August 25, the 130th & Torrence grade separation project general contractor, Walsh Construction, will use four Self-Propelled Mobile Transporters to relocate the fully-assembled,4.3-million-pound, 394-foot-long truss bridge to its final position on the new piers.

LB Foster appoints Kasel SVP, Rail Business

L.B. Foster Company appointed John Kasel to senior vice president, Rail Business. In this new role, Kasel will be responsible for the performance and success of the company’s rail-related businesses, which will be combined under his leadership.

Mass transit framework garners additional support for Tappan Zee bridge project

In Westchester County, N.Y., County Executive Robert Astorino, Rockland County Executive Scott Vanderhoef and Putnam County Executive MaryEllen Odell explained their intention to vote yes at the next New York Metropolitan Transportation Council meeting to include the new Tappan Zee Bridge project in the region’s long-range transportation plan.

TTCI employees receive “The 2011 SAGE Best Paper Award”

The Editorial Board of Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part F: Journal of Rail and Rapid Transit presented “The 2011 SAGE Best Paper Award” to researchers at Transportation Technology Center, Inc., including Principal Investigator Huimin Wu, Senior Vice President Technology Semih Kalay and Scientist Harry Tournay for their paper “Development of the wheel‐rail interface management model and its applications in heavy haul operations.”

UP performing $7.4 million in Missouri infrastructure improvements

Union Pacific is enhancing Missouri’s transportation infrastructure by investing $7.4 million in the rail line that runs just west of Jefferson City and Pleasant Hill. The project is in progress and is scheduled to be completed by the end of October.

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