BL certifies Lat-Lon monitoring devices

Bourque Logistics, a rail logistics software company in The Woodlands, Texas, has certified Lat-Lon’s remote monitoring devices for integration with BL’s RAILTRAC® GPS software. With this combination, shippers can now enhance decision-making, asset management and regulatory compliance through regular data feeds and alerts on the location and status of railcars.  

Lat-Lon, LLC, of Denver, Colo., has produced solar tracking units for railcars and Locomotive Monitoring Units for 10 years and has partnered with BL to offer best-in-class rail logistics support. BL customers can now seamlessly access the data generated by Lat-Lon devices which includes GPS location, speed and course; wireless sensor data from hatches, brake linkages and trucks; over speed impact data from accelerometers and photographic data from the STU’s internal day/night security camera.  

Railcar and locomotive location and condition status are reported through cellular and/or satellite connections to help shippers with regulatory compliance, tampering risk reduction, improved fleet management and railroad billing disputes concerning car damage or routing. The value of wireless monitoring improves many aspects of a shipper’s business from sales to logistics to customer support to government compliance.

"This important integration between the Lat-Lon devices and RAILTRAC® GPS software will provide significant remote monitoring capabilities to our clients who ship hazardous products. In addition, Lat-Lon sensors will provide car heath data for railcar maintenance and regulatory compliance," said Steve Bourque, president of BL.

"We are pleased to be working with Bourque Logistics to offer more GPS tracking and wireless monitoring options to BL’s loyal customer base," commented David Baker, president of Lat-Lon, LLC.

Arch Coal acquires equity interest in west coast terminal

Arch Coal, Inc., of St. Louis, has acquired a 38 percent interest in Millennium Bulk Terminals-Longview, LLC, the owner of a bulk commodity terminal on the Columbia River near Longview, Wash., in exchange for $25 million plus additional consideration upon the completion of certain project milestones.

"This transaction gives us a direct stake in participating in the growth of U.S. coal exports off the West Coast," said Steven Leer, Arch’s chief executive officer. "With our superior operating position in the Powder River Basin and Western Bituminous Region, we have the capability to service growing coal demand in Asia, the world’s largest and fastest-growing coal market. We believe this first project – along with others in the pipeline – will provide Arch with more exposure to the seaborne thermal market and will further unlock the value inherent in our western coal assets."

Under terms of the agreement, Arch will control 38 percent of the terminal’s throughput and storage capacity to facilitate export shipments of coal off the west coast of the United States. The facility will be capable of handling panamax-sized vessels, which account for the vast majority of the seaborne thermal coal trade for the Asia-Pacific market. The terminal also is dual-served by the UP and BNSF railroads, which will provide Arch with the flexibility to export its southern Powder River Basin and Western Bituminous coals, and eventually coal from its recently-acquired Montana reserves.

The MBT terminal, a former aluminum smelter site, is currently operated as a bulk commodity facility. MBT continues to work on obtaining the required approvals and necessary permits to complete dredging and other upgrades to enable coal, alumina and cementitious material shipments through the brownfield terminal. Once completed, coal shipments could begin in 2012. As currently planned, the MBT facility will utilize existing infrastructure with some minor modifications to handle loading 5 million tons of coal per year in addition to other types of bulk commodities.

Encompassing more than 400 acres, the industrial site offers the potential for terminal expansion should market demand warrant. Should MBT elect to expand the facility, necessary regulatory approvals would be sought and additional infrastructure investment would be required.

According to MBT estimates, the terminal development project should create 120 temporary jobs during the build-out of the facility, and ultimately would result in 70 permanent jobs from ongoing operations at the terminal. The construction of the export facility will generate $2.7 million in sales tax revenue for state and county governments, while expected income tax revenue – once the facility is fully operational – will provide $1.2 million annually for state and county governments.

William Schafer Joins TranSystems

William Schafer, Jr., has joined TranSystems’ freight rail group bringing expertise in planning, engineering, and construction for freight and passenger main track infrastructure, terminal facilities and commuter and light rail systems. Schafer has more than 30 years experience in the rail industry specializing in railroad operation requirements and integration with facilities planning and design.

"We are very pleased to have Bill on board and are confident he will hit the ground running with his knowledge of the industry and strong industry relationships," said John Nussrallah, Market Sector Leader for TranSystems’ Freight Railroads group.

Schafer will be in the company’s Schaumburg, Ill., office focused on working with local passenger clients and Class 1 railroads associated with the Chicago Metroplex and CREATE projects respectively.

Schafer’s past experience has included leadership positions with Jacobs Edwards and Kelcey and Parsons Transportation Group both in Chicago, Ill., where he served as project manager for a number of rail infrastructure design and construction projects. As a former Division Engineer for Norfolk Southern Railroad, Schafer gained practical knowledge of the railroads planning and construction practices. Schafer’s clients have included Class I railroads, commuter rail agencies, light rail agencies, the Federal Railroad Administration, AMTRAK, ports, state DOTs, and local governments.

Schafer earned a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Ohio University in Athens, Ohio.

 

N.J. Governor

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie put forward a transportation capital plan for the next five years that will improve critical infrastructure throughout N.J. and begin to end the state’s long over reliance on debt to finance transportation projects.

The plan is consistent with the Governor’s commitment to putting N.J. on strong fiscal footing, which is why the plan is centered on responsible funding practices and prudent debt management. The Christie Transportation Capital Plan decreases borrowing while increasing "pay as you go" cash funding of transportation projects in each of the next five years. The plan does not call for any new or increased taxes.

"Today, we are continuing to put N.J. on the path towards fiscal health and proposing a sensible and responsible plan that prioritizes vital transportation projects, while limiting the already-heavy debt burden carried by the taxpayers of our state," said Governor Christie. "After years of mismanagement and the failure to soundly plan for New Jersey’s transportation future, we were left with an unacceptable situation – a system teetering on the edge of failure, without the ability to fund a basic, core function of government. Today, we begin to end that practice by putting forward a Transportation Capital Plan that meets our infrastructure needs and responsibly manages the debt incurred by taxpayers.

"Most importantly, ensuring these critical transportation projects move forward will create thousands of Jersey jobs. By responsibly investing in projects over the next five years we’re putting New Jerseyans to work now and in the future," continued Governor Christie.

The Christie Plan over five years consists of cash contributions from the General Fund and the New Jersey Turnpike Authority, bonding and $1.8 billion in projects requested by the Governor to be undertaken by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey in conjunction with the State Department of Transportation. As a result, the State will be able to provide $1.6 billion each year for five years for much-needed transportation projects, including $672 million for N.J. Transit capital needs and $200 million per year for local government projects.

"As we have learned with so many other issues in N.J., our most pressing challenges simply will not fix themselves," concluded Governor Christie. "Just as we will not simply drift by chance into balanced budgets or stumble into a less costly, more efficient government, transportation investment in N.J. requires discipline and careful planning to meet our needs in a realistic and fiscally responsible manner. The plan outlined today meets these challenges and ensures that the state will succeed where prior funding schemes have failed."

The former plan, which is about to expire, began in Fiscal Year 2007 and provided $8 billion ($1.6 billion per year) for transportation projects, including $200 million per year for local government projects. This plan relied on a stable $895 million annual General Fund appropriation that became almost entirely devoted to making debt payments, instead of funding current transportation needs. Ultimately, the only way to continue paying for projects was for the state to incur debt. As a result, the former plan allowed the fund to run dry, while nearly all the money spent on current projects was borrowed.

Over the plan’s five year period, the Christie Plan provides almost 37 percent "pay as you go" funding in contrast to the former plan’s five-year PAYGO composition of 10.6 percent.

 

CSXT to grow, create jobs

Leveraging the economic and environmental benefits of rail, customers committed to 130 new or expanded facilities on CSXT lines in 2010. Upon completion, these projects will create as many as 5,200 new jobs.

The facilities are located in 18 states, and include markets such as energy, consumer goods and manufacturing. They represent more than $3.6 billion in customer investments, and ultimately will contribute $216 million in annual revenue to CSXT, said Clark Robertson, assistant vice president-regional development.

The facilities will be built on both CSXT lines and on some of the more than 240 shortlines and regional railroads that connect to CSXT.

"CSXT is playing an important role in our nation’s economic recovery, providing the critical link to connect producers, distributors and consumers," Robertson said. "Just as important, we’re helping to stimulate community investment and jobs."

In addition, 98 customers who had committed to new or increased rail traffic in 2010 and prior years began moving goods and commodities that at full production will result in more than $168 million in revenue.

Trains are capable of moving a ton of freight nearly 500 miles on a gallon of fuel. That fuel efficiency, coupled with CSXT’s market reach that includes connections to more than 70 ocean, lake and river ports, is important to customers and economic development agencies as they look for sites for a variety of businesses.

 

Alderon Confirms Rail and Port Capacity

Alderon has initiated discussions with Iron Ore Company of Canada, a member of the Rio Tinto group, on use of the Quebec North Shore & Labrador Railway. Alderon has also initiated discussions with the Port of Sept-Iles for access to its soon-to-be constructed deep water multi-user facility. Discussions will be ongoing with both of these parties to firm up accountabilities, logistics and costs as part of the Scoping Study due for completion late Q2 2011 and Feasibility Study to be completed early 2012.

"We are quickly demonstrating the potential of our Kami Project and therefore want to have all the logistics for transporting final product from mine to customer settled," said Matt Simpson, COO of Alderon.

In terms of the railway, although still preliminary, Alderon will likely need to lease or purchase locomotives and railcars which will be operated by QNS&L plus pay for any additional sidings required on the railway. Alderon would be seeking a regular daily service from QNS&L to minimize both operating and capital costs as compared to an "as required" service used by some of the aspiring smaller direct shipping producers in the area.

In regards to the Port, the Port Authority owns substantial land at their berth which would be leased to Alderon on a long term contract. Alderon would be accountable to pay for its car dumper, stacker and reclaimer while the Port would manage the berth and ship loading activities at their soon-to-be constructed berth.

Alderon is a leading iron ore exploration and development company in Canada. The Kami Project is located within an existing iron ore district and is surrounded by producing iron ore mines. The Alderon team is comprised of skilled professionals with significant iron ore expertise to advance Kami towards production.

Alderon has initiated discussions with Iron Ore Company of Canada, a member of the Rio Tinto group, on use of the Quebec North Shore & Labrador Railway. Alderon has also initiated discussions with the Port of Sept-Iles for access to its soon-to-be constructed deep water multi-user facility. Discussions will be ongoing with both of these parties to firm up accountabilities, logistics and costs as part of the Scoping Study due for completion late Q2 2011 and Feasibility Study to be completed early 2012.

"We are quickly demonstrating the potential of our Kami Project and therefore want to have all the logistics for transporting final product from mine to customer settled," said Matt Simpson, COO of Alderon.

In terms of the railway, although still preliminary, Alderon will likely need to lease or purchase locomotives and railcars which will be operated by QNS&L plus pay for any additional sidings required on the railway. Alderon would be seeking a regular daily service from QNS&L to minimize both operating and capital costs as compared to an "as required" service used by some of the aspiring smaller direct shipping producers in the area.

In regards to the Port, the Port Authority owns substantial land at their berth which would be leased to Alderon on a long term contract. Alderon would be accountable to pay for its car dumper, stacker and reclaimer while the Port would manage the berth and ship loading activities at their soon-to-be constructed berth.

Alderon is a leading iron ore exploration and development company in Canada. The Kami Project is located within an existing iron ore district and is surrounded by producing iron ore mines. The Alderon team is comprised of skilled professionals with significant iron ore expertise to advance Kami towards production.

Alaska Railroad schedules four open houses

The Alaska Railroad invites the public to an open house 4:00-6:30 p.m. on Tuesday,

January 11, at the Anchorage Historic Depot at 411 West First Avenue. The venue provides an opportunity to review and comment on a proposed Program of Projects (POP) for 2011.

The open house will showcase continuing and proposed capital improvement projects that are in various stages from conceptual planning to engineering and construction. Project managers will be on-hand to explain projects that are located all along the railroad system from Seward to Fairbanks, with an emphasis on projects located in and around Anchorage, Southcentral Alaska and system-wide, including:

· Ship Creek Intermodal Transportation Center (Phase Two)

· Historic Freight Shed LEED-certified Office Space Renovation (an Alaska first)

· Chugach Forest Whistle Stop Service

· Whittier Yard Security Fencing

· Commuter Rail Opportunities

· Port MacKenzie Rail Extension

· Positive Train Control

· Bridge Replacements and Rehabilitation

· Track Rehabilitation, Drainage Improvements and Embankment Protection

The Anchorage event is the first in a series of POP Open House events. Open Houses in other locations are scheduled as follows:

· Wasilla – 4:00-6:30 p.m., Wednesday, January 12 – Evangelo’s Restaurant, 2530 E. Parks Highway. Emphasis will be on projects located in and around the Mat-Su Valley and Southcentral Alaska.

· Fairbanks – 4:00-6:30 p.m., Tuesday, January 25, at the Alaska Railroad Depot, 1745 Johansen Expressway. Emphasis will be on projects located in Interior Alaska.

· Seward – 10:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Friday, February 4 – Breeze Inn, 303 N. Harbor Street. Emphasis will be on projects located in and around Seward and Southcentral Alaska.

The Alaska Railroad has budgeted approximately $55.9 million in new spending for capital improvements in 2011. About $13.8 million will come from FTA grants. This amount includes a required 9 percent matching contribution from the Alaska Railroad. Other federal funding includes $2.93 million in FEMA-administered grants and $1.38 million in "Stimulus" (American Recovery & Reinvestment Act of 2009) funding. ARRC will spend another $23.7 million toward internally-funded capital projects using revenues generated from passenger, freight and real estate activity. Finally, the railroad will spend about $14.1million of funds generated from the sale of revenue bonds that were sold in 2006 and 2007. Bonds are repaid with FTA formula fund appropriations.

Capital Metro hires Melvin Clark

Capital Metro in Texas has hired Melvin Clark as vice president of rail operations.

The creation and filling of this position completes a key recommendation from the Sunset Advisory Commission.

"The hiring of Melvin Clark is consistent with my goal of raising the bar and transforming Capital Metro into the highly-respected and valued service that I know we can be for our community," said Capital Metro President Linda Watson. "His nationwide rail experience and expertise will ensure that we adhere to the highest level of safety and customer service delivery for our current and future MetroRail and freight services."

Clark will oversee the management and safety of all passenger and freight rail operations as well as maintenance-of-way, including track, bridges, signals and crossings and compliance with all Federal Railroad Administration regulations. He also will develop a long-range strategic plan for rail operations.

Clark currently serves as district rail director for the Greater Cleveland Regional Transportation Authority. His prior experience includes key railroad and signal management positions at the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority, Norfolk Southern Corporation and the Chicago Transit Authority.

Clark is a graduate of Southern Illinois University, currently serves on the Cuyahoga Scenic Railroad board of trustees and is past chair of the American Public Transportation Association’s light rail technical forum.

Axion to install recycled plastic railroad ties

Axion International, a producer of recycled composite plastic industrial railroad ties, will install its thermoplastic railroad ties, designed from 100% recycled plastic, in the city of Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

The city of Calgary operates approximately 28 miles of track for light rail vehicles, serving a population more than 1 million. The city originally ordered 60 Axion ties as a test phase project in early 2009. After performing well during a complete freeze-cycle during the Canadian winter months, Calgary is now moving forward with this second purchase order, where some of the ties will be integrated into a railroad crossing.

"We are thrilled to receive a new order from the city of Calgary for our proprietary composite railroad ties," stated Steve Silverman, Axion’s president. "This purchase order not only opens additional sales potential in and around Calgary itself, it also represents an opportunity to expand our relationship with other transit agencies and railways in Canada as we continue to demonstrate the real-world applications of our thermoplastic technology and its superior strength and long-life characteristics compared with more traditional railroad tie material such as timber and concrete."

Axion’s products have been effectively demonstrated in other Canadian cities as well. In March 2009, its thermoplastic railroad ties were showcased and installed under special track at the Toronto Transit Commission streetcar line.

Developed in conjunction with Rutgers University’s Materials Sciences and Engineering Department, Axion’s RSC is inert and contains no toxic materials. It is impervious to insect infestation, will never leach toxic chemicals or warp. Because it is lighter than traditional materials, transporting RSC is less expensive and reduces energy costs. In addition, RSC is completely recyclable at the end of its functional life.

 

2010 was a good year for the railroads

 

So how did the major railroads perform in 2010? The short answer is that one wouldn’t know they were operating in the midst of a recession. According to a report on the United Transportation Union’s Website, all major railroad stocks saw double-digit increases over their 52-week lows.

Although calendar year profits have not yet been reported, railroad profits were up 33 percent for the 12 months ending in the third quarter, according to the U.S. Surface Transportation Board.

And investors’ expectations — reflected in railroad stock prices — is that calendar year 2010 earnings will be equally impressive; and 2011 earnings prospects are equally bright.

Wall Street analyst Ed Wolfe of Wolfe Trahan reports the level of freight car and intermodal loadings for the year registered "the best" year-over-year growth in more than 50 years. Wolfe and other Wall Street analysts — William Greene at Morgan Stanley, Thomas Wadewitz at J.P. Morgan, and Gary Chase at Barclays — are bullish on the industry’s earnings moving forward.

Analysts also point to the railroads’ pricing strength — the ability to raise rates on shippers with limited effective alternatives to railroad transportation. Many long-term contracts for hauling coal are expiring, and substantial rate increases on that traffic already are reflected in new contracts.

Another key element of railroad financial health is operating ratio — a railroad’s operating expenses expressed as a percentage of operating revenue (considered by economists to be the basic measure of carrier profitability.

Each of the major railroads — Canadian National, Canadian Pacific, CSX, Kansas City Southern, Norfolk Southern and Union Pacific — reported substantial improvements in operating ratio during the third quarter. (As BNSF is now privately held, it no longer reports detailed financial data.)

Canadian National:
* Per-share price is up 38 percent over the 52-week low.
* Analysts predict the per-share price to rise from the 2010 52-week high of $67.99 to $70.84 — a 4 percent increase.

Canadian Pacific:
* Per-share price is up 45 percent over the 52-week low.
* Analysts predict the per-share price to rise from the 2010 52-week high of $67.03 to $72.33 — an 8 percent increase.

CSX:
* Per-share price is up 62 percent over the 52-week low.
* Analysts predict the per-share price to rise from the 2010 52-week high of $68.03 to $71.92 — a 6 percent increase.

Kansas City Southern:
* Per-share price is up 74 percent over the 52-week low.
* Analysts predict the per-share price to rise from the 2010 52-week high of $51.46 to $55.29 — a 7 percent increase.

Norfolk Southern:
* Per-share price is up 41 percent over the 52-week low.
* Analysts predict the per-share price to rise from the 2010 52-week high of $65.32 to $70.71 — an 8 percent increase.

Union Pacific:
* Per-share price is up 60 percent over the 52-week low.
* Analysts predict the per-share price to rise from the 2010 52-week high of $95.78 to $103.38 — an 8 percent increase.

Major railroads — except for BNSF — will be reporting calendar year earnings over the next few weeks.

FRA develops model state legislation to improve safety at crossings

 

The Federal Railroad Administration, together with states, developed model state legislation for use in developing bills to improve safety at highway-rail grade crossings without gates or barriers.

The model legislation is intended to help states address obstructions limiting a driver’s view of an oncoming train. Between 2001 and 2005, accident reports submitted by railroads to FRA show that 689 collisions resulting in 242 injuries and 87 fatalities occurred at highway-rail grade crossings with sight obstructions. Development of the model state legislation was required by the Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008. The model legislation is available at http://www.fra.dot.gov/Pages/1730.shtml.

Metra will begin testing

 

After Metra requested passenger feedback on the idea of implementing quiet cars, the agency received more than 1,000 e-mails. The vast majority – about 86 percent – expressed support for the idea, and so the agency decided to conduct a test on one line.

The rules are simple: No cell phone calls. If passengers must answer their phones, they should make it brief or move to the vestibule or another car. Conversations should be short and in subdued voices. All electronic devices must be muted, and headphones should not be loud enough for anyone else to hear.

The test will go for three months. It will apply to morning inbound and evening outbound rush-hour trains, from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. and from 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. The quiet cars will be the first and last cars of the train during those hours. They will be identified with decals on the outside of the car and signage inside the car.

Metra is using the Rock Island line for the test to make sure it is proceeding in the right way. If the test goes as expected, the program will be expanded to other lines. The Rock Island Line, which runs from Joliet to LaSalle Street Station downtown, serves more than 15,000 passengers a day.

Metra expects this program to be largely enforced by peer pressure and conductor intervention when necessary. Many riders said that having a rule in place will empower them to ask noisy people to be quiet or move. Conductors will carry small notices that they can discreetly present to passengers who are violating the quiet car rules.

Metra hopes all passengers will remember to treat their fellow passengers with courtesy and respect, no matter where they are sitting.

Quiet zone takes effect on TriMet

On Tuesday, January 11, Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon will implement a new quiet zone and wayside horns will become operational on the WES Commuter Rail and freight alignment in Tualatin, Ore.

This means that for about 3.5 miles in Tualatin, train horns will no longer sound unless there is a safety issue.

Project partners and community members will gather at a quiet zone crossing in Tualatin to celebrate the beginning of a quieter era in the city. The city of Tualatin, Washington County, TriMet and Metro have worked together on this project to reduce horn noise at eight rail crossings.

Tualatin Mayor Lou Ogden and Councilor Donna Maddux, Metro Councilor Carl Hosticka, TriMet General Manager Neil McFarlane, and Washington County representative Leslie Hildula will attend the event at 10800 SW Avery Street, Tualatin, on Tuesday, January 11, 2011, at 9 a.m.

In addition to the quiet zone and installation of wayside horns, TriMet also improved pedestrian safety features at two crossings in Tualatin.

UP ShipCarsNow to relocate to Omaha

UP will relocate its
ShipCarsNow subsidiary to its headquarters building in Omaha, Neb., from Auburn
Hills, Mich., beginning in January.

 

"Relocating
ShipCarsNow to Omaha allows Union Pacific and ShipCarsNow to leverage common
systems in order to strengthen and grow our auto transport services in the U.S.
and international markets," said Julie Krehbiel, UP vice president and
general manager-automotive.

 

Established by UP in
2006, ShipCarsNow delivers used vehicles for businesses in the U.S. and around
the world through a multimodal auto transport network that includes truck,
enclosed rail transport, driveaway shuttles and ocean-going vessels.
ShipCarsNow is one of the few online auto transport companies to provide
instant, online quotes for both domestic and international auto shipping.

 

UP is North America’s
largest automotive carrier. It directly serves five vehicle assembly plants and
distributes imported vehicles from seven West Coast ports and one Gulf Coast
port. UP operates or accesses 43 vehicle distribution centers, covering most
major western U.S. cities.

 

ShipCarsNow will bring
21 jobs to Nebraska. About half are relocations while others are new positions
or transfers within the company. This is in addition to approximately 12
information technology jobs in Omaha that are already supporting its Web
technology. ShipCarsNow hopes to further expand its workforce in Omaha over the
coming years as it seeks new business opportunities.


 

Robert G. Lewis, 1916-2011

Robert G. Lewis, publisher of Railway Age from 1956 until not long before he
retired from the company in 1995, died the evening of January 5 at his home in Ormond-by-the-Sea, Fla., at
the age of 94.

A native of Philadelphia, Bob Lewis began his career with the Pennsylvania
Railroad in the operations department in 1934. He worked for the Bessemer &
Lake Erie from 1940 to 1941 before joining the U.S. Navy in December 1941.
After World War II, he returned to the Pennsylvania before joining Simmons-Boardman
Publishing Corp. as an associate editor of Railway Age in 1947. Lewis served
consecutively as associate editor, transportation editor and circulation
director of Simmons-Boardman before being named publisher of the magazine and
its associated technical monthlies in 1956. He also served as president and
vice chairman of the board of Simmons-Boardman.

In  1961, Lewis founded International Railway Journal, now based in
England, which this year celebrates its 50th anniversary as one of the world’s
leading transportation publications.

After retirement, Lewis retained a connection with Simmons-Boardman as director
of special projects.

An appreciation of Bob Lewis’s life and career will appear in the February 2011
edition of Railway Age.

Brooklyn

MTA New York City Transit is making repairs and improvements to Brooklyn’s Culver Line including the rebuilding of the viaduct structure and the renewal of its tracks, signals and switches. It will also rehabilitate the Smith-9th station and restore platforms, canopies and the historic arch at the 4th Avenue-9th Street station.

The $275.5 million engineering and construction project is necessary to rehabilitate the steel and concrete viaduct, which first opened in 1933 as part of the IND system. The project area stretches from the tunnel portal south of the Carroll Street station to the portal south of Fourth Avenue. In preparation for this work, the G line has been extended to Church Avenue since July 2009. This current phase of the project will begin this month and continue until the fall of 2012.

Patriot Corp. completes acquisition of Weyerhaeuser Company

Patriot Rail Corp., a privately-held shortline and regional freight railroad holding company, has completed the acquisition of the six shortline railroads belonging to Weyerhaeuser Company. This acquisition is the largest for Patriot to date, giving it a total of 13 shortline railroads owned.

The six Weyerhaeuser railroads operate over approximately 160 miles of track in four states, employ 88 people and handle approximately 60,000 carloads of freight annually. The railroads primarily serve Weyerhaeuser and International Paper mills and a number of third-party customers. Major commodities hauled include wood and paper products, chemicals, industrial waste, minerals and agricultural products. Each of the railroads interchange traffic with multiple Class I carriers and other shortline railroads.

The six railroads include:
• The DeQueen and Eastern Railroad
• The Texas, Oklahoma & Eastern Railroad
• The Columbia & Cowlitz Railway
• The Patriot Woods Railroad
• The Golden Triangle Railroad
• The Mississippi & Skuna Valley Railroad

In addition to the rail lines and other track assets, the acquisition also includes 28 locomotives, over 300 railcars, 2,500 leased railcars, 50 motor vehicles, right-of-way real estate, general office buildings, maintenance of way equipment, locomotive shops, rail car repair shops, a wheel shop, rail yards and office and shop equipment.

"This transaction represents the acquisition of very attractive railroads with strong cash flow, a dedicated workforce, a well-maintained track infrastructure, a highly-stable customer base and appealing growth opportunities," said Gary Marino, president of Patriot Rail. "We look forward to growing the business on the rail lines through innovative and competitive service offerings to existing and new customers."

"We are pleased to complete the transaction with Patriot and look forward to working with them to continue receiving dependable rail service to our mills," said Daniel Fulton, Weyerhaeuser president.

Track work to affect Amtrak Crescent service

Improvements to the track used by the Amtrak Crescent (New York – New Orleans) service will result in a temporary schedule change from January 10 – February 17 with trains not operating between Atlanta and New Orleans Monday through Thursday of each week.

Southbound Train 19 originating in New York on Sundays through Wednesdays will terminate in Atlanta. Northbound Train 20 originating on Mondays through Thursdays will originate in Atlanta instead of its usual New Orleans. No alternate transportation will be provided between Atlanta and New Orleans.

On Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays only between January 10 and February 17, Trains 19 and 20 will serve all stations along the route, but may encounter delays due to speed restrictions and freight train interference.

The temporary schedule change will permit Norfolk Southern Railway, the owner of the track, to perform its annual track-work project. The extensive tie, rail and bridgework will take place at numerous locations between Atlanta and a point south of Meridian, Miss. The work will improve Amtrak ride quality and reliability, and avoid or eliminate speed restrictions.

 

CTA Train Tracker to arrive in January

A pilot version of the highly anticipated CTA Train Tracker will be launched in early January via a dedicated website. Customers using desktop computers or mobile web-enabled devices, such as iPhones, BlackBerries or smartphones, will be able to access estimated arrival times for trains on all eight rail lines.

"Following the popularity of Bus Tracker, the CTA has been developing a similar tool for riders to get estimated arrival times for trains," said Richard Rodriguez, CTA president. "We are just as eager as our customers for this pilot program to launch so that our rail customers have the information they need to better plan their trips and make their experience on the CTA even more convenient and reliable."

Estimated arrival times will be generated through a combination of scheduling information and data collected by the CTA’s QuicTrak program, which monitors signaling systems and indicates when a portion of track is occupied by a train. An average transit time is determined by measuring how long it takes a train to travel a portion of track. By averaging the travel times of the last five trains to move across a portion of track, the CTA can calculate the estimated arrival times for trains at each station.

To view estimated arrival times, customers will simply have to go to the dedicated website, select their preferred rail line and then choose a station. Arrival times of approaching trains within a 15-minute timeframe will be provided for the selected station, and results will refresh approximately every 20-30 seconds. Customers will have the option to choose the number of results displayed and how they are sorted – either by track or route if the station is served by multiple rail lines, or by time to arrival.

In the event arrival times cannot be calculated – such as with the first trains in the morning – Train Tracker will provide and indicate schedule information for the next arriving train(s).

Since April, stations equipped with electronic signs have been testing estimated arrival time displays. Because the electronic displays across the rail system are not uniform in age, size, character availability or the number of lines displayed, personnel have been working diligently to develop a consistent method of delivering accurate data for the various display types.

 

Surface Transportation Board announces new vice chairman

Transportation Board member Charles D. Nottingham has been designated as the agency’s Vice Chairman. He succeeds Francis P. Mulvey, who most recently served as vice chairman from January 5, 2010 to January 4, 2011, and who continues to serve as a board member. The board’s vice chairmanship rotates between the members on an annual basis.

Nottingham, the lone republican on the three-member board, was appointed chairman by President George W. Bush and joined the board on August 14, 2006 following his Senate confirmation. He served as STB chairman until March 12, 2009. On October 18, 2010 then-Commissioner Nottingham announced that he would not seek a second term on the board when his current term expired on December 31, 2010. The board’s governing statute permits a board member to continue serving for up to one year after the end of his or her term, until a successor is named and confirmed. Vice Chairman Nottingham has not yet announced a specific departure date.