RT&S August issue now online
The RT&S August issue contains stories on how Amtrak deploys ground-penetrating radar to bring efficiencies to undercutting, ballast maintenance, rail welding, and a special look at how crews at Mount Washington Cog
Track Maintenance
FRA refutes index ranking regarding train derailments
24/7 Wall Street, using numbers from the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) and the Association of American Railroads, has created an index ranking the best and worst states when it comes to rail
LIRR rejects FRA’s interoperability claim with Positive Train Control
The Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) is doing pretty well with implementing Positive Train Control. The latest report from the Federal Railroad Administration shows LIRR has PTC on just over 72 percent
FRA encouraged by significant advancements in PTC implementation
The U.S. DOT’s Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) released a quarterly status update on railroads’ self-reported progress, as of June 30, 2020, toward fully implementing positive train control (PTC) systems by Dec. 31,
Metro-North still dealing with wrath of Tropical Storm Isaias
Tropical Storm Isaias put parts of the Metro-North Railroad in timeout for days. The railroad was finally operating on weekday schedules on Aug. 10 after crews had most of the debris off
New York City transit shuts down due to Isaias
Isaias was being difficult on Aug. 4. The tropical storm ripped upward along the East Coast and hit New York City transit particularly hard. Gusting winds, some exceeding 70 mph, took out
Weekend Cinema: MBTA upgrades another rail crossing
We have another time-lapse video from the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. This one shows the rail crossing improvement on Harvard Street. Below are photos of rail maintenance in Toronto.
REMSA webinar on export opportunities for U.S. maintenance-of-way companies
The Railway Engineering-Maintenance Suppliers Association (REMSA) will hold a webinar on July 16, 2020. Please check the REMSA website for more information and to register.
Affiliates of Paceline Equity Partners expand Rail Maintenance Leasing platform
Affiliates of Paceline Equity Partners, LLC (“Paceline”), a Dallas-based private equity manager, today announced they have acquired R.E.L.A.M., Inc., a leading lessor of railroad maintenance-of-way (“MOW”) equipment, as well as Acme Construction
Leveraging IoT technology to optimize FM in heavy haul track
Taking a look at how remote monitoring technology can help railroads maximize the benefits of their FM programs which simultaneously minimizing the cost of running them. This paper was a joint collaboration
CEO of Rideau Transit Group resigns while Ottawa’s Confederation Line still struggles with issues
Peter Lauch, who has been the CEO of Rideau Transit Group since 2018, announced his resignation effective July 10. Rideau Transit Group has been criticized for work done on the city of
Ottawa’s Confederation Line may not have all fixes complete by Labor Day
Labor Day weekend always feels like a good time to end work. Officials in Ottawa were hoping all problems with its new light-rail system on the Confederation Line would be resolved by
VRE extends operations and maintenance contracts with Keolis
The Virginia Railway Express (VRE) will continue to utilize Keolis Rail Services Virginia, LLC for operating and maintenance services. On the recommendation of the VRE Operations Board, the commuter rail service’s parent
Sunday Cinema—Sections of concrete tie placement
Came across the video below on LinkedIn last week. It doesn’t appear to be a project in North America, but the process of laying down sections of concrete tie is pretty cool.
L.B. Foster introduces RPM2.0 for optimization of friction management programs
RPM2.0, L.B. Foster’s next generation Remote Performance Monitoring (RPM) interface for trackside wheel/rail Friction Management systems, is here. The system that provides immediate, intuitive insight into the operation and performance of friction
Rail Group On Air: Talking projects, maintenance and COVID with CSX V.P. of Engineering Ricky Johnson
Railway Track & Structures Editor-in-Chief Bill Wilson talks construction projects, maintenance and dealing with a pandemic with CSX Vice President of Engineering Ricky Johnson. Rail Group On Air · Rail Group on
Sunday Cinema: Toronto’s Eglinton Crosstown project
Toronto’s Eglinton Crosstown project reached a major milestone recently with the completion of the underpinning process at the Eglinton Station. A look at the progress of the Green Line Extension in Boston.
Rails to trails project not a total loss as 85 miles of track will be refurbished
Lake Placid was home to the 1980 Winter Olympics, which produced the “Miracle on Ice” when team USA defeated the Soviet Union en route to hockey gold. Some might say the Lake
INVEST Act appears to fund Gateway Project but comes down hard on liquefied natural gas transport by rail
The House of Representatives has introduced the Investing in a New Vision for the Environment and Surface Transportation in America (INVEST in America) Act. The measure, introduced by House Transportation and Infrastructure
Norfolk Southern derailment in Virginia on Friday morning
A Norfolk Southern train derailed Friday morning in Warren County, Va. Norfolk Southern and its contractors worked through the day to assess the derailment site and begin work to clear the area.