Railroad deal paves way for Gary, Ind., runway extension






The Gary/Chicago
International Airport on reached a pivotal deal for its runway extension
project, the Gary Post-Tribune reports. The agreement with Canadian National
Railway allows the Gary airport to proceed with the removal of CN’s embankment
at the end of the runway — one of the biggest undertakings of the project. The
Gary/Chicago International Airport Authority approved the deal Oct. 28, with CN
expected to sign on within 10 days.

LA advances Westside Subway Extension, Regional Connector projects






The Los Angeles County
Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) Board of Directors approved the
Draft Environmental Impact Statement/Report (EIS/R) for the Westside Subway
Extension and Regional Connector projects, clearing the way for both projects
to enter final environmental review and preliminary engineering.

New W. 39th Street Bridge helps advance rail projects






The Washington State
Department of Transportation (WSDOT) and the City of Vancouver Nov. 3 will
celebrate completion of the first of four projects to help make passenger rail
a more viable alternative for travelers up and down the I-5 corridor. The $11-million
Vancouver Rail – Rail Bypass and W. 39th Street Bridge project built a two-lane
vehicle, bicycle and pedestrian bridge that takes W. 39th Street up over seven
sets of railroad tracks in the Vancouver rail yard.

CTA Loop signal project to reroute elevated trains Nov. 6-7






Brown, Orange and
southbound Green Line trains will be temporarily rerouted in the Loop from 4
a.m. Saturday, November 6, until approximately 8 p.m. Sunday, November 7, as Chicago
Transit Authority crews install a new signal control facility at Van Buren and
Wabash. The work is part of CTA’s continuing efforts to upgrade the signal and
train control systems in the Loop.

Fort Worth has had a good month on rail projects






People who
support rail transportation, both freight and passenger, must feel like they’ve
been on a roll this month–finally. They’ve worked long and hard, and they
deserve some good news, according to and editorial in the Ft. Worth Star
Telegram.

Province of Nova Scotia extends subsidy to rail line






The Dexter government of
Nova Scotia will provide C$3.5 million to keep Cape Breton’s railway running
until at least next September, the Chronicle-Herald reports. The subsidy is an
extension of a five-year, C$10-million deal the previous Tory government struck
with RailAmerica, owner-operator of Cape Breton & Central Nova Scotia
Railway. That deal expired March 31. The new deal is retroactive to that date
and will keep the railroad operating until Sept. 30.

Secretary LaHood announces $2.5-billion grants for high-speed rail






U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray
LaHood announced the distribution of $2.5 billion for high-speed rail projects
nationwide, and the American Public Transportation Association released the
results of a large travel survey which shows that nearly two-thirds of adults
(62 percent) said they would definitely or probably use high-speed rail service
for leisure or business travel if it were an option. The survey, among 24, 711
adults, was conducted for APTA by Synovate.  
 

Federal money for King Street, Tukwila stations in Washington State






Washington State has been
awarded $31 million in federal money for railroad projects in the state, the Seattle
Times reports. More than $18.2 million will go to seismically retrofit King
Street Station in Seattle and its clock tower, as well as restore the station’s
main hall and other upgrades at the station. The project is a partnership with
the state, Amtrak, the city of Seattle, Sound Transit and BNSF.

Massachusetts receives more than $160 Million In federal rail grants






As part of the Vision for
the New England High Speed and Intercity Rail Network, Governor Patrick and
members of the Massachusetts Congressional delegation announced more than $160
million in federal funding for rail expansion in the Commonwealth, including a
$32.5-million grant to support the design phase of the Boston South Station
expansion project.

Parsons selected for LA Metrolink PTC contract






Parsons is pleased to
announce that the Southern California Regional Rail Authority, the governing
board of Metrolink, recently awarded Parsons a $120-million contract to design,
procure, and install Positive Train Control technology on Metrolink’s 512-mile
regional commuter rail system.

Federal grant accelerates Nebraska Northwestern Railroad’s plans






A $4.9-million
federal grant will rehabilitate the Nebraska NorthWestern railroad line from
Chadron, Neb., to Dakota Junction and the tracks in the Chadron rail yard, the Chadron
Record reports. That will lower shipping costs and improve market access for ag
producers and increase employment and business for the region, according to
Jack Nielsen, president of the railroad.It will also advance
the shortline railroad’s business plan by 20 years.

 

RTD’s complete new online System Map is available on RTD-Denver.com






Denver’s Regional Transportation
District (RTD) launched a new online System Map on RTD-Denver.com that shows
all elements of the RTD system including bus stops, transit stations, light
rail lines and stations, park-n-Rides, transfer stations, parking fee
information, District boundaries, call-n-Rides and more. Users can click on the
map elements to get information such as address, MyStop number, routes
providing service and the next three scheduled arrival times. Users can also
search for an address or intersection within the RTD District, and then see
nearby bus stops, transit stations or park-n-Rides.




Weekend track work may cause delays on BART Pittsburg/Bay Point line






Weekend track work may
cause delays on the Bay Area Rapid Transit’s Pittsburg/Bay Point line the
weekends of October 29-31, November 5-7 and November 12-14. For the next three
weekends, BART will need to run northbound Pittsburg/Bay Point line trains on a
single track due to ongoing weekend track work for the Central Contra Costa
Crossover Project. Single tracking trains may result in slight delays of up to
15 minutes on weekend trains going toward Pittsburg/Bay Point Station.


Gov. Christie kills ARC tunnel, decision final

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, for the second and he says final time, pulled funding for a $8.7 billion rail tunnel between New Jersey and Manhattan. Christie originally withdrew funding on Oct. 7 citing New Jersey’s lack of money to cover cost overruns. He was reconsidering the project at the request of U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. Officials estimated it would provide 6,000 construction jobs immediately and as many as 40,000 jobs after its completion in 2018.

The federal government and Port Authority of New York & New Jersey were each scheduled to pay $3 billion for the 8.8-mile (14-kilometer) Access to the Region’s Core tunnel, while New Jersey was slated to cover the remaining $2.7 billion. Christie said the arrangement exposed his state’s taxpayers to the cost of any overruns.

The state’s share grew to at least $3.5 billion, and the U.S. government didn’t offer guarantees on any cost overruns, nor did it offer low-interest loans, Christie told reporters.

CREATE grade separation receives funding to relieve vehicle and rail congestion

Illinois Governor Pat Quinn announced a $64 million investment from Illinois Jobs Now! to build a grade separation in Bensenville, a key component of the Chicago Region Environmental and Transportation Efficiency (CREATE) Program. The project will improve regional transportation by separating Irving Park Road from the Canadian Pacific Railroad east of York Road and will support more than 830 jobs.

"As North America’s largest inland port, Illinois must make investments to move passengers and freight more quickly through our region," said Governor Quinn. "A world-class transportation system will not only keep jobs in Chicago, but attract new manufacturers who aim to reach the global marketplace more quickly."

The grade separation will reduce roadway congestion and improve safety along Irving Park Road (IL-19), a primary arterial road. The improvements include reconstructing the intersection by lowering Irving Park Road and raising the Canadian Pacific Railroad Bridge. Every day 37,000 vehicles pass through the Bensenville crossing, which includes 25 freight trains. Nearly 6,400 vehicles are delayed at this location every day, leading to 1,500 daily motorist hours of delay that would be alleviated through this project.

This grade separation is located at the southwestern edge of O’Hare Airport, and is being coordinated with construction of the adjacent grade separation of the Union Pacific Railroad over Irving Park Road, as part of the O’Hare Modernization Program. Construction is anticipated to begin in the spring and will be completed in the fall of 2013.

"In Bensenville, we have planes, trains and automobiles, and we must make sure all three modes operate as efficiently and safely as possible," said Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) Secretary Gary Hannig. "These improvements will address regional growth and transportation demand, improve traffic safety and promote economic development."

KCS, CN follow CSX, UP with big earnings hike, NS and CP do well

On the heels of blockbuster third quarter earnings reports by CSX and Union Pacific, Kansas City Southern and Canadian National on Oct. 26 reported their own impressive earnings improvements.

Kansas City Southern reported doubling its third quarter net income, and reducing its operating ratio from 78.3 percent a year ago to 73.5 percent for the most recent third quarter. Operating ratio is the railroad’s operating expenses expressed as a percentage of operating revenue and is considered by economists as a basic measure of carrier profitability.

KCS said its profits would have been even stronger were it not for the impact of Hurricane Alex.

Separately, Canadian National reported that third quarter net income soared by 21 percent over the same period in 2009, and that its operating ratio declined to 60.7 percent from almost 63 percent for the third quarter 2009.

Canadian Pacific Railway announced a 15 percent increase in third-quarter revenues with gains across most lines of business. Reported net income was $197.3 million and diluted earnings per share were $1.17, both down six percent over third-quarter 2009, which included other specified items of $0.41 per share principally from significant real estate sales. Adjusted diluted earnings per share increased 27 percent to $1. Adjusted operating ratio improved 270 basis points to 73.7 percent.

Norfolk Southern declared a regular quarterly dividend of 36 cents per share on its common stock, payable on Dec. 10, to stockholders of record on Nov. 5. This is the 113th consecutive quarter NS has paid dividends on it common stock.

Union Pacific last week reported its most profitable quarter ever for the three months ending Sept. 30, 2010.

CSX last week reported its third quarter earnings had soared by 43 percent.

As BNSF is now privately held, it no longer reports quarterly earnings.

In San Francisco, garbage transport by rail would exceed proposed fuel efficiency rules

The Obama administration proposed first-ever fuel efficiency rules for trucks with the goal of reducing fuel consumption and carbon dioxide emissions in big rig trucks by 20 percent by 2018.

In the case of transferring garbage, San Francisco could exceed Obama’s standard three years sooner if the Board of Supervisors approves a proposal to shift garbage transport from big rigs to rail. Such a change would reduce fuel consumption by 100,000 gallons a year, a 20.5 percent savings in fuel usage and emissions.

The rail proposal, submitted to the City from Recology, will save rate payers more than $125 million over 10 years compared to the next lowest bid. San Francisco sends about 400,000 tons of garbage to landfill a year. Recology’s bid, based on current disposal rates, came in 44 percent lower than next bid.

The rail haul plan won a tentative award from the San Francisco Department of the Environment a year ago. Department officials said they recommended the most cost-effective proposal and the greenest proposal.

The Recology proposal was introduced at the Board of Supervisors earlier this month and is expected to be heard in committee after the election and voted on by the full board before the end of the year

California gets $902 million for high-speed rail

The federal government awarded $902 million for rail projects across California, including $715 million to help design and build a section of the proposed bullet train system in the Central Valley, according to a report in the Los Angeles Times.

Officials for the U.S. Department of Transportation said the money would be distributed to 18 rail projects, including $100 million to buy rolling stock and almost $25 million for the installation of an automated braking and train control system from San Onofre to San Diego.

Another $16 million was earmarked for a length of the high-speed rail project between San Francisco and San Jose, and $7 million for signal, bridge and track improvements in Del Mar, a coastal town in northern San Diego County.

The money for California is part of $2.5 billion that the federal government is distributing for rail projects throughout the nation. In January, the California High-Speed Rail Authority was awarded $2.25 billion in federal funds made available by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

Estimated to cost $43 billion, the state high-speed rail project is designed to connect Southern California with the Bay Area via the Central Valley.

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger issued the following statement in response to announcements that California will receive additional funds:

"These additional funds are a tremendous vote of confidence for California’s high-speed rail project. As the nation’s largest infrastructure project, California’s high-speed rail system will create hundreds of thousands of new jobs, reduce pollution, boost economic growth and link Californians from one end of this great state to the other. I thank the federal government for recognizing the value of accelerating the pace of our project and look forward to the many ground-breakings sure to follow."

Florida gets $800 million for high-speed rail

The U.S. Department of Transportation awarded $800 million more in federal funds to Florida to build a high-speed rail line slated to run from Tampa to Orlando.

The additional $800 million comes on top of $1.25 billion President Obama announced in January the state would receive for the Tampa to Orlando stretch. The award means Florida only needs approximately $300 million more from the federal government in addition to the state’s share of funding to complete the $2.6 billion project. The remaining federal funds could come next year.

DOT also notified Congress Monday of its intent to award an $8 million planning grant for the proposed high-speed rail line between Orlando and Miami.