Metra suspends all service on Monday, June 1
Metra has announced that it has suspended all service for Monday, June 1 for the safety of passengers and employees, and because of municipal travel restrictions that are limiting their ability of
Sunday Cinema—Top railroad construction pics from the week ending May 29
No video this week, but we do have plenty of nice pictures. The first stop is the state of Washington, where Sound Transit is getting it done on the Hilltop Tacoma Link
Bells & Whistles—5/29/20
Officials believe the Gateway Project should be funded in the next stimulus bill. Federal Railroad Administration awards $302.6 million in grants. Austin voters might be reluctant to pass tax hike for Project
Metro Transit in Minneapolis suspends service through Sunday, May 31
Metro Transit in Minneapolis has suspended nearly all service through Sunday, May 31. The suspension stems from the unrest of three consecutive nights protesting the death of George Floyd. Metro Transit’s website
BNSF continues layoffs in Topeka, Kan.
RT&S has reported previously on BNSF layoffs in Topeka, Kan. This week, the railroad announced the layoff of 8 additional employees. In a statement from BNSF spokesman Ben Wilemon, the railroad said:
New York’s Gateway Project is brought up again, could ‘supercharge’ struggling economy
Whenever politicians in New York and New Jersey can find a gateway, they are going to talk about the Gateway Project. It happened again on May 28, when the Gateway Program Development
Boat used to maintain railroad trestle over 120 years ago reappears on Great Salt Lake
A recent storm in Utah has uncovered some railroad history. Winds reached 55 mph, which was enough to nudge a steel boat free so it could be visible on the Great Salt
RT&S Special Report: Railroad Cybersecurity – an interview with AAR
During the past several months, RT&S News has reported on concerns about cybersecurity in the industry. These concerns are not new, as they have been the subjects of numerous articles, speeches and
Crews to work on verticals of railroad bridges in Mich.
A pair of railroad bridges in Jackson, Mich., will increase their vertical. Work on the Jackson Street and Mechanic Street bridges is set to begin on June 1. The Jackson Street bridge,
U.S. DOT to distribute cloth facial coverings to America’s transportation workforce
Today, the Trump Administration announced millions of cloth facial coverings will be sent to workers in critical sectors of America’s economy. Approximately 15.5 million will be sent to the Nation’s transportation workforce.
After fatal strike on Ky. bridge parents of victim say more safety measures need to be installed, file suit
The goat man is supposedly an urban legend in Louisville. Apparently, he can be summoned when people step on or cross the Pope Lick trestle. The goat man is related to the
Focused Technology Solutions strikes a deal with Australia distributor
Focused Technology Solutions, a Marmon/Berkshire Hathaway Company, President Peter Bartek announced May 27 that the company has entered into another international market sector by partnering with Freightquip, a distributor located in Australia.
TriMet’s budget adjustments due to COVID-19 pandemic focus on preserving service and jobs, ensuring safety
Editor’s Note: TriMet provides bus, light rail and commuter rail transit services in the Portland, Oregon, metro area. Like other transit agencies, TriMet has been dealing with a plethora of issues related
Rail Group On Air: Tweeting with a transit mapper
Railway Track & Structures Editor-in-Chief Bill Wilson talks with transit mapper and author Christof Spieler on transit systems in the U.S., Ottawa’s efficient passenger rail line, transit life after COVID-19, and more.
Will COVID-19 cripple chances of Austin’s Project Connect?
The future of Austin, Texas, is not going to change, it is just being delayed. City officials will turn to the public and ask if they want to still move forward with
City of Phoenix seeks virtual public input on light-rail project
The meeting might be virtual, but light-rail growth in the city of Phoenix is very real. Online public meetings began on May 27 and will run for about a month so officials
Rail traffic—a faint light at the end of the tunnel? ‘Perhaps,’ says AAR
The Association of American Railroads (AAR) today reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending May 23, 2020. For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 428,715 carloads and intermodal units,
U.S. DOT announces $302.6 million in State of Good Repair grants
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) today announced the recipients of more than $302 million in grant funds under the Federal-State Partnership for State of Good Repair Program (Partnership
Measure would help infrastructure loan program for short lines, passenger rail
Legislation has been introduced that could help short line railroad companies and passenger lines with their infrastructure projects. The Railroad Rehabilitation and Financing Innovation Act was introduced in the U.S. Senate that
Indiana Rail Road and Venture Logistics win prestigious business development award for rail-served warehouse
The American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA) selected the Indiana Rail Road Company (INRD) as the winner of its 2020 Business Development Award, recognizing the INRD for its collaboration with