Railroad News

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From Jack Hellmann to Genesee & Wyoming Inc. employees July 1: "This morning we are excited to announce that G&W has entered into an agreement to be acquired by Brookfield Infrastructure and GIC, pending regulatory and shareholder approval. If approved, the sale is expected to close at the end of 2019 or early 2020. Brookfield and GIC are two of the most respected infrastructure investors in the world who have a long-term view of investing that is perfectly suited to long-lived rail assets. Not only will Brookfield/GIC support the continued execution of G&W’s growth strategy by our current management team, but they also will bring expertise from their ownership of other rail assets around the world ...”

The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) is expanding its use of new maps and communication tools to make it easier for riders to use transit.

In February, SEPTA released a transit map that depicts SEPTA’s bus and rail routes together as a single network. Now, SEPTA is adding frequency-based transit maps that will be installed at stations throughout the system, SEPTA officials said in a press release.

The Denton County Transportation Authority (DCTA) yesterday released its biennial passenger satisfaction survey, which found that over 90 percent of respondents identified affordability and employee service as excellent or good. 

Eighty-six percent of respondents listed "safety" on DCTA as excellent or good. More than half (57 percent) of respondents indicated that they use DCTA services daily. Twenty-four percent said they use service once or twice a week, 8 percent indicated a few times a month and 11 percent use the service occasionally throughout the year, DCTA officials said in a press release.

Amtrak will launch customer service improvements to its Auto Train service starting in January 2020, the railroad announced yesterday.

The train — on which riders can travel with their cars, vans, SUVs, motorcycles and other motorized vehicles — offers daily, nonstop rail service between Lorton, Virginia, and Sanford, Florida.

Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) promoted Chris Koloc to vice president of internal audit.

In his new role, Koloc will manage and review all audit functions, including operational audits, IT outsourced audits, incurred cost audits of contractors and proactive work, DART officials said in a press release.

United Rail Inc., a short line consolidator, announced today it has acquired the assets of California-based Key Holidays and Key Tours International.

Key Holidays is known in the U.S. travel industry and is designated as a ticketing and regional tour operator for Amtrak tours in the western United States, United Rail officials said in a press release.

Canadian Pacific today announced a record-setting second quarter, during which revenue climbed 13 percent to CA$1.98 billion compared with the same quarter a year ago.

The Class I posted adjusted income of CA$602 million, or CA$4.30 per share, from CA$453 million, or CA$3.16 per share, a year earlier.

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The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) last week began track and signal work on the Green Line between the Newton Highlands Station in Newton, Massachusetts, and Kenmore Station in Boston. 

During construction, which is expected to be completed by Dec. 20, crews will replace track, ties and ballast; build new signal equipment; replace cables; and repair catenary poles, MBTA officials said in a press release. 

Tomorrow morning, the House Subcommittee on Highways and Transit will hold a hearing on the Federal Transit Administration's (FTA) implementation of the Capital Investments Grant Program (CIG).

The hearing's purpose is to examine how the agency is implementing the CIG program. Scheduled to speak are FTA officials and representatives of the American Public Transportation Association, the American Road & Transportation Builders Association, and the Kansas City Streetcar Authority, according to a press release issued by the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) last week suspended an automatic door-opening feature two days after launching it on the Red Line trains.

Part of the Metrorail’s original design, the feature was launched July 7 to open doors more quickly and stop doors from opening on the wrong side of the platform as a result of operator error. During the rollout, operators remained responsible for manual door closings to ensure safe boardings.

Metro Transit in Minneapolis has selected veteran police officer Eddie Frizell as the agency's next police chief.

Frizell, who has served as the Minneapolis police inspector for the city’s First Precinct since 2017, will become chief Aug. 5, Metro Transit officials said in a press release. 

Canada has reached an agreement to sell 90 percent of its shares in federal Crown corporation Ridley Terminals Inc. (RTI) in Prince Rupert, British Columbia, to a company owned by Riverstone Holdings and AMCI Group, the Canada Development Investment Corp. (CDEV) announced last week.

The remaining 10 percent of Canada's shares in RTI will be transferred to a limited partnership owned by the Lax Kw'alaams Band and the Metlakatla First Nation at the close of sale, CDEV officials said in a press release.