CTA preps for track renewal project with job fair, land lease
The Chicago Transit Authority Board has approved a temporary lease for property that will be used as a staging area for construction related to the Red Line South Track Renewal Project.
Track Structure
InnoTrans discounts registration to North American attendees
Hundreds of U.S. and Canadian buyers will make their way to InnoTrans this year at the Messe Berlin Exhibition Grounds in Berlin, Germany. Show dates are September 18-21, 2012.
LIRR tie replacement on the Ronkonkoma Branch enters final phase
The New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority Long Island Rail Road’s work to replace wooden ties on the Ronkonkoma Branch on weekdays between Farmingdale and Ronkonkoma is entering its final phase starting Monday, July 23.
Metra awards Englewood Flyover contract
The Board of Directors of Chicago’s Metra approved a $93-million contract to construct the Chicago Region Environmental and Transportation Efficiency (CREATE) Program P1 project, know as the Englewood Flyover at its meeting on Monday.
CSX, State of Ohio dedicate Fifth Street Bridge
CSX Corporation hosted a dedication ceremony for the new Fifth Street Bridge in Niles, Ohio. The upgraded bridge’s higher vertical clearance helps clear the way for CSX’s upgraded, double-stack freight rail corridor, the National Gateway, linking East Coast sea ports with the CSX Northwest Ohio Terminal and other Midwest distribution and manufacturing hubs.
The special trackwork update
Diamonds, frogs, turnouts and other special trackwork make difficult manuevers on the railroad possible.
Rail welding brings more than flash
Quality, reliability and safety are issues suppliers look to improve when it comes to the subject of welding rail.
Fascinating fasteners for keeping track tight
Small in size, fasteners keep a tight grip on track.
Keeping track in place is imporant to all railroads, whether it’s a Class 1, regional, shortline or transit line. The following pages highlight this year’s most advanced fastening systems and an overall market outlook.
CSX completes $34 million maintenance “Jamboree”
Earlier this month more than 900 CSX employees worked to complete the company’s 2012 maintenance “Jamboree” on a section of its network in the Southeast.
NCDOT awards contract to preserve Carolina Coastal Railroad bridge
North Carolina Department of Transportation awarded a contract to preserve the bascule span bridge on the Carolina Coastal Railroad over the Newport River in Carteret County.
Illinois authorizes $800 million in rail and transit improvements
Illinois Governor Pat Quinn signed a law to begin the next phase of the Illinois Jobs Now! capital program, which is designed to create jobs, strengthen the transportation system and support economic growth across Illinois.
SFMTA resumes Muni track switch replacement
The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency in California has continued track improvement work on the Muni Metro system. From July 13 to July 16, SFMTA will install new track switches on the L Taraval Line between 22nd and 23rd avenues and at 35th Avenue.
Secretary LaHood, Gov. Brown visit Port of Oakland rail project site
U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood and California Governor Edmund Brown Jr., visited the Port of Oakland Army Base redevelopment site in California on Monday, July 9, 2012, to see where the port will be constructing the first phase of its rail project that received $15 million in federal Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant funding.
The Outer Harbor Intermodal Terminal (OHIT) Rail Access project of the Port of Oakland is expected to improve rail access to and from the port and expand the port’s rail capacity, leading to faster and cleaner goods movement in Northern California, while also providing rail access for the proposed Oakland Army Base redevelopment. These federal funds, along with additional local and state funding, will support the transportation project.
“This $15 million grant from the federal government boosts state and local efforts to create thousands of jobs by investing nearly $1.5 billion in Bay Area transportation projects. We’re not just rebuilding our infrastructure, we are also rebuilding our middle class,” stated Governor Brown.
The Port of Oakland handles 99 percent of all containerized goods in Northern California and is the only major U.S. West Coast container port that handles more exports than imports.
“I am very pleased this federal funding we fought for is coming to the Port of Oakland, where it will create jobs and make important infrastructure improvements. The Port of Oakland’s ship-to-rail exchange project is an excellent investment of federal funds in local and national economies because it both creates jobs and it improves critical public infrastructure in the Bay Area,” said Rep Barbara Lee (D-CA.). “This $15 million TIGER grant for the Port of Oakland is a clear example of the success of the TIGER grant program and why we must preserve and protect TIGER grants from efforts to end the funding.”
The federal funding will be matched more than one-to-one to launch the first phase of the OHIT Rail Access project, which is part of the joint City-Port OAB redevelopment plan.
This OHIT rail project is expected to deliver greater efficiencies in the Port of Oakland’s rail operations, create additional capacity for cargo movement at the seaport, reduce congestion on local roads and highways, create jobs and promote sustainable economic growth in the region.
The project includes building a new arrival track and high-speed turnout from Union Pacific’s mainline, two track leads into the port’s new Joint Intermodal Terminal and a new manifest yard (Knight Yard) to replace the former Oakland Army Base Yard. Knight Yard will be able to handle 100-150 rail cars per day.
The combined City of Oakland redevelopment and the Port’s first phase rail access project on the former Oakland Army Base property is approximately a $500 million investment.
CATS Blue Line Extension to enter final design with FTA approval
The Charlotte Area Transit System in North Carolina has received approval from the Federal Transit Administration to enter Final Design for the 9.3-mile LYNX Blue Line Extension (BLE) light-rail project. This allows the project to be developed from the 65 percent to the 100 percent design level and complete preparation of final construction plans, right-of-way acquisition, construction cost estimates, bid documents and utility relocation.
Harsco to refurbish Houston light-rail bridge
Harsco Corporation has secured an extended role in its ongoing support of the Houston Metro light-rail project to refurbish the historic Main Street Bridge in Houston, Texas.
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.
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.
TriMet marks the beginning of second year of Portland-Milwaukie Project Construction
July 2 marks the beginning of year two of construction on Oregon’s Triment Portland-Milwaukie Light Rail Bridge. During the first year of construction, 64 firms worked on the bridge, which is now 41 percent complete. Overall project construction jobs total 1,525.
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.