Railroad News

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said yesterday that Amtrak should pay for "mitigation expenses" related to a summer of altered commuter-rail schedules as the railroad makes emergency repairs to Penn Station in New York City.

Although the amount of mitigation expenses is not yet known, the cost should not be paid for by commuters or New York state taxpayers, Cuomo said in a prepared statement.

Ontario Transportation Minister Steve Del Duca visited Go Transit's Willowbrook depot on June 15 to announce that the province has launched the Transit Project Assessment Process (TPAP) for the Go Rail Electrification program.

Ontario Transportation Minister Steve Del Duca visited Go Transit's Willowbrook depot on June 15 to announce that the province has launched the Transit Project Assessment Process (TPAP) for the Go Rail Electrification program.

Ontario Transportation Minister Steve Del Duca visited Go Transit's Willowbrook depot on June 15 to announce that the province has launched the Transit Project Assessment Process (TPAP) for the Go Rail Electrification program.

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) released a Request for Proposals (RFP) to study and identify current and future commuter rail needs and improvements as part of the MBTA's Commuter Rail Vision.

"Commuter rail is going to play a more important role than ever before in the years ahead as people seek to reduce their carbon footprint, look for more efficient travel options and strive for more life-work balance by putting the time spent commuting to good use in either relaxing or finishing up with office responsibilities," said Massachusetts Department of Transportation Secretary and CEO Stephanie Pollack. "The Fiscal and Management Control Board (FMCB) and MBTA management team hope to look at housing, real estate, and other factors that will have an impact on the demand for commuter rail."

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) released a Request for Proposals (RFP) to study and identify current and future commuter rail needs and improvements as part of the MBTA's Commuter Rail Vision.

"Commuter rail is going to play a more important role than ever before in the years ahead as people seek to reduce their carbon footprint, look for more efficient travel options and strive for more life-work balance by putting the time spent commuting to good use in either relaxing or finishing up with office responsibilities," said Massachusetts Department of Transportation Secretary and CEO Stephanie Pollack. "The Fiscal and Management Control Board (FMCB) and MBTA management team hope to look at housing, real estate, and other factors that will have an impact on the demand for commuter rail."

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) released a Request for Proposals (RFP) to study and identify current and future commuter rail needs and improvements as part of the MBTA's Commuter Rail Vision.

"Commuter rail is going to play a more important role than ever before in the years ahead as people seek to reduce their carbon footprint, look for more efficient travel options and strive for more life-work balance by putting the time spent commuting to good use in either relaxing or finishing up with office responsibilities," said Massachusetts Department of Transportation Secretary and CEO Stephanie Pollack. "The Fiscal and Management Control Board (FMCB) and MBTA management team hope to look at housing, real estate, and other factors that will have an impact on the demand for commuter rail."

Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau announced on June 15 that the federal government will contribute CA $1.28 billion (US $960 million) towards the CA $6.04 billion (US $4.56 billion) cost of constructing Montreal's Metropolitan Electric Network (REM).

Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau announced on June 15 that the federal government will contribute CA $1.28 billion (US $960 million) towards the CA $6.04 billion (US $4.56 billion) cost of constructing Montreal's Metropolitan Electric Network (REM).

Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau announced on June 15 that the federal government will contribute CA $1.28 billion (US $960 million) towards the CA $6.04 billion (US $4.56 billion) cost of constructing Montreal's Metropolitan Electric Network (REM).

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

The Pacific Harbor Line (PHL) has received the Patriotic Employer Award from the U.S. Department of Defense Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve program.

The award honors employers' efforts to support members of the National Guard and Reserve.

The probable cause of an Amtrak train derailment in Vermont in October 2015 was the train's collision with debris that had fallen on the track after a rock slide, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) announced last week.

The incident occurred the morning of Oct. 5, 2015, when Amtrak Train 55 hit a rock pile that fouled the track on the New England Central Railroad (NECR) Roxbury Subdivision near Northfield, Vt. The collision caused the locomotive and four coach cars to derail, injuring four crew members and three passengers, according to the NTSB's accident brief.

PortMiami yesterday welcomed the Maersk Shanghai container ship, the largest vessel to call on a Florida deep-water port, the port announced Wednesday.

At 1,063 feet long and 159 feet wide, the ship has a carrying capacity of 10,081 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs). The vessel started its journey in China and arrived in Miami through the Suez Canal.

U.S. railroads posted a 6.2 percent increase in rail traffic for the week ending June 10 compared with the same week a year ago, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported yesterday.

During Week 23, total U.S. carload and intermodal traffic was 545,317 units. Carload volume rose 7.1 percent to 265,717 units, while intermodal volume climbed 5.3 percent to 279,600 containers and trailers compared with the same week in 2016, according to an AAR press release.

As the summer season gets underway, Amtrak is raising awareness about safety in an effort to reduce injuries and fatalities resulting from unsafe behavior by motorists and pedestrians on railroad crossings and tracks.

According to the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), vehicle-train collisions at highway-rail grade crossings fell 2.4 percent in 2016. Amtrak cites the FRA data shows that the number of people killed in these incidents rose 13.7 percent last year, and deaths due to train track trespassing increased 12.8 percent. Total trespass-related casualties increased 14.5 percent from 2015 levels.

As the summer season gets underway, Amtrak is raising awareness about safety in an effort to reduce injuries and fatalities resulting from unsafe behavior by motorists and pedestrians on railroad crossings and tracks.

According to the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), vehicle-train collisions at highway-rail grade crossings fell 2.4 percent in 2016. Amtrak cites the FRA data shows that the number of people killed in these incidents rose 13.7 percent last year, and deaths due to train track trespassing increased 12.8 percent. Total trespass-related casualties increased 14.5 percent from 2015 levels.

As the summer season gets underway, Amtrak is raising awareness about safety in an effort to reduce injuries and fatalities resulting from unsafe behavior by motorists and pedestrians on railroad crossings and tracks.

According to the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), vehicle-train collisions at highway-rail grade crossings fell 2.4 percent in 2016. Amtrak cites the FRA data shows that the number of people killed in these incidents rose 13.7 percent last year, and deaths due to train track trespassing increased 12.8 percent. Total trespass-related casualties increased 14.5 percent from 2015 levels.

The American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA) yesterday announced the 308 railroad recipients of its annual Jake Awards, which recognize above-industry average safety performance in 2016.

To receive the award, an ASLRRA member railroad must perform better than the Class I and III industry average injury frequency rate as reported by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) during the prior year.

New Jersey Transit late last week published new weekday rail schedules in advance of summer repairs to New York City's Penn Station.

To accommodate Amtrak's emergency repairs to the station, NJ Transit altered the service schedule for July 10 through Sept. 1.