Railroad News

Valley Metro accepted delivery of rail for its Gilbert Road light-rail extension in Mesa, Ariz.

The 80-foot sticks will be welded together into 400-foot strings over the next few weeks, in preparation for installation. The $18-million extension will add 1.9 miles of light rail on Main Street from Mesa Drive to Gilbert Road. Valley Metro notes that there are significant transit connections at Gilbert Road and the extension will grant the transit authority the ability to serve the growing transit demand in the East Valley.

The California High-Speed Rail Authority's (CHSRA) Board of Directors named Brian P. Kelly as its new chief executive officer, effective Feb. 1, 2018.

The Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR) has been released for the Port of Long Beach's (POLB) proposed redeveloped of a rail yard to transition more cargo to rail.

Currently, POLB says the ability to build long trains is limited due to the lack of adequate yard tracks and the configuration of mainline tracks. The proposed Pier B On-Dock Rail Support Facility would change this by providing track space to join together trains assembled at terminals. No cargo trucks would visit the facility, which POLB says would enhance the environmental benefits of the facility by pushing more cargo to rail transportation. Further environmental benefit would be seen from the rail facility's operator, Pacific Harbor Line, a switching railroad that has converted its fleet to clean diesel locomotives that reduce air pollution and save fuel.

The Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Cap Metro) Board of Directors in Austin, Texas, has named Randy Clarke as the agency's next president and CEO.

January will see the final five miles of rail installed as part of the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) Double Track project.

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) explains that the utilization of design-build construction along with a specialized New Track Construction machine lays rail more than 10 times faster than the agency has ever done. The accelerated construction has saved MTA more than $7 million and the project is expected to be complete in August 2018, 16 months ahead of schedule.

The Central Maine & Québec Railway (CMQ) has announced two appointments in the New Year.

Florida East Coast Railway, the regional carrier operating 350 miles of main line from Miami to Jacksonville, has a new president and chief executive officer.

Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-OR) and Rep. Michael Capuano (D-MA) introduced legislation Jan. 11 aimed at speeding up the implementation of positive train control (PTC) technology that could prevent catastrophic human-caused rail accidents.

MARTA, Atlanta's transit operator, plans to replace its entire railcar fleet, the single biggest item on its to-do list in 2018.

The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) is celebrating the completion of the state's largest program of rail infrastructure improvements after seven years.

OmniTRAX, Inc., Board Chairman Edmond Harris is resigning after being named executive vice president of operations at CSX Corporation (CSX).

Alaska Gov. Bill Walker signed an order establishing the governor's Commuter Rail Advisory Task Force on Jan. 9.

The North Carolina Department of Transportation's (NCDOT) rail division has chosen Dewberry to provide general rail engineering support.

The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (SCVTA) Board of Directors has elected its new 2018 chair and vice chair.

Sunnie House, vice president and Western regional manager for North America Rail for Parsons, has been appointed Chair of the California Transportation Foundation (CTF) Board of Directors.

Amtrak has appointed Ken Hylander to serve as executive vice president and chief safety officer.

HDR has announced it will plan the final extension needed for Central Puget Sound Regional Transit Authority (Sound Transit) to complete light-rail service between Seattle and Tacoma, Wash.

Gannett Fleming, Inc., has elected Bryan P. Mulqueen, PE, to its Board of Directors effective Jan. 1.

HNTB Corporation has announced the addition of David Anderson, PE, as Massachusetts project delivery officer.

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) announced Jan. 9 that it has signed the U.S. Department of Transportation's (USDOT) Transportation Leaders Against Human Trafficking pledge.