BNSF‘s 2015 capital program for its operations in Minnesota will be more than last year’s investment with an estimated $326 million for key rail capacity improvement projects and a robust maintenance program.
Chicago Transportation Authority (CTA) has secured a $120-million Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) loan for major improvements to the Blue Line, which will upgrade tracks and stations between the downtown Loop and Chicago O’Hare International Airport.
Texas Central Railway (TCR) selected two locations as potential candidate sites for the Dallas high-speed rail station. As part of the National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA) process, TCR identified seven areas as possible station locations in Dallas.
The New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) awarded a contract to GCT Constructors, JV, a joint venture consisting of Schiavone Construction Co. and John P. Picone Inc., to build the future Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) concourse at Grand Central Terminal. The $404.8-million dollar contract, which with options could increase to a total of $428.9 million, was awarded after a competitive request for proposal process that drew nine other firms.
Funding for this contract will come from a federal grant through the Federal Transit Administration and MTA local funds.
Under the contract, workers will build the architectural, structural, mechanical and electrical facilities, escalators and elevators, that will comprise the future LIRR 375,000 square-foot passenger train concourse and related ventilation plants at 44th and 50th Streets.
Work in the concourse includes building 17 deep escalators at 45th, 46th, 47th and 48th Streets and installing elevators connecting the LIRR passenger concourse to the train station caverns 140 feet below Park Avenue. The work also includes installation of emergency egress stairs and the associated architectural, structural, mechanical and electrical finishes and equipment.
The contract includes major civil work to create passenger connections from the new LIRR Concourse up to Grand Central’s Lower Level Dining Concourse, Grand Central’s Biltmore Room on the Upper Level, the 47th Street Cross Passageway and the 45th Street cross passageway.
The contract also requires mechanical and electrical fit-out of ventilation buildings at 44th and 50th Streets, including installation of eight large fans, as well as associated system equipment.
“This world class project will be an economic game-changer for New York City and Long Island. There is no other transit infrastructure project in the United States that is as complex as East Side Access or carries as much economic promise for the region it will serve,” said MTA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Thomas Prendergast.
The Western Group, a railroad industry consortium, named Dr. Art Miller as system director, responsible for safety training, as well as standards and regulatory compliance. For almost 30 years, Miller has blended his knowledge of railroad operations with safety management. Since 2009, Miller has served as director of safety and operations standards for Iowa Pacific Holdings.
BNSF ‘s 2015 capital program for its operations in Nebraska will be an estimated $226 million for rail capacity improvement projects and maintenance.
Denver’s Regional Transportation District (RTD) staff presented a final list of four teams to its board of directors to bid on building out the Southeast Rail Extension Feb. 3.
Metro-North train service resumed on the Harlem Line February 5 for the first time since a collision February 3 between a passenger train and a vehicle near Valhalla Station in Valhalla.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx highlighted $3.2 billion recommended in President Obama’s Fiscal Year 2016 budget to advance the construction or completion of 25 rail, bus rapid transit (BRT) and streetcar projects in 13 states.
VIA Rail Canada appointed Susan Williams to general manager for eastern Canada. The passenger rail service provider said this will involve adding value to the services offered to communities served in the maritimes and eastern Québec, as well as business development activities intended to build on partnerships that began in 2014 with local community representatives.
President Obama unveiled his proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2016, which includes a six-year $478-billion surface transportation reauthorization proposal that contains rail funding sources through the Generating Renewal, Opportu¬nity, and Work with Accelerated Mobility, Efficiency, and Rebuilding of Infrastructure and Communities throughout America (GROW AMERICA) Act.
President Obama’s proposed FY16 Budget includes $100 million for the second section of the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA) Purple Line Extension Project. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, business, environmental, labor and community leaders applauded the inclusion of these funds as an important step in keeping LACMTA’s planned subway construction toward West Los Angeles on track.
Transportation fatalities in the United States decreased by three percent in 2013 from 2012, according to preliminary figures released by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).
Fatalities in all modes of transportation totaled 34,678 in 2013, compared with 35,796 in 2012. Deaths in marine, aviation, highway and pipeline transportation decreased, although there was a rise in rail-related deaths. Railroad deaths increased six percent from 840 to 891, which a vast majority of these fatalities continue to be trespassers struck by trains.
“While this decrease represents a good trend, much more work needs to done, because 35,000 deaths is very troubling,” said NTSB Acting Chairman Hart. “NTSB continues to address safety issues in all modes to reduce deaths and injuries on our roads, rails and waterways, as well as in our skies.”
U.S. freight railroads plan to spend an estimated $29 billion on the nation’s rail network and project to hire about 15,000 people in 2015, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported in its 2015 Outlook. The AAR says these high-paying jobs and record private spending will further strengthen an essential transportation system that is today powering a U.S. economic comeback.
The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (SCVTA) in California are initiating an environmental study for the proposed construction of an approximately six-mile extension of Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) from the now under construction Berryessa BART Station in San Jose to Santa Clara. The Project is planned to include four stations: the Alum Rock, Downtown San Jose, Diridon, and Santa Clara Stations.
Kansas City Southern says that implementation of Positive Train Control (PTC) technology is a major, ongoing initiative, especially for the Signal, Mechanical, Telecommunications and IT groups.
Canadian National and members of the United Steelworkers (USW) union Local 2004 have ratified a four-year labor agreement covering approximately 3,000 maintenance-of-way employees who inspect, maintain and repair CN’s track, bridges and structures in Canada. The new agreement was reached prior to the expiration of the previous agreement and is retroactive to Jan. 1, 2015.
The Association of American Railroads’ (AAR) Senior Vice President of Safety and Operations Robert VanderClute has retired.
Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) opened the Mid-Suffolk Train Yard Information Center at Ronkonkoma Station so customers and community residents can learn about the LIRR’s proposal for enlarging its train yard in Ronkonkoma.
George Good, Jr., the Federal Transit Administration’s (FTA) first full-time safety investigator recently began according to a blog post to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s “Fast Lane.”