Sound Transit prepares to launch first Northgate Link tunnel boring machine
Sound Transit crews are preparing to move the first Northgate Link light-rail tunnel boring machine (TBM) into launch position.
Transport Canada’s new funds for crossings; CN’s public outreach rollout kick off Canada Rail Safety Week
Prime Minister Stephen Harper government today launched Rail Safety Week with new funding to improve railway crossings.
KCS engineering team marks successful rebuild of rail grinding machine
Recently, the Kansas City Southern (KCS) Engineering Department purchased and rebuilt an on-track rail grinding machine.
CTA taps TIFIA loan for 95th Street Bus and Rail Project
The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) has received a $79 million U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) Transportation Infrastructure Finance Innovation Act (TIFIA) loan for the 95th Street Bus and Rail project.
Sound Transit to administer track and signal upgrades for new Amtrak service
The Sound Transit Board has agreed to help implement improvements to Amtrak passenger rail service between Portland, Ore. and Vancouver, BC, Canada.
Guideway segment production for Honolulu transit in full swing
Production is underway at a Kalaeloa casting yard, where more than 80 Kiewit employees are busy building the concrete guideway segments that will sit on top of the columns to form the elevated guideway for Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transit’s (HART) rail system.
LACMTA awards Regional Connector and Union Station rail improvement contracts
The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA) Board of Directors approved a $927.2-million contract to Regional Connector Constructors, a joint venture between Skanska USA Civil West California District, Inc., and Traylor Brothers Inc. to design and build the Regional Connector Transit Corridor Project.
Conceptual engineering and environmental reviews contract awarded for next phase of Gold Line Foothill Extension
The Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension Construction Authority Board of Directors unanimously voted to award a $2.5-million contract to AECOM for the next phase of work for the Azusa to Montclair project. The contract will allow AECOM to support the Foothill Gold Line develop the advanced conceptual engineering for the project, as well as any necessary environmental reviews.
Atlas Railroad Construction reorganizes, relocates, expands to new markets
Genesee & Wyoming Inc.’s (GWI) Atlas Railroad Construction subsidiary is reorganizing under a region-based commercial and operating structure to facilitate expansion into the U.S. Midwest, Southeast and Southwest. As part of the reorganization, Atlas is relocating its headquarters from Bridgeville, Pa., to Jacksonville, Fla.
SMART, BLET seek two-person crew laws
As part of an ongoing effort to secure a law mandating a minimum of two crew members in the cab of all locomotives, the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) and the United Transportation Union Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers (UTU-SMART) have provided their state legislative boards with model legislation to secure minimum crew size laws on the state level.
WMATA, MWAA agreement moves Silver Line toward summer opening
Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) and the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) have entered into an agreement that will move the Silver Line closer to an earlier opening day.
KCS hosts Officer on a Train event in Joplin, Mo.
Kansas City Southern (KCS) and the Joplin, Mo., Police Department hosted an Officer on a Train event on April 24 to promote public safety at railroad crossings in the city.
SEPTA unveils improvement projects For Delaware County
Several long-needed Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) rail infrastructure improvements in Delaware County will move forward this year thanks to newly available transportation funding from the commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Metra plans grade-crossing work on Milwaukee Ave.
Chicago’s Metra will perform grade-crossing work on Milwaukee Avenue where it intersects with its Milwaukee North Line in Libertyville, Ill., from May 2-7.
RailWorks appoints new leader of U.S. track operations
RailWorks Corporation has named John Young executive vice president with responsibility for the company’s U.S. track operations.
Watco appoints three to new positions
Watco Transportation Services (WTS) appointed Jason Cathey to safety director. He will be responsible for managing the Safety Department Training and QA programs, assisting with incident reporting and statistics record keeping and leading WTS safety initiatives supporting safe work practices among WTS locations.
FEIS issued for Fresno to Bakersfield high-speed train
A Final Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Impact Statement (Final EIR/EIS) for the California High-Speed Rail Authority’s (CHSRA) Fresno to Bakersfield section of the project is now available.
Three named to top Metro-North operations posts; substation upgrade begins
Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s Metro-North Railroad has named three to top leadership positions.
Protran Technology receives TRB grant to develop rail break/buckle warning technology
Protran Technology has been awarded a grant by the Transportation Research Board (TRB) to develop and test the Intelligence Rail Integrity System (IRIS) to give advance warning of rail buckling and breaks,
AAR: Only 20 percent of PTC network will be ready by 2015
The Association of American Railroads (AAR) issued a new report to the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) updating the industry’s progress on installing Positive Train Control (PTC) and said the industry will not meet the December 2015 deadline.