Report shows benefits of commitment to N.J. rail






The Obama administration’s
recent decision to award $38.5 million in high speed rail funds to New Jersey
is the first step towards a stronger, faster rail system that will reduce
congestion, oil use, and carbon emissions, but there is much still to be done, local
media report. That was the message that New Brunswick’s Mayor Jim Cahill and
New Jersey Public Interest Research Group Program Associate Rebecca Alper made
clear when they gathered at New Brunswick Train Station to release "The Right
Track," a new research report from NJPIRG.

Iowa politicians seeks money for rails






Iowa Gov. Chet Culver met
with Federal Railroad Administration Administrator Joseph Szabo in an effort to
get funding for Iowa rail projects back on track, especially a proposed
passenger rail routes from Chicago to Iowa City and Chicago to Dubuque, the Mason
City Globe Gazette reports.

Rail line would link inland areas to Mississippi ports






The Jackson County, Miss.,
Port Authority will provide $35,000 for a study on creating a rail line linking
east-central Mississippi to coastal ports, the Hattiesburg American reports. The
Regional Railroad Authority of East Mississippi would oversee about 45 miles of
track from Waynesboro to Lucedale, where existing lines serve port facilities
in Pascagoula and Mobile.

Isanti moves forward with concept plan for rail industrial park






Isanti, Minn., is
moving forward with the Isanti Rail Industrial Park development process, the Isanti
County News reports. During a recent Isanti City Council meeting, it authorized
city engineer Bolton & Menk, Inc. to provide professional engineering
services for the preparation of a conceptual layout and facility plan for the
Isanti Rail Industrial Park.



Pelham 6 Line Station Rehab Project enters next phase






MTA NYC Transit said the
next phase of a major $89-million construction project to reconstruct and
rehabilitate five stations on the Pelham 6 line has begun. They are Whitlock
Avenue, Elder Avenue, Morrison Avenue-Soundview, St. Lawrence Avenue and
Parkchester.

14th Street railroad crossing to close for one month






A portion of 14th Street in
Greenville, N.C., will close next week and remain closed for approximately one
month, city officials said Feb. 8, the Greenville Daily Reflector reports. The
railroad crossing next to Beatty Street, between Dickinson Avenue and Evans
Street, is undergoing construction to accommodate a new connector track.
Vehicles will be detoured through the use of Dickinson Avenue, and 10th and
14th streets, a news release stated.

Feds pull water applications for Yucca rail line






In what is the strongest
sign to date that it will abandon the Yucca Mountain Project, the Department of
Energy on Feb. 9 withdrew 116 water applications it had filed with the Nevada State
Engineer for building a rail line to haul nuclear waste to the mountain from
Caliente, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reports.

Norfolk’s light rail to begin service spring/summer 2011






Light rail trains will be
running in the spring or summer of 2011, Hampton Roads Transit’s new CEO and
president Phil Shucet told Norfolk, Va., City Council members Feb. 9, local
media report. It’s the first estimate from HRT for completion of The Tide since
a series of cost overruns and construction delays were revealed in December.

Amtrak sets major upgrades for two maintenance facilities






Amtrak is awarding two
contracts with a combined value of $49.5 million for major upgrades of its
maintenance facilities located in Los Angeles and in Hialeah, Fla., near Miami.
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act economic stimulus program is funding
both projects.

N.J. says onus for rail funding rests on Pennsylvania






You still can’t get there
from here. While work has gotten under way on an initial seven-mile stretch of
route in New Jersey, much more money and political effort are needed to restore
passenger rail service from Northeast Pennsylvania to New York City’s doorstep
– and the onus may fall largely on the Keystone State, the Scranton, Pa.,
Times-Tribune reports.

Rail said answer to I-81 gridlock in Virginia






Virginia could eliminate
about one in three trucks from Interstate 81 with extensive –and expensive —
rail improvements, a consultant told the Roanoke Times. Given the high cost and
logistical barriers to such a plan, however, the consultant endorses a more
modest approach that will shift fewer trucks — perhaps one in seven — much to
the disappointment of some railroad supporters.

Bentley Systems makes two acquisitions






Bentley Systems,
Incorporated, said that it has acquired Enterprise Informatics, Incorporated and
Exor Corporation. The Enterprise Informatics eB Insight software provides
configuration and change management capabilities for mission-critical
infrastructure asset operations for the energy, nuclear, rail and government
sectors. Exor information modeling software provides for the management and
operations of linear networks for infrastructure, including roads and railways.

38 workers strike deal with CTA to keep jobs






A tentative deal that
allows 38 Chicago Transit Authority maintenance workers to keep their jobs in
return for concessions is a sign that other unions may be ready to cut a deal
and get canceled buses back on the road, CTA chief Richard Rodriguez said,
according to the Chicago Sun-Times. The railroad maintenance workers were among
1,057 workers laid off Sunday as part of cutbacks that saw 18 percent of bus
services and nine percent of train services canceled.

Funds needed to complete Virginia Beach light rail study






The new Hampton Roads
Transit chief will ask the Virginia Beach, Va., City Council for money to help
finish the ongoing study of light rail in the city, The Virginian-Pilot reports.
The City Council had been under the impression that the multi-million-dollar
study would be paid for with state and federal grants obtained by HRT.

 

AAR launches Freight Rail Works ad campaign






Showing how freight rail
works to protect jobs, ease gridlock and make breathing easier are themes
played out in the Association of American Railroads’ latest Freight Rail Works
advertising campaign. The "Messages" campaign consists of TV, radio,
print and online components and mixes bold graphics with tongue-in-cheek
wordplay to demonstrate the freight rail industry’s positive economic and environmental
contributions.

Caltrain construction, maintenance Feb. 6-12






Feb. 6-11, between the
hours of 8 p.m. and 4 a.m. crews will be finishing up work on Caltrain’s Grade
Crossing Improvement Program. Work will take place at the following locations: in
Burlingame at Oak Grove Avenue and Peninsula Avenue; in Redwood City at Main
Street and Chestnut Street; in San Mateo at Villa Terrace Avenue and First
Avenue; and in Menlo Park at Encinal Avenue, Glenwood Avenue, Oak Grove Avenue and
Ravenswood Avenue

Cleveland RTA sets Blue Line work Feb. 13






Shuttle buses will
replace trains on the Blue Line on Saturday, Feb. 13, reports the Greater Cleveland
Regional Transit Authority. The rail will be shut down in both directions, from
Warrensville/Van Aken to Shaker Square, while construction crews remove an
outside wall at the Lee Road Blue Line station.