Union Pacific marks employee safety milestone
Union Pacific’s employees achieved a 0.92 reportable injury rate through the third quarter, improving 12 percent over the same period in 2014.
Harsco Rail names new VP of international regions
Harsco Rail, a division of Harsco Corporation has appointed Andre Schoen to vice president for international regions.
Rail projects to receive more than $170 million in TIGER grants (so far)
Elected officials sounded their victory horns as the notification process of Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) VII awards began.
GCT Canada breaks ground on rail yard reconfiguration project
GCT Canada, the operator of Canada’s flagship container terminal located in Port Metro Vancouver, has broken ground on its GCT Deltaport Intermodal Yard Reconfiguration Project.
MTA working to fix and fortify Staten Island Railway’s St. George Interlocking
A major Metropolitan Transportation Authority New York City Transit (MTA-NYCT) Fix&Fortify Sandy Recovery project underway on the Staten Island Railway (SIR) will require five weekend closures between October 24 and November 30.
Amtrak’s Boardman says funding is biggest hurdle to fixing Chicago, New York
Amtrak President and Chief Executive Officer Joe Boardman was joined by a panel of industry experts Oct. 26 at the National Press Club to highlight the need to make infrastructure planning and investment a national priority.
Former MTA chairman E. Virgil Conway dies
E. Virgil Conway, who served as both Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) chairman and as a member of the MTA Board, died October 21, 2015, in Southampton, N.Y., at the age of 85.
BNSF names Austin Western Railroad its shortline of the year
BNSF has named Austin Western Railroad (AWRR) as its 2015 Shortline Railroad of the Year during its annual Shortline Conference in Fort Worth, Texas.
PANYNJ approves construction of GCT Bayonne ship-to-rail facility
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) Board of Commissioners approved construction of GCT Bayonne ship-to-rail facility – a project that completes the agency’s $600 million initiative to provide all of its major marine terminals with direct access to rail.
Montreal’s STM proposes three-year, US$2.1 billion capital program
The Société de transport de Montréal (STM) proposed a three-year capital expenditures program (PTI) valued at more than CA$2.8 billion (US$2.1 billion). The plan outlines spending between 2016 – 2018 on those investments needed to upgrade or replace equipment and infrastructure that have or will reach the end of their service life in the next few years.
Foothill Gold Line to open March 2016
The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA) says that the Gold Line Foothill Extension Project will officially open to the public on Saturday, March 5, 2016.
RTD rail service to Denver airport to begin April 2016
Denver’s Regional Transportation District (RTD) received notice from Denver Transit Partners that the University of Colorado A Line commuter rail service from Denver Union Station to Denver International Airport (DIA) will be ready for service on April 22, 2016.
VRE says service suspension imminent without PTC extension
The Virginia Railway Express (VRE) gave notice that it will be forced to suspend some, if not all, of its commuter rail service in Virginia and Washington, D.C., after December 31, 2015 if Congress does not act to extend the deadline for implementing Positive Train Control (PTC).
SANDAG Board adopts 35-year regional transportation plan
The San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) Board of Directors voted unanimously on October 9, 2015, to adopt the final version of San Diego Forward: The Regional Plan, a sweeping blueprint for the future that will invest $204 billion into transportation infrastructure projects over the next 35 years.
Trio of Illinois Congressmen urge passing of PTC extension
On Oct. 21, U.S. Reps. Mike Quigley (D-IL-5), a member of the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development appropriations subcommittee, Dan Newhouse (R-WA-04), a member of the House Agriculture Committee and Dan Lipinski (D-IL-03)
Norfolk Southern says no PIH commodities, no passenger service due to PTC deadline
Norfolk Southern said its rail operating subsidiaries will no longer accept shipments of Poisonous-Inhalation-Hazard (PIH) commodities, effective Dec. 1, 2015.
Georgia Ports Authority plans $152 million capital plan for Brunswick
At the annual Brunswick State of the Port event October 20, Georgia Ports Authority (GPA) Executive Director Curtis Foltz discussed an ambitious $152 million capital improvement plan for Brunswick terminals during the next 10 years.
GREX names Grissom COO/EVP customer delivery
Georgetown Rail Equipment Company (GREX) promoted current Vice President Engineering Greg Grissom to chief operating officer/executive vice president customer delivery.
Contract awarded for Metrolinx RER electrification
Turner & Townsend, a program management and construction consultancy firm, has been selected to support a five-year project to modernize Metrolinx’s Regional Express Rail (RER).
Texas Central enters agreement for engineering and pre-construction work
Texas Central Partners entered into an agreement with Dallas to Houston Constructors (DHC), a joint venture between Archer Western Construction and Ferrovial Agroman US Corp. (FAUS), that includes engineering and pre-construction work valued at $130 million.