ON Track Maintenance

BART Silicon Valley Berryessa Extension days from receiving federal grant

California’s Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority was notified by the Federal Transit Administration that VTA’s $900 million grant request for the Bay Area Rapid Transit Silicon Valley Berryessa Extension Project has received all of the administrative approvals. VTA is now 60 days away from being awarded the anticipated funds through a full funding grant agreement.

Sen. Feinstein: Combine High Speed Rail Authority with CalTrans

Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) urged California Governor Jerry Brown to act swiftly to improve the viability of high-speed rail in California by strongly supporting a plan to move the California High Speed Rail Authority into a transportation agency under the governor’s direction.

CP continues push toward low 70s Operating Ratio

Canadian Pacific sent a letter to its shareholders from John Cleghorn, Chairman of the Board of Directors. In the letter, Cleghorn explained CP’s Multi-Year Plan, which has three key elements: driving volume growth, expanding network capacity to safely and efficiently support higher volumes and controlling costs.

NYCT to perform FASTRACK maintenance on Lexington Avenue

For four straight weeknights beginning Monday, January 9, a small army of Metropolitan Transportation Authority New York City Transit workers will perform more than 300 maintenance tasks in stations and tunnels along a segment of the Lexington Avenue 4, 5 and 6 Line stretching between Grand Central-42nd Street and Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn. Service will be suspended in both directions between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m.

OMNI Products and Jensen Precast team up

Omni Products, Inc., supplier of grade crossing systems to the United States rail industry and Jensen Precast, provider of precast concrete products, have formed an agreement to expand manufacturing and distribution of OMNI Products’ grade crossing systems into the Western United States.

ENSCO, Inc., restructures, forms rail subsidiary

ENSCO, Inc., has initiated the corporate restructuring of several of its key businesses and international activities. This restructuring will allow these businesses to increase their concentration within their distinct market areas and better manage corporate liability.

Letter From The Publisher

Dear Railway Track & Structures and Rail Group News readers,

Happy New Year. January 1 marked my first day as publisher of the Simmons-Boardman Rail Division, which consists of Railway Age, International Railway Journal and Railway Track & Structures.

Atlantic Track names four to team

Atlantic Track promoted Ricky Knox to the newly created position of Southeast regional manager. Knox has been with Atlantic Track since 2004 and has been in the railroad industry for more than 20 years.

North Dakota political leaders plan to move forward on Devils Lake project

North Dakota Senators John Hoeven and Kent Conrad, Congressman Rick Berg and Governor Jack Dalrymple said they have a plan in place to move forward on upgrading the Amtrak-BNSF Railway near Devils Lake, ND. Rising floodwaters in the Devils Lake basin have threatened the rail lines and bridges near Churchs Ferry, forcing Amtrak to suspend service on its Empire Builder line earlier in 2011.

WMATA advances trackwork as 2011 ends

Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority will advance minor projects this week through Dec. 30.

There will be single tracking between Rhode Island Avenue and Fort Totten on the Red Line from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Tuesday through Friday for rail/tie renewal.

There will also be single tracking on the Red Line between Friendship Heights and Medical Center from 10 p.m. – closing, Tuesday through Thursday for rail fastener renewal and between New York Avenue and Rhode Island Avenue for DDOT bridge work.

Between 10 p.m. and closing, Tuesday through Thursday, there will be single tracking between Smithsonian and Eastern Market on the Orange Line for switch replacement prep and between East Falls Church and West Falls Church for cable installation.

On the Blue Line from 10 p.m. until closing, Tuesday through Thursday, there will be single tracking between Smithsonian and Eastern Market for switch replacement prep.

Safe Railroad Contractor of the Year Awards announced

The results of the 2011 NRC/RT&S/Commercial Insurance Associates Safe Railroad Contractor of the Year Awards are in. Enthusiastic participation in the contest continued this year, with 45 total railroad contracting companies preparing entries.