Plains All American to construct oil rail facilities in Colorado and Virginia

Plains All American Pipeline, L.P., is constructing new crude oil rail facilities in Tampa, Colo., and Yorktown, Va., and making additional modifications to its Yorktown facility. The new rail facilities and modifications are expected to be completed by the third-quarter of 2013 at an aggregate cost of approximately $125 million.

KeRail and Tata Steel enter into long-term agreement

Genesee & Wyoming Inc. and a newly-formed GWI subsidiary, KeRail Inc. have entered into a long-term agreement with Tata Steel Minerals Canada Ltd. for KeRail to provide rail transportation services to the 4.2 million tons per annum direct shipping iron ore mine TSMC is developing near Schefferville, Quebec, Canada, in the Labrador Trough (the Mine). In addition, KeRail will construct an approximately 21-kilometer (13-mile) rail line that will connect TSMC’s mine to the Tshiuetin Rail Transportation interchange point in Schefferville.

Patriot adds Shoener to board of directors

Patriot Rail Corp., operator of shortline and regional freight railroads, appointed Arthur Shoener to the board of directors of the company. In this role, Shoener will provide executive support and oversight in company proceedings.

UP campaign urges Austin residents to stop for trains

Stop for trains because they cannot stop for you. It is a message Union Pacific and Operation Lifesaver are rolling out as part of a bilingual awareness campaign aimed at promoting safety around railroad tracks in Austin, Texas.

NS completes coal line maintenance blitz

Norfolk Southern recently completed $20.5 million of track, bridge and signal improvements along its major coal line through the Monongahela Valley in Pennsylvania in a record seven days. To ensure coal customers in Southwest Pennsylvania continue to receive consistent and reliable rail service, Norfolk Southern schedules a maintenance blitz each July to coincide with the coal miners’ annual weeklong summer break.

Siemens secures order to electrify Hawaii’s transit system

Siemens has received a multi-million dollar order from Ansaldo Honolulu JV to electrify the track for the new Honolulu rail transit system. The rail system is the first for the state and is scheduled to be completed in 2019. It will span 20 miles from East Kapolei to Ala Moana Center with 21 stations along the route, including Pearl Harbor and the Honolulu Airport.

MTA recognizes safety honors agency wide

New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority recognized agency-wide contributions to a safer work environment at the 15th annual Chairman’s Safety Awards last week. At a ceremony in Grand Central Terminal’s Vanderbilt Hall, MTA leaders recognized team achievements within the MTA and its operating agencies.

NYCT FASTRACK wraps up week on 6th Avenue Line

New York City Transit’s intense maintenance and clean-up program, FASTRACK, wrapped up a weeklong stint along the Sixth Avenue B, D, F and M lines. Once again, hundreds of transit workers inspected, repaired, maintained, cleaned and painted subway infrastructure in stations and tunnels between 59th Street-Columbus Circle and West 4th Street.