ASCE Honors Thomas Viaduct Railroad Bridge
ELKRIDGE, Md. – The Thomas Viaduct Railroad Bridge was honored as a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark by the Maryland chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineers.
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SANDAG Starts Phase 5 of Del Mar Bluffs Project
DEL MAR, Calif. – A seawall will be constructed at 11th street as part of SANDAG’s project to stabilize the bluffs at Del Mar.
Camp Hall Rail Project Construction Moves Forward in South Carolina
BERKELEY COUNTY, S.C. – Palmetto Railways’ Camp Hall Rail Project continues in 5 phases before completion in spring 2026.
Alaska Railroad Corporation Purchases $137MM in Infrastructure to Replace Passenger Dock
ANCHORAGE, Alaska – To replace a passenger dock and terminal building in Seward, ARRC will purchase $137 million in infrastructure. The dock is expected to open in 2026.
Brightline West Selects Atlas Technical Consultants for Geotechnical Engineering
AUSTIN, Texas – For the high-speed rail project scheduled to open in 2028, Brightline West chose Atlas Technical Consultants to handle the engineering and design.
WATCH: SMART Gauntlet Track Construction for Petaluma North Station
PETALUMA, Calif. – From April 13th to 14th, SMART will have a partial system closure to install a gauntlet track for a new Petaluma North station.
Saskatchewan Short Lines Receive C$530K in SRIP Allocations
SASKATCHEWAN – The government of Saskatchewan announced it is investing C$530,000 in short line rail infrastructure.
Track Inspections and Speed Restrictions After 4.8 Earthquake in NJ; Amtrak, CSX, MTA (UPDATED 4/8)
WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J. – After a 4.8 earthquake, Amtrak implements speed restrictions and performs track inspections. CSX inspected bridges and related structures.
Smart Rocks, Smart Tamper: Investigating the Mechanics of Ballast Tamping
ATLANTA – Railway Track & Structures, April 2024 Issue: There are many forces that work to deteriorate track geometry over time. These forces don’t begin and end at the wheel/rail interface; they are transmitted to the vehicles and their components and into the track structure and its components. On ballasted track, ballast absorbs these forces, and its maintenance is critical to preserving and correcting several types of track geometry defects.
SANDAG’s Draft Budget for FY2025 Includes Del Mar Bluffs Stabilization
DEL MAR, Calif. – A draft budget was approved by SANDAG and includes details about stabilizing the Del Mar Bluffs and a rail realignment plan.
2021 CP Derailment Caused by Undetected Rail Flaw
Winnipeg, MANITOBA – The TSB in Canada reported an undetected rail flaw led to a broken rail and subsequent derailment of a CP train back in October 2021.
ACEC Recognizes BNSF for Engineering Honor Award; Needles Third Mainline in California
LOS ANGELES – The American Council of Engineering Companies recognized the Class I for its work on its Needles Third Mainline.
TriMet’s MAX Blue Line Disruption in April for Rail Crossing Upgrades
PORTLAND, Ore. – A section of Gresham’s MAX Blue Line will be closed for a week in April to allow for rail crossing upgrades.
Bridge Collapse Shuts Down Port of Baltimore — From Our Colleagues at Railway Age
BALTIMORE – The tragic early morning collapse of the I-695 Francis Scott Key Bridge, which spans the Patapsco River, following a bridge strike by a container ship weighing 95,000 gross tons, has brought the Port of Baltimore, an important trade hub, to a halt. The Port of Baltimore has suspended all vessel traffic into and out of the port until further notice. The accident is a serious blow to the port operations of both CSX and Norfolk Southern, particularly for intermodal container, automotive and coal traffic.
PANYNJ Approves Construction for Newark AirTrain Access and Northeast Corridor Station
NEWARK – PANYNJ approved construction for a $160 million project that will add a pedestrian bridge and Northeast Corridor station for Elizabeth and Newark residents.
PRT Invests Over $150MM in Light-Rail Infrastructure
PITTSBURGH – Combining multiple rehabilitation projects, Pittsburgh Regional Transit will rehabilitate its light-rail system through 2028.
BNSF Restores Service After ‘Significant Damage’ to Rail Bridge
CANADIAN, Texas – BNSF was able to restore service to both of its main lines in the Panhandle Subdivision in north Texas on March 16th.
Nomination Period for RT&S Top Projects Recognition Begins Today
ATLANTA –– Railway Track and Structures begins accepting nominations for the annual Top Projects recognition today through May 9.
$1M for Track Expansion and Rehabilitation for Chautauqua County
CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY, N.Y. – As part of a $111.1 million investment, $1 million will go to Chautauqua County, New York for the Monofrax track expansion and rehabilitation.
Squats & Studs: Emergent Damage Mechanisms on Rail Transit Systems
ATLANTA – Railway Track & Structures, March 2024 Issue. The unforgiving environment of the wheel/rail interface creates many damage mechanisms. These manifest in defects as varied as corrugations, rolling contact fatigue, and gage-corner cracking, to name only a few.