New Jersey, CSXT to celebrate Liberty Corridor Freightway






U.S. Senator Robert
Menendez (D-NJ), Commissioner James Simpson, New Jersey Department of
Transportation, Richard Larrabee, director of port commerce, Port of New York
and New Jersey, Clarence W. Gooden, executive vice president of sales and
marketing and chief commercial officer, CSX Transportation will be among the New
Jersey, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and CSXT officials who will
celebrate the opening of the Liberty Corridor Freightway, a major
public-private project that paves the way for growth by providing improved
access to the Port of New York and New Jersey. This engineering milestone will
expedite freight traffic between inland markets and the Port by increasing
train capacity and improving service levels.


Mass. gives technical assistance grants for South Coast Rail planning






Mass. Lt. Gov. Tim Murray
said $320,000 in technical assistance grants is coming to 15 communities across
Southeastern Massachusetts to help them plan for the growth associated with the
South Coast Rail project, local media report. The funding announcement, the
third round of these grants, comes about a year after the state released the
South Coast Rail Economic Development and Land Use Corridor Plan, which
estimated that commuter rail could generate about $500 million in new economic
activity annually.

Bill proposes Pennsylvania State funding for Marcellus infrastructure






As Pennsylvania lawmakers
debate requiring that natural gas drillers compensate communities for any
damages to local roads, bridges and water supplies through a state severance
tax on their production, they are also proposing that state tax dollars be used
to develop infrastructure projects to support the industry, the Scranton times
Tribune reports.

Positive Train Control moves ahead at Los Angeles Metrolink






At a special board
meeting, the Metrolink Board of Directors authorized its CEO, John E. Fenton,
to complete the final terms and conditions to award a $120-million contract to
Parsons Transportation Group to manage and integrate Positive Train Control technology
on Metrolink’s 512-mile system.

MBTA offering real-time subway train location information






As part of Massachusetts Patrick-Murray
Administration’s proven commitment to transportation reform and focus on
customer service, Lieutenant Governor Tim Murray said real-time train location
and arrival information is now available for the MBTA’s Orange, Red, and Blue
Lines. Following the successful release of real-time information for all 187
MBTA bus routes, this program expands the Administration’s award-winning open
data initiative to hundreds of thousands of daily subway riders.

VTA Debuts Free WiFi on New Commuter Express






On October 4, the Santa
Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) is making significant improvements
to light rail service since its inception nearly 23 years ago. VTA will operate
a new non-stop, faster express light rail service now featuring free WiFi. With
the debut of the VTA Commuter Express, customers will enjoy faster and more
frequent light rail service with six newly added, peak-hour commute trips from
south San Jose, Calif. through downtown to North San Jose.

Sound Transit U-Link making progress

Sound Transit’s University
Link is moving forward n the Seattle area. At the Capitol Hill Station, more than 40 percent of
the excavation for the station box is now complete. A conveyor system is now in
place to transport the excavated spoils to the surface.

 

The contractor is currently
building a temporary bridge over the station excavation at approximately Denny
Way within the construction work site. Trucks and other construction vehicles
will use the bridge to move around the work site. A number of existing
utilities will also be suspended below the bottom of the bridge in order to
allow the utilities to span the station box excavation.

NYCTA No. 1 service changes for 5 weekends in October






Due to the ongoing
station repair work in New York City at the 207th, 215th, 225th, 238th and
242nd Street stations and the station rehabilitation at Dyckman Street, there
will be no No.1 service between 242nd Street and 168th Street for all five
weekends in October.

VIA Rail president Marc Laliberté speaks about passenger train issues






Marc Laliberté, VIA Rail’s
President and CEO, spoke on the issues and challenges confronting the passenger
rail industry in a speech made in Quebec City to the members of the Ordre des
comptables agréés (chartered accountants) du Québec. Laliberté took the opportunity to explain to the
350 convention attendees the context in which VIA operates at the beginning of
this 21st century. In particular, he described the strategies his team has
implemented to manage VIA’s growth, despite the difficulties caused by the
economic situation since the end of 2008. He stated that. "VIA must
continue to adapt and evolve if it wishes to pursue its growth and remain
relevant in the coming years."

L.B. Foster Company extends tender offer for Portec Rail Products, Inc.






L.B. Foster Company said
it is extending its previously announced cash tender offer, through its
wholly-owned subsidiary Foster Thomas Company, for all outstanding shares of
common stock of Portec Rail Products, Inc., until 12:00 midnight, New York City
time, on November 15, 2010. The tender offer was previously set to expire at midnight,
New York City Time on September 30, 2010.


WMATA schedules weekend renovation on the Yellow, Green and Red lines






October 1-3, Metro in
Washington, D.C., will install a track switch and upgrade its track, platforms
and aerial structures on the Yellow, Green and Red lines to improve long-term
reliability and service. The track switch is work that was recommended by the
National Transportation Safety Board. As a result of this work, riders can expect
delays of up to 30 minutes. 



Metra UP North bridge project postponed






Feedback from riders and
communities along the Union Pacific North line regarding recent schedule
changes has prompted Metra to postpone the project to rebuild 22 bridges on the
line until next spring and reinstate the line’s original schedule with a
two-track operation starting Sunday, Oct. 3.

ICC approves bridge, crossing safety improvements






The Illinois Commerce Commission has granted
approval for construction of a new bridge that will carry County Highway 19
(7000 N Road) over the Union Pacific tracks, in Kankakee County. The County
proposes to reconstruct the structure with a new multi-steel stringer and
reinforced concrete bridge. It will have a 30-foot wide travel surface with
bridge railing on each side, and will provide 23-feet minimum vertical clearance
over the railroad tracks.

Editorial: Gov. Christie’s Tunnel Vision






(The following editorial
appeared in the New York Times.) Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey has made a
national name for himself by slashing spending on education and other vital
services. New Jersey’s children and other vulnerable residents are paying the
price. Now he wants to stall – and perhaps cancel – one of the most important
transportation projects in the country: a new railway tunnel under the Hudson
River linking New Jersey and Midtown Manhattan.

CSXT to pay millions for environmental cleanup






CSX Transportation has
agreed to pay the District of Columbia $7.5 million toward environmental
cleanup programs as part of a settlement reached this month after D.C.
inspectors witnessed pollutants leeching from the company’s Benning Road rail
yard, the Washington Post reports.