Derailment leads to evacuation of Georgia town
A Norfolk Southern (NS) train carrying various chemicals derailed the night of Sunday, Jan. 6, near Bartow, a small town in east Georgia, causing some of the chemicals being transported to spill.
UP selects Vena as COO
Union Pacific (UP) has named Jim Vena as the Class 1’s new chief operating officer, effective Jan. 14.
Gonzales named VP/CFO at TTCI
Kari Gonzales has been named as vice president and Chief Financial Officer (CFO) at Transportation Technology Center, Inc. (TTCI).
Three MnDOT projects gain funding to improve state’s rail service
The Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) has announced three projects aimed at improving rail service in the state.
NTRT to begin work on $10M transloading rail yard
North Thompson Rail Terminals (NTRT) has announced plans to begin work to build a new $10 million transloading rail yard, according to a local news report.
Federal funds to support Quonset Freight Rail Enhancements and Expansion
A new $3 million federal grant has been announced that is intended to support the Quonset Freight Rail Enhancements and Expansion (Q-FREE) project to make freight rail improvements and enhance the movement
Improvements complete at four CTA Green Line stations
The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) has completed improvements to four of its Green Line stations.
New York’s MTA won’t close “L” train connecting Brooklyn to Manhattan
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has halted plans for a complete shutdown of “L” train service through the storm-damaged Canarsie Tunnel. Cuomo announced his decision in a press conference during which engineering academics
U.S. rail network could be a year from meeting federal PTC goals
The U.S. transportation network looks to be a year from meeting its full implementation goals for positive train control (PTC), following developments as the 2018 year came to a close.
BART will replace substation at San Leandro, as overhaul of power system commences
The Bay Area Rapid Transit District (BART) will replace an aging traction-power substation at its San Leandro station. BART says the project will take some 14 months to complete. The plan for the
Chicago O’Hare People Mover to close until fall as renovations take place
The O’Hare International Airport “People Mover,” the light-rail system that shuttles passengers around the airport grounds, will shut down completely next week and will not reopen until the fall of 2019, according
Big Data conference: “Moving from talking to action”
The 2018 University of Delaware Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering “Big Data in Railroad Maintenance Planning Conference,” held Dec. 13-14, spotlighted the progress the industry is making in dealing with Big
HDR selects Buchanan as transit principal project manager
Engineering firm HDR has added Brian Buchanan to its transit practice as a transit principal project manager and transit section manager.
BNSF completes double-track project in Washington to finish 2018 capex spend
BNSF Railway’s Engineering department said it placed nearly five miles of new double-track in to service between Washougal and Mt. Pleasant, Washington on the Fallbridge Subdivision last week. That work marks the conclusion
CN meets PTC installment deadline; seeks two-year extension for full operation
CN says it met its year-end deadline to install positive train control (PTC) equipment across its system. The Class 1 also announced it is seeking a two-year extension “to complete deployment and
FRA gives $46 million in PTC grants in 10 states
Eleven projects to implement positive train control (PTC) systems will split more than $46 million in grants from the Federal Railroad Administration. The winning PTC projects include a wide variety of rail
What the government shutdown means for rail
The nation is in the throes of a partial shutdown of the federal government. But the effects on the rail community appear not to be significant, at least for now. The Department
Norfolk Southern sues Pittsburgh over landslides
Norfolk Southern has filed a lawsuit seeking $1.1 million from the city of Pittsburgh to cover damages and repairs from two landslides in 2016.
Railroad Signalmen union boss Floyd Mason retires just weeks after election
Floyd Mason, president of the Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen union, will retire on Jan. 1., after only four months in the role. The move was unexpected. Mason had been elected on Aug. 18
USDOT grant to bolster PTC along Metra lines
Rep. Dan Lipinski of Illinois’ third District has announced that Metra, the commuter railroad serving the Chicago metropolitan area, will receive more than $2 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT)