UP installs permanent Shermer Road bridge
Union Pacific installed a new bridge during the weekend of Nov. 2-4 at Shermer Road south of Willow Road in Glenview, Ill., to replace a temporary embankment of crushed concrete the railroad has been using since last year.
TriMet reorganizes Operations Division with goal to improve service to riders
In Portland, Ore., TriMet reorganized its Operations Division with a goal to improve service to riders with greater reliability.
Metra dedicates rebuilt Fox River Grove Station
In Illinois, Fox River Grove President Robert Nunamaker, Metra Board Member Jack Schaffer, interim Executive Director Don Orseno and other officials dedicated the newly rebuilt Metra Fox River Grove Station on the UP Northwest Line.
CREATE 71st Street grade separation complete
On November 2, Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn was joined by local and state officials to open the new 71st Street railroad underpass in Bridgeview, a Chicago Region Environmental and Transportation Efficiency (CREATE) project that will greatly reduce traffic delays and improve safety at the former automobile/rail intersection.
New UP bridge in service, part of SCVTA Mission Warren area improvements
The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (SCVTA) celebrated a major project milestone for the Mission Warren Area Improvements Project in southern Fremont, Calif., when the first Union Pacific freight train traveled over one of the two recently completed bridges, spanning Mission Boulevard and Warren Avenue.
SEPTA’s Bridgeport Viaduct to reopen after four-month repair project
Full train service between 69th Street Transportation Center and Norristown Transportation Center (NTC) on Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority’s (SEPTA) Norristown High Speed Line (NHSL) will resume on November 11, 2013, following a four-month repair project that closed SEPTA’s Bridgeport Viaduct,
BART labor contracts approved by two largest unions
Bay Area Rapid Transit’s (BART) four-year labor contract agreements have been approved by its two largest unions. According to BART, the agreements lay the groundwork for continued reliable service for years to come.
Regional Advisory Council launches cooperative planning for Washington state’s Eastside Rail Corridor
Washington state’s Eastside Rail Corridor Regional Advisory Council (RAC) has given its unanimous approval of a report affirming cooperation on future uses of the corridor.
NS renames Lancaster, Pa. rail yard in honor of former NS vice president and state senator H. Craig Lewis
Norfolk Southern renamed its Dillerville Yard in Lancaster, Pa., in honor of H. Craig Lewis. After serving as state senator for the 6th District in Bucks County for five terms (1975-1994), Lewis joined NS as vice president corporate affairs in 1997, retiring from the railroad in 2009. He died unexpectedly earlier this year.
East Side Access, Cotton Belt Rail Line awarded honors by strategic infrastructure firm
CG/LA Infrastructure’s Project of the Year awards were doled out, including New York’s East Side Access and the Cotton Belt Line.
BNSF names Montana Rail Link 2013 Shortline of the Year
BNSF selected Montana Rail Link, Inc. (MRL) as its 2013 Shortline of the Year for its significant growth and continued emphasis on a strong safety record. In addition, Bighorn Divide & Wyoming Railroad (BDW) won the Special Recognition Award. The awards were presented during the annual BNSF Shortline Conference on October 21 in Irving, Texas.
CN and TCRC-CTY reach tentative agreement
Canadian National has reached tentative collective agreements with the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference – Conductors, Trainpersons and Yardpersons (TCRC-CTY).
MBTA to extend silver line by 2015
The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority plans to extend the Silver Line to South Station and the Seaport District with East Boston.
“Growth requires investment and connecting the people of Chelsea directly to the airport, Seaport District and South Station and will bring new opportunities for the residents of these communities,” said Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick. “If we want to expand opportunity in our commonwealth, this is what government must do and do well.”
The Silver Line Gateway Expansion will create a new branch of the MBTA Silver Line service that will connect South Station and the Seaport District with East Boston and Chelsea. This service is projected to carry 9,000 riders per day with an estimated travel time of 15 to 19 minutes from the Seaport to Chelsea, connecting thousands of residents north of downtown Boston with work and play opportunities in the rapidly growing Seaport District.
The Silver Line Gateway Expansion will also include the modernization of the Chelsea passenger rail station, which will be relocated to Everett Avenue as part of a new multimodal Silver Line/passenger rail station that will be fully accessible. In addition, Massachusetts Department of Transportation will begin reconstruction on the Washington Avenue Bridge.
The project is will cost an estimated $82.5 million, with the bulk of funding, $20 million, being dedicated to the new Chelsea passenger rail station. Service is expected to begin in late 2015.
San Pedro & Southwestern turns 10
San Pedro & Southwestern Railroad (SPSR) will celebrate its 10th anniversary on November 3. Based in Benson, Ariz., where it connects with Union Pacific’s Los Angeles-Chicago main line, SPSR began operations in 2003 after acquiring the line from RailAmerica, Inc. (now Genesee & Wyoming, Inc.).
LIRR unveils restored Queens Village Station
Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) unveiled the newly renovated and enhanced Queens Village LIRR Station.
Harsco Rail receives Swiss maintenance equipment order
Harsco Rail received a railway track and infrastructure maintenance equipment award from SBB, the federal railway system of Switzerland.
PUCO approves upgrades to three CSX crossings
The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio approved construction authorization from the Ohio Rail Development Commission under which, CSX Transportation will install mast-mounted flashing lights and roadway gates at three crossings.
Special T&I panel releases report on improving U.S. freight transportation
The Panel on 21st Century Freight Transportation, led by the panel’s Chairman, U.S. Rep. John Duncan, Jr. (R-TN) and Ranking Member Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), released its final report on the current state of freight transportation in the United States and its recommendations for freight transportation improvements to strengthen the U.S. economy.
CN’s Mongeau says Canadian railroads are safe and continue to improve
Claude Mongeau, president and chief executive officer of Canadian National said that Canadian railways have a solid record of improving their overall safety performance and remain committed to achieving further safety gains.