Canada adds funds to GCIP

The government of Canada is providing almost $14 million (US$13.8 million) in new funding for the Grade Crossing Improvement Program this year. The GCIP supports projects to upgrade railway crossings and improve safety.

"Our government is increasing its commitment to rail safety," said Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities Denis Lebel. "While Canada has one of the safest rail systems in the world, improvements can still be made. This additional investment will enhance safety for pedestrians and motorists at 810 locations across the country and help to save lives."

Transport Canada works closely with railway companies and communities to identify grade crossings that require safety improvements. Through the GCIP, eligible railway crossings are upgraded, relocated or closed, based on factors such as traffic volume and accident history. Improvements may include installing flashing lights and gates, linking crossing signals to nearby traffic lights or adding new circuits or timing devices. Transport Canada finances up to 80 percent of the total cost of grade-crossing improvements, with the balance provided by the railways and road authorities.

GCRTA receives grant from the Cleveland Foundation

The Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority received a grant for $175,000 for three RTA projects from the Cleveland Foundation.

This money will be divided into three different projects for GCRTA. The largest portion, $100,000, will help improve Transit Oriented Development along the Red Line, specifically near West 25th Rapid Transit Station in the Ohio City neighborhood. GCRTA is working closely with Ohio City Development Corporation to create a plan for this growing area to maximize work and housing access to buses and rail for commuters, as well as create development opportunities.

The second project, utilizing $35,000, will fund a sustainable commuting program for Clevelanders, starting a pilot program with a large local employer. The goal is to find unique ways to encourage this company’s employees to use GCRTA instead of their cars for their work commutes.

The third project will use $40,000 for art and visual development around the future Mayfield Rapid Station. This will help improve the visual appeal of the bridge area.

The full $175,000 grant comes from the Cleveland Foundation’s Greater University Circle Initiative and is part of the livable communities initiative.

Some projects may see development as soon as next spring.

MBTA’s Science Park/West End Station modernization complete

Massachusetts Department of Transportation Secretary Richard Davey joined state and local officials on Nov. 5, to celebrate the ahead of schedule completion of the $22 million modernization of Science Park/West End Station, located on the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority’s Green Line. Science Park/West End Station is now fully accessible and in compliance with the American with Disabilities Act.

"With the support of the Patrick-Murray Administration we remain focused on making smart investments in our transportation infrastructure," said Secretary Davey. "Ensuring our transportation network is accessible to all in a convenient, user-friendly way is our priority." 


The Science Park/West End Station project includes 80 percent federal funding with a 20 percent MBTA Revenue Bond fund match. The project installed two new elevators to provide access from a new street level lobby to the train platforms at the top of the viaduct. The project also enhanced customer service and safety with a new lobby and mezzanine along with enhanced lighting and additional surveillance cameras.



The Science Park/West End Station project began in May 2010 with a 24-month completion schedule but reopened seven months ahead of that schedule. Closing the Station from April 30 to November 1 allowed for the accelerated work schedule.



The Science Park/West End Station project also includes replacement of the platform canopy roof, new elevated platforms, reconstruction of interior and exterior stairs and upgrades to signage, electrical communications, fire protection and alarm systems.


Science Park/West End Station originally opened in 1954 and serves approximately 2,100 customers daily.

Rail installation begins at GT OmniPort

GT Logistics, LLC, has begun installation of rail lines at its Port Arthur, Texas-located OmniPort. The OmniPort is expected to open for business in January 2012, serving as a multi-modal terminal for crude oil and other products transported via rail, ship, barge and truck.

The $95 million, 1,100 acre facility neighbors refineries with more than one million barrels per day of capacity, multiple chemical and processing plants and is located less than one mile from more than four million barrels of petroleum product storage capacity and pipelines currently serving the region.

"As the developer and operator of the entire scope of infrastructure, GT Logistics will be uniquely positioned to provide customers with increased transportation options", said Steven Birdwell, chairman of GTL. "Customer service will be a key component of our success; instead of product sitting for days at remote locations, we’ll be able to transport to the industry in the region in a matter of hours. It’s unprecedented one-stop logistics."

The rail terminal, served by Union Pacific, will be able to receive unit train traffic, with 300 acres of rail car storage on site capable, upon completion, of storing, switching and transloading more than 1,000 rail cars. The rail terminal site also features a multi-barge receiving dock on Taylor’s Bayou; convenient access to Highway 73 and Interstate 10 and connectivity to the extensive network of pipelines serving the region.

GTL also owns and operates a 20-acre deepwater dock and receiving facility on the Sabine Neches Navigation District Channel with more than 900 feet of steel bulkhead improvements and 1,700 feet of waterfront access to the 42-foot-deep Channel. The deepwater dock is 2.2 miles from the new industrial rail park and terminal and is connected by a key UP rail line and highway. Pipeline connectivity between the sites is being designed. Together, the two sites will be known as the GT Omniport and will be the first multi-user facility of its kind in the Golden Triangle region.

Construction of the initial phase of the rail, drainage and road improvements began earlier in the year and will be completed by the end of 2011. Once complete, the industrial rail park and related tenant improvements are expected to create 1,000 jobs and $100 million in new capital investment over the next 10 years.

Major improvements on VIA Rail’s Montreal-Ottawa-Toronto line completed

Major track improvements are now complete on VIA Rail Canada’s line between Montreal, Ottawa and Toronto, Canada, that will lead to improved and faster passenger service. The project included $55 million (US$54 million) in infrastructure upgrades between Ottawa and Montreal (Coteau) and track and safety improvements on VIA Rail Canada’s Ottawa and Brockville route, completing a major part of a more than $300 million (US$295 million) expansion of VIA Rail’s key Montreal-Ottawa-Toronto corridor.

"I am pleased to see the great progress already made to improve a line that is important to so many travelers between Montreal, Ottawa and Toronto" said Minister of state (transport) Steven Fletcher. "The completed upgrades move us forward, as our government has committed, to providing Canadians with safer, reliable and faster passenger rail service, while creating jobs and supporting economic growth."

The track upgrades are part of the government of Canada’s $923 million (US$907 million) investment to improve passenger rail services, including $407 million (US$400 million) in stimulus funding. Funding from the Economic Action Plan alone represents some 5,000 jobs (direct and indirect person-years) over the period 2009-2013.

Improvements being made as part of the first phase of upgrades include sections of new track, passing sidings to reduce conflicts with freight rail operations and increased traffic control and signaling.

"Better track and increased capacity will mean that we can safely operate more trains, and maintain higher speeds more consistently, allowing us to deliver faster trip times and more frequent departure options to travelers," said VIA Rail Chairman Paul Smith. "We are working to meet the growing demand for robust, reliable passenger rail services, while also ensuring train travel meets the highest safety standards as well as being an environmentally green choice for travelers."

KCS U.S. operations ends October injury free

Kansas City Southern’s U.S. transportation, mechanical and engineering departments completed the month of October without a single reportable injury.

When asked to what this safety success could be attributed, the departments provided a lengthy and varied list of activities customized to each area. Among those activities were common themes. Each activity spoke to employees taking ownership of safety, regular communication about the importance of safety and discussion about the mechanics of safe practices.

Skanska awarded railway contract in Czech Republic

Skanska was awarded a contract by Czech Railway Infrastructure Administration to modernize the railway junction in Plzen’s third transit corridor in the Czech Republic. The contract amounts to CZK 942 million, about SEK 350 million (US$52 million), which will be included in order bookings for the fourth quarter.

Funds will be provided by the State Fund for Transportation Infrastructure and will be co-financed by the EU Cohesion Fund. The project will be completed by Skanska over the next two and a half years.

CN marks opening of Matteson Connection

Canadian National welcomed local dignitaries, as well as current and former employees to celebrate the grand opening of the Matteson Connection, a key piece of its Elgin, Joliet and Eastern Railway integration.

CTA receives grant toward $1 billion Red Line makeover

The Chicago Transit Authority received a $646 million state capital investment grant to repair and rebuild the Red Line and improve the Purple Line. The Illinois Jobs Now! capital program investment will be combined with $255.5 million in federal funding and $44.1 million from the city for an overall commitment of $1 billion to rebuild sections of deteriorated tracks to eliminate slow zones, replace or repair aging stations, install new power systems to improve performance and upgrade a significant portion of the Purple Line. Construction starts in 2012 and will last three years.

St. Louis MetroLink to improve UMSL South Station

Metro Transit – St. Louis will officially begin a new light-rail improvement project on Monday, November 7, at the UMSL South MetroLink Station. The general contractor for the first phase of the project is R.V. Wagner, Inc. The cost of this part of the project is $1.2 million and is funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

Zurich names Dowdy head of North America Railroad insurance practice

Zurich, a property and casualty insurance provider globally and in North America, named Jim Dowdy to lead its railroad practice in addition to overseeing Zurich’s Specialty Lines Property business. The company also appointed Ron Mathewson and Gary Linde as casualty underwriters supporting the railroad business.

North Dakota rail projects seek federal funds

Senator John Hoeven (R-N.D.) met with BNSF CEO and president Matt Rose on Nov. 2, to discuss plans to rebuild a 20-mile span of track and two bridges near Churchs Ferry that serves Amtrak’s Empire Builder line across northern North Dakota. The line serves both passenger and freight service through Devils Lake, Rugby, Minot, Fargo, Grand Forks, Stanley and Williston. The track was closed several times this spring due to flooding and high water.

Rose earlier this year committed BNSF to funding one-third of the $100 million project and will also work with Amtrak to help finance another one-third. The state of North Dakota would need to provide the remaining third. Hoeven and the congressional delegation are working with state officials to help with the state’s share through a Department of Transportation infrastructure grant program.

Hoeven also spoke with U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood in support of the state’s application for $33 million in funding for the project through the federal competitive TIGER Grant Program. Hoeven told LaHood that the rail project more than meets the primary and secondary selection criteria for the program.

"The Devils Lake rail project shares costs, demonstrating real collaboration among partners and serves both passenger service for Amtrak and freight service for BNSF," Hoeven said. "It clearly enhances economic competitiveness for the entire region and has both statewide and national benefits."

Hoeven also spoke with LaHood in support of the state’s application for funding to advance the Williston Bypass Project, which will route traffic around the city to relieve traffic congestion due to heightened oil industry activity in the region.

 

President Obama pushes for transportation projects

President Obama urged Congress to pass the transportation piece of the American Jobs Act, which will make an immediate investment of $50 billion in the nation’s transportation infrastructure and a $10 billion investment to create a bipartisan National Infrastructure Bank. Together, these initiatives will put hundreds of thousands of construction workers back on the job rebuilding roads, rails and runways.

The White House released a report to highlight the importance of rebuilding roads, bridges, railways and airports across the nation. The report states, "In order to meet the needs of a growing economy, there is an ongoing need for new investments to maintain, upgrade and expand the nation’s stock of transportation infrastructure."

The Administration also announced several common-sense steps it has taken to improve the process of reviewing and approving transportation projects, help cut red tape and leverage additional private sector funding in order to promote private sector growth and job creation. These steps include:

• Directing the U.S. Department of Transportation to award $527 million in competitive TIGER grants by the end of 2011, months ahead of schedule. The TIGER program puts American workers back on the job by helping to rebuild the nation’s roads and bridges and working on innovative projects like streetcar and light rail systems. This year, DOT received about 1,000 applications, including at least one from every state.

• Directing DOT to shorten the application process for the 2012 round of TIFIA funding, which will accelerate projects and put workers back on the job more quickly. TIFIA provides up to one-third of the financing needed for bridge, tunnel, toll, transit and other large-scale transportation projects. That means the annual funding level of $110 million in TIFIA funds can support projects totaling up to $3 billion in construction.

• Establishing a Transportation Rapid Response Team to expedite reviews of surface transportation projects. Co-chaired by the Council on Environmental Quality and the U.S. Department of Transportation, the team will identify and implement best practices to improve the transparency, efficiency and effectiveness of environmental review and permit decisions for transportation projects, protecting public health and putting Americans back to work.

UP played key role in FRA’s Changing At-Risk Behavior pilot program

Union Pacific’s San Antonio Service Unit played a key role in the Federal Railroad Administration’s Changing At-Risk Behavior pilot project that will be honored by the American Evaluation Association Nov. 4 in Anaheim, Calif. CAB is a safety intervention pilot project that incorporates peer-to-peer observation and feedback, safety leadership development and continuous process improvement.

The CAB evaluation team from the Volpe National Transportation Systems Center and the Federal Railroad Administration will be recognized with an Outstanding Evaluation Award for evaluating this comprehensive new initiative, which resulted in safety improvements for Union Pacific and influenced broader safety culture shift in the railroad industry.

"Safety is our top priority and we were proud to participate in and support this important railroad industry initiative," said Lance Fritz, Union Pacific executive vice president, operations. "Collaboration among our own employees, that is, local management, union leadership and our craft employees, the FRA and the U.S. Department of Transportation was critical to the project’s success. The results of the evaluation are making a remarkable difference in the railroad industry."

Union Pacific debuted new safety initiatives across its San Antonio Service Unit, which spans 800 miles and includes more than 1,000 locomotive engineers and conductors. CAB evaluation results showed an 85 percent reduction in at-risk behaviors, a 72 percent drop in locomotive engineer decertification rates and a 69 percent drop in the rate of human factor-caused derailments as a result of the CAB project.

Similar projects have since been initiated by passenger and freight railroads across North America.

The AEA award is presented for successfully completing a single evaluation project capable of standing alone as an example of high-quality evaluation. AEA is a preeminent professional association for evaluators, comprising more than 7,000 members from every state and more than 60 foreign countries.

Preliminary engineering for Ottawa LRT project nears completion

Capital Transit Partners, a joint venture combining the talents of Morrison Hershfield Limited, STV Canada Consulting Inc., URS Canada Inc. and Jacobs Associates Canada Corporation, is currently completing the preliminary engineering phase for the $2.1 billion Ottawa Light Rail Transit project.

The project, which is the first stage in Ottawa’s planned 40 km (24 mile) light-rail network, will see the construction of a 12.5 km (7 mile) LRT system including 3 km (2 mile) of tunnel under the downtown and 13 stations, three of which will be in the tunnel portion.

Implementation of the new system will include converting portions of the existing Bus Rapid Transit to light rail (one of the first such undertakings in North America).

The preliminary engineering assignment, awarded to CTP in September 2010 and now nearing completion, required CTP in advancing the OLRT design to reduce capital and operating costs, improve operating characteristics, reduce future maintenance requirements, minimize construction related impacts and minimize impacts to adjacent properties. CTP also developed the Request for Qualifications and contributed to the related Request for Proposal documents for what will be a Design, Build, Finance and Maintain project.

During the assignment, the city of Ottawa made the decision to accelerate the overall project schedule by one year, moving the proposed opening date from the spring of 2019 to the spring of 2018. This decision to advance the overall schedule resulted in the CTP assignment being accelerated by six months to allow the construction of the system to begin in early 2013, approximately six months earlier than had been planned. CTP, due to its experience in planning, design and procurement of LRT projects, was able to meet this new deadline.

In addition to the city of Ottawa’s own financial contribution, the OLRT project is supported by both the federal and provincial governments who are providing up to $1.2 billion of the project costs. The city will require the winning proponent to finance up to $400 million of the construction cost. All three levels of government are clearly committed to working with the successful proponent in delivering an innovative, world-class transit solution.

Amtrak testing eTicketing program

Amtrak is starting a pilot test of its eTicketing system on the Amtrak Downeaster service, which operates daily between Boston and Portland, Maine.

The eTicketing program provides passengers increased flexibility when making or changing reservations and eliminates the need to obtain traditional paper tickets. Amtrak intends to rollout eTicketing to all its trains nationwide during 2012.

With eTicketing, passengers have the ability to print their reservations from the comfort of their home or office. A receipt will be e-mailed to the customer with the eTicket attached as a printable PDF document which can be printed any time prior to travel.

Passengers also will be able to use their Smartphone to present their eTicket to the conductor, by simply opening the eTicket PDF document from their email on their Smartphone and displaying the barcode for the conductor to scan.

If a customer misplaces their eTicket, they can re-print the document for presentation on-board. Passengers may also print their eTickets at Amtrak ticket offices and Quik-Trak kiosks.

Under the pilot test, eTickets will be issued to passengers who have one way or round trip reservations. Passengers with more complicated bookings will continue to receive traditional paper value tickets, including when they:

• Are traveling beyond the Downeaster route;
• Have purchased a Multi-Ride Ticket; (e.g., monthly or ten-trip ticket)
• Have a group ticket;
• Are paying travel on the train; or
• Have purchased travel at a travel agency or corporate travel office

Amtrak Downeaster eTicketing customers will now be able to make changes to their reservations online until the start of their journey. During 2012, Amtrak will look to provide greater flexibility to its online customers with respect to modifying reservations once a trip is underway.

Amtrak operates the Downeaster under contract with the state of Maine’s Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority.

"We thank our partners at NNEPRA for their continued support and cooperation in helping bring this exciting initiative to our passengers," said Emmett Fremaux, Amtrak vice president for marketing and product development. "The eTicketing process provides a more convenient and flexible way for customers to book their travel on this increasingly popular line."

 

Invensys Rail lands $268 million rail signaling contract

In Turkey, Invensys Rail has scored a landmark success in winning the €195 million (US$268 million) signaling contract for Istanbul’s ambitious 77km (48 mile) Bosphorus crossing rail link, the initial phase, which is due to open in 2013, the 90th anniversary of the founding of the Republic of Turkey.

In a joint venture with Spanish civil engineering company OHL, Invensys Rail will design and supply a new signaling and Automatic Train Protection system for the route, which makes use of the company’s SIRIUS Communications Based Train Control and FUTUR ERTMS technologies. The project will see a 1.2km (.75 mile)-immersed tunnel built along with 12km (7.5 mile) of other new tracks and the upgrading of a further 63km (42 mile).

When completed, it will link the European and Asian sides of Istanbul and connect with the country’s rapidly expanding high-speed rail network, of which Invensys Rail is signaling the Ankara – Konya route.