Rep. Corrine Brown (D-FL), Jacksonville Mayor Alvin Brown and a host of other federal, state and local leaders gathered May 12 to mark the start of construction on the The Jacksonville Port Authority (JAXPORT) Intermodal Container Transfer Facility (ICTF) at Dames Point,
The University of Stony Brook’s work on generating clean energy from railroad track vibrations was one of several to receive an award from PowerBridgeNY, a recently created proof-of-concept center established to move clean-energy ideas from the laboratory to become successful businesses in New York State.
Caltrain completed the $155-million San Bruno grade separation project, which it says has improved rail safety for the city and for the commuter railroad by elevating the train tracks over San Bruno, San Mateo and Angus avenues.
A tentative agreement has been reached between VIA Rail Canada and Canadian National, which will allow VIA Rail’s passenger rail service to continue on the Newcastle subdivision. Under the agreement, which must be ratified by their respective boards, VIA Rail will provide funding to CN for rehabilitation work on the line between Nelson Junction and Nepisiquit Junction. Work will be done on 70.8 kilometers (44 miles) of track and represents a CA$10.2-million (US$9.3-million investment for the railroad.
As a result of this agreement, VIA Rail will be able to continue to offer its Ocean passenger rail service between Bathurst and Miramichi three days per week in each direction as part of its Montreal-Halifax service. VIA Rail will hold discussions with the province and municipalities along the subdivision to explore ways they can assist in increasing train ridership.
“Our government is committed to creating jobs, growth and long-term prosperity. The continuity of VIA Rail’s Ocean service on this rail line in Northern New Brunswick is excellent news as it will not only benefit the users, but also each community along the route by maintaining jobs and supporting the local economy,” said Canada’s Minister of Transport Lisa Raitt.
In other news, the Canadian government has appointed Yves Desjardins-Siciliano as president and chief executive officer of VIA Rail.
Prior to his appointment, Desjardins-Siciliano was VIA Rail’s chief corporate and legal officer and corporate secretary. Prior to joining VIA Rail in 2010, he has held executive positions, in a variety of industries, in both Montréal and Toronto.
“As Directors of VIA Rail, we are delighted that the government has chosen to lead Canada’s national passenger railway, someone whose career demonstrates a breath of experiences and expertise, an intimate knowledge of our largest markets, an ability to develop new value-creation strategies and a keen understanding of public policy. He can count on our full support,” said Paul Smith, chairman of the board.
Desjardins-Siciliano takes over from VIA Rail’s Interim President and CEO, Steve Del Bosco. Steve will be resuming his previous role as VIA’s chief commercial planning officer. Del Bosco had been in the interim position since January 4, 2014.
Denver Union Station reopened on May 9 and is now a multimodal transportation hub that includes a new bus facility and rail connections and will significantly improve transportation options in downtown Denver and beyond.
Metropolitan Transportation Authority‘s Metro-North Railroad completed a track reconstruction effort that began in July 2013 on the tracks through the central Bronx used by New Haven Line and Harlem Line trains. The authority says the work results in a safer, smoother ride and improved operating speeds.
Three of Connecticut’s representatives to Congress, Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), Jim Himes (D-CT) and Elizabeth Esty (D-CT) and Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney (D-NY) unveiled the Rail Safety Enforcement Act, comprehensive legislation the congressmen say will enhance rail safety.
Amtrak began service to Union Depot in St. Paul, Minn., with the May 7 arrival of the Empire Builder from Chicago. Amtrak President and Chief Executive Officer Joe Boardman was among several transportation leaders who cut the ribbon for the first-ever Amtrak service in Downtown St. Paul.
South County Economic Development Council (SCEDC) board members voted to support the reactivation of the San Diego Arizona Eastern Railway at its May board of directors meeting.
The California High-Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA) Board of Directors certified the Final Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Impact Statement (EIR/EIS) for the Fresno to Bakersfield project section of the high-speed rail program and approved a high-speed rail alignment within the Fresno to Bakersfield project section.
Work is expected to begin on May 12 on a North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) project to replace a railroad crossing on Morrisville Parkway with a bridge to carry rail traffic over the road. This is one of a series of projects to improve at-grade crossings along the rail corridor between Raleigh and Charlotte.
The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (SCVTA) will be shutting down two light-rail stations and the segment of track in between in Santa Clara, Calif., to help speed up construction of the Santa Clara Pocket Track, an extra track that will hold the trains needed to meet the anticipated increases in ridership.
Watco Transportation Services named Kenneth Barnhouse general manager at the Wallula (Wash.) Switching Site, where it switches cars for Boise Cascade.
The North County Transit District (NCTD) in San Diego has applied for a $5-million Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) Discretionary Grant.
The Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) and its local community partners have received four proposals to improve the Hoosier State passenger rail service between Indianapolis and Chicago.
Charles Steffensmeier has joined the staff of the Oregon International Port of Coos Bay as chief engineer. He will have primary responsibility for engineering oversight for rehabilitation and upgrade of the port’s Coos Bay rail line serving southwest Oregon industrial and agricultural operations and marine terminals in the Coos Bay harbor.
Beginning May 5, Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) New York City Transit’s (NYCT) FASTRACK program will return to the A and C lines in Brooklyn.
In the first part of 2014, the Kansas City Southern (KCS) Engineering and Maintenance of Way team completed four major projects allowing for capacity increases and greater operational efficiency.
Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) has applied for six Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grants, which would improve highways, ferries and freight rail.
BNSF has kicked-off its plan to invest approximately $1 billion to improve and expand rail capacity in states along its Northern Corridor, which spans the northern U.S. between the Pacific Northwest and Chicago. Some of the projects that will help expand capacity and improve traffic flow for all freight and passenger trains for current and future growth on those routes are well underway.