Amtrak recently achieved Climate Registered status by successfully measuring its carbon footprint according to The Climate Registry’s best-in-class program, then having it third-party verified and reporting the data on The Registry’s website. With this status, Amtrak takes a major step toward reducing its energy usage, costs and carbon emissions.
Metropolitan Transportation Authority New York City Transit is bringing FASTRACK to the Eighth Avenue Line beginning March 12, following success on the Lexington Avenue, Seventh Avenue and Sixth Avenue Lines.
Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority provided an update on its progress to rebuild the system following years of underinvestment. In the six-month period from July 1 to December 31, 2011, Metro spent $307 million on capital projects ranging from replacing railcars, switches, rail and track components to rehabilitating station platforms, escalators and elevators.
Las Vegas Railway Express, Inc. (“X” Train) received support from the state of Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT) for the X Train as the viable short term conventional passenger rail project in the state of Nevada for the zero-five year time frame.
CSX Corporation was named a finalist in CivilianJobs.com’s 2012 Most Valuable Employer (MVE) for military ranking. CivilianJobs.com is a career resource organization dedicated to connecting American employers with experienced military talent.
Preliminary engineering cost estimates decreased for Phase 2 of the Dulles Rail Project in northern Virginia, which includes 11.4 miles of rail through the Dulles Corridor to Dulles International Airport and Loudoun County.
The Port of Stockton California in a public/ private partnership with Union Pacific and Metropolitan Stevedore Company completed a project to add 5,828 feet of track to the East Port interchange Tracks. This new track allows a loop upon which inbound and outbound trains can move on without interfering with operations of the port’s east complex class yard. The track will be in service effective March 9, 2012.
Kansas City Southern is partnering with the Poteau, Okla., Police Department to conduct an Operation Lifesaver “Officer on a Train” event on March 7 to promote public safety at railroad grade crossings. The event will start at 4:00 p.m. at the Dewey Street crossing in Poteau.
The Regional Transportation District in Denver, Colo., staff made its recommendation to the RTD Board of Directors to keep the Northwest Rail Line to Longmont in the FasTracks plan, but to add bus rapid transit service to address transit needs until the full build out of the rail line. The board will make its decision on whether to accept the staff recommendation or move forward in a different direction at a meeting on March 20.
Union Pacific Railroad will improve the transportation infrastructure in Colorado by investing nearly $1 million in the rail line that runs in the Grand Junction area. Crews will be stabilizing the railroad track banking along the Colorado River. The bank stabilization project will begin March 12 and is scheduled to be completed by the end of May.
Toronto City Council dissolved the existing board of the Toronto Transit Commission and appointed a new board made up of seven city councilors and four private citizens.
Watco’s Transportation and Intermodal Services division will now be identified as Watco Terminal and Port Services (WTPS). The new name will more accurately reflect service offerings to customers.
The nation’s mayors renewed their call for enactment of job-creating bipartisan transportation legislation now pending in Congress.
The Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority Board of Directors unanimously approved a $46.6 million design-build contract for the Atlanta Streetcar Project. MARTA selected URS Corporation after a competitive procurement process.
Florida East Coast Railway, L.L.C., hired Andrew Westhoff as vice president of sales and marketing, effective immediately.
Westhoff has an extensive railroad background and was with CSX Transportation for more than 20 years in various finance and commercial roles.
Harsco Corporation received new U.S. and international orders in its Harsco Rail track maintenance services, equipment and parts business totaling more than $25 million.
The National Transportation Safety Board made safety recommendations regarding storm water issues that push for greater collaboration between entities affected by these issues. The following recommendation was sent to the U.S. Department of Transportation:
The United Transportation Union and Progressive Rail have finalized a first-time collective bargaining agreement for Progressive Rail train and engine workers represented by the UTU.
The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen reached a tentative on-property contract agreement with Union Pacific.
Nicholas Fry was named curator of the John W. Barriger III National Railroad Library, the sixth archivist/curator since the creation of the Barriger collections at the St. Louis Mercantile Library Association in the early 1980s.
