Amtrak adds two new board members
Yvonne Brathwaite Burke and Christopher Beall are expected to assume their new responsibilities as members of the Amtrak Board of Directors soon.
OFF Track Maintenance
Amtrak plans significant infrastructure projects for 2013
Amtrak has set out to work on a long list of infrastructure projects during 2013.
VIA Rail notes ridership rise on the Canadian
Between Dec. 20 and Jan. 6, VIA Rail Canada welcomed 14 percent more passengers than last year on its service, The Canadian.
Customer site investments on CSX total $3.2 Billion in 2012
CSX worked with its customers in 2012 to locate 105 new or expanded facilities on its eastern rail network or on connecting shortlines.
Amtrak adds weekday Acela Express round-trip
Amtrak is expanding its Northeast Corridor high-speed rail service with the addition of a new weekday Acela Express round-trip between New York and Washington, D.C, beginning on Jan. 28.
Watco names Thompson WWAR operations director
Western Australia Rail (WWAR) named Darrell Thompson as operations director. He will be responsible for verifying the operating plans based on customer tonnage projections and the weekly rail plan schedule provided and approved by the customer service logistics manager.
Feds commit $135 million to extend Sacramento Light Rail Blue Line
U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) has committed $135 million to extend the existing Sacramento Light Rail Blue Line by 4.3 miles, linking downtown Sacramento, Calif., to the growing South Sacramento County corridor.
RTA: 45G tax credit raises 2013 tie forecast
The 45G infrastructure tax credit for shortline railroads has been authorized retroactively for 2012 and extended for 2013. The Railway Tie Association (RTA) responded to this news, saying that for RTA members, this is a game changing piece of legislation for hardwood and softwood tie demand for 2013.
Minnesota’s Metropolitan Council awards preliminary engineering contract for Southwest LRT
AECOM Technology Corporation was awarded a $16.8-million contract by the Metropolitan Council of the Twin Cities to perform preliminary engineering work on the Southwest Light Rail Transit line in Minneapolis, Minn.
Balfour Beatty Rail promotes and expands operations positions
The Rail Services division of Balfour Beatty Rail, Inc., has promoted and expanded the roles of key operational personnel, as well as consolidated office operations.
R & R Contracting acquires Oberkramer Contracting
RR Mergers & Acquisitions, a specialist in the sale of rail service and rail supplier companies in North America, said R & R Contracting has acquired Oberkramer Contracting.
Norfolk Southern facilitates $2.1 billion in industrial investment in 2012
Norfolk Southern invested $2.1 billion in the location of 64 new industries and the expansion of 30 existing industries along its rail lines in 2012.
WMATA board approves joint development agreement for transit-oriented development team
The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) Board of Directors approved the Joint Development Agreement to advance the process for creating transit-oriented development (TOD) in the area surrounding the New Carrollton Metrorail station in Prince George’s County, Md.
Caltrain board elects officers
The Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board in California, which owns and operates Caltrain, unanimously elected Santa Clara County Supervisor Ken Yeager, representing the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority, as board chair. This is the second time that Yeager has held the position.
Amtrak fills senior operations positions
Amtrak named Magdy El-Sibaie chief safety officer and Robin McDonough chief, business operations. Both will report directly to DJ Stadtler, vice president of operations.
Integrated testing begins on RTD’s West Rail Line
In Denver, Colo., the Regional Transportation District (RTD) will start the integrated testing phase for the West Rail Line beginning Thursday, Jan. 3.
Pioneer Railcorp purchases rail line from Maumee & Western Railroad
Pioneer Railcorp’s wholly-owned subsidiary, Michigan Southern Railroad Company, purchased the rail line formerly known as the Maumee & Western Railroad Corporation (MAW).
AECOM joint venture awarded contract for the extension of Boston’s Green Line
AECOM Technology Corporation was awarded $43.3-million by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation for for the extension of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority’s (MBTA) Green Line light-rail service in Boston.
CN completes EJ&E/WC merger, reaches agreement with IBEW
Canadian National has completed the merger of the Elgin, Joliet and Eastern Railway Company (EJ&E) into its Wisconsin Central Ltd. (WC) subsidiary, effective Jan. 1, 2013.
Watco to buy Ann Arbor Railroad
Watco Railroad Company Holdings, Inc., a subsidiary of Watco Companies, L.L.C., has reached a definitive agreement to purchase the stock of the Ann Arbor Railroad, Inc. (AA).