Amtrak previews major projects to advance in 2012
With demand for intercity passenger rail service on the rise, Amtrak is moving forward with an aggressive agenda for 2012 and building for the future while strengthening current services.
With demand for intercity passenger rail service on the rise, Amtrak is moving forward with an aggressive agenda for 2012 and building for the future while strengthening current services.
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.
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.
CSX introduced a new program, CSX Select Sites, offering customers an easy way to access certified, rail-ready properties for a variety of industrial uses.
Hawaii’s Honolulu Rail Transit Authority awarded a $38.8 million contract to AECOM Technical Services, Inc., to design the project’s airport section of the elevated rail guideway.
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.
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.
C. L. “Larry” Laurello of Saybrook, Ohio, passed away on Monday, Jan. 2, 2012, at his home.
The National Railroad Construction & Maintenance Association honored individuals and companies by awarding the Railroad Construction Project of the Year, Field Employee of the Year and inducting the inaugural class of the association’s Hall of Fame.
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., 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.
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.
Skanska signed a design-build contract to construct a 16-kilometer (9.9-mile) extension of the Bay Area Rapid Transit system near San Francisco, Calif. Skanska is leading a joint venture with Shimmick Construction and Herzog Contracting Corporation.
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 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.
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.
Armtec Infrastructure Inc. has secured a number of rail infrastructure projects, valued at more than CA$30 million (US$29 million), within the Greater Toronto Area. These projects were anticipated as part of the previously announced CA$50 million (US$48.6 million) in new contracts that are expected to be booked during the fourth quarter.
Kansas City Southern President and CEO David Starling reviews 2011 and plans the next year’s progress for KCS.
Canadian National and the United Steelworkers Local 2004 have reached a tentative agreement to renew the labor contract for approximately 2,800 maintenance-of-way employees in Canada. The current agreement is scheduled to expire on Dec. 31, 2011.
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.