Indiana Gateway Project receives $71.3 million in federal funds

The U.S. Department of Transportation awarded $71.3 million to Indiana to help alleviate congestion in one of the region’s most delay-prone rail corridors. The Indiana Gateway Project will both relieve congestion and support the development of higher performing intercity passenger rail service in the Midwest.

VIA Rail’s Belleville Station officially open

As part of the ongoing modernization of VIA Rail Canada, Daryl Kramp, member of Parliament for Prince Edward-Hastings on behalf of the Honorable Steven Fletcher, Minister of State (Transport), officially opened the new Belleville train station, overhead walkway and island platform in Ontario.

CTA to acquire properties for 95th Street Terminal, awards Red Line South project contract

The Chicago Transit Authority granted approval to begin the process of acquiring property near its 95th/Dan Ryan Terminal on Chicago’s South Side as part of the 95th Street Terminal Improvement Project. The project is an estimated $240-million initiative that will expand and improve the 95th/Dan Ryan Terminal.

The nine properties identified for acquisition are located directly off the expressway and are primarily commercial properties with a few vacant lots.

This allows the CTA to begin the acquisition process, subject to the requirements of federal and state law. Any purchase of a property by CTA, whether by negotiation or court order, cannot take place without subsequent board action.

The 95th/Dan Ryan Terminal is one of CTA’s busiest, with 24-hour Red Line service and more than 1,000 CTA and Pace bus trips on a typical weekday. The current configuration does not have adequate capacity to efficiently serve customers, which number around 20,000 on an average weekday.

Iowa grants more than $4 million to state railroad projects

The Iowa Transportation Commission approved more than $4 million in funding for nine rail infrastructure and related rail development projects under the Railroad Revolving Loan and Grant (RRLG) program. The rail projects are expected to support the creation and retention of more than 110 jobs within the next three years and spur development of six industrial areas across the state. The proposed developments will leverage millions in new capital investments across the state.

ENSCO delivers TrackIT® System to Amtrak

ENSCO, Inc., has delivered the TrackIT® Track Chart Management System to Amtrak. The web-based system hosts Amtrak’s official track charts and provides them as high-quality PDF digital copies or hard copies. The system is a module of ENSCO’s TrackIT Data Management System.

Efforts to rebuild WMATA system picking up steam

Washington Metropolitan Area Transportation Authority’s investment in projects to rebuild and modernize its railroad, trains, stations and buses grew by 26 percent to $770 million in FY2012, an increase of nearly $160 million and is on track to continue ramping up to nearly a billion dollars this year.

Phoenix Valley Metro accelerates LRT project

Construction of light rail is back on the move in Phoenix, Ariz., with the re-launch of the Northwest extension along 19th Avenue from the current end-of-line north 3.2 miles to Dunlap Avenue. The project has received approval to accelerate the completion year from 2023 to 2016. Final design is underway; construction will begin in early 2013.

Amtrak continues to hit ridership records

Amtrak ridership is surging this year with 11 consecutive monthly ridership records. In each month of the current fiscal year, Amtrak has posted the highest ridership total ever for that particular month with the final month of September also expected to be a new record. In addition, July was the single best ridership month in the history of Amtrak.

NCDOT halts grade separation project, will continue to study rail safety

After hearing concerns from citizens and re-evaluating the project budget, the North Carolina Department of Transportation has decided not to proceed with the design and construction of the 24th Street grade separation project in Kannapolis at this time. Instead, the department will conduct an in-depth study to determine the most effective location for the project with the fewest effects on residents, business owners and the environment.

Watco Transportation Services names AVP transportation safety

Keith Barksdale has accepted the position of assistant vice president of transportation safety at Watco Transportation Services. As assistant vice president of transportation safety, his responsibilities include leading the regional safety quality and assurance managers in carrying safety initiatives to the field level and ensure that the company has rule compliance on existing programs.

Amtrak opens Niantic River Bridge

Amtrak has achieved the main focus of its project to replace the movable Niantic River Bridgein East Lyme, Conn. On the night of September 7, all rail traffic shifted to the new bridge and the existing 105-year-old bridge was removed from service.