New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority has completed the work that transformed the southern terminal of the A Line into a sparkling, steel and glass, state-of-the art transit facility and was marked with a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by MTA leaders and local elected officials.
Norfolk Southern is making it easier for communities, businesses and informed observers to report issues relating to public safety and security to the railroad’s police force. The NS announcement is a significant expansion of the community-based rail security initiative started by BNSF.
Federal Railroad Administrator Joseph C. Szabo joined in celebrating the completion of new train station platforms in Brunswick and Freeport, Maine, in preparation for the expansion of Amtrak’s Downeaster line, which will begin serving both cities this fall. Administrator Szabo was joined by Maine Department of Transportation Commissioner David Bernhardt and local business leaders.
There are three components to Kansas City Southern’ U.S. public safety program, education, enforcement and engineering. KCS works closely with Operation Lifesaver on the education and enforcement components. Example activities include Officer on a Train events, like the one in May in Gulfport, Miss., that yielded 42 citations for violations at public crossings; the multitude of presentations given by employees who volunteer their time to speak to community organizations about public safety and KCS police participation with local law enforcement at annual public safety expos throughout Louisiana.
Construction of the Central Corridor Light Rail Transit project in Minnesota is 50 percent complete and on track to be 75 percent done by year’s end.
“The contractors really hit the ground running in March. We now have work occurring in all areas of the nearly 10-mile long project, employing more than 3,000 workers to date,” Metropolitan Council Chair Sue Haigh said.
The Denver Regional Transportation District, the Colorado Department of Transportation and SEMA Construction broke ground on RTD’s I-225 Light Rail Line extension. This kicks off construction on the first segment of the light-rail project from Nine Mile to Iliff.
A final agreement of $15.8 million for the West Detroit Connection Track project has been made. The project will eliminate congestion for Detroit-area Amtrak passengers by addressing a bottleneck that comes from serving both freight and passenger rail on the same tracks.
Momentum is building for improved Amtrak service to and from Michigan with a series of positive developments for intercity rail passengers.
Amtrak Wolverine Service and Blue Water passengers can now expect the return to normal travel times from Kalamazoo to near Dearborn with the completion of track and crossing improvements performed by Norfolk Southern Railway to eliminate the speed restrictions imposed by NS in March.
The New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s Long Island Rail Road will be replacing wood ties on the Ronkonkoma Branch between Farmingdale and Ronkonkoma beginning May 14. The work will be completed in three phases to minimize customer impact. When completed by the end of the summer, the work will help ensure greater service reliability and a smoother, more comfortable ride for customers.
The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio approved construction authorization from the Ohio Rail Development Commission, authorizing Norfolk Southern to install flashing lights and gates at the Station Road/Township Road 120 (524-701M) grade crossing in West Chester Township, Butler County.
The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen members unanimously approved a new contract agreement with the Eastern Idaho Railroad.
CSX Corporation and Norfolk Southern have both been named CivilianJobs.com’s Most Valuable Employers for Military.
The Moynihan Station Development Corporation Board and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey awarded a construction contract to to transform the historic Farley Post Office Building in Manhattan into Moynihan Station.
The Board of Directors of Metrolinx in Toronto, Canada, voted unanimously to proceed with the implementation of the Toronto Transit Plan as originally approved by Metrolinx on May 19, 2010, consisting of the following projects:
VIA Rail Canada service between Montreal, Matapédia and New-Carlisle, Quebec will resume with the departure of train 16 from Montreal on Sunday, May 13, (first westbound train to Montreal May 14th).
United Transportation Union-represented trainmen and engineers on Dallas, Garland & Northeastern Railroad have ratified a new five-year agreement.
Lowe’s Home Improvement named Union Pacific its 2011 Rail Carrier of the Year at its Global Transportation Conference. Lowe’s based its selection on Union Pacific’s commitment to customer service and its ability to provide a variety of products.
RailComm has provided remote control for a New England Central Railroad bridge. RailComm’s Domain Operations Controller System is used to dispatch the railroad and has been modified to include control of the bridge.
Changes have been made to regulations governing the installation of positive train control equipment that will give railroads additional flexibility, save money and maintain a high level of safety.
The American Short Line & Regional Railroad Association has named Tyrone James, vice president of Safety & Compliance at Genesee & Wyoming, as the winner of this year’s Safety Professional of the Year Award. ASLRRA also announced that Aaron Willet, superintendent of Operations at the Illinois Railway, as the winner of its 2012 Safety Person of the Year award.
