Kansas City Southern is set to increase train speed over some segments of its Gulfport to Hattiesburg, Miss., line. Effective June 8, speeds will move from 10 to 25 mph, but a 10 mph speed limit will continue through downtown Wiggins for the time being.
On May 17, the National Transportation Safety Board issued three reports involving a derailment, rear-end collision and an incident where a hi-rail maintenance vehicle struck two wayside workers on Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority property.
The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) awarded approximately $350 million in grants to improve public transit across California. An estimated 80 projects will upgrade transit service, purchase eco-friendly buses, modernize transit stations and create jobs throughout the state. The grants are funded through Proposition 1B, the 2006 voter-approved transportation bond, which is providing $3.6 billion over a 10-year period to improve public transit in California.
On June 1st, Protran Technology was awarded its first major contract from Brazil’s Belo Horizonte Metro for the “Protracker / PTC” track worker protection overlay system for advance warning of approaching trains.
The Transportation Committee in Ottawa, ON, Canada, will consider an interim report of the environmental assessment on the western light-rail expansion at its meeting on June 6, 2012.
For the second year in a row, Union Pacific was selected as the top-performing railroad by U.S. agricultural shippers in the third annual Soy Transportation Coalition Railroad Report Card.
A new website for the railroad industry is now available to the public. RailAdvisor.com was created to offer solutions and to inform the industry of a product, service, event or technical concept. The website is designed with categories for solutions, product/service offerings, contacts, news, railway terminology and forums.
Dr. Arnold D. Kerr passed away on May 27, 2012 at the age of 84.
The Restoring Rail Service Act passed in the Canadian Senate and received the Royal Assent, effectively ending the strike at Canadian Pacific, which began on May 23. CP workers represented by the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference will return to work on Friday, June 1.
On the night of May 29, crews working on the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s East Side Access project brought a 642-ton tunnel boring machine to a halt underneath Sunnyside Yard in Queens seven weeks ahead of schedule, completing the third of four tunnels the MTA is building in Queens.
The Chicago Transit Authority, in partnership with IMG Worldwide, issued Requests for Proposals, seeking naming rights and sponsorships for 11 ‘L’ stations. O’Hare, Fullerton, Belmont, Addison, Chicago, Grand/State, 95th, North/Clybourn, Midway, Ashland 63rd and 79th stations could become the new location for businesses to showcase their brands.
The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio approved construction authorization from the Ohio Rail Development Commission authorizing the installation of flashing lights and gates at three grade crossings in Butler and Richland counties.
Following an extensive international search, the California High-Speed Rail Authority Board of Directors hired Jeff Morales as the authority’s new chief executive officer.
The Restoring Rail Service Act has been passed by Canada’s House of Commons. The Act would end the work stoppage at Canadian Pacific and its labor disputes with the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference.
GE Transportation has chosen Chicago, Ill., as its global headquarters. Erie, Pa., will remain the headquarters for GE Transportation’s global locomotive business and key manufacturing site.
Legislation has been introduced in Canada’s House of Commons aimed at restoring Canadian Pacific Service. The Honorable Lisa Raitt, Canada’s Labor Minister, introduced the Restoring Rail Service Act, which was put in place to end the strike at CP.
In recent analysis, the Federal Railroad Administration said its Close Call Confidential Reporting System (C3RS) demonstration project has shown significant improvements in both safety and safety culture since C3RS was introduced, including a decrease in derailments.
The Honorable Steven Fletcher, minister of state (transport) and member of Parliament for Charleswood-St. James-Assinniboia, Manitoba and VIA Rail Canada announced a CA$6.5 million (US$6.36 million) investment in Winnipeg’s Union Station to improve public areas, accessibility, passenger services and amenities and the exterior of the heritage building.
Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority safely completed a key National Transportation Safety Board recommendation, the Guarded #8 project, late Monday, May 28, with the installation of the 178th mainline guarded rail switch on the Metrorail system.
Chicago Transportation Authority’s Red North Interim Station Improvement project will begin Friday, June 1, resulting in the temporary closure of the Granville station for up to six weeks.