TriMet makes implementing audit’s safety recommendations priority

TriMet General Manager Neil McFarlane responded to the release of the Oregon secretary of state’s audit, thanking the team of auditors for their diligence during their review of the agency’s finances, transparency and operations.

Second SFMTA Central Subway TBM continues to progress

The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) says the Central Subway‘s second tunnel boring machine (TBM) will soon pass beneath Powell Street Station and the existing Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) and Muni Metro tunnels, passing under Market Street from SoMa into Union Square.

When the Central Subway opens, the new tunnels will allow T Third Line trains to travel quickly beneath 4th Street and Stockton Street, cutting transit travel times by more than half along this busy corridor.

Jack Stephens named SFRTA interim executive director

The South Florida Regional Transportation Authority (SFRTA) Governing Board named Jack Stephens interim executive director. He replaces Joseph Giulietti, who is leaving SFRTA at the end of January to become president of Metro-North Railroad in New York City. Stephens has served as the SFRTA’s deputy executive director since May 2003.

LIRR ridership jumped two percent in 2013

A surge in train travel during the last three months of 2013 helped boost Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) Long Island Rail Road’s (LIRR) ridership for the second year in a row with the LIRR recording a two percent jump in passenger rides over 2012 totals.

Koppers extends sales contract with Norfolk Southern

Koppers Inc. and Norfolk Southern have agreed to extend their two existing sales contracts to supply railroad crossties and related rail products and services for an additional three years.

Jacobs awarded contract from Volpe Center to support FRA

Jacobs Engineering Group Inc. was awarded a contract from the Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (Volpe Center) to provide monitoring and technical assistance for the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) grant and loan Program.

Stacy and Witbeck now accepting proposals for Detroit streetcar construction

With critical utility relocation work underway for the Detroit, Mich., Woodward Avenue streetcar project, M-1 Rail‘s construction manager, Stacy and Witbeck, Inc., is now seeking proposals from local contractors and suppliers for construction.

RailComm provides Forth Worth rail yard with its Blue Flag Indicator System

A North American railroad yard in Fort Worth, Texas, has upgraded their current Domain Operations Controller System to include RailComm’s Blue Flag Indicator (BFI) System within their facility.

CN, New Brunswick reach agreement to preserve freight service

The province of New Brunswick in Canada and Canadian National have reached an agreement to preserve freight rail service on the line in northern New Brunswick.

FRA issues final rule concerning rail-flaw detection processes

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) published a rule in the Jan. 24 edition of The Federal Register, amending the Federal Track Safety Standards to promote the safety of railroad operations by enhancing rail-flaw detection processes.

DART kicks off construction of South Oak Cliff Three Line extension

Dallas Mayor Pro Tem Tennell Atkins, Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) officials and city staff celebrated the start of the DART South Oak Cliff Three Line extension January 24.

BART enters Sister Agency Agreement with Shanghai Metro

The Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) Board of Directors approved a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) aimed to develop a sister transit agency affiliation with Shanghai Metro, the subway system in Shanghai, China.

BART says such an affiliation will benefit both urban rapid transit systems and their customers by the mutual sharing of experiences, challenges and solutions.

HNTB Corporation names rail and transit leader in southern California

HNTB Corporation, an infrastructure solutions firm, has hired Graham Christie, PE, as associate vice president, Southern California rail and transit leader. Christie brings more than two decades of project management, design and construction management experience working with various transportation agencies on rail and transit projects throughout Southern California.

MTA receives first reimbursement for Sandy-related repairs

New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) has received more than $886 million in federal aid to help cover costs associated with repairs from Superstorm Sandy, primarily in the Montague, Greenpoint and Steinway subway tunnels, and to make New York’s transportation system more resilient to any future storms.

NYCT to begin next found of repairs to Flushing Line in February

Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) New York City Transit (NYCT) will begin the latest round of ongoing work to modernize, improve and fortify NYCT’s Flushing 7 Line in February.

LACMTA begins construction of Crenshaw/LAX Transit Project

Construction began January 21 on the Crenshaw/LAX Transit Project, an 8.5-mile, $2.058-billion light-rail line that will run between the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s (LACMTA) Expo and Green lines and is expected to open in 2019.

Metro Transit to open Green Line June 14

Metro Transit will begin service on the Twin Cities’ Green Line light rail on June 14, 2014. The new light rail between Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minn., is opening nearly six months earlier than required by the Federal Transit Administration, which is funding half the $957-million project, which is on budget.

BART to begin testing Oakland Airport Connector

Test vehicles will soon be traveling on the Oakland Airport Connector (OAC) tracks above Hegenberger Road in Oakland, Calif., as the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) project moves into one of the final phases before the anticipated opening for service this fall. The first of the new test vehicles was unveiled recently at the OAC wheelhouse.

Watco partners with Great Northern Project Development on new transload terminal

Watco Terminal and Port Services and Great Northern Project Development, L. P. (GNPD) are partnering together in the development and operation of a major multi-purpose rail transload terminal and railcar maintenance shop near South Heart, N.D.

Koppers completes acquisition of Canadian crosstie treating business

Koppers Inc., has completed the purchase of the crosstie treating business and related manufacturing facility of Tolko Industries Ltd., located in Ashcroft, BC, Canada.

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