New York State awarded $17.8 million in funding from the State’s Passenger and Freight Rail Assistance Program to 12 rail projects that will repair and replace 65 miles of track and ties, rehabilitate grade crossings and bridges and construct new connections to improve safety and operations.
Congress approved the extension of the Section 45G shortline tax credit to cover all of the 2014 tax year.
Four rail projects in South Dakota have received $56 million in public and private funds.
CSX opened a new intermodal terminal in Salaberry-de-Valleyfield near Montreal, QC.
Following months of work, a multitude of inspections and an additional CA$10 million (US$8.6 million) investment, Central Maine & Quebec Railway (CMQ) got the go-ahead from Transport Canada.
On December 5, CMQ received the official revocation of a series of notices and orders, confirming immediate threats no longer exist on CMQ railway. The notices and orders were transferred to CMQ following its purchase of bankrupt Montreal Maine & Atlantic.
CMQ has spent the past four months installing more than 32,000 new crossties, 110,000 linear feet of rail and 25,000 tons of ballast, upgrading bridges, culverts and crossings, completing surfacing work and removing more than 300 in-track rail defects from its main tracks and sidings. The Sherbrooke subdivision is the 125-mile backbone of CMQ’s Quebec rail line and stretches from Lac-Mégantic to Brookport just east of Farnham.
“We had to make this investment. The line was covered in snow last February and March when we were finally able to begin our diligence, but we made a commitment to Lac-Mégantic Mayor Laroche and citizens, as well as many regulators, that we would address the years of neglect,” said CMQ President and Chief Executive Officer John Giles. “It was an extremely tough undertaking. We had industry peers questioning the amount of work that we signed up for with such a short construction season. I knew we were in good hands with Ron Marshall, general manager of engineering, leading this project with his team.”
When asked about the scope of project, Marshall commented, “This is one of the most challenging construction seasons I’ve ever been involved in. But I knew from my experience working with this team at RailAmerica that I would have the support I needed. This investment demonstrates our team’s commitment to operating the railway in a safe and responsible fashion.”
CMQ considers Phase 1 of its transformation now largely completed.
“Not to say we don’t have a lot more track and infrastructure work to do next spring, but we have already started Phase II, which focuses on growth, customers and interline partners,” said Giles.
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) released its investigation report into a May 2013 collision between two Canadian Pacific trains just east of Dunmore, AB. The TSB said this accident highlights the need for action on two of the TSB’s Watchlist issues: following railway signal indications and on-board video and voice recorders.
National Railroad Construction and Maintenance Association (NRC) selected the winners of its 2014 Safety, Field Employee of the Year, Small Project of the Year and Large Project of the Year awards. The winners will be recognized at this year’s NRC Conference, January 7-10, 2015, in Hollywood, Fla.
The Metra Board of Directors highlighted the need for the $1-billion 75th Street Corridor Improvement Project (CIP), which aims to untangle a knot of railroad tracks on the South Side of Chicago, Ill., that causes significant delays for Metra, Amtrak and several freight railroads.
The Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) finalized its purchase of a 70-mile segment of rail line between Madison to Reedsburg and Madison to Cottage Grove.
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Board of Commissioners adopted a $2.9-billion Operating Budget and a $3.6-billion Capital Budget. Combined, together with debt service, the budget for 2015 totals $7.8 billion.
The California Transportation Commission (CTC) allocated more than $254 million for 41 transportation projects that it says will enhance the safety and mobility of Californians throughout the state. The allocation includes $102 million for rail projects.
The N.C. Department of Transportation‘s Rail Division has made crossing safety improvements at two intersections in Pitt County, at two intersections near Marion and at an intersection in Onslow County.
The House and Senate’s effort to keep the federal government operating through the end of fiscal year 2015 was revealed late Tuesday in the form of a trillion-dollar-plus spending bill, Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act of 2015.
The 96th Annual Railway Tie Association Symposium and Technical Conference was held October 14 – 17 in Orlando, Fla., where 307 attendees gathered together to discuss the crosstie industry, as well as the railroading environment as a whole.
Canadian National has reached a tentative agreement with the United Steelworkers (USW) union Local 2004 to renew the labor contract for approximately 3,000 CN maintenance-of-way employees represented by the USW in Canada. The current CN-USW labor agreement is scheduled to expire on Dec. 31, 2014.
RailComm was selected to provide and install a car tracking and inventory management solution at Terminal Railway Alabama State Docks (TASD).
The Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT), along with local municipalities and counties, will host an open house Dec. 8, in Willmar, Minn., to gather input for the 2015 update of the Minnesota State Rail Plan.
The Railway Association of Canada (RAC) recognized four of its members for their outstanding contributions to rail safety. Representatives from Canadian National, Canadian Pacific, VIA Rail Canada and The Roberval and Saguenay Railway Company accepted their awards at the association’s Rail Day event in Ottawa, ON.
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey released its proposed $2.9-billion Operating Budget and $3.6-billion Capital Budget. Combined, together with debt service, the proposed agency budget for 2015 totals $7.8 billion in proposed spending.
Indiana Rail Road (INRD) Founder, President and Chief Executive Officer Thomas Hoback will retire, effective June 30, 2015, from the helm of the railroad he has rebuilt from a broken-down branch line into a thriving regional railroad.