Railroad News

R. J. Corman Railroad Group LLC has completed the sale of Roadway Worker Training (RWT) to RailPros, a privately held consulting firm specializing in rail engineering design and management.

The sale is part of Corman's effort to accelerate growth by reinvesting and refocusing on its core competencies, according to a company press release.

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) late last week proposed a $3.2 billion budget for fiscal-year 2019, which starts July 1.

Although the proposal doesn't include fare hikes or service cuts, WMATA is seeking additional funding from Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C., to balance the budget, agency officials said in a press release.

Brightline executives are expanding safety outreach efforts following recent deaths on the private passenger railroad's new route in South Florida.

Two deaths occurred after Brightline trains struck individuals on the railroad's route during the service's first week of operation. Some political leaders have since called for federal transportation officials to investigate the deaths and Brightline's safety efforts.

Loram Maintenance of Way Inc.

Railroads have individual needs that cannot be met by a traditional “one-size-fits-all” solution, as Loram Maintenance of Way Inc. officials put it in an email. Accordingly, Loram has expanded its friction management product line for 2018. The company made improvements to its top-of-rail (TOR) and Gauge Face (GF) wayside systems.

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) has appointed Kimberly Howell assistant inspector general for investigations.

The job involves overseeing the department's internal investigations into potential criminal fraud, waste and abuse, WMATA officials said today in a press release.

Developers of the Texas bullet train project have unveiled details of a proposed rail station in Grimes County, Texas.

The station, which would be the only midway stop on the Houston-to-Dallas high-speed rail line, will be built on 60 acres in the Roans Prairie area of the county, located along Highway 30 and west of Highway 90, Texas Central Railway officials announced yesterday in a press release.

Railroad associations unveiled their 2018 legislative wish lists, including ideas for President Donald Trump's highly anticipated infrastructure package.

At a U.S. Chamber of Commerce-hosted infrastructure summit yesterday, the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA) called for any infrastructure package to include a permanent extension of the so-called 45G tax credit, which provides a tax credit to short lines that invest in their rail infrastructure.

The California Public Utilities Commission earlier this week approved Bay Area Rapid Transit's (BART) "Fleet of the Future" rail cars to enter service.

Carload Express Inc. has purchased a BASF polymer plant in Seaford, Delaware.

Due to its close proximity to a main north-south rail line, the 37,000-square-foot building was an "ideal match" for Carload Express, according to a press release issued by SVN-Miller Commercial Real Estate, which advised the sale.

Kansas City Southern today reported record fourth-quarter 2017 revenue of $660 million, up 10 percent from the same period a year ago due to a 5 percent increase in volume.

KCS reported Q4 2017 operating income rose 13 percent to $238 million compared with Q4 2016, KCS officials said in a press release.

Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd. yesterday announced record fourth-quarter and full-year results for 2017.

Fourth-quarter diluted earnings per share (EPS) soared 159 percent to CA$6.77 from $2.61 a year ago. The 2017 results includes an income tax recovery of $527 million, primarily as a result of U.S. tax reform net of Canadian provincial tax rate increases. Adjusted diluted EPS rose 6 percent to a new quarterly record of $3.22 from $3.04.

By This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., Associate Editor

St. Louis city leaders this week unveiled potential routes and other details of a proposed Northside-Southside light-rail line.

At community meetings, officials shared maps, ridership figures and budget options for the proposed route, according to the Northside-Southside Twitter account.

The Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon's (TriMet) board has chosen Doug Kelsey as the single finalist for the agency's next general manager.

The board will interview Kelsey on Jan. 24. After considering public comments, the board will convene a special meeting on Jan. 31 to authorize its chair to negotiate a contract with Kelsey or to continue the search.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce this week proposed increasing the federal gas tax by 25 cents per gallon to help pay for critical infrastructure projects.

The proposed increase was among a series of principles the business lobby is offering in a bid to help shape the debate about upgrading U.S. roads, bridges, airports and other significant infrastructure projects, U.S. Chamber officials said in a press release.

U.S. Reps. Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.) and Michael Capuano (D-Mass.) have asked Amtrak President and Chief Executive Officer Richard Anderson for a detailed update on the railroad's safety culture and implementation of positive train control (PTC).

In a letter sent yesterday, the congressmen said they want to know what safety culture weaknesses Amtrak has identified in its organization and the specific steps it is taking to resolve them immediately. The letter was copied to labor unions that represent Amtrak employees.