Railroad News

U.S. senators representing Washington, Oregon and other states have called on U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao to hold railroads "accountable" when they fail to implement positive train control (PTC) and other safety measures.

In light of the deadly Amtrak Cascades derailment near Seattle last week, U.S. Sens. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) and several other U.S. senators wrote to Chao and demanded a status report on railroads' implementation of positive train control (PTC), a train-crash prevention technology that Congress has mandated railroads to implement by Dec. 31, 2018.

Brightline, the privately operated express passenger-rail service that will soon serve southeastern Florida, has received U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) approval for a $1.15 billion private activity bond (PAB) allocation.

Additionally, Brightline has secured the final two South Florida Water Management District permits needed to construct the segment between Orlando and Cocoa, Florida, railroad officials announced in a press release.

Sound Transit's board late last week approved its application for a $1.17 billion federal grant to help fund the Lynnwood Link light-rail extension.

The $3.07 million project calls for extending light rail 8.5 miles from Seattle's Northgate neighborhood to a transit center in Lynnwood, Washington.

Bombardier Transportation and Metrolinx have amended the contract terms and settled an arbitration with Metrolinx to produce light-rail vehicles (LRVs) for the upcoming Eglinton Crosstown light-rail system.

The amended contract "resets the relationship ... and brings certainty to the completion of this project," Bombardier officials said in a Dec. 21 statement. 

New technology being installed across the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority's (Metro) system will enable Metrolink riders to use their mobile app to transfer to Metro's rail system.

New optic readers will continue to be installed and tested throughout next year.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo earlier this week directed the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) and Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) to increase the presence of security forces at all bridges, tunnels, airports and mass transit systems in New York City during the holiday season.

At a Dec. 19 press conference, Cuomo announced he's deploying special operations teams from the New York State Police and National Guard to work with the Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority Police, MTA Police Department, Port Authority Police Department and New York City Police Department in a coordinated security effort.

The Alabama State Port Authority’s (ASPA) and APM Terminals' boards recently approved a $49.5 million expansion of the Port of Mobile container facility.

The Phase 3 expansion includes a dock extension and a 20-acre yard expansion. When completed, the project will accommodate an annual throughput capacity of 650,000 20-foot equivalent units (TEUs). 

Kansas City Southern has promoted Ashley Thorne from assistant vice president to vice president of investor relations. She succeeds William Galligan, who retired, and reports to KCS Executive VP and Chief Financial Officer Michael Upchurch.

Galligan joined KCS in 1992 and developed the company’s corporate communications and investor relations programs. He became AVP of investor relations for both the railroad and the company’s financial services companies in 1992, and VP of investor relations in 2008.  Prior to joining KCS, Galligan worked for 13 years for a publicly-owned electric utility in Connecticut.
 
"I would like to thank Bill for his outstanding efforts to serve the investment community for 25 years, and always representing KCS as a shareholder-friendly company,” said Upchurch in a press release.

CN today announced it chose Toyo Engineering Canada Ltd. to design and carry out a pilot project associated with producing CanaPux™ pellets.

The project is a key step toward demonstrating the commercial viability of moving bitumen in solid form by rail, CN officials said in a press release. The Class I worked with InnoTech Alberta to develop CanaPux, solid and dry pellets that are designed to float in water. The pellets won’t leak or dissolve, so there’s minimal risk of environmental contamination to oceans, lakes and rivers, CN officials said.

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

A little more than a month after dropping plans to help develop and fund an expansion to the Howard Street Tunnel in Baltimore, CSX has reentered discussions about the project with state and local partners.

CSX this afternoon announced that its board unanimously appointed James Foote president and chief executive officer, effective immediately.

He succeeds E. Hunter Harrison, who died Dec. 16 shortly after taking medical leave. Harrison had led the Class I since March. Foote — who joined CSX in October as executive vice president and chief operating officer — served as acting CEO in Harrison’s absence.

Cad Railway Industries Ltd. has acquired rail-car repair company Caltrax Inc. The transaction will enable Quebec-based Cad to reinforce its freight servicing capabilities and solidify its market position by gaining a network across Canada of on-site repair facilities, Cad officials said in a press release. In addition, Caltrax's mobile repair service units are expected to boost Cad's customer service. Financial details of the acquisition were not disclosed.

Canadian rail contractor Allied Track Services has acquired Pittsburg Bottom Line Co., a Texas-based railroad bridge contractor. RR Mergers & Acquisitions advised Pittsburg Bottom Line on the sale. Allied Track Services provides maintenance of way and other related rail services from four locations across Canada, according to a press release issued by RR Mergers. Financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.

The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) in mid-January will begin phasing out the sale of tokens at cashiers' booths and vending machines in Market-Frankford and Broad Street Line subway stations.

With token sales declining as riders move to the reloadable "Key" card fare payment system, about half of station vending machines on the lines have been removed. During a six-week period, SEPTA will remove the 40 remaining token machines from the lines, with token sales at all these locations expected to end in March.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo this week announced the state will pursue legal action to try to stop Iowa Pacific Holdings from storing thousands of rail cars in Adirondack Park.

The state's Department of Environmental Conservation has filed a petition for waivers and exemptions with the Surface Transportation Board (STB) to support the state's application for "adverse abandonment."

North American rail volume for the week ending Dec. 16 climbed 7.8 percent to 733,320 carloads and intermodal units compared with volume in the same week last year, according to the Association of American Railroads (AAR).

Thirteen U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads hauled 363,454 carloads during the week, a 6 percent year-over-year increase. Intermodal units totaled 369,866 units, up 9.7 percent, AAR officials said in a press release.

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) last week tested a new device to detect bombs and explosives.

The testing, which took place at the 7th/Metro Station in downtown L.A., was part of Metro's ongoing efforts to test different technologies to improve security on the transit system, agency officials wrote in a blog post.

Several rail-related trade associations endorsed the tax-reform legislation passed by Congress yesterday.

Leaders of the Association of American Railroads (AAR), American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA), American Association of Port Authorities and Building America's Future issued statements saying they welcomed passage of the "Tax Cuts and Jobs Act."