HART says 2014 will be big year for rail construction
Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transit (HART) is welcoming the new year with construction ramping up along the alignment.
Koppers signs purchase agreement for Tolko Industries
Koppers Inc., has signed an asset purchase agreement to acquire the crosstie treating business and related manufacturing facility of Tolko Industries Ltd., located in Ashcroft, BC, Canada.
Axion ships new order to European railroad for testing
Axion International Holdings, Inc., has shipped an order to a second European railroad for in track testing. The shipment includes 700 crossties and three switch sets and will be used on a narrow gauge passenger railway as part of their annual refurbishment and renewal program.
CTA Blue Line station to undergo $23 million in renovations
The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) Board approved a $2-million plan to rehabilitate and improve the accessibility of the Blue Line’s Illinois Medical District station by making all three station entrances accessible to customers with disabilities and additional upgrades, using $23 million of city tax-increment financing funds made available through Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s “Chicago Neighborhoods Now” program.
NS facilitates $2.3 billion in industrial investment in 2013
Norfolk Southern says that it participated in the location of 67 new industries and the expansion of 25 existing industries along its rail lines in 2013.
UP appoints two executives to new positions
Union Pacific has placed D. Lynn Kelley and Joseph O’Connor in new positions within the organization.
IntegriCo receives an order for 22,000 crossties
IntegriCo Composites, Inc., manufacturer of recycled plastic railroad ties, has received an initial 22,000 crosstie order for its composite railroad ties from a Class 1 railroad.
UP initiates Laredo, Texas – Memphis, Tenn., intermodal service
Union Pacific recently initiated a new intermodal service between Laredo, Texas, and Memphis, Tenn., supporting growing transportation needs for the automotive manufacturing and intermodal marketplaces.
Watco appoints two to management positions
Watco Transportation Services has hired Brad Peot as marketing manager for the Wisconsin & Southern Railroad. He will work to develop industrial development opportunities, support organic growth in carloads and revenue while supporting and applying the Watco Customer First Foundation Principles.
MTA brings FASTRACK to the G line in Brooklyn
Beginning January 6, for the first time, Metropolitan Transportation Authority New York City Transit is bringing FASTRACK to the G Subway Line in Brooklyn. G Line service will be suspended between Bedford-Nostrand Avenues and Church Avenue for four consecutive weeknights until early morning, January 10.
Watco appoints VP of operations, transportation services and regional VP of operations for East Region
Watco Transportation Services appointed Steve Coomes to vice president of operations, transportation services. He will be responsible for the continued development and improvement of safety, service, growth, people, asset utilization and efficiency in all areas of Watco Transportation Services. This will cover both railroad and switching sites.
CP to sell west end of DM&E to Genesee & Wyoming
Canadian Pacific (CP) and Genesee & Wyoming Inc. (GWI) have executed an agreement pursuant to which CP will sell the west end of its Dakota, Minnesota & Eastern (DM&E) line to GWI for continued rail operations.
BART Board approves labor contract, employees to vote next
The Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) Board of Directors voted eight to one to approve the 2013-2017 Collective Bargaining Agreements reached with BART’s two largest unions, ATU, Local 1555 and SEIU, Local 1021, at a special meeting on January 2, 2014.
Houston METRO marks a decade of service
Houston METRO celebrated 10 years of successful light-rail service on the Main Street Line January 1, 2014.
FTA issues safety advisory for right-of-way workers
The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) issued a safety advisory guidance document concerning the protection of right-of-way (ROW) workers, as well as a request for information from transit agencies and State Safety Oversight (SSO) agencies that will be used to review the nation’s rail transit right-of-way worker safeguards.
NYCT upgrading vacuum train to keep subways clean
After years of sucking up tons of track debris from the underground portions of the subway system, one of Metropolitan Transportation Authority New York City Transit’s (NYCT) two vacuum trains is receiving an extensive late-life overhaul and upgrade aimed at improving efficiency, increasing reliability and easing maintenance tasks.
Axion receives order for composite crossties
Axion International Holdings, Inc., producer of ECOTRAX® composite rail ties and STRUXURE® building products, received a purchase order worth $925,000 from “a major domestic transit line located in the South Central region.”
Presidential Emergency Board issues recommendations regarding LIRR employees and labor unions.
Presidential Emergency Board (PEB) 244 issued its recommendations December 21 for settling a dispute between the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) and its employees represented by the United Transportation Union Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers (UTU-SMART) and several other labor unions.
WMATA weekend rebuilding work begins on the Red Line
The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority’s (WMATA) Red Line will undergo construction upgrades December 27-29, beginning Friday evening and concluding late Sunday. Track maintenance and signage installation will occur between Dupont Circle and Judiciary Square.
NYSDOT receives federal grant to improve freight, passenger train movement
New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) received an $18.5-million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) to reduce passenger and freight train congestion along Amtrak’s Empire Corridor at the Syracuse, N.Y., train station.