Harsco Rail receives Swiss maintenance equipment order

Harsco Rail received a railway track and infrastructure maintenance equipment award from SBB, the federal railway system of Switzerland.

Special T&I panel releases report on improving U.S. freight transportation

The Panel on 21st Century Freight Transportation, led by the panel’s Chairman, U.S. Rep. John Duncan, Jr. (R-TN) and Ranking Member Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), released its final report on the current state of freight transportation in the United States and its recommendations for freight transportation improvements to strengthen the U.S. economy.

Sandy Resiliency Tour displays MTA efforts to protect and strengthen infrastructure

Officials on October 29 toured Lower Manhattan to see some of the emerging technologies the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) is considering as part of the agency’s hardening and resiliency efforts to protect the system from future storms.

HART receives more than $63 million in GET surcharge revenue for project

The Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation (HART) has been informed by the Hawaii tax department that it will receive more than $63.7 million in General Excise and Use Tax (GET) surcharge revenue this quarter.

Pacific Imperial Railroad president retires, search is on to fill role

Pacific Imperial Railroad, which provides freight services on the Desert Line servicing the Tijuana-Tecate region of Baja California, Mexico and eastern San Diego County through its 99-year lease with the Metropolitan Transit System (MTS), has made changes to its senior management team. Donald Stoecklein has chosen to retire as president to focus on his family and other ventures.

BNSF’s Hund to retire, Piggot named new CFO

BNSF’s Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Tom Hund will retire during the first quarter of 2014. Hund will be replaced by Julie Piggott, currently vice president, planning and studies and controller.

PANYNJ authorizes $50 million to clean salt from rail tunnels

Lingering latent salt residue left by Superstorm Sandy’s extensive flooding inside the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey’s (PANYNJ) Port Authority Trans-Hudson Corp. (PATH) rail tunnels will be removed, with corroded cables, track and other equipment replaced, under a $50-million project authorization approved by PATH’s Board of Commissioners.

OmniTRAX Canada names Weber director of business development

OmniTRAX Canada hired Trent Weber as director business development, reporting directly to Lenny Berz, vice president industrial development. He will be responsible for all commercial sales, marketing and account management for the Hudson Bay Railway Company and Carlton Trail Railway Company.

Amtrak’s Boardman tells congressional committee to stop taking NEC for granted

The Northeast Corridor (NEC) is a national transportation asset and is aging, failure prone and lacks redundant systems to keep it operating in the event of failure, Amtrak President and CEO Joe Boardman told a Congressional committee October 28.

O’Leary named ARRC president and CEO

The Alaska Railroad Corporation (ARRC) Board of Directors has named Bill O’Leary as president and CEO, succeeding Chris Aadnesen, who has served in the position since September 2010. O’Leary will start his new position November 1.

Sound Transit seeks input on long-range expansion options for regional transit

Sound Transit in Seattle, Wash., is currently reaching out to community members and asking, “Where should regional high-capacity transit services go next following the completion of currently funded projects in 2023?” and asking that they participate in Sound Transit’s Long-Range Plan update.

BART puts permanent moratorium on “simple approval” procedure

Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) has moved to make permanent a temporary moratorium on a procedure known as “simple approval” in which trackside workers are responsible for their own safety.

NYCT to reopen Brighton Q Line platforms at three stations

Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) New York City Transit (NYCT) will re-open the newly refurbished northbound platforms of the B and Q Line stations at Cortelyou Road, Beverley Road and Parkside Avenue in Brooklyn on October 28, two weeks earlier than scheduled.

Canadian farmers urge solution to potential CN strike

With Canadian National (CN) and Teamsters Canada Rail Conference (TCRC) locked in a dispute, the industries that rely on the railway to ship products will be stuck with significantly fewer options if they go to a strike after the cooling off period.

Second segment of Metro Gold Line begins engineering phase

On October 23, the Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension Construction Authority hosted a kick-off meeting for the much-anticipated Azusa to Montclair segment of the Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension light-rail line.

GO Transit names new president

Metrolinx in Toronto, ON, Canada appointed Greg Percy to president of GO Transit, following an extensive international search process. Percy will assume the role effective November 9, 2013.

MTA, LIRR celebrate Jamaica Station’s centennial

October 23 marked the 100th anniversary of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority Long Island Rail Road’s (LIRR) Jamaica Station, a historic transportation hub and transfer point for 10 of the LIRR’s 11 branches that is used by 150,000 passengers every day.

BNSF to develop $28-million logistics facility in Sweetwater, Texas

BNSF plans to develop a $28-million logistics center and make improvements to an existing rail yard and mainline infrastructure in Sweetwater, Texas.

Port of Oswego receives additional funds for rail spur

The Port of Oswego Authority in New York received a $192,000 grant, awarded through the Northern Border Regional Commission, which will be used to construct a rail spur and additional rail car storage to help accommodate the demands of increased rail traffic.

HRT resumes work on Naval Station Norfolk study

Hampton Roads Transit has resumed work on the Naval Station Norfolk Transit Extension Study, which was put on hold on October 8 during the 16-day shutdown of most federal government work.

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