OFF Track Maintenance

Metra breaks ground on Cicero Station rehab project

Illinois State Senator Martin Sandoval and Cicero Town President Larry Dominick joined Metra Acting Chairman Larry Huggins and Executive Director/CEO Alex Clifford on August 7 at a groundbreaking ceremony for the rehabilitation of Metra’s Cicero Station on the BNSF Line.

Amtrak celebrates Seattle maintenance facility upgrades

Phase 1 and Phase 2 of a major upgrade of the Seattle Maintenance Facility in Washington State has been completed by Amtrak and its partners. The facilities support Amtrak operations and maintenance agreements in the Pacific Northwest for the Empire Builder, Coast Starlight, Amtrak Cascades and Sounder commuter trains.

KeRail and Tata Steel enter into long-term agreement

Genesee & Wyoming Inc. and a newly-formed GWI subsidiary, KeRail Inc. have entered into a long-term agreement with Tata Steel Minerals Canada Ltd. for KeRail to provide rail transportation services to the 4.2 million tons per annum direct shipping iron ore mine TSMC is developing near Schefferville, Quebec, Canada, in the Labrador Trough (the Mine). In addition, KeRail will construct an approximately 21-kilometer (13-mile) rail line that will connect TSMC’s mine to the Tshiuetin Rail Transportation interchange point in Schefferville.

Patriot adds Shoener to board of directors

Patriot Rail Corp., operator of shortline and regional freight railroads, appointed Arthur Shoener to the board of directors of the company. In this role, Shoener will provide executive support and oversight in company proceedings.

NS completes coal line maintenance blitz

Norfolk Southern recently completed $20.5 million of track, bridge and signal improvements along its major coal line through the Monongahela Valley in Pennsylvania in a record seven days. To ensure coal customers in Southwest Pennsylvania continue to receive consistent and reliable rail service, Norfolk Southern schedules a maintenance blitz each July to coincide with the coal miners’ annual weeklong summer break.

NYCT FASTRACK wraps up week on 6th Avenue Line

New York City Transit’s intense maintenance and clean-up program, FASTRACK, wrapped up a weeklong stint along the Sixth Avenue B, D, F and M lines. Once again, hundreds of transit workers inspected, repaired, maintained, cleaned and painted subway infrastructure in stations and tunnels between 59th Street-Columbus Circle and West 4th Street.