Railroad News

2/13/2017    

Rail News: Passenger Rail

2/13/2017    

Rail News: Intermodal

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) will withhold five percent of federal funds to the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia until a new Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) State Safety Oversight Program (SSOP) is in place.

FTA notified the transit systems in the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia that effective immediately the transit formula funds from Fiscal Year 2017 will be held until a SSOP is certified for WMATA rail operations. The funds will be withheld until the jurisdictions pass identical legislation and meet related requirements in order for FTA to certify a new SSOP for WMATA Metrorail and can be restored once the jurisdictions establish a federally-compliant, FTA-certified SSOP.

2/13/2017    

Rail News: Short Lines & Regionals

The Alaska Railroad Corporation (ARRC), citing reduced business and revenues, has cut 49 positions, laying off 31 employees.

ARRC said the current round of position eliminations is part of a "major corporate restructuring effort" as the railroad attempts to counter a 44-percent downturn in freight tonnage since 2008. Of the 49 positions eliminated, 18 were left vacant, lowering the actual lay offs to 31 employees.

Dewberry, a privately held professional services firm, has been selected by the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) to develop a transportation and freight master plan for the new Carolina Connector (CCX) intermodal train hub in Rocky Mount, N.C. This facility will serve as a major intermodal transportation center for CSX in the southeast.

Dewberry's efforts will focus on the transportation connections to potential freight nodes across the state and the strategic infrastructure investments that will be crucial to the success of the facility. In addition, the firm will identify key markets for targeted future investment to facilitate continued growth for the benefit of the Eastern North Carolina region and the state.

2/13/2017    

Rail News: Passenger Rail

2/13/2017    

Rail News: CSX Transportation

2/13/2017    

Rail News: CSX Transportation

Rail News Home CSX Transportation 2/13/2017 Rail News: CSX Transportation
CSX Corp. announced late last week that its board has extended the deadline until Feb. 24 to nominate directors and to propose other business to be considered at its 2017 annual meeting.The original deadline was Feb. 10. Any director nominations or proposals of other business that comply with the company's bylaws that are received by Feb. 24 may be brought before shareholders for a vote at the annual meeting.The extended deadline move comes as CSX continues to have discussions with former Canadian Pacific Chief Executive Officer E. Hunter Harrison and activist investor Paul Hilal of Mantle Ridge LP. CSX is discussing a potential contract that would make Harrison CEO of CSX, according to reports by The Wall Street Journal. The newspaper reported that Hilal has requested six seats on CSX's board.CSX, Harrison and Hilal were scheduled to meet Feb. 10 to discuss the proposal. Contact Progressive Railroading editorial staff. More News from 2/13/2017

2/13/2017    

Rail News: Short Lines & Regionals

2/13/2017    

Rail News: Passenger Rail

Rail News Home Federal Legislation & Regulation February 2017 Rail News: Federal Legislation & Regulation

— By This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., EditorWhile near-term economic forecasts are murky, particularly in a global context, the regulatory and legislative issues on U.S. railroaders’ minds are the same as they’ve been for the past several years, as Senior Associate Editor Julie Sneider notes in this month’s cover story. What’s changed are the political and rhetorical environments in which those issues might be debated in the months ahead.It’s a pretty safe bet railroads won’t have to work too hard to convince regulators or legislators to preserve or pare back regs. President Trump and the new Congress have been clear about how they feel about regulation. And that’s giving the association representatives that Sneider interviewed — as well as rail finance and leasing execs we surveyed during the information-gathering process for our 17th annual Finance & Leasing Guide — cause for optimism about the near term.Less certain is whether the new administration and Congress will side with the rail industry on (or even consider) other matters this year — whether it’s the bigger/heavier trucks issue or the call to extend the short-line tax credit. Then there’s the trade agreement and tariff talk, and the potential intermodal implications that go with it. Ultimately, it’s unclear where rail will rate on the urgency meter in 2017. Frankly, it’s unclear every year. But in 2017, the winds of change in Washington may sweep more than a few industry-specific issues off the discussion table. Or at least off to the side for a spell.Perhaps we’ll know more next month. On March 2, railroaders will be in Washington, D.C., to deliver their message(s) to congressfolk at Railroad Day on Capitol Hill. I’ll be doing my usual fly-on-the-wall observing and listening. I’ll report back — on the tone and tenor of the conversations, if nothing else.More star power at Secure Rail 2017We recently added more star power to the already-stellar lineup of speakers for Secure Rail 2017. Laird Pitz, vice president and chief risk officer for CP, and Jim McKenney, solutions architect-operational technology for CSX, have signed on as presenters at this year’s conference, which will be held April 5-6 at the Rosen Plaza Hotel in Orlando, Fla.Other presenters at our third annual conference will discuss the latest risks and threats to physical and cybersecurity, how to anticipate future threats, and other topics, including managing and protecting employees, passengers and assets. In all, there are more than 20 scheduled conference sessions.The theme of Secure Rail 2017 — the only conference that addresses North American rail security from an organizational perspective on both physical and cybersecurity — is “Protection, Prevention and Planning for the Future.”For more information or to register, visit SecureRailConference.com.
Keywords Browse articles on winds of change rail regulation President Trump Railroad Day Secure Rail 2017 Contact Progressive Railroading editorial staff.

2/10/2017    

Rail News: Intermodal

2/10/2017    

Rail News: People

Pettibone/Traverse Lift, LLC,  has appointed Scott Raffaelli as its new vice president and general manager.

 

The Short Line Safety Institute (SLSI) launched a new safety initiative aimed at providing small railroads with seasonal safety tips.

The Safety Tip Tuesday program is meant to be posted in breakrooms and discussed during daily safety briefings. The tips are designed to be colorful with a new tip available on the Institute's website and Facebook page each Tuesday.

Scott E. Trommer has been named a principal with the U.S. Advisory Services division of WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff.

 

2/10/2017    

Rail News: Passenger Rail

Chicago officials have announced plans to add a new Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) station along the Green Line at Damen Avenue.