Track Structure
Robust design behind the Tanana River Bridge
Alaska’s longest bridge is designed to withstand floods, large debris, ice jams, road and rail traffic and just about anything else the wilderness can throw at it.
STB approves Louisville & Indiana track upgrade
The U.S. Surface Transportation Board has approved a joint proposal by Anacostia Rail Holdings’ (ARH) subsidiary, Louisville & Indiana Railroad (L&I) and CSX to upgrade a key freight corridor between Indianapolis, Ind., and Louisville, Ky.
Metra plans tie, switch projects on Milwaukee District Lines; readies Englewood Flyover for expansion
Chicagoland’s Metra will perform tie replacement and switch replacement along its Milwaukee District Lines this spring.
RLW named subcontractor for Skyway Bridge
Sterling Construction Company, Inc.’s subsidiary, Ralph L. Wadsworth Construction Company, LLC (RLW) was selected as a major subcontractor for a joint venture between Balfour Beatty and Graham Contracting on construction of the Skyway Bridge for North Metro Rail in Denver, Colo. Construction of the 9,800-foot bridge is planned to begin in May 2015 and to take two years to complete. RLW’s portion of the project has a value of approximately $29 million.
KCS to invest $19 million in Beaumont to DeQuincy line
Kansas City Southern (KCS) will invest approximately $19 million in 2015 on construction and improvement projects on its Beaumont Subdivision line, which runs from Beaumont, Texas, to DeQuincy, La. The railroad says these projects will help grow capacity, as well as maintain and enhance safety on the KCS cross-border network.
MBTA, Keolis to begin tie replacement project
The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) and Keolis Commuter Services will begin the first of several railroad tie replacement projects on the Lowell and Haverhill lines, part of a $100-million investment in infrastructure improvements for both lines that the MBTA says will increase passenger comfort and reliability.
Sound Transit, Bellevue set to finalize details of East Link partnership
Sound Transit and city of Bellevue leaders proposed an agreement to move ahead with construction of the voter-approved East Link Extension in a way that minimizes construction impacts, commits the city’s financial contribution to a downtown tunnel and promotes the city’s Bel-Red Corridor land use vision.
USDOT makes $500 million available for next round of TIGER
The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) is making $500 million available for the seventh round of the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) competitive grant program.
UP receives delivery of “game changing” long rail
Union Pacific began receiving 480-foot-long rail sections from Japan, which culminates a project more than a decade in the making and according to the railroad, sets a new standard for rail reliability.
CTA to progress next phase of Ravenswood Connector project
This month, the Chicago Transportation Authority (CTA) will begin the next phase of a major project to rehabilitate the Ravenswood Connector, the elevated rail structure that carries Brown and Purple Line Express trains between Armitage and the Merchandise Mart.
FEIS issued for Sound Transit’s Lynnwood light-rail extension
Sound Transit and the Federal Transit Administration have issued the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the voter-approved Lynnwood Link light-rail extension from Northgate to Lynnwood.
BART opens Contra Costa Crossover
In northern California, a new set of crossover tracks is now in use on the busy Pittsburg/Bay Point Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) line, bringing capacity relief to riders and greater ability to get around delays.
Holland acquires The Bankhead Companies
Holland LP has acquired the operating assets of The Bankhead Companies, based in Atlanta, Ga.
NJDOT grants more than $20 million for rail projects
The New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT), through its Rail Freight Assistance Program, doled out more than $20 million in grants for rail improvement projects throughout the state.
IntegriCo expands operations into Louisiana
IntegriCo Composites plans to open its new manufacturing facility in Springill, La., July 2015. Engineering and equipment installation is underway today and is being managed by the Southland Process group out of Atlanta, Ga.
NYCT’s FASTRACK returns to Manhattan and Queens
On March 30, Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) New York City Transit’s (NYCT) FASTRACK program returns to the E, F, M and R lines in Manhattan and Queens.
MBTA suspends weekend service on Fitchburg Line to perform track upgrades
The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) plans to suspend weekend service on the Fitchburg Line from April 25 until November 22.
Arizona DOT gets federal OK on environmental assessment for grade separation
The Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT), in partnership with the city of Maricopa, Union Pacific and the Federal Highway Administration, has received federal approval for the proposed bridge project on State Route 347 over the railroad crossing, clearing the way for the project to move forward when funding is available.
Uncertainty clouds key rail bills in Senate
Two bills of substantial importance to railroads—Staggers Rail Act revisions as part of reauthorization of the Surface Transportation Board (STB), and extension of the deadline to implement Positive Train Control (PTC)—took meaningful steps forward March 25, gaining the imprimatur of the Senate Commerce Committee.