New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s Metro-North Railroad is making minor schedule changes effective Monday, July 2, 2012, on the Hudson and New Haven Lines to accommodate several construction projects. There are no changes on the Harlem Line.
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority welcomed Former New York Governor David A. Paterson to its board. Gov. Paterson was nominated to serve on the board by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo on April 23 and was confirmed to the position by the New York State Senate on June 20. He succeeds Nancy Shevell, who served on the board from June 2001 through January 2012. His term expires on June 30, 2017.
Phoenix Management Services, through its affiliate PMCM, LLC, sold the assets of Conshohocken Rail, LLC, on June 1, 2012, to Conshohocken Recycling & Rail Transfer, LLC, a subsidiary of Regional Rail, LLC, a holding of FirstCity Crestone LLC.
The Tier 1 Draft Environmental Impact Statement evaluating high-speed rail service improvements along the 280-mile Chicago to St. Louis Corridor was released on Tuesday, June 26. A key question with the improvements was what route to funnel freight and passenger traffic as it traversed through Springfield, Ill. The Illinois Department of Transportation recommended rail traffic be moved to the existing Norfolk Southern corridor running along 10th Street.
VIA Rail Canada, as part of its ongoing modernization, is taking action to better meet customer demand. VIA Rail is introducing significant improvements to its operations, including tracks, stations and trains, better interconnectivity with other carriers, enhanced customer experience and e-services.
Rick George resigned from the Canadian Pacific Board of Directors.
Beijer Electronics, through its subsidiary Westermo, won a $SEK30 million (US$4 million) contract from Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority to provide its new solution for IP communication (Westermo IP-train solution).
William D. Kennedy, a respected expert on tunnel ventilation and former vice president and senior engineering manager with Parsons Brinckerhoff, died on June 23 at the age of 69.
Atkins, which specializes in engineering and design consultancy, hired Jonathan McDonald, PE, as vice president and senior practice manager for the company’s transit and rail practice. He is based in Atkins’ San Francisco office.
U.S Rep. Bill Huizenga (R-MI), a member of the Financial Services Committee and strong rail advocate, joined Marquette Rail for a tour of its rail yard in Ludington, Mich., to show his support of the rail industry and the shortline railroad rehabilitation tax credit.
Union Pacific plans to enhance Illinois’ transportation infrastructure by investing nearly $25 million in the rail line that runs between Fults (about 30 miles south of Dupo) and near Chester. The project is in progress and is scheduled to be completed by mid-October. This work is in addition to the project Union Pacific is doing in 2012 on the Illinois Department of Transportation’s High Speed Rail corridor between Chicago and St. Louis.
Southern California’s Long Beach Board of Harbor Commissioners, the governing authority for the Port of Long Beach, voted to accept $17 million in funds from the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery a federal transportation (TIGER) program to help fund the “Green Port Gateway,” which will improve rail flow and the environment at the Port of Long Beach.
Two 1920s-era subway stations on Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority’s Broad Street Line have been modernized under a $30 million project funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
Amtrak has named Jason Molfetas as chief information officer to lead the company’s information technology team and develop and implement systems to support customer service initiatives, enhance business operations and improve financial performance.
The New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority has awarded a contract for the station finishes, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, ancillary buildings and entrances for the 96th Street Station of the Second Avenue Subway. The contract, valued at $324.6 million was awarded to a joint venture of E.E. Cruz and Company and Tully Construction Company Inc.
The U.S. Department of Transportation awarded a $21 million Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant for the Raleigh Union Station project.
The U.S. Department of Transportation awarded a $10 million grant to build a new regional rail transportation center on the proposed University of Delaware Science and Technology campus under the U.S. Department of Transportation’s $500 million Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) 2012 program.
The Chicago Transit Authority will be able to move forward on major upgrades to one of the busiest stations in its transit system as a result of an infusion of $20 million in federal funding to the 95th Street Terminal Improvement Project. The intermodal project will reduce pedestrian and bus congestion, cut travel times, improve accessibility and create jobs on the South Side of the city.
CSX Corporation unveiled its 2011 Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Report outlining the company’s operations, environmental, social and financial performance.
PS Technology, a wholly owned subsidiary of Union Pacific, has acquired the Yard Control Systems division of Ansaldo STS USA, which is based in Norristown, Pa. The acquisition boosts PST’s capabilities by adding rail yard process control and automation solutions.
