NS, Operation Lifesaver team up on Georgia safety train
The Peach State Whistle-Stop Safety Train this week starts a 327-mile tour from the heart of South Georgia to the city of Dalton, calling attention to safety and trespasser awareness.
OFF Track Maintenance
BLET members at SEPTA authorize strike
A 98.84 percent majority of Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) members working for the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) have voted to authorize a strike when a mandatory 30-day cooling off period under the Railway Labor Act comes to an end in less than two weeks.
HDR hires transit sector director
HDR, Inc., has hired Tom Waldron as transit market sector director, based in HDR’s New York City office. His responsibilities include setting HDR’s vision and initiatives for continued growth and expansion in transit across North America and globally.
Rapid City, Pierre & Eastern completes acquisition of DM&E west end
Genesee & Wyoming Inc.’s (GWI) newly-established subsidiary, Rapid City, Pierre & Eastern Railroad, Inc., has completed the acquisition of the west end of the Dakota, Minnesota & Eastern (DM&E) rail line from Canadian Pacific for approximately $210 million plus approximately $7.5 million for the purchase of certain inventory, equipment and vehicles.
Parsons selected as program management of Arlington Streetcar project
Arlington and Fairfax Counties in Virginia have selected Parsons Transportation Group to help manage Arlington’s streetcar program, which includes the Columbia Pike streetcar segment that the two counties are jointly building.
Sen. Graham visits Harsco Rail
U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), a member of the Appropriations Committee, Armed Services Committee, Budget Committee and Judiciary Committee, joined representatives from Harsco Rail and the National Railroad Construction and Maintenance Association (NRC) May 28 for a tour of Harsco Rail’s manufacturing facility and headquarters in Columbia, S.C.
More Sandy relief funds for NJ Transit, PATH
The Department of Transportation has awarded a combined $235 million in federal grants to repair damage from Superstorm Sandy inflicted on New Jersey Transit and Port Authority Trans-Hudson (PATH) rail systems in late October 2012.
OmniTRAX affiliate acquires Sand Springs Railway Company
Sand Springs Railway Company is being acquired by Sand Springs Holdings, LLC, a managed affiliate of OmniTRAX, Inc. The Sand Springs Railway, which runs freight service between Sand Springs and Tulsa, Okla., on 32 miles of track, will commence operations no later than July 31, 2014.
Target Field Station multimodal hub opens in Minnesota
In Minneapolis, Minn., Hennepin County recently opened a new multimodal transportation hub named Target Field Station, which connects the Metro Transit Blue and Green lines and Northstar Commuter Rail.
NS’ Squires taking on additional duties
Norfolk Southern‘s President James Squires will assume additional responsibilities in the marketing and operations divisions in line with the company’s normal succession planning process.
WMATA takes control of Silver Line Phase 1
The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority transferred care and control of the first phase of the Silver Line to Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) on May 27.
WMATA has up to 90 days for testing and training prior to opening the line for passenger service this summer. The opening date will be set by the WMATA Board of Directors in the near future.
When it opens this summer, Silver Line service will run from Wiehle-Reston East station to Largo Town Center, with trains every six minutes during rush hour and every 12 to 20 minutes at other times. Five new stations will be added to the system: McLean, Tysons Corner, Greensboro, Spring Hill and Wiehle-Reston East.
Work also has begun on Phase 2 of the project, which will connect the system with Herndon, Washington Dulles International Airport and points in Loudoun County, Va.
Edmonton LRT project gets funding guarantee from Canadian government
The Canadian government has guaranteed up to CA$150 million (US$138 million) for the Valley Line Stage 1 Light Rail Transit expansion project in Edmonton, AB, under the New Building Canada Fund-Provincial-Territorial Infrastructure Component, bringing the total federal contribution to the project up to CA$400 million (US$386 million).
CN’s Mongeau underscores railroad’s unwavering commitment to safety
Claude Mongeau, president and chief executive officer of Canadian National, in a speech to the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce, said that dangerous goods are an integral part of everyday life and that CN has an unwavering commitment to moving all traffic safely.
Stella-Jones completes acquisition of Boatright’s wood treating facilities
Stella-Jones Inc. has completed the acquisition of the wood treating facilities of Boatright Railroad Products, Inc., located in Montevallo and Clanton, Ala. These facilities manufacture, sell and distribute creosote and borate-treated crossties, as well as switch ties, tie plugs and bridge timbers to railroads and railroad contractors. Sales for the 12-month period ended December 31, 2013, reached $73.5 million.
House committee approves bill with reduced 2015 transportation budget
The U.S. House of Representatives Appropriations Committee approved the fiscal year 2015 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development funding bill on May 21 with a vote of 28-21.
LACMTA receives FTA grant, TIFIA loan for Purple Line extension
The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA) was granted $1.25-billion dollars in federal funds, as well as approved for a Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) Loan to help pay for the Purple Line Extension Project.
Old grant funds transferred to Cincinnati streetcar
Cincinnati’s streetcar project is the unexpected recipient of an extra $268,000 via a rail-related grant Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority (SORTA) received.
Transport Canada issues proposal to fine Railway Safety Act violators
Transport Canada is proposing regulations that will provide Transport Canada with new enforcement tools for railway companies that violate the Railway Safety Act.
SEPTA plans overhaul of Levittown Station
Elected officials joined Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) representatives to reveal reconstruction plans for Levittown Station. SEPTA says the project will enhance service for customers at a key station along the Trenton Regional Rail Line and represents one of many critical improvement projects under SEPTA’s renewed “Catching Up” capital improvement program.
TIGER grant applications request 15 times more than available funding
The application period for the sixth round of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (USDOT) Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grants recently ended. Once again, USDOT says the request for funds far exceeds what is available. The 797 eligible applications, compared to 585 in 2013, request $9.5 billion, 15 times the $600 million set aside for the program.