Bonnie Murphy, a former commuter rail executive and Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) official, will become President and CEO of Operation Lifesaver, Inc. (OLI) in late January, OLI Board Chair Bill Barringer announced Jan. 5, 2016.
As the third largest transportation agency in the nation, the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA) is responsible for transporting millions of passengers safely and efficiently to their destinations every day. Additionally, the agency manages one of the largest public works projects in the nation with three major rail lines currently being constructed and another two rail extensions near opening.
In a Fastlane blog post Dec. 31, Greg Winfree, U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) assistant secretary for research and technology, recapped 2015’s research endeavors.
Beginning December 28, F Line riders will have access to the newly refurbished Manhattan-bound platform at the Avenue X station in Brooklyn. The six-month station renewal project is part of a major $80.5-million capital project, awarded to Kiska Construction Inc. that will completely renew nine stations along the Culver F Line.
The Fort Worth Transportation Authority (The T) and representatives from Union Pacific, Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART), Amtrak, Fort Worth & Western Railroad (FW&W) and Regional Rail Right-of-Way Co. on Dec. 28, 2015 signed a shared-use operating agreement for the TEX Rail commuter rail line, slated to begin service in 2018.
Metra says it has had an eventful 2015, with construction and trackwork projects being completed and launched, new safety awareness campaigns and an app, as well as many other accomplishments.
TranSystems has named Alex Houseal regional vice president for the Pennsylvania and New Jersey operations.
Union Pacific earned the Military Friendly Employer designation from Victory Media, publisher of G.I. Jobs, ranking sixth among the top 100.
The New Jersey Transit Board of Directors appointed Dennis J. Martin as interim executive director, effective Monday, December 28.
Norfolk Southern plans to consolidate operations of its coal docks located on Lake Erie in Northern Ohio, which will streamline operations for customers while improving network efficiency and reducing operating costs for NS.
This week in Portland, Ore., final installation of safety enhancements began at TriMet‘s MAX Orange Line crossings at SE 11th Ave.
Ansaldo STS was awarded a $338-million contract from Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) to furnish a complete positive train control (PTC) system on its entire commuter rail network.
The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT), Amtrak and the Baltimore City Department of Transportation released the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the B&P Tunnel Project Dec. 18.
The passage of the Omnibus Appropriations bill late last week solidified funding for transit projects through the Federal Transit Administration’s New Starts/Small Starts program. Transit agencies, such as Sound Transit and Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA), are hailing the bill’s passage as progress for major transit expansion projects.
The U.S. House of Representatives and Senate passed a monster spending bill late last week, which will keep federal agencies funded through the end of September 2016.
OmniTRAX Canada has accepted a letter of intent from a group of Northern Manitoba First Nations for the purchase of its Manitoba assets. This triggers a 45-day due diligence period in which both parties will work together to ensure that a purchase becomes a reality.
The Sound Transit Board approved a $1.2-billion 2016 budget that provides $802.9 million in light rail and other system expansions.
Amtrak has concluded negotiations and changed the route of the Texas Eagle train between Fort Worth and Dallas, Texas, to run on the Trinity Rail Express (TRE) corridor.
In the wake of last winter’s severe service disruptions and the ongoing debate over cost overruns associated with the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority’s (MBTA) Green Line extension, Charles Chieppo, a senior fellow at the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation at the Harvard Kennedy School released a report outlining a number of reforms intended to put the MBTA fiscal house in order.
The Minnesota Counties Transit Improvement Board authorized funding for three rail projects on December 16.
