DART adds one to board, names general counsel
Dallas businessman James Adams is the newest member of the Board of Directors of Dallas Area Rapid Transit. He was appointed by the Dallas City Council.
OFF Track Maintenance
UP performing $7.4 million in Missouri infrastructure improvements
Union Pacific is enhancing Missouri’s transportation infrastructure by investing $7.4 million in the rail line that runs just west of Jefferson City and Pleasant Hill. The project is in progress and is scheduled to be completed by the end of October.
CTA marks 16 consecutive months of ridership growth
Chicago Transit Authority ridership has continued its upward trend in the first six months of 2012, with June marking the 16th consecutive month of ridership increases.
Sound Transit awarded $400,000 energy efficiency grant
The Washington State Department of Commerce has awarded Sound Transit $400,000 towards energy efficiency projects, including new lighting at the Federal Way, Auburn and Kent transit centers. The improvements covered by the grant will save more than an estimated $80,000 a year in utility and operations costs and allow the agency to leverage an additional $175,000 in utility rebates.
Watco Compliance Service names VP engineering
Carl Hybinette has joined the Watco Compliance Service Team as vice president of engineering. Hybinette will be responsible for the day-to-day compliance and engineering activities at Watco Compliance Services.
CN invests US$35 million in Wisconsin to serve Superior Silica Sands
Canadian National and Superior Silica Sands have entered into a multi-year agreement to move frac sand from a new processing plant now under construction in northern Wisconsin.
Alion awarded $10 Million FRA contract to study human performance in rail operations and maintenance
To enhance safety and improve railroad operations, the Federal Railroad Administration has awarded Alion Science and Technology a contract with a ceiling of $10 million to conduct research that gauges human performance in rail operations and maintenance. The global engineering, R&D, IT and operational solutions company will provide technical expertise to FRA’s Human Factors Research Division, which aims to reduce human factors that cause train, trespasser and grade crossing accidents.
New rail horn technology project continues in Del Mar, Calif.
As part of a pilot program to install wayside horns in the city of Del Mar, Calif., crews are beginning to construction of pedestrian crossing improvements at Coast Blvd.
Reading and Northern Railroad hires Dennis Shaffer
Reading and Northern Railroad hired Dennis Shaffer as vice president of business development, effective August 20, 2012.
FTA green lights LACMTA’s Westside Subway Extension Project
The Federal Transit Administration granted the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority a Record of Decision (ROD) for the $5.6 billion Westside Subway Extension,
Feasibility study to look at proposed rail line in Quebec/Labrador iron ore range
Canadian National says that a customer group of mining companies, Cliffs Natural Resources Inc., Labrador Iron Mines Holdings Ltd., New Millennium Iron Corp., Cap-Ex Ventures Ltd., and Alderon Iron Ore Corp.
SFMTA issues statement regarding use of switchbacks
San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency Board Chairman Tom Nolan and Director of Transportation Ed Reiskin issued a statement on the San Francisco Civil Grand Jury Report, “Better Muni Service Needed, Without Switchbacks.”
UTU, BLET members ratify four contract agreements
Members of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen and United Transportation Union recently ratified four new collective bargaining agreements.
Regional Rail LLC acquires majority share of Diamondback Signal, LLC
Regional Rail, LLC, has acquired a majority ownership interest in Diamondback Signal, LLC. Diamondback Signal specializes in the design, construction and maintenance of signal installations for crossings and was formed in January of 2012. In the short time since its inception, Diamondback has been able to contract with 21 railroads and private industries throughout the United States to provide normalized maintenance and monthly inspections for their signalized crossings and has also aggressively pursued and secured a number of crossing signal construction and/or rehabilitation projects.
CTA adds more work to North Red Station Project
In an effort to reduce future expenses and avoid additional impacts to rail service, the Chicago Transit Board approved an amendment to the existing design/build contract for the North Red Line station improvement project.
Oregon port’s South Rivergate Expansion boosts export flow
A major rail yard expansion project in Portland, Wash., is improving efficiency and capacity for exports at the city’s largest industrial park. Completed in June and now fully operational, the South Rivergate Yard expansion project was the last in a series of four recent rail and road improvement projects located in Rivergate Industrial District.
KCS promotes Ebbrecht to EVP & COO
Kansas City Southern promoted David Ebbrecht from executive vice president operations to executive vice president and chief operating officer for KCS and its U.S. subsidiary, The Kansas City Southern Railway Company. In this position, Ebbrecht will continue to coordinate closely with the leadership of Kansas City Southern de Mexico, S.A. de C.V. Ebbrecht reports to KCS president and chief executive officer David Starling.
2012 chief enigneers’ survey: WISH LIST
Safety remains at the top of engineering department’s list of equipment guidelines.
You want to impress a railroad engineer with a piece of maintenance equipment? Make sure it’s versatile, reliable, as well as easy to maintain, to transport and to use. Above all else, it must be safe.
Maintaining ballast below the ties
Optimal track conditions rely heavily on ballast maintenance.
Ballast doesn’t always get the attention it deserves. For those outside of the industry, the flashy signals, rail and crossties are what railroad lines are made of.
CREATE program update: keeping Chicago fluid
The CREATE program continues to improve movement through the nation’s rail nucleus.
The Chicago Region Environmental and Transportation Efficiency (CREATE) Program marked nine years of existence in June 2012.