Union Pacific makes executive appointments, names new members to Board
Union Pacific (UP) has appointed Eric Butler executive vice president and chief administrative officer and Beth Whited to executive vice president and chief marketing officer.
Caltrain starts pre-construction work for electrification project
Caltrain is gearing up to perform pre-construction work immediately that will continue through the end of February within the right-of-way as part of the Peninsula Corridor Electrification Project (PCEP).
WMATA won’t use 4000-series railcars in lead positions after safety concern identified
Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) General Manager and CEO Paul J. Wiedefeld has ordered the prompt removal from service of all 4000-series railcars from the lead position of trains following the identification of a possible safety issue.
ITT moves to acquire Axtone
New York-based global manufacturing company ITT Inc. has announced an agreement through which it will acquire Axtone, a leading manufacturer of highly engineered and customized components for railway and other harsh-environment industrial markets.
MTA awards LIRR bridge contract, prepares to award R Line station contracts
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) Board has approved a design-build contract for Halmar International Inc., an engineering and construction company based in Nanuet, N.Y., to replace a new bridge carrying the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) tracks at the Westbury LIRR station.
CTA Board approves 2017 operating, capital budgets
The Chicago Transit Authority’s (CTA) Board has approved a $1.524 billion operating budget that maintains current fares and preserves bus and rail service levels.
OneRail report makes case for rail’s role in safe transportation network
A new report from the OneRail Coalition highlights the decline in rail accidents during the past decade and calls for more people and goods to travel by rail to continue the positive safety trend.
TSB points to broken rail as reason for 2014 CN derailment
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) has found a broken rail, due to an undetected defect led to the October 2014 derailment of a Canadian National Railway (CN) freight train near Clair, SK, Canada.
APTA calls for additional funds to help commuter railroads implement PTC
The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) is calling on Congress to appropriate funds toward the commuter rail industry’s positive train control (PTC) implementation initiatives in light of the progress the association says the industry has made in these efforts so far.
J.F. White Contracting awarded MBTA maintenance contract
The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority’s (MBTA) Fiscal and Management Control Board has awarded J.F. White Contracting Co. a $17.9 million construction contract to support infrastructure improvements on the system’s Red and Orange lines.
BNSF, KCS join forces on new intermodal service
BNSF Railway Company (BNSF) and Kansas City Southern (KCS) have announced a new joint service, offering intermodal transportation connections at more locations in the U.S. and Mexico.
NTSB unveils two-year Most Wanted List
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) unveiled its 2017-2018 Most Wanted List, implementing a new two-year cycle as opposed to the annual one previously used.
HNTB promotes Guzzi to lead Pennsylvania office
HNTB Corporation (HNTB) has promoted Joseph Guzzi, PMP, to Pennsylvania office leader.
KCS dedicates intermodal terminal to Starling
David L. Starling, who recently retired as President and CEO of Kansas City Southern, now has an intermodal terminal named after him.
Watco to purchase 20 additional bulk terminals from Kinder Morgan
Watco Companies, LLC (Watco), and Kinder Morgan Terminals (KMT) have established a definitive agreement for Watco to purchase 20 U.S. bulk terminal operations.
TPW begins unit train service to Pacific Ethanol facility
Pacific Ethanol, Inc. (PEIX) and Toledo, Peoria & Western Railway (TPW), a subsidiary of Genesee & Wyoming, Inc. (GWI), began unit train service Nov. 14 from PEIX’s Pekin, Ill., plant.
Metra approves 2017 budget with fare increase to pay for capital needs
The Metra Board of Directors approved the agency’s 2017 budget, which includes a fare increase that will fund needed capital requirements.
PANYNJ proposes $6 billion operating and capital budget for 2017
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) has proposed a $6 billion 2017 operating and capital budget.
FEIS issued for Sound Transit extension to Federal Way
Sound Transit and the Federal Transit Administration issued the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the Federal Way Link light-rail extension, which would extend light rail south from Angle Lake in the city of SeaTac to the Federal Way Transit Center.
Final weld marks completion of Detroit streetcar construction
Crews completed welding on the final pieces of rail for Detroit’s M-1 Rail QLINE last week, finishing the installation and connection of the 6.6-mile streetcar line.