Railroad News

The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) yesterday released a report that evaluated the Federal Transit Administration's (FTA) and the Federal Railroad Administration's (FRA) rail safety oversight programs.

While the report found strengths and limitations for each agency's programs, GAO noted that the FTA has not provided states with the guidance needed to ensure they develop appropriate and effective transit-rail safety inspection programs of their own.

The Federal Transit Administration has awarded a $22.5 million grant to the Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit District (SMART) for a 2.1-mile extension of the Larkspur commuter-rail line.

The new line will run from downtown San Rafael, California, to the Golden Gate Transit Larkspur Ferry terminal in Marin County, California. The extension will serve as an alternative to travel on U.S. Highway 101, FTA officials said in a press release.

The American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA) yesterday honored Jeremy Kramer of Louisville and Indiana Railroad Co. (LIRC) and Mitch Harris of Rio Grande Pacific Corp. (RGPC) for making career commitments to "safety compliance and culture."

ASLRRA recognized Kramer as the Safety Person of the Year and Harris as the Safety Professional of the Year. The awards were announced yesterday at ASLRRA's 2018 Connections Convention in Nashville.

Kansas City Southern President and Chief Executive Officer Patrick Ottensmeyer has responded to the Surface Transportation Board's (STB) request for information about Class Is' service outlooks for 2018.

In his April 5 letter to the STB, Ottensmeyer said KCS Railway Co. (KCSR) is "adequately staffed and adequately equipped to meet expected service demand in 2018, and service demand is generally in line with our internal forecasts."

The International Association of Sheet Metal Air Rail and Transportation (SMART) Workers urged union members in an April 9 post on its website to take notice of a Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has request for information (RFI) about autonomous trains.

By Michael Popke

In February, BNSF Railway Co. became the first Class I to join the Blockchain in Transport Alliance (BiTA). A handful of other rail companies, including GE Transportation and Bourque Logistics — and rumblings of more to come — also are among BiTA’s more than 230 members. In addition to rail realmers, BiTA comprises truckload carriers, third-party logistics companies, tech firms, major retailers, OEMs, parcel carriers, financial services providers and data analytics specialists collaborating to define new blockchain standards for the logistics industry. 

The Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board (JPB) has authorized an agreement with Stanford University to further develop Caltrain's business plan.

Under the pact, Stanford's Land, Buildings and Real Estate group will contribute in-kind technical assistance to support the business plan and help secure independent technical resources.

Bi-State Development has promoted Mark Vago to senior vice president and chief financial officer.

He'll succeed Kathy Klevorn, who's scheduled to retire July 1. Vago and Klevorn will work together to ensure a smooth transition, Bi-State Development officials said in a press release.

The Short Line Safety Institute (SLSI) has developed a hazardous materials instructor training program, which will be provided at no cost to short lines and regionals.

The new program will complement training railroads currently offer to their hazmat employees, said SLSI Executive Director Tom Murta in a press release.

The province of Ontario will invest more than CA$11 billion to build the first phase of a Toronto-to-London high-speed rail line, Premier Kathleen Wynne announced late last week.

The funding comes from the province's 2018 budget. The initial phase of the high-speed rail route will run between Toronto and London, Ontario.

Virginia and Colorado have obtained federal certification of their transit-rail state safety oversight (SSO) programs, the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announced late last week.

Federal law requires states with transit-rail systems in operation to obtain FTA certification of their SSO programs by April 15, 2019. States with transit-rail systems in the engineering or construction phase also must get their SSO programs certified by the deadline.

The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) has announced the appointment of Capitol Hill veteran Ward W. McCarragher as vice president of Government Affairs, effective April 9.

Virginia and Colorado have obtained Federal Transit Administration certification of their rail transit State Safety Oversight (SSO) Programs, well in advance of the 2019 deadline.

The National Railroad Construction & Maintenance Association (NRC) will be accepting applications for scholarships through Aug. 31, 2018.

Bombardier Transportation has signed a $452 million contract to supply 40 high-speed electric multiple unit trains to Swedish public transit agency Vasttrafik. The agreement includes an option for 60 additional trains, Bombardier officials said in a press release. Delivery is slated to begin in 2021. The units, which can operate at speeds up to 124 mph, will help address growing ridership in Sweden's Vastra Gotaland region, according to Bombardier.

Rio Grande Pacific Dispatch (RGPD) and PS Technology have announced the first implementation of the CrewPro Short Line™ crew management system. The cloud-hosted system provides a subscription-based, dynamic platform for crew scheduling, RGPD officials said in a press release. CrewPro Short Line handles hours-of-service requirements, and handles tie-up, work list/pool management, seniority move bumps and Federal Railroad Administration certification requirements. RGPD will use the system to manage crew calling for multiple railroads. The technology is expected to improve cost savings and accuracy by preventing errors that occur with legacy crew management methods, according to RGPD.