Railroad News

The Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor handled an 8 percent increase in cargo shipments in 2017, port officials announced today.

Last year represented a "landmark" year for actions taken to accommodate future growth. Those steps included doubling the size of its bulk terminal, attracting a nationally known stevedore, handling its most valuable cargo ever and announcing a $20 million expansion, port officials said in a press release.

Ground was broken Wednesday in Grapevine, Texas, on the $105-million dining and entertainment complex on the TEXRail commuter rail line.

Senate Democrats yesterday unveiled a $1 trillion national infrastructure plan to cover a wide range of needs, including $180 billion to replace and expand rail and bus systems.

The Democrats' "Blueprint to Rebuild America's Infrastructure" is being presented as an alternative to President Donald Trump's infrastructure plan unveiled in January. The Democrats call for financing their infrastructure proposals by reversing much of the recently passed tax cuts.

TEXRail leaders yesterday joined local elected officials in Grapevine, Texas, to break ground on a $105 million transit-oriented development (TOD) project.

Known as "Grapevine Main," the TOD will consist of a 38,000-square-foot outdoor plaza next to a 42,000-square-foot rail station, as well as a 121-room boutique hotel and 552-space parking garage.

The intermodal upswing continued last month, as U.S. railroads' intermodal volume grew 6.9 percent to 1,104,001 containers and trailers compared with February's volume.

However, the roads' carload volume slipped 0.3 percent to 1,028,141 units for the month. U.S. railroads reported a combined 2,132,142 carloads and intermodal units, marking a 3.3 percent increase over last year, according to Association of American Railroads (AAR) data.

Announcements for the latest round of Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grants continue to leak out, with $46 million worth of grants identified for projects in Maryland, Indiana and New Mexico.

Baltimore County, Maryland, was among the awardees. The county has received a $20 million TIGER grant to help TradePoint Atlantic redevelop a former Sparrows Point steel mill site.

Knoxville Locomotive Works (KLW) has chosen Rolls-Royce to provide MTU Series 4000 and 2000 engines for its SE Series four- and six-axle locomotive designs. Produced at the MTU America plant in South Carolina, the engines can deliver a power output of 1,050 to 3,218 horsepower, Rolls-Royce officials said in a press release. Each KLW model uses a single drive train system that consists of either an MTU Series 4000 or Series 2000 high-speed engine powering a traditional intermediate speed AR-10 Series alternator. In addition, KLW's locomotive configurations meet the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Tier 4 emissions standard. The MTU engines are ideal for the demands of switching and road-switching operations, said KLW President Jim Wurtz.

The Association of American Railroads (AAR) has certified TransRail Innovation Group's XLOAD sensor to begin pilot trials on tank cars shipping hazardous commodities such as crude oil and refined fuels. TransRail has begun pilot trials with four refineries and shippers in Canada and the United States. The digital sensor is used to measure and track commodities inside of moving tank cars. For example, shippers can use it to automatically detect, measure and report on the specific level and volume of crude oil that is loaded into a closed and sealed tank car. The sensor also could help shippers safely increase the volume of rail cars, which are often under-filled due to poor visibility of the commodity levels inside, according to a company press release.

Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) employees today joined the agency's police officers and fare enforcement workers to inform riders about new security initiatives.

The agency has assigned more police and security officers to some of its busiest locations. In addition, DART is deploying 29 contracted and uniformed security officers on rail platforms in strategic locations, with plans to add another 30 guards this year.

Norfolk Southern Railway has released its next generation of AccessNS, an e-commerce tool that enables customers to use a one-stop digital platform to conduct business with the railroad.

The revamped portal features faster functionality and a modern, intuitive user interface that's easier to navigate. By selecting digital "widgets," customers can create personalized dashboards that give them quick access to information they consider most vital to their logistics needs, NS officials said in a press release.

Norfolk Southern Railway has released its next generation of AccessNS, an e-commerce tool that enables customers to use a one-stop digital platform to conduct business with the railroad.

The revamped portal features faster functionality and a modern, intuitive user interface that's easier to navigate. By selecting digital "widgets," customers can create personalized dashboards that give them quick access to information they consider most vital to their logistics needs, NS officials said in a press release.

More than 55 individuals are representing more than 30 Railway Engineering-Maintenance Suppliers Association (REMSA) member companies today at Railroad Day on Capitol Hill.

GE Transportation and the Port of Long Beach, California, have partnered to roll out a new data-based pilot program aimed at improving cargo flow.

As part of a two- to three-month pilot, GE will implement its Port Optimizer™ solution at the port's marine terminals, including the Long Beach Container Terminal.

​​The Association of American Railroads (AAR) today reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending March 3, 2018, as well as volumes for February 2018.

U.S. railroads originated 1,028,141 carloads in February 2018, down 0.3 percent, or 2,753 carloads, from February 2017. U.S. railroads also originated 1,104,001 containers and trailers in February 2018, up 6.9 percent, or 70,970 units, from the same month last year. Combined U.S. carload and intermodal originations in February 2018 were 2,132,142, up 3.3 percent, or 68,217 carloads and intermodal units from February 2017.

Metrolinx and Infrastructure Ontario (IO) have issued a request for qualifications for firms to build and finance GO Transit's Lakeshore East-West Corridor expansion project in the Toronto area.

The project calls for infrastructure upgrades to accommodate the planned expansion of GO rail service on the Lakeshore East line.

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A House committee hearing yesterday on President Donald Trump's infrastructure proposal led to some tense exchanges between U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao and lawmakers from New York and New Jersey over the administration's support of the Hudson River rail tunnel replacement project.