BLET members ratify national contract
By a margin of better than two-to-one, members of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen approved a new collective bargaining agreement with the National Carriers’ Conference Committee.
SMART board names contractor for phase 1 of project
Sonoma Marin Area Rapid Transit in Southern California has selected Stacy and Witbeck/Herzog to build Phase 1 of the train’s backbone between Santa Rosa and San Rafael, Calif.
Caltrain Board elects officers, welcomes new member
The Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board, which owns and operates Caltrain near San Francisco, Calif., elected officers and welcomed a new board member at its January meeting.
Whitmore Manufacturing Company names Kilpatrick as president & CEO
The Whitmore Manufacturing Company named Jeff Kilpatrick president and chief executive officer of the company on January 3, 2012.
OMNI Products and Jensen Precast team up
Omni Products, Inc., supplier of grade crossing systems to the United States rail industry and Jensen Precast, provider of precast concrete products, have formed an agreement to expand manufacturing and distribution of OMNI Products’ grade crossing systems into the Western United States.
IDOT receives $186 million for HSR project
The Federal Railroad Administration awarded more than $186 million to the Illinois Department of Transportation for a high-speed rail project that will reduce travel times and put Americans back to work this spring.
UP named North American Supplier of the Year by Newmont Mining Corp.
Newmont Mining Corporation named Union Pacific its North American Supplier of the Year, recognizing the railroad for its innovative, safe and reliable transportation solutions.
FTA issues milestone approval for Crenshaw/LAX light-rail project
The Federal Transit Administration issued a Record of Decision on December 30, for the Los Angeles Country Metropolitan Transportation Authority Crenshaw/LAX light-rail project based on LACMTA’s Final Environmental Impact Statement/Report in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act.
Quiet Car Pilot begins in Conn.
On Monday January 9, a pilot program introducing “quiet cars” on the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s Metro-North New Haven Line begins on select rush-hour trains.
Amsted RPS to offer new products for embedded rail systems
Amsted RPS, a division of Amsted Rail, will expand its product portfolio to include urban railway infrastructure products from edilon)(sedra.
ENSCO, Inc., restructures, forms rail subsidiary
ENSCO, Inc., has initiated the corporate restructuring of several of its key businesses and international activities. This restructuring will allow these businesses to increase their concentration within their distinct market areas and better manage corporate liability.
FRA announces proposed enhancements to Passenger Train Emergency Systems
The Federal Railroad Administration released proposed improvements to existing Passenger Train Emergency Systems regulations that could further protect occupants of passenger trains during emergencies.
MASSDOT releases fare and service proposals study
The Massachusetts Department of Transportation released fare increase and service reduction proposals for the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, aimed at closing a projected $161 million budget gap for Fiscal Year 2013.
GE acquires RMI
GE Transportation completed its acquisition of software provider RMI from The Carlyle Group. The acquisition significantly expands GE Transportation’s Software and Optimization Solutions business to serve railroad customers worldwide. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Patriot Rail Corp. restructures management
Patriot Rail Corp. restructured its operations management team. The changes, effective January 1, 2012, were implemented to better focus management efforts among rail operations and marketing to customers.
Unitrac hires Tony Chambers
Unitrac Railroad Materials has hired Tony Chambers as its Southeast regional sales manager.
Letter From The Publisher
Dear Railway Track & Structures and Rail Group News readers,
Happy New Year. January 1 marked my first day as publisher of the Simmons-Boardman Rail Division, which consists of Railway Age, International Railway Journal and Railway Track & Structures.
CN completes merger of DMIR, DWP into Wisconsin Central
Canadian National completed the merger of three of its U.S. operating subsidiaries on Dec. 31, 2011. The merger of Duluth, Missabe and Iron Range Railway Company, Duluth, Winnipeg and Pacific Railway Company and Wisconsin Central Ltd. will simplify CN’s corporate structure and operations by combining these three separate connecting rail affiliates into a single entity, Wisconsin Central Ltd.
Honolulu rail project accepted for final design phase
The Federal Transit Administration has accepted the Honolulu rail transit project into Final Design, the final phase of the project’s development before executing a Full Funding Grant Agreement with the FTA.
Skanska joint venture signs $347 million BART contract
Skanska signed a design-build contract to construct a 16-kilometer (9.9-mile) extension of the Bay Area Rapid Transit system near San Francisco, Calif. Skanska is leading a joint venture with Shimmick Construction and Herzog Contracting Corporation.