NS named one of “40 Best Companies for Diversity”

BLACK ENTERPRISE magazine named Norfolk Southern to its 2011 list of the "40 Best Companies for Diversity". This is the second consecutive year that Norfolk Southern has made the list. The company was cited for the diversity of its senior management.

"Norfolk Southern is proud to be recognized by BLACK ENTERPRISE magazine as a company that sets the standard in diversity for American businesses," said Cindy Earhart, vice president human resources at NS. "We recognize that a diverse workforce and inclusive business practices provide us with a competitive advantage and are keys to our future success. At Norfolk Southern, our employees are our most valued asset. We have many programs and processes in place to assist us with developing and leveraging the diversity of talent within our organization."

BLACK ENTERPRISE‘s seventh annual list is based on the results of a survey of 1,000 major publicly traded corporations and 100 leading global companies with significant U.S. operations. The survey focused on the overall participation of African Americans and members of other ethnic minority groups in four areas: board representation, employee base, senior management and supplier diversity.

NS completes $16 million of trackwork in Pennsylvania

Norfolk Southern completed $16.2 million in track, bridge and signal improvements in southwestern Pennsylvania’s Monongahela Valley in eight days of early July. The rail infrastructure improvements are said to be critical to the region’s coal-mining industry and to meeting the electricity needs of households and businesses across the Northeast and Midwest.

Some 30 trains daily operate on NS’s Monongahela Valley rail network, which serves five coalmines that shipped 41.4 million tons of coal in 2010.

"The coal industry in that part of the country is vital to jobs and to U.S. energy security and it’s essential that we maintain and improve our track infrastructure to provide solid and dependable service," said Tim Drake, NS’ vice president of engineering.

 

 

 

Metrolink has record ridership during I-405 closure

With almost 20,000 boardings over the weekend, Metrolink experienced the highest weekend ridership it has seen in its 19-year history. This weekend’s numbers are almost 50 percent higher than the same weekend last year and 10 percent higher than the previous weekend record set when Metrolink offered train service to and from the U2 concert in Anaheim.

"The availability of public transportation during the closure of I-405 played a significant part in the increases, but there are other factors as well. The popularity of the $10 Weekend Pass and the beach trains between San Bernardino and San Clemente, all make a difference," said Richard Katz, Metrolink board chair.

 

HDR awarded Idaho DOT grade separation project

The Idaho Transportation Department and Post Falls Highway District awarded HDR design of the Pleasant View Road and State Highway 53 grade separation in Kootenai County, Idaho. HDR will provide project management, roadway design, structural design, coordination with BNSF Railway, environmental permitting, hydraulic analysis and constructability review.

Pleasant View Road is a two-lane, north-south rural major collector road that crosses the BNSF mainline near State Highway 53. The existing at-grade intersection is currently protected by standard railroad gates and signals. The project will reconstruct Pleasant View Road to pass over three BNSF tracks and State Highway 53 with an overpass. State Highway 53 will be accessed with on- and off-ramps.

The project is part of the Bridging the Valley project, which will separate vehicle traffic from train traffic in the 42-mile corridor between Spokane, Wash. and Athol, Idaho.

Final plans, specifications and estimates for the design will be completed in late 2013. Funds have been allocated to complete the project design; construction funding is not yet secured.

Watco Transportation Services promotes two

Keith Barksdale has accepted the position of Watco director of operations for the Gulf Region. Barksdale will be working out of the office in The Woodlands, Texas and is replacing Alex King who has left the company.

Barksdale will be responsible for managing operating activities, operating and finan¬cial resources and team members.

Barksdale has served as general manager for the Timber Rock Railroad and most recently assistant chief operating officer for the Gulf Region. Prior to joining the Watco team, he worked for various RailAmerica proper¬ties in New England, Indiana and California.

Also, Troy Forbis will be returning to Watco’s Timber Rock Railroad as general manager at Silsbee, Texas after a leave of absence. Troy will manage the overall perfor¬mance of the Timber Rock Railroad.

Troy has been employed by Watco since 2008 but previously held a trainmaster position with the San Joaquin Valley Railroad after being promoted from an engineer at the same location. He also held the position of vice president of operations at McCloud Railway Company.

 

Walton named area manager of PB Orlando, Powell joins Baltimore office

George Walton has been named area manager of the Orlando office of Parsons Brinckerhoff.

Walton will oversee Parson Brickerhoff s’s operations in Central and North Florida. He is a licensed professional engineer with experience in transportation and environmental planning, project development, public involvement and conceptual engineering.

Walton has served as both a project manager and project engineer for numerous studies and has been responsible for such tasks as supervision and completion of engineering and environmental efforts, coordination of public involvement programs and liaison with governmental agencies. He previously served as the company’s southeast planning manager.

Also, Keith Powell has been named a senior supervising engineer in the Baltimore office of Parsons Brickerhoff.

Powell will be responsible for development, implementation and maintenance of the quality management system for the Baltimore Red Line project and consulting on quality improvements for Maryland Transit Administration. He has more than 27 years of engineering experience, working on large-scale transit and infrastructure projects.

 

 

Savage begins BNSF oil terminal construction, enters into terminal service agreement with IHB

Savage Companies began construction for a multi-user rail terminal served by BNSF in Trenton, N.D., that will deliver of crude oil by rail from the Bakken Shale oil formation.

The 270-acre site will include rail infrastructure, as well as planned space for oil-field material storage and receiving capability for frac sand and other materials. Savage expects to fully subscribe the initial capacity of the Trenton Railport by fall of this year.

The Trenton Railport is slated to be operational by the second quarter of 2012 and will be managed by Savage’s Railway and Industry Solutions Group.

In other news, Savage and the Indiana Harbor Belt Railroad have entered into a terminal services agreement under which Savage will operate a 10-acre multi-user transload facility owned by IHB in Franklin Park, Ill. Savage and IHB will jointly market the transload facility which has 40 active railcar transloading spots.

 

KCS to modernize IT infrastructure with July 31 cut-over

Kansas City Southern will modernize its IT infrastructure, beginning July 31, in the U.S. and Mexico, resulting in greater capacity and performance and significant cost savings for the company.

KCS will move data from the old to the new infrastructure, which requires an eight-hour outage for the technology systems supported by this infrastructure. During the outage, no yard or local train activity will take place. Only pre-selected trains will continue to operate.

KCS’ IT department has been preparing for this transition with various other departments for 18 months. The cut-over will be managed from command centers in Kansas City, Mo., Laredo, Texas and Monterrey, Mexico.

 

CN invests in extended sidings to improve system velocity, productivity

Canadian National has made plans to construct two more extended sidings on its Northern Ontario main line this year, bringing its investments in seven long sidings in this corridor to more than C$30 million. Two additional extended sidings, costing a total of C$10 million, are planned for this main line in 2012.

"CN’s main line through Northern Ontario is a critical link in our transcontinental network connecting Central, Eastern and Western Canada," said Keith Creel, executive vice-president and chief operating officer at CN. "The strategic investments in longer sidings will help to further increase our ability to process freight trains efficiently across this line, enhance network velocity and productivity and improve the safety of operations."

CN’s longer sidings program is creating sidings of 12,000 to 13,000 feet long from sidings that were previously 6,000 to 7,000 feet in length.

CN’s main line through Northern Ontario sees an average of 14 freight trains daily, including intermodal trains between Toronto, the principal cities of Winnipeg, Edmonton and Calgary and the west coast ports of Vancouver and Prince Rupert. The corridor also hosts two transcontinental passenger trains three days a week.

Extended sidings allow CN to maximize the benefits of its longer-train operating plan in main-line corridors across its system. These more efficient trains are equipped with distributed power technology, which permits remote control of a locomotive or locomotives throughout a train from the lead control locomotive. DP provides faster, smoother train starts, improved braking and lower pulling forces at the head-end of a train and improved safety. With more optimum matching of motive power to train weight, DP locomotives also allow CN to reduce fuel consumption and reduce emissions.

 

 

BART partners with BMW to create Fleet of the Future

Bay Area Rapid Transit in California is partnering with a subsidiary of BMW Group, DeisgnworksUSA, to create the Fleet of the Future, a new generation of train cars going into service starting in 2017.

DesignworksUSA is the design-consulting division of BMW Group. In collaboration with BART, it will conceptualize the next generation of BART trains from the inside out, conveying a style, shape and functionality that reflects the needs of customers and the future of transportation in the Bay Area.

"BART is excited to announce its partnership with BMW Group DesignworksUSA," BART Board President Bob Franklin said. "With 75 percent of our customers having the option of choosing another way to get to their destinations, we figured what better way to lure the drivers of the future onto BART than to hire the company who knows motorists best. That’s why we turned to DesignworksUSA, which has been instrumental in the design of many BMW vehicles presently on the road, to design a BART car that’s modern, elegant, comfortable yet practical, economical and clean so that even more people will choose BART."

BART has been conducting Seat Labs to gather public input on the project. DesignworksUSA will use this feedback when it creates the new designs. The resulting work will be available for review by the public this summer.

"DesignworksUSA is excited to join BART in its continued commitment to deliver a premium ridership experience to its passengers," Laurenz Schaffer, president, BMW Group DesignworksUSA said. "DesignworksUSA is passionate about creating innovative solutions for mobility in increasingly dense urban centers such as the Bay Area and we are excited to see the results of our collaborative partnership with BART."

Axion receives first purchase order for South America

Axion International, producer of railroad ties made from 100 percent recycled plastic, has received its first purchase order in South America. The order relates to Axion’s Recycled Structural Composite (RSC) railroad ties, which will be installed for an undisclosed railway line operator in a major South American city.

"We continue to see accelerated acceptance of our products in the international markets," stated Steve Silverman, Axion’s president and CEO. "This city’s relatively hot tropical climate, typical for South America, makes our product ideal for this part of the world. By utilizing our patented material, designed from 100 percent recycled plastic, this railway line is expected to alleviate the strain on landfills by diverting 81,000 pounds of plastic waste, or the equivalent of 365,000 detergent bottles, into new uses. We look forward to meeting this transit line’s future needs, as well as the needs of transit authorities throughout South America."

The railway line operator is purchasing various sizes of railroad ties from Axion, ranging from 9-feet to 20-feet in length. The longer ties or "switch sets" are utilized where multiple tracks come together or split apart. These products will be used in the city’s main metro line, which is responsible for transporting approximately 400,000 passengers per year.

"As we expand into areas such as South America we are strengthening our global sales network by introducing diverse new markets to Axion’s innovative, cost-effective and environmentally friendly products first-hand," said Silverman.

 

FTA makes $178.6 million available for central Florida commuter rail line

U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood signed the $178.6 million grant agreement that gives the green light for construction to begin on the 32-mile Orlando SunRail commuter rail project. He was joined by Federal Transit Administrator Peter Rogoff, Florida Transportation Secretary Ananth Prasad, House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman John Mica, Rep. Corrine Brown (D-Fla.), Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer and other state and local officials at a ceremony held at the future site of the Florida Hospital Station.

This grant is the largest federal transit investment in Central Florida and covers half of the projected total cost of $357.2 million. FTA will pay out the Full Funding Grant Agreement through 2013.

The line will connect downtown Orlando to Orange, Seminole and Volusia Counties along existing railroad tracks. In addition to having 12 new stations, it will consist of seven locomotives and 14 passenger rail cars. Stops along the line will include Florida Hospital Station, Central Station and Orlando Health/Amtrak Station.

The line is considered the first phase of what is projected to be a 61-mile commuter rail line extending further north to Deland and further south to Osceola County, Fla.

CN to extend sidings on Northern Ontario main line

Canadian National plans to construct two more extended sidings on its Northern Ontario mainline this year, bringing its investments in seven long sidings in this corridor to more than C$30 million (US$31.55 million). Two additional extended sidings, costing a total of C$10 million (US$10.52 million), are planned for this mainline in 2012.

"The strategic investments in longer sidings will help to further increase our ability to process freight trains efficiently across this line, enhance network velocity and productivity and improve the safety of operations," said Keith Creel, executive vice-president and chief operating officer.

CN’s longer sidings program is creating sidings of 12,000 to 13,000 feet long from sidings that were previously 6,000 to 7,000 feet in length. It will allow CN to maximize the benefits of its longer-train operating plan in mainline corridors across its system.

CN’s Northern Ontario siding investments are part of the company’s C$1.7-billion (US$1.8-billion) 2011 capital expenditure program to maintain a safe and fluid railway network.

 

UTU tentative agreement on Georgia shortline

The United Transportation Union has reached a tentative agreement on behalf of train and engine workers employed by Fulton County Railway, a 20-mile-long OmniTrax-owned shortline on the west side of Atlanta, which operates over CSX-owned tracks.

"What we are trying to do is bring parity in wages, benefits and work rules to the thousands of employees in the shortline railroad industry, in addition to the many other protections offered by union membership," said UTU General Chairperson Doyle Turner, who heads the UTU’s shortline-railroad initiative.

The Fulton County Railway train and engine workers selected the UTU as their bargaining representative in August 2010, after meeting with UTU organizers Rich Ross and Mike Lewis.

Turner assisted by retired General Chairperson Warner Biedenharn Jr., led the lengthy negotiations, with National Mediation Board mediator John Livengood helping bring the sides together. The tentative agreement now goes out for member ratification.

 

Metrolink cancels two late-night trains

Metrolink will be canceling its 11 p.m. special late-night service on the Antelope Valley and Ventura County lines due to a low ridership of less than 140 people. Late-night trains to San Bernardino will continue as part of Metrolink’s regular schedule.

"It is not a prudent use of tax dollars or in the best interest of air quality to operate an empty train," said Metrolink Board Chair Richard Katz.

 

UTU wins protection for members on beer railway

The United Transportation Union has won a protection for employees of Manufacturers Railway, a 124-year-old subsidiary of brewer Anheuser-Busch, on behalf of 12 train and engine employees represented by the UTU and employed by the rail company.

In March, the carrier sought permission from the U.S. Surface Transportation Board to discontinue operations and asked the agency not to impose so-called labor protection for workers who would be put in unemployment lines as a result of the discontinuance.

The railroad’s case rested on a long-standing policy of the board and its predecessor, the Interstate Commerce Commission, not to impose labor protection when an entire system is abandoned.

The UTU Law Department told the STB that they believed Manufacturers had provided the agency with "misleading information" with regard to the intended cessation of operations.

Rather than abandon its system, the UTU told the STB that Manufacturers had said it intended to transfer those rail operations to a third party that would operate over the railway’s tracks and yard, which would remain under Manufacturers Railway and Anheuser-Busch ownership.

The STB agreed and ruled that so-called Oregon Short Line labor protection be granted as a condition of the discontinuance of operations by Manufacturers Railway.

The protection provides for six years of income protection for all adversely affected employees of Manufacturers Railway.

 

Thanasriphakdeekun joins TranSystems

Chaiyong Thanasriphakdeekun has joined TranSystems as a consultant team leader and practice area leader for logistics network analysis in the firm’s management and supply chain consulting practice team.

Thanasriphakdeekun brings more than 12-years experience in the supply chain industry, specializing in logistics network strategy development, cross-dock/by-pass/3PL strategies, routing optimization, expert user of several logistics optimization programs and warehouse/manufacturing operations planning.

Thanasriphakdeekun will lead a growing team of supply chain professionals across multiple industries and in various roles by optimizing companies’ network and supply chain strategy. He has worked extensively with Fortune-500 clients such as large-scale, national retailers, grocers, beverage distributers, electronics retailers and steel manufacturing companies.

 

UP’s past CEO dies at age 89

As written by Railway Age:

John Kenefick, who as president, chairman and CEO of Union Pacific led the railroad triumphantly through the challenging years prior to and just after passage of the Staggers Rail Act of 1980, died July 15 at the age of 89. He was president from 1971 to 1983 when he was named chairman and CEO.

An industry giant, he guided the railroad with even temperament through stifling regulation and the threat of nationalization into a new age of health and competitive strength," said UP in an obituary posted on its website.

Chairman Jim Young commented: "With great foresight, he strengthened our railroad and guided it through some of the most challenging times in our history. It is with great pride that we celebrate his memory and innumerable contributions to our company and community."

Kenefick’s tenure at UP saw the railroad increase its annual revenue from $1 billion to $8 billion and double its size with the 1982 Missouri Pacific and Western Pacific mergers. Kenefick supported financing in 1984 for "Project Yellow," a connector line with the Chicago & North Western that gave UP access to Wyoming’s Powder River Basin coal mines. His guidance paved the way for mergers with the Chicago & North Western and the Missouri-Kansas-Texas, shortening UP’s route from Kansas City to Fort Worth and on to the Gulf.

Born Dec. 26, 1921, in Buffalo, New York, the son of an attorney, Kenefick attended Princeton University, concentrating his studies on mechanical engineering as World War II shortened his academic timeline. Graduating in 1943, he maintained a strong allegiance to the institution, acting later in life as a trustee emeritus and clerk of the board. Although he settled in the Midwestern town of Omaha, Neb., his license plate "P1943" illustrated the lifelong connection he felt to Princeton.

Following graduation, Kenefick served three years in the Navy during World War II, primarily in the Pacific, before beginning his railroad career with the New York Central as a Mechanical Department apprentice, he held the post a short six months before heading to Omaha in 1947 to join Union Pacific as a locomotive draftsman.

The westward move precipitated Kenefick’s rapid through the industry’s ranks. Making a concerted effort to learn firsthand how a railroad operates, he held assignments in various departments with Union Pacific, Denver & Rio Grande Western and, again, the New York Central before returning to the Union Pacific in 1968 as vice president-operations. He was promoted to executive vice president in 1969 and was elected chief executive officer of the transportation division in 1970.

Kenefick retired after 40 yeas of service.

 

 

CTA board OKs Loop Renewal Track contract

The Chicago Transit Board approved a $33.8 million contract to begin work on the second half of the Loop Track Renewal project. The project will involve the replacement of deteriorated track and rail ties along the Wells and Van Buren elevated tracks as well as track components that were installed in the mid-1980s and prevent the creation of new slow zones along the elevated line.

"We are continuing to seek out the few opportunities there are for state and federal funding. Unfortunately, improving the CTA system for riders is something that will always be in process, as the needs are many and funding is tight," said Chicago Transit Board Chairman Terry Peterson.

Portions of the Loop-elevated system that will undergo renewal work in this next phase include the track and structure along Wells and Van Buren streets, the Hubbard Curve and the Tower 18 and Tower 12 junctions. The project will also include replacement of other rail system components including foot walks, traction power and signal cabling, signal panels, switch machines and rail lubricators.

Ragnar Benson Construction, LLC, was awarded the contract through a competitive bid process. Funding for the Loop Track Renewal project is provided by a state grant through the Regional Transportation Authority. Work is expected to begin in late 2011 and be completed in late 2012.

CTA selects contractor for Purple Line viaduct projects

The Chicago Transit Board selected a contractor to replace three aging viaducts along the line at Greenleaf, Dempster and Grove Streets in Evanston.

The project involves replacing the concrete viaducts with new steel structures, as well as new abutments, retaining walls, foundations and new waterproofing and drainage systems. The project also includes rail tie replacement, new landscaping and lighting enhancements under the bridges.

"Repairing the viaducts will allow us to remove the slow zones and speed travel for customers. The new structures also will provide a safer and more attractive environment for the community," said CTA President Forrest
Claypool.

Kiewit Infrastructure was selected as the contractor for the $10.3 million contract through a competitive bidding process. Funding for the project is provided by an Illinois Department of Transportation grant through the Regional Transportation Authority.