AECOM appoints Thomas Peck as SVP, CIO
AECOM Technology Corporation has appointed Thomas Peck as senior vice president and chief information officer.
OFF Track Maintenance
New COO readies the X Train
Las Vegas Railway Express, Inc., has appointed Penny Stegeman to chief operations officer, passenger services, to the Las Vegas X Train team.
DePallo named Metrolink CEO
The Metrolink Board of Directors appointed Michael P. DePallo, a veteran transit leader with more than 30 years of experience, as chief executive officer of the Southern California commuter rail service.
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.
NYCT names chief transportation officer
New York City Transit appointed Herbert Lambert, who has more than 30 years of service in Metropolitan Transportation Authority New York City Transit’s Department of Subways, to the position of chief transportation officer, rapid transit operations.
Colo Railroad Builders names VP Business Development
Colo Railroad Builders has appointed Wade Hoffmann as vice president of business development.
Indiana Gateway Project receives $71.3 million in federal funds
The U.S. Department of Transportation awarded $71.3 million to Indiana to help alleviate congestion in one of the region’s most delay-prone rail corridors. The Indiana Gateway Project will both relieve congestion and support the development of higher performing intercity passenger rail service in the Midwest.
VIA Rail’s Belleville Station officially open
As part of the ongoing modernization of VIA Rail Canada, Daryl Kramp, member of Parliament for Prince Edward-Hastings on behalf of the Honorable Steven Fletcher, Minister of State (Transport), officially opened the new Belleville train station, overhead walkway and island platform in Ontario.
NTSB closes five outstanding safety recommendations on WMATA
The National Transportation Safety Board closed five of Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority’s outstanding safety recommendations.
CTA to acquire properties for 95th Street Terminal, awards Red Line South project contract
The Chicago Transit Authority granted approval to begin the process of acquiring property near its 95th/Dan Ryan Terminal on Chicago’s South Side as part of the 95th Street Terminal Improvement Project. The project is an estimated $240-million initiative that will expand and improve the 95th/Dan Ryan Terminal.
The nine properties identified for acquisition are located directly off the expressway and are primarily commercial properties with a few vacant lots.
This allows the CTA to begin the acquisition process, subject to the requirements of federal and state law. Any purchase of a property by CTA, whether by negotiation or court order, cannot take place without subsequent board action.
The 95th/Dan Ryan Terminal is one of CTA’s busiest, with 24-hour Red Line service and more than 1,000 CTA and Pace bus trips on a typical weekday. The current configuration does not have adequate capacity to efficiently serve customers, which number around 20,000 on an average weekday.
L.B. Foster Spokane facility Receives IndustryWeek 2012 Best Plant recognition
L.B. Foster Company’s CXT Concrete Ties facility in Spokane, Wash., has been selected as a finalist in IndustryWeek magazine’s annual 2012 Best Plants Award for Excellence in Manufacturing competition. The publication reported online that North American finalists for this recognition included the Washington state rail products facility.
Kennedy named president of RailWorks Track Services
RailWorks Corporation has promoted Ed Kennedy to president of RailWorks Track Services, Inc.
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.
Metrolinx awards Eglinton-Scarborough Crosstown tunnel contract
In Toronto, ON, Canada, the Metrolinx Board awarded the Eglinton-Scarborough Crosstown tunnel construction contract from the west launch shaft area near Black Creek Drive to Yonge-Eglinton station to Crosstown Transit Constructors
Mass. Gov. Patrick appoints MassDOT Board of Directors
Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick appointed Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) Board of Directors, adding to the panel new individuals with extensive expertise and leadership in transportation and business.
Efforts to rebuild WMATA system picking up steam
Washington Metropolitan Area Transportation Authority’s investment in projects to rebuild and modernize its railroad, trains, stations and buses grew by 26 percent to $770 million in FY2012, an increase of nearly $160 million and is on track to continue ramping up to nearly a billion dollars this year.
Phoenix Valley Metro accelerates LRT project
Construction of light rail is back on the move in Phoenix, Ariz., with the re-launch of the Northwest extension along 19th Avenue from the current end-of-line north 3.2 miles to Dunlap Avenue. The project has received approval to accelerate the completion year from 2023 to 2016. Final design is underway; construction will begin in early 2013.
Amtrak continues to hit ridership records
Amtrak ridership is surging this year with 11 consecutive monthly ridership records. In each month of the current fiscal year, Amtrak has posted the highest ridership total ever for that particular month with the final month of September also expected to be a new record. In addition, July was the single best ridership month in the history of Amtrak.
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.