CN wants to cut its contribution to Aurora overpass






Canadian National Railway
is trying to scale back its contribution to the most expensive of the 182
projects it’s required to do as part of the 2008 EJ&E takeover, the Daily
Herald reports. CN filed a brief with the U.S. Court of Appeals saying it
should not have to pay 67 percent of a $40.4 million overpass or underpass at
the Ogden Avenue crossing in Aurora, Ill., or 78.5 percent of a $52.5-million
overpass or underpass on Lincoln Highway in Lynwood, Ill., as ordered by the
Surface Transportation Board.

Texas seeks private money for rail line






With transportation funds
running short at every level, regional planners for the North Central Texas
Council of Governments are seeking permission to lead an unusual partnership
with private investors so they can fast-track a 62-mile rail line known as the
Cotton Belt corridor, The Dallas Morning News reports.

Miami-Dade Transit Website gets makeover 








Miami-Dade Transit’s Website
has a new streamlined look, with a more user-friendly design to make it easier
for transit passengers to find the information they are looking for.
 The newly
redesigned website at www.miamidade.gov/transit features large color-coded icons for easy
navigation to information about MDT’s four modes of transportation – Metrobus,
Metrorail, Metromover and STS (MDT’s paratransit service).

Powerbrace extends agreement with The Offshore Group






Kenosha, Wis.-based
Powerbrace Corporation has opted to extend its agreement for services in Mexico
with The Offshore Group until 2017. Powerbrace initiated operations at The
Offshore Group’s La Angostura Industrial Park in Saltillo, Coahuila at the
beginning of 2005. Today the company occupies a total of 101,195 in three
industrial buildings.

Safety improvement set on Ogdensburg, N.Y., rail line






As construction season
begins, crews from the Vermont Rail System are looking to begin projects to
improve the safety of the New York & Ogdensburg Railroad, the Watertown
Daily Times reports. According to Vermont Rail Vice President Jerome M. Hebda,
crews should pick up where they left off last fall in replacing about a mile of
80-pound rail on New York and Ogdensburg Railway line with 100-pound rail
between Lisbon and Ogdensburg, N.Y. The project is expected to cost about
$125,000.

Metrolink work to delay trains






On Saturday, April 17,
the Inland Empire-Orange County Metrolink Line in Southern California will not
have train service to the Anaheim Canyon station due to track construction work
related to the Orange County Transportation Authority’s Metrolink Service
Expansion Project.


UTA board of trustees makes organizational changes






The Utah Transit Authority
board of trustees has appointed Michael Allegra as the agency’s new general
manager. Allegra succeeds John Inglish, who has served as general manager for
the past 13 years. Effective immediately, Allegra will assume all general
manager responsibilities, including operations, projects and programs and
management of staff. Allegra previously served as assistant general manager and
chief capital development officer.

Public benefit key to Colton Crossing deal






Efforts to save a $202-million
railroad overpass in Colton, Calif., are on track, but an agreement between two
railroads and local officials faces a high bar when a state commission will
decide if the agreement shows the public will benefit enough, The
Press-Enterprise reports.

Bond package to save N. Maine railroad wins in final House round, but loses in Senate






A borrowing package that
includes money to preserve a railroad that’s seen as a lifeline to industry in
struggling northern Maine was denied final approval by the state Senate late April
7, local newspapers report. As lawmakers worked toward the 2010 session’s end,
senators debated the $85-million bond package at length before voting 19-16
along party lines for it. But Democrats failed to muster the two-thirds
majority they needed to send the bonds to voters. The House earlier gave its
final approval by a 100-48 vote.

Canadian government provides financial support for local rail line






Leon Benoit, MP for
Vegreville-Wainright, announced that the Government of Canada is trying to make
access to markets easier and will be providing $59,500 in grant funding to the
Battle River Railway New Generation Co-op that is headed by Daysland, Alberta,
resident Ken Eshpeter, the Camrose Canadian reports. The federal contribution
will be used by the co-op to acquire a short line railroad.

FRA sets $50-million safety technology grant program






The Federal Railroad
Administration will soon begin accepting grant applications for the deployment
of positive train control collision avoidance systems and complementary advanced
technologies under a new $50-million Rail Safety Technology Program, FRA
Administrator Joseph Szabo said.

Lake Zurich, Ill., swaps land with CN






Lake Zurich, Ill.,
officials have formalized the land exchange with Canadian National Railway as
part of plans to build a 270-foot communications tower, the Daily Herald
reports. Construction is under way on the tower, which will be used to monitor
rail traffic. The negotiations were to replace the original tower site near
downtown.

Canadian Pacific appoints Ed Harris chief operations officer






Canadian Pacific Railway
Limited appointed Edmond (Ed) Harris to the position of executive vice president
and chief operations officer. Reporting to CP President and Chief Executive
Officer Fred Green, Harris will join the company with responsibility for all
aspects of railroad operations, safety, customer service, engineering and
mechanical services in both Canada and the U.S.

Funds in danger for $202-million rail project






Railroad and local
transportation officials have less than two days to save a $202-million train
overpass proposed in Colton, Calif., but have not announced any breakthroughs
and remain guarded regarding if an acceptable deal can be reached, The
Press-Enterprise reports.

Wood Energy adds new tie-grinding facility, sign with KCS






Banyan
Rail Services Inc. said that its wholly-owned subsidiary, The Wood Energy
Group, Inc., has completed the construction of a railroad tie-grinding facility
in Shreveport, La. Wood Energy, one of the nation’s largest railroad tie
reclamation/energy generation companies, reclaims railroad ties for Class 1,
regional and shortline railroads and then disposes of the ties to either the
energy co-generation or landscape markets.

LIRR sets track work on Hempstead, Pt. Jefferson branches






A track work program in
the Queens Village area and grade crossing renewals during the weekends of
April 10-11 and April 17-18 will mean no train service on the Long Island Rail
Road Hempstead Branch and train service frequency will be reduced on the Port
Jefferson/Huntington Branch. Customers should consider taking trains from South
Shore LIRR stations (Babylon, Long Beach and West Hempstead Branches) in order
to avoid delays during the two weekends.