The North Carolina Railroad Company (NCRR) is moving forward with more than $13 million in economic development investments across the state, which will expand rail access, improve safety and sustain rail projects spanning from Mecklenburg County northeast to Durham County and from Durham County southeast to Wake and Craven Counties.
North Dakota Gov. Jack Dalrymple said he is pleased with actions taken by BNSF in response to the comprehensive review and analysis of rail operations and infrastructure around Casselton, N.D., following the Nov. 13 derailment, the second derailment in the area within the last year.
Watco Transportation Services appointed Jason Stutzman to director – transportation safety and training where he will work closely with the regional safety managers to develop and improve initial and annual refresher training courses.
Ted Niemeyer, P.E., has joined V3 Companies as its director of railroad services, heading up its Railroad Engineering Practice.
Watco Transportation Services has promoted Ron Martin to vice president of transportation safety and training and Michael Smith to director of engineering safety and training.
The province of Quebec awarded a contract to CANARAIL to perform a feasibility study of a new 310-kilometer (192-mile) long railway from Sept-Iles to the Labrador Trough.
BNSF ‘s planned capital expenditures for 2015 will be $6 billion, which will go toward maintenance and expansion of the railroad in order to meet the expected demand for freight rail service.
Association of American Railroads (AAR) President and Chief Executive Officer, Edward Hamberger recently said that a strong and robust freight rail network is needed to meet the country’s transforming business challenges head on.
Genesee & Wyoming Inc. (GWI) late Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2014 announced it “has signed an agreement with Pinsly Railroad Company of Westfield, Mass., to acquire certain subsidiaries that constitute Pinsly’s Arkansas Division (‘Pinsly Arkansas’) for $40 million in cash, subject to adjustment for final working capital.”
Union Pacific will strengthen Colorado’s transportation infrastructure by investing nearly $11 million in the rail line between Sterling and near Messex, Colo. The project, which is funded entirely by Union Pacific, began November 8 and is scheduled to be completed by mid-December.
Central Maine & Quebec Railway appointed Harold Tynes as chief financial officer, effective November 10, succeeding Sachi Mishra.
Norfolk Southern and the Delaware & Hudson Railway (D&H), a subsidiary of Canadian Pacific, have proposed a transaction under which NS would acquire 282.55 miles of D&H rail line between Sunbury, Pa., and Schenectady, N.Y. The $217-million is subject to the approval by the U.S. Surface Transportation Board.
In a complaint filed on Nov. 17, Amtrak is asking the Surface Transportation Board (STB) to investigate Norfolk Southern and CSX for causing delays for passengers traveling between Chicago and Washington, D.C., on the Capitol Limited service.
Union Pacific will strengthen Illinois’ transportation infrastructure by investing $12 million in the rail line between West Chicago and Franklin Grove. The project began October 1 and is scheduled to be completed by mid-December.
On November 13, 2014, an eastbound BNSF train carrying lumber and paper product in Casselton, N.D., derailed 21 cars that subsequently struck a passing westbound train derailing 12 empty tank cars. BNSF said the underlying cause of the derailment appears to be a broken rail. No injuries were reported.
BNSF crews worked through the night to clear the area and opened both tracks late November 14. BNSF is working with the Federal Railroad Administration to learn what factors led to the break. The railroad said the track was visually inspected earlier November 13 with no issues and has been regularly inspected in accord with BNSF’s track inspection program, which complies with federal standards.
BNSF stated, “As we continue working to understand what occurred in this incident, we will also undertake a broad-based review of the infrastructure in this vicinity to assure the residents of Casselton of its integrity.”
North Dakota Gov. Jack Dalrymple is urging BNSF to perform an exhaustive inspection of the track system in the Casselton area.
“I was pleased to hear that Matt Rose plans to have BNSF make a special priority to perform a complete analysis of rail track both east and west of Casselton,” Dalrymple said. “He assured me that the analysis will be comprehensive and will include a thorough inspection of rail, base, ties, crossing areas and other infrastructure.
“While we continue to press the railroad industry to improve rail safety, we are also moving forward on safer rail tank cars and a stronger state role in rail inspections,” Dalrymple said.
Railroad Track Repairer and Board Member Jack Burton recently passed the half-century mark as an employee of the Alaska Railroad (ARRC) and was recognized for his tenure with a salute during the ARRC Board of Directors meeting November 13. Burton joined ARRC as a track laborer in April 1964.
Two North American companies won top honors for Bentley System, Inc.’s Be Inspired Awards, part of Bentley’s annual Year in Infrastructure Conference, held in London, U.K., Nov. 4-6. Bentley provides software solutions to engineers, architects and constructors for sustaining intelligent infrastructure. The awards recognize users’ efforts to improve the world’s infrastructure.
RailComm has been selected to provide remote control to multiple switch locations and install a shove track protection system at a Class 1 hump yard located in North Carolina.
RailComm has been chosen to install and provide control to multiple switches throughout the Port of Los Angeles (POLA) terminal.
Federal Railroad Administrator Joseph Szabo joined Congresswoman Kay Granger in celebrating the re-opening of Tower 55, a 141-year-old railroad interlocking on Nov. 7. The newly-rebuilt interlocking will improve safety while relieving rail congestion following a multi-million dollar overhaul.