Railroad News

The Chicago Transit Authority's (CTA) Ventra fare payment app has been downloaded more than 2 million times, the agency announced late last week.

Launched in November 2015, the app has been used to buy almost $250 million in fares, CTA officials said in a press release. Riders can use Ventra to buy trips on CTA, Metra and the Pace bus system.

Union Pacific Railroad has no plans to alter operations on train schedules for Aug. 21, the day of a solar eclipse. As a result, the Class I has issued a safety warning to eclipse viewers to avoid railroad property.

The Class I, which has many miles of rail lines within the eclipse's viewing path, specifically asked eclipse viewers not to walk on or alongside rail tracks or congregate near tracks, and to cross only at designated railroad crossings.

The Sacramento Regional Transit District (SacRT) has installed 14 new surveillance cameras at the Watt/Interstate 80 station on the Blue Line light-rail route.

Crews also installed a new gate to limit access to the elevators and stairwell when light-rail service ends each day. The upgrades are aimed at boosting security at the agency's "most challenged station," SacRT officials said in a press release.

Construction crews have installed the first piece of track for the Eglinton Crosstown light-rail project in the Toronto area.

Workers installed a turnout track that will move vehicles through the future Mount Dennis Station and adjoining light-rail maintenance and storage facility.

The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) has released a draft environmental impact report (EIR) for the Los Angeles Union Station Forecourt and Esplanade improvement project.

The project is aimed at improving pedestrian and bicycle access to and from the station, and reestablishing connections to surrounding communities.

Amtrak has selected AECOM, in partnership with Network Rail, to conduct an independent review of railroad coordination of passenger concourses at Penn Station in New York City, Amtrak announced late last week.

The study is part of Amtrak's work to improve the rider experience at Penn Station, which Amtrak owns. The review will examine the interaction, coordination and collaboration between the passenger railroads that use the station, considered the busiest passenger-rail hub in the United States.

Texas Central Partners announced today that Fluor Enterprises and Lane Construction Corp. will be the preferred designer and builder of the private company's proposed bullet train between Dallas and Houston.

Under the agreement, Fluor and Lane will refine and update the project's construction planning and sequencing, scheduling and cost estimates, procurement, and other design and engineering activity related to civil infrastructure, Texas Central officials said in a press release.

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

Sarah Touey, 37

Job description: Touey oversees a construction management/general contracting agreement for state-of-good-repair projects. The work includes replacing special trackwork, switches and crossings for TriMet's MAX light-rail system. She serves as the project manager/resident engineer for the scoping, design, construction and closeout of each project.

Education: Bachelor's degree in civil engineering, Oregon Institute of Technology

U.S. Rep. John Carter (R-Texas) on Wednesday toured the Temple & Texas Central (TC) Railway, one of 12 short lines managed by Patriot Rail Co. LLC.

TC Operations Manager David Lutz led the tour, which also included a discussion of current rail issues, according to a press release issued by the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA).

ECN Capital Corp. has agreed to sell $1.487 million worth of rail-car assets to affiliates of ITE Management LP and Napier Park Global Capital. The ITE transaction closed Aug. 4, and ECN expects the Napier Park deal to close in third-quarter 2017. The assets sold represent 65 percent of ECN's rail portfolio. The sale will further position ECN to capitalize on strategic growth opportunities and free up $400 million of capital, said ECN Chief Executive Officer Jim Nikopoulos in a press release.

Wi-Tronix LLC yesterday announced that it will provide its advanced video analytics solution Violet™ to Ferrocarril Mexicano S.A. de C.V. (Ferromex). The technology provides streaming video and associated data to railroads through a cloud-based Software-as-a-Service solution. Violet is aimed at helping railroads improve their operational efficiency and safety. For Ferromex, the technology's camera system will help further ensure the safety of the railroad's crew and security of its assets and cargo, Wi-Tronix officials said in a press release.

The Port of Manatee has already set an annual record in container volume, with two months remaining in the current fiscal year, the Florida port announced earlier this week.

During the 10-month period between Oct. 1, 2016, and July 31, 2017, the port logged 32,901 20-foot-equivalent units (TEUs), significantly more than the Florida Gulf port's full-year high mark of 30,432 TEUs set in fiscal-year 2010, port officials said in a press release.

RailTrends® 2017 has unveiled the agenda for its two-day conference, which will be held Nov. 30-Dec. 1 at the New York Marriott Marquis in New York City.

Presented by Progressive Railroading, the conference presenters will include John "Jack" Hellmann, president and chief executive officer of Genesee & Wyoming Inc. Hellmann will receive the 2017 Railroad Innovator Award from Progressive Railroading and RailTrends.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has filed a lawsuit against the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) for the agency's restrictions on advertising in train stations, subway cars and buses.

WMATA's guidelines ban ads that are "intended to influence public policy," according to an ACLU press release. WMATA also prohibits ads that are "intended to influence members of the public regarding an issue on which there are varying opinions."

The Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) has awarded a $237 million contract for two MTA Metro-North Railroad track projects to a Cianbro-Middlesex joint venture.

The joint venture will serve as the construction manager/general contractor for the projects. The team was given a notice to proceed yesterday, with construction expected to begin in late September and continue for three years.

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Mike Stickel, 37

Job description: Stickel is responsible for commercial, transportation and mechanical functions at Lake State Railway Co. (LSRC) in Michigan.

Education: B.S. in finance, Indiana University Kelley School of Business