Railroad News

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority’s (MBTA) Fiscal and Management Control Board has awarded J.F. White Contracting Co. a $17.9 million construction contract to support infrastructure improvements on the system’s Red and Orange lines.

BNSF Railway Company (BNSF) and Kansas City Southern (KCS) have announced a new joint service, offering intermodal transportation connections at more locations in the U.S. and Mexico.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) unveiled its 2017-2018 Most Wanted List, implementing a new two-year cycle as opposed to the annual one previously used.

NTSB Chairman Christopher Hart explained the two-year cycle will help the board focus its "advocacy efforts on sustained progress."

HNTB Corporation (HNTB) has promoted Joseph Guzzi, PMP, to Pennsylvania office leader.

David L. Starling, who recently retired as President and CEO of Kansas City Southern, now has an intermodal terminal named after him.

Watco Companies, LLC (Watco), and Kinder Morgan Terminals (KMT) have established a definitive agreement for Watco to purchase 20 U.S. bulk terminal operations.

Pacific Ethanol, Inc. (PEIX) and Toledo, Peoria & Western Railway (TPW), a subsidiary of Genesee & Wyoming, Inc. (GWI), began unit train service Nov. 14 from PEIX’s Pekin, Ill., plant.

The Metra Board of Directors approved the agency's 2017 budget, which includes a fare increase that will fund needed capital requirements.

The $1.06 billion budget provides $781.2 million for operating costs and $279.5 million for capital improvements in 2017. The budget increases fare revenue by 5.8 percent to generate $16.1 million for the agency's huge capital needs.

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) has proposed a $6 billion 2017 operating and capital budget.

The 2017 PANYNJ proposed operating budget of $3.1 billion will fund ongoing operations, maintenance and security at all agency facilities and provides for the first full year of operations at the World Trade Center Transportation Hub, retail complex and other World Trade Center facilities which opened in phases in 2016.

Sound Transit and the Federal Transit Administration issued the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the Federal Way Link light-rail extension, which would extend light rail south from Angle Lake in the city of SeaTac to the Federal Way Transit Center.

The FEIS addresses comments on the 2015 Draft Environmental Impact Statement. It provides a detailed look at the project benefits, potential impacts and mitigation measures as the Sound Transit Board considers the route and station locations to be built for the 7.6-mile line.

Crews completed welding on the final pieces of rail for Detroit’s M-1 Rail QLINE last week, finishing the installation and connection of the 6.6-mile streetcar line.

Siemens and Bentley Systems have formalized a strategic alliance agreement where the companies will invest €50 million (US$54.3 million) in developing joint solutions to enlarge their respective offerings for infrastructure and industry to the benefit of the end-customers.

The companies say the alliance will drive new business value by accelerating digitalization to advance infrastructure project delivery and asset performance in complementary business areas.

A total of five consortia and companies have qualified to bid on two contracts from CDPQ Infra, subsidiary of Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec, to build part of a proposed CA$5.5-billion (US$4.06-billion) light-rail project in Montreal.

CDPQ Infra said the qualified companies and consortia will have the opportunity to participate in the international call for proposals process for two major contracts that are part of the Réseau électrique métropolitain project.

Scott Smith, who has served as Valley Metro's interim CEO since February 2016, will transition to a two-year term as the agency's CEO.

The Valley Metro RPTA and Valley Metro Rail Boards of Directors took action to finalize Smith's employment agreement following a nationwide search; salary and other contract details are being finalized.

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) and Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) have received four design proposals from qualified engineering firms for the modernization of the LIRR’s level in Penn Station as part of Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s plans to transform the station and the historic James A. Farley Post Office into a transportation hub.

Union Pacific (UP) will increase train speed Nov. 15 to 60 mph from 40 mph along about four miles of track between River Road and Plaza Parkway in Modesto, Calif.

CSX has revised its expectations for fourth quarter performance to reflect a decrease in earnings per share, but says it remains committed to finding cost savings and efficiencies and invest in improvements to drive its long-term strategy.

CSX Corporation Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Cindy Sanborn updated investors and analysts at Baird's 2016 Industrial Conference in Chicago regarding the company's expectations for fourth quarter and full-year performance, as well as progress on the company's long-term strategy.

The Canadian government has allocated CA$34.4 million (US$25.7 million) in funds toward the VIA Rail Toronto Maintenance Centre for infrastructure improvements.

CSX has promoted Michael Rutherford to vice president-industrial products, effective immediately.

Public transportation across the United States came out a winner of the Nov. 8 election as 33 of the 48 local and statewide public transit measures up for a vote were approved; a passage rate of 69 percent, based on unofficial results.