Former factory to serve as Central Corridor LRT facility

PCL Construction Services Inc. of Burnsville, Minn., will be converting a vacant former factory in St. Paul into the operations and maintenance facility for the Central Corridor Light Rail Transit Project, a $43.1 million contract from the Metropolitan Council.

The contract includes $1.2 million for PCL to install a vehicle hoist at the Hiawatha LRT’s Franklin facility, also requested and funded by Metro Transit. It also includes work necessary for systems testing by the summer of 2013 in order to maintain the start of revenue service in 2014 and avoid a construction delay and cost escalation impacts.

The Central Corridor LRT Project will link downtown St. Paul and downtown Minneapolis along Washington and University avenues via the state Capitol and University of Minnesota. Construction began this year on the planned 11-mile line, and service will begin in 2014. The line will connect with the Hiawatha LRT line at the Metrodome station in Minneapolis and the Northstar commuter rail line at the new Target Field Station.

The Federal Transit Administration, Counties Transit Improvement Board, state of Minnesota, Ramsey and Hennepin counties’ regional railroad authorities, city of St. Paul, Metropolitan Council and the Central Corridor Funders Collaborative, will provide funding.

FEC names new V.P., chief engineering officer

Florida East Coast Railway named Robert Stevens to the position of vice president, chief engineering officer effective December 1, 2010.

Bob joined the Florida East Coast Railway in 2007 as the general director, roadway maintenance and was later promoted to chief engineer in 2008. Prior to joining FECR, Bob received his Bachelor’s degree from Eastern University in Philadelphia, Penn., served in the United States Navy and worked for CSXT and Consolidated Rail Corp. Bob has more than 35 years of experience within the rail industry.

Port Authority of NY and NJ approves budget, reduces headcount by 200

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Board of Commissioners approved a $7.2 billion budget for 2011 that calls for a third consecutive year of zero growth in operating expenses and reduces headcount by 200 positions to the lowest level in 40 years.

The fiscal discipline on the operating side of the budget has allowed for $3.9 billion in capital spending, enough to continue the agency’s safety and security programs, to move priority projects forward and to maintain the agency’s facilities in a state of good repair.

The 2011 budget provides $2.5 billion in operating expenses, $3.9 billion in capital expenses, $701 million for debt service and $47 million for other expenses, which include purchases of snow equipment and other agency vehicles and major technology equipment.

Port Authority Chairman Anthony Coscia said, "In these tough economic times, we must be diligent in how we spend the public’s money. That’s why we’ve developed a zero growth operating budget, and taken great care to identify capital projects in the region’s best interests."

High-speed rail project to continue through December 23

Improvements supporting future high-speed rail on the Chicago-St. Louis corridor north of Springfield will continue to cause the daily Amtrak Lincoln Service trains to originate and terminate in Bloomington/Normal through December 10 and again December 16 to December 23. The work on the Chicago-St. Louis route will also cause the Chicago-San Antonio Amtrak Texas Eagle to detour without other scheduled stops between Chicago and St. Louis.

In most cases alternate transportation will be provided.

Despite the detours, ridership on the corridor has continued to be strong. During October and November, 97,407 passengers rode Lincoln Service trains, an increase of almost 14 percent from the same time in 2009.

Union Pacific will be installing concrete ties and track switches related to this high-speed rail endeavor. The Chicago to St. Louis high-speed rail corridor is the first high-speed rail project in the country to begin construction.

After decade passes contractor is hired for West Rail Relocation project

Cameron County officials have hired a contractor for the $26.5 million West Rail Relocation project after more than a decade passed upon the project’s proposal. McCarthy Building Companies Inc., Texas division, will construct about six miles of new track and new international rail bridge between River Bend and San Pedro, Tex.

Once the project is complete the B&M International Bridge will no longer carry rail traffic; the West Rail development is projected to begin in December and be complete by early 2012.

Most of the funding is being provided by the federal government and the state; however, Cameron County is paying 10 percent.

Cameron County Administrator Pete Sepulveda said early projections that construction would begin in 2003 and finish in 2005 were overly optimistic and that they didn’t take into account coordinating and scheduling issues with Mexico.

The West Rail Relocation Project is one of seven projects nationwide being funded through the Federal Railroad Administration’s Rail Line Relocation and Improvement Program.

MTA awards two contracts under new small business program

Metropolitan Transportation Authority awarded voucher-based car service contracts to eight minority-owned or women-owned companies based in New York City. The awards, estimated to be worth $26.6 million over three years, dramatically increase the proportion of minority-owned and women-owned firms that are providing this service to the MTA customers.

The awards result from a period of concerted outreach to small businesses that had not previously done business with the MTA. Over the past several months, MTA officials called companies that are or are expected to be State-certified as being minority- or woman-owned and invited them to a special pre-bid conference.

"One of my priorities when I returned to the MTA last year was to increase contract awards to minority-owned and women-owned firms and disadvantaged small businesses. These recent awards send a clear signal to the vendor community that the staff of our Department of Diversity and Civil Rights and I are working hard to do that," said MTA Chairman Jay H. Walder. "As we continue to transform the MTA into an organization that makes every dollar count, we have to be as proactive as possible in assisting small businesses, which account for nearly half of all private sector jobs in New York City and beyond, become viable vendors."

A second contract was awarded to a Brooklyn construction firm; the first contract under a new program created to help small businesses win MTA construction contracts. Under the MTA’s new Small Business Mentoring Program, Arch Builders & Developers, Inc., of Brooklyn, will replace the badly deteriorated stairway canopy at MTA New York City Transit’s Junius Street 3 station in Brooklyn.

The program was created in June under New York State authorizing legislation sponsored by Senator John Sampson and Assemblyman Keith Wright. The program matches emerging small businesses with a larger construction management firm, TDX Construction Corp., to facilitate a transfer of knowledge that will enable the participants to become regular MTA contractors and larger subcontractors.

"I am delighted that this program is now enabling the MTA to expand the pool of qualified contractors who can complete MTA projects successfully, on time and within budget," said MTA Chairman Jay H. Walder. "The more construction firms we have bidding on our projects, the easier it will be for us to reduce our construction expenses as we fundamentally overhaul the MTA’s cost structure. This program has been especially helpful in allowing us to engage more small businesses, including minority-owned, women-owned and disadvantaged businesses."

 

Owner of Fulton railroad spur seeks to reinstate freight service

Mike Williams, owner of the shortline railroad between Mexico and Fulton, Mo. Says he plans to reopen the line if there is enough interest for rail shipping in the Fulton area.

Callaway County Western District Commissioner Doc Kritzer said Williams met with the Callaway County Transit Authority to inform them of his plans for the rail spur. Kritzer said he feared earlier that Williams might want to sell the railroad tracks for scrap instead of restoring the line to service.

Fulton, Callaway County and the Fulton Area Development Corporation funded a study of the railroad line two years ago. It concluded it would cost from $3 million to $5 million to conduct renovations. Williams on the other hand said he believes he can restore the line spending between $1 million to $2 million, which he plans to spend his own money if he receives enough assurances from firms wanting to ship freight and raw materials on the line.

Williams wants to lower the cost of shipping in order to attract more business volume. He would like potential users to show some interest before investing in restoring the line.

"I feel good about this shortline. I believe it can be done," he said.

Amsted Rail considers reopening of its Bessemer, Ala. wheel facility

Amsted Rail officials are planning to reopen their Alabama wheel manufacturing facility in Jefferson County.

The company recently was in talks with representatives from Birmingham Business Alliance, Alabama Development Office, Jefferson County Commission, Jefferson County Economic Industrial Development Authority, Birmingham Industrial Development Board and the City of Birmingham in hopes to resume manufacturing that was stopped in 2001.

"The market for railroad wheels in North America has always been cyclical but we are committed to being prepared for the anticipated upturn in demand stemming from projected increases in new freight car builds and rail traffic volumes over the next few years," said John Wories, president of Amsted Rail.

Historic Wilmington Amtrak station re-opens

The Amtrak station located in Wilmington, Del. opened December 6 to the public after being closed for extensive renovations since May 2009. Respected architect Frank Furness designed the historic station, built in 1907, and it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

"This beautiful and historic train station, which is a gem for Wilmington and its citizens and one of the most popular and important station in the Amtrak system, is looking better and brighter every day," said Wilmington Mayor James M. Baker.

The project included the restoration and waterproofing of the station’s exterior, a complete renovation of the interior, along with track and platform improvements. Currently, repairs to numerous nearby bridges, installation of a new public address system, restroom upgrades and ADA improvements are being made.

Final construction activities over the next few months will include completion of the concourse renovations and demolition of the temporary station. A rededication ceremony will be held in March 2011 when renovations are completed.

The Wilmington Station is the 12th busiest station in the Amtrak family with 696,979 passengers in fiscal year 2010.

OSPT Alliance releases open security standard for transit fare collections

The Open Standard for Public Transport Alliance introduced an open security standard to foster the next generation of more secure, cost-effective, scalable and extensible transit fare collection systems. The Alliance will work to establish a network of transit operators, technology suppliers, consultants and integrators, government agencies, and mobile ecosystem product and service providers, as well as other industry associations, to develop new, interoperable transit fare collection solutions based on open-standard security both for current and future fare collection systems.

The OSPT Alliance ecosystem will be a key component for advancing the open security standard for transit fare collection, known as CipurseTM. The ecosystem will offer transit operators the opportunity to choose from among a number of vendors, consultants and integrators to help them deploy or upgrade to a more secure and cost-effective transit fare collection system. Additionally, it will provide mobile device manufacturers with next- generation open standard solutions.

The OSPT Alliance ecosystem will benefit transit system consultants and integrators by bringing together a greater assortment of vendors offering more product choices and richer capabilities than available with proprietary systems. For mobile device manufacturers, the open security standard will be the next "must-have" checklist item they include in all next-generation NFC implementations.

GE and CSR embark on joint venture for rail technology in the U.S.

General Electric and CSR Corporation have joined forces to advance high-speed and other rail technology in the U.S. The approximated $50 million shared endeavor has the potential to sustain or create 250 U.S. jobs by 2012 for the first phase of the agreement.

"We are committed to advancing the global high-speed rail technology market and this agreement provides a significant opportunity for infrastructure and business growth," said GE Vice Chairman John Rice. "It is in line with GE’s company-to-country initiatives and will help support investment and high-tech job growth in America."

All final production will be in the U.S., sustaining approximately 3,500 long-term high-tech manufacturing U.S. jobs in support of the cooperative.

Zhao Xiaogang, chairman of CSR said, "CSR and GE will create a leading passenger transportation business in the U.S. by combining CSR’s extensive experience in developing and operating high-speed, medium-speed EMUs and urban rail transit vehicles with GE’s manufacturing and supply chain management expertise in America, as well as in-depth knowledge of the U.S. rail market."

Union Pacific increases train speed on rail line in east central Wisconsin

Recent track improvements will allow Union Pacific to increase the speed of its trains in central and eastern Wisconsin communities, reducing motorist wait time at crossings. The speed will increase from 25 mph to 50 mph across Union Pacific’s 112-mile line between Milwaukee and Adams, Wis.

Train speeds will be increased 10 mph on December 10 and another 15 mph on December 17 when the new maximum speed limit of 50 mph goes into effect.

Union Pacific invested more than $1 million replacing the rail between Adams, Wis., and Oxford, Wis., last year and this year invested more than $9 million to improve the rail line from Milwaukee, Wis., to near Lebanon, Wis., by removing and installing more than 33,000 ties, replacing the surfaces at 57 grade crossings and replacing nearly 24 miles of rail.

ICC approves bridge replacement, grade-crossing and safety improvements in Illinois

The Illinois Commerce Commission has granted approval for the demolition and reconstruction of the East Denker Road Bridge over the Illinois Central Railroad’s track near Bluford, Jefferson County.

The total estimated cost for the bridge replacement is $761,000. The Grade Crossing Protection Fund (GCPF) will be used to pay 60 percent of the project costs, not to exceed $456,000. The Illinois Central Railroad Company is paying 10 percent of the costs, not to exceed $76,100. Jefferson County and the Webber Township Road District will pay all remaining construction costs, as well as all future maintenance costs related to the new bridge. All work is to be completed by Dec. 2, 2012.

ICC also approved BNSF to renew grade-crossing surfaces at State Street near Litchfield, Waggoner Road near Girard, North 1150th Road near Adair and 1175E Road near Gladstone.

The estimated cost of materials and contractual services for asphalt paving and work zone traffic control is $265,916. The GCPF will be used to pay 100 percent of these costs, not to exceed $265,916. BNSF will pay all other costs, including labor, to install the new surfaces, as well as all future maintenance costs. All work is to be completed by Sept. 2, 2011.

In addition, ICC granted approval for the installation of new automatic flashing light signals and gates and roadway approach grade improvements at the 90E Road/TR 12 and 150E Road/TR 24 grade crossings of the Norfolk Southern Railway Company’s track near Homer, Vermilion County.

The total estimated cost for the new automatic warning devices is $530,906 and the GCPF will be used to pay 95 percent of the signal installation costs, not to exceed $504,361. Norfolk Southern will pay all remaining installation costs, as well as all future operating and maintenance costs related to the new automatic warning devices.

The total estimated cost for improving the highway approaches at both crossings is $148,725. The GCPF will be used to pay 100 percent of the highway approach improvement costs, not to exceed $148,725.

The signal installation work is to be completed within 12 months and the highway approach work is to be completed within 18 months.

Railroad firm seeks to buy line out of North Creek

Iowa Pacific Holdings LLC, which has hopes to operate the Upper Hudson River Railroad next year, is looking to acquire an extension of the rail line that runs from North Creek to Essex County, NY.

IPH is currently in talks with NL Industries Inc., which owns 28 miles of track between North Creek and Newcomb, and has been sitting unused since the late 1980s.

President of Iowa Pacific Holdings, Ed Ellis, said the company only plans to purchase the line if it gets the contract to operate the train line in Warren County. The chief reason his company would like to make this deal is to get trains five miles closer to Barton Mines Co.’s complex in North River he said.

"We don’t have any immediate plans for it, other than to see the tracks remain in place." Ellis said.

Warren County acquired 39 miles of the line from North Creek to Antone Mountain Road in Corinth in the mid-1990s, and looked at purchasing the northern portion of the line in 2004 but lack of funding terminated the deal.

BNSF objects to story published by the Minneapolis Star-Tribune

BNSF Railway tremendously objects to the story published by the Minneapolis Star-Tribune on December 5. They want to reassure the public that the company operates with honesty and integrity and has achieved an excellent safety record.

Since the story was published, BNSF launched a Website an effort to correct the Minneapolis Star-Tribune/ProPublica’s coverage of BNSF’s conduct in grade-crossing and railroad employee safety issues. Documents, data and other evidence can be found on the site: www.bnsf.com/casefacts .

SFMTA and MSR unveil canopy for Geneva streetcar yard

The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency and its non-profit partner the Market Street Railway unveiled the canopy for Geneva Streetcar Yard on December 2, which was completed by Shimmick Construction Company, Inc.

The Canopy will provide a safe haven for historic streetcars of the F Market & Wharves streetcar line and the line’s latest addition, President’s Conference Committee streetcar number 1071. The venture cost approximately $11 million.

"The success of the F Line is a tribute to SFMTA’s streetcar operators, mechanics and crafts workers along with a host of City advocates who work so tirelessly to keep these streetcars on the rails," said Nathaniel P. Ford Sr., SFMTA executive director. "While we can all appreciate these streetcars as important pieces of history, for our transit operations they are a key part of Muni’s effort to provide daily service to nearly 700,000 customers."

The canopy will protect these antique vehicles from rough weather, moisture and long-term sunlight exposure. It covers six tracks, which includes the primary storage and maintenance yard for these vehicles, covering up to 24 streetcars.

This project is just one component of a larger, $31.5 million fleet expansion program that will rehabilitate 26 additional streetcars.

Boston to T.F Green commuter line service begins

State and federal officials celebrated the new Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority service to T.F. Green Airport today. The "T", a new commuter rail, connects Warwick, Providence and Boston.

There will be six stops per day, Monday through Friday, during the peak hours of 6 a.m. and 7 a.m., and 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. The fare is $2.25 each way for travel between Providence and T.F. Green, and $8.25 each way for travel between T.F. Green and Boston.

Commuters told the Associated Press they’re happy to have a new way to get into Boston, rather than driving up congested Interstate 95 or taking Amtrak from Kingston.

The MBTA’s Providence/Stoughton line is expected to expand in the future to North Kingstown and have 10 stops each day.

Green Line opens ahead of schedule in Dallas

The Dallas Area Rapid Transit’s Green Line opens today; finishing six months ahead of schedule and under budget due to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

"Dart continues to demonstrate visionary leadership for transit, delivering the project ahead of schedule and under budget," said Administrator Rogoff who attended the opening.

The Federal Transit Administration agreed to give $700 million over a seven-year period for the Green Line project. Currently, DART has received $435 million from the federal government, which includes a $78 million payment that was made ahead of schedule.

DART finished this project early and the Recovery Act gave them the resources they needed to bring it in under budget," said Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood. "The Green Line will increase access to the downtown business district, provide an alternative to driving on congested roadways and give a boost to the economy."

The 24-mile northwest-southeast extension to the city’s light rail system includes16 new stations, 10 park-and-ride lots and 18 new high-capacity light rail vehicles. Additionally, 38 DART light rail vehicles were redesigned to boost passenger capacity.

The new line is expected to generate nearly 30,000 daily trips after one year in operation.

Governor Rendell proposes temporary funding for Port Authority

The Port Authority of Allegheny County issued the following statement regarding: Pennsylvania Governor Rendell’s announcement on temporary funding for the Port Authority:

This morning, Gov. Ed Rendell detailed a proposal to local leaders that would provide $45 million in funding to help sustain public transportation service in Allegheny County. The plan would have to be approved by the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission (SPC), which is a regional planning agency that directs the use of transportation funds in the region.

The $45 million would come from unused economic development funds and not from other transportation projects.

The governor made the announcement during a press conference this morning in downtown Pittsburgh, following a briefing with SPC members.

This would be a temporary fix for Port Authority and would not resolve the state’s transportation funding crisis. Port Authority is anxious to have serious discussions with state leaders in the new year about a responsible long-term solution for transit and highway funding.

Port Authority will examine the proposal in the coming weeks and determine how it might impact fares and service. The Authority will not take any action until after the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission votes on the matter later this month.

California’s high-speed rail begins in Fresno

The California High-Speed Rail Authority has picked the area where the first segment of California’s and the nation’s first high-speed rail track will be constructed.

The 65-mile portion of track, with a price tag of $4.15 billion, will stretch from just north of Fresno and continue north of Bakersfield, passing straight through Fresno. It is just the start of an 800-mile high-speed rail project that will ultimately connect San Diego to San Francisco with trains running up to 220 miles per hour.

Two new stations will be constructed along the track, one in downtown Fresno and the other near Hanford. The new track will be aligned with existing tracks. The entire Central Valley portion of the high-speed rail project, from Merced to Bakersfield, will generate 135,000 much-needed full-time construction jobs. Yet to be chosen is the site for the 800-mile system’s heavy maintenance facility, which could be located in Fresno County and would bring an additional 1,500 jobs.

"The Authority Board’s courageous decision today will create major economic stimulus for Fresno County," Fresno County Supervisor Henry Perea said. "Not only will we will see thousands of jobs for Fresno County residents, but we’ll also see Fresno County position itself as the nation’s high-speed rail development center."