CTA awards contract for five Blue Line station rehabilitations
The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) Board approved the award of a $25.6-million contract to F.H. Paschen and S.N. Nielsen for the renovation of five O’Hare branch CTA stations, in what is the next major phase of the historic $492 -million Your New Blue modernization project.
First tracks installed for SCVTA BART extension
Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (SCVTA) celebrated another milestone for the Bay Area Rapid Transportation’s Silicon Valley Berryessa Extension as joint venture
contractor Skanska, Shimmick, Herzog (SSH) recently installed the first set of tracks.
U.S. House passes Amtrak funding bill
The House of Representatives approved a bill March 3 that improves the nation’s passenger rail system and reforms Amtrak by reducing costs, creating greater accountability and transparency, leveraging private sector resources and accelerating rail project delivery, according to a release from the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.
SANBAG clears environmental hurdle to move Redlands Passenger Rail forward
The San Bernardino Associated Governments (SANBAG) received the Notice of Determination (NOD) of its Redlands Passenger Rail Project Final Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report (EIS/EIR) in a public hearing and board meeting March 4.
Rep. Denham tours Colton Crossing project in California
U.S. Rep. and Chairman of the Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines and Hazardous Materials Jeff Denham (R-CA) joined representatives from HDR, Inc., and the National Railroad Construction and Maintenance Association (NRC) for a tour of the Colton Crossing Rail-to-Rail Grade Separation Project.
Gannett Fleming names Mulqueen director of transit & rail
Gannett Fleming appointed Bryan Mulqueen, PE, to director of transit & rail. Based in the Raleigh, N.C., office, Mulqueen serves as a vice president in the company and a project principal for the firm’s most critical transit projects.
AXION receives orders for ECOTRAX® Tunnel-Tie System
AXION International Holdings, Inc., received $1.71 million in orders for plated ECOTRAX® tunnel ties from Eastern Rail Corporation for a northeast-based transit line.
PTC relief on the way?
The U.S. railroad industry has been scrambling since 2008 to meet the requirements of an unfunded federal government mandate—namely, having Positive Train Control installed and fully operational by Dec. 31, 2015 on 60,000 miles of track where hazmat and passenger trains operate. Parallel to the PTC initiative has been a battle waged on Capitol Hill to extend the end-of-the-year deadline. That effort may be paying off, and the railroads may one day be grateful that they have a Thune on their side.
INRD plans $17.5-million 2015 capex; focuses on bridges
The Indiana Rail Road Company (INRD) released plans for a $17.5-million capital program in 2015 that will focus heavily on bridge projects, a trend it anticipates will continue in the future.
Tri-City Railroad Company names VP, COO
Tri-City Railroad Company hired John Miller as vice president and chief operating officer.
WSDOT seeks comment on PCC rail system plan
Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) seeks public input on a plan for prioritized improvements to the Palouse and Coulee City (PCC) Rail system in eastern Washington. Once finalized, the plan will be used to help develop future funding, policy and planning goals.
Senate bill to extend shortline tax credit introduced
U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) introduced the Short Line Railroad Rehabilitation and Investment Act of 2015, which would extend the shortline railroad track maintenance tax credit that expired in 2014.
NJ Transit awarded $147-million FTA storm relief grant
The U.S. Department of Transportation has awarded New Jersey Transit $147,086,000 through the Federal Transit Administration’s Public Transportation Emergency Relief Program for repair, recovery and resiliency projects associated with Superstorm Sandy.
Quebec government eyes purchase of eastern shortline
The Quebec government has laid out a plan to buy the Gaspé Railway Company line between Matapédia and Gaspé in the eastern part of the province. Ownership of the line currently belongs to four county municipalities that are served by the line.
CTA to begin Washington-Wabash station work as part of larger Chicago initiative
Chicago Transit Authority will soon begin construction on three major transit infrastructure projects as part of the new Loop Link initiative that will redevelop and modernize transportation from Union Station to Millennium Park. Included in the projects is a new Washington-Wabash CTA ‘L” station, which will begin construction in mid March.
FRA begins campaign to enhance grade-crossing safety
As part of its ongoing effort to improve safety at railroad grade crossings, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has begun a new, multi-faceted campaign aimed at strengthening enforcement and safety awareness at grade crossings.
NS names Squires to succeed Moorman
Norfolk Southern named James Squires chief executive officer, succeeding Wick Moorman. The action by the company’s board of directors is part of its planned succession process and will be effective June 1, 2015.
Metrolink begins PTC revenue service demonstration along San Bernardino Line
Metrolink reached a critical milestone March 2, 2015, by launching Positive Train Control (PTC) in revenue service demonstration (RSD) along the its San Bernardino Line between Los Angeles and San Bernardino, Calif.
KCS provides PTC update, spotlights telecommunications group
Implementation of Positive Train Control (PTC) technology on Kansas City Southern is a major, ongoing initiative, especially for the Signal, Mechanical, IT and Telecommunications groups, the railroad says. The railroad provided an update on its progress of PTC implementation in an employee newsletter.