Railroad News

Metra in Chicago last week deployed a new rail-car with additional bicycle storage on the Milwaukee District North Line as part of a pilot program that will last until spring 2021. 

The bike car will have room to store 16 bicycles instead of the usual five allowed on Metra rail cars. The car will operate on four inbound and four outbound trains during the week and two inbound and two outbound trains on Saturdays. 

The Societe de transport de Montreal (STM) last week adopted an American Public Transportation Association (APTA)  safety program aimed at encouraging riders to use public transit during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Under the program, STM committed to:

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo yesterday announced that major construction has been completed on Amtrak’s Exchange Street Station in downtown Buffalo. 

The station was designed to accommodate additional train routes and future expansion of intercity bus service, Cuomo said in a press release.

Caltrain’s board last week voted to close its rail station in Atherton, California, due to low ridership and dated infrastructure.

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Atherton Station received limited weekend-only service and averaged 114 passengers per weekend day. Weekday service to the station was cut in 2005 due to low demand.

The Surface Transportation Board (STB) last week approved Pacific Sun Railroad's request to discontinue its operations over 21.5 miles of rail line leased from BNSF Railway Co., as well as trackage rights on 45.49 miles of rail line on BNSF in San Diego County, California.

The STB's decision takes effect Dec. 5.

Canada's Transport Minister Marc Garneau last week ordered railroads to reduce their train speeds based on frigid temperatures to ensure the safe transportation of dangerous goods in colder weather.

The order, issued under the Rail Safety Act, is aimed at further reducing the risk of derailments during winter months, Transport Canada officials said in a press release. Restricting train speeds will be based on temperature conditions rather than on a winter date range, as required under a previous order.

Amtrak is looking forward to working with President-elect Joe Biden and Congress to help get the nation's economy moving again during and after the pandemic, Amtrak President and Chief Executive Officer Bill Flynn said over the weekend.

Flynn also reiterated his request that Congress act now on pandemic relief and economic stimulus funding, which would enable Amtrak to recall furloughed employees, restore service frequency on long-distance and state-supported routes and advance capital projects on its network.

Jaguar Transport Holdings acquired the Marion Industrial Center in Marion, Ohio, and will rename it the Marion Industrial Rail Park. The center features 8 miles of rail infrastructure, rail switching and rail-car maintenance services, transloading operations, third-party logistics services and 1.55 million square free of distribution facilities. The site also has over 511 industrial-zoned acres with 200 ready for further development, Jaguar Transport officials said in a press release.

VIA Rail Canada Inc. selected CGI Inc. to assist in implementing a passenger reservation system. The implementation will include the latest digital and cloud technologies to help the railroad create an integrated travel experience for riders, CGI officials said in a press release.

Pat Williams, former general chairman of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET)'s BNSF General Committee of Adjustment, died Oct. 29 from complications related to a blood infection, union officials announced this week. He was 68.

Williams was a U.S. Navy veteran and served in Vietnam. He began his rail career in July 1969 as a conductor for the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe (AT&SF) Railroad, and was promoted to locomotive engineer in 1978, working primarily out of Belen, New Mexico. In 1977, Williams became a member of the BLET in Belen, and remained with the union for more than 40 years.

The Denton County Transportation Authority (DCTA) yesterday was awarded the Achievement of Excellence in Procurement® (AEP)  from the National Procurement Institute Inc. (NPI) for the fifth consecutive year.

The AEP award is given annually to public and nonprofit organizations that demonstrate innovation, professionalism, productivity and leadership in procurement functions. Recipients are scored based on standardized criteria, DCTA officials said in a press release. 

Beginning Nov. 8, New Jersey Transit will restore some weekend service that was cut back due to lower ridership during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Under the fall service adjustment, additional trains will stop at Garwood, Avenel, North Elizabeth, Teterboro and Woodcliff Lake stations. 

A&R Logistics Inc., a supply chain services company for the chemical industry, has opened a new facility at Ameriport Industrial Park in Baytown, Texas.

A&R currently operates three facilities at the park, totaling 800,000 square feet. The company is purchasing select operating assets and assuming the lease formerly held by Baytown Packhouse, A&R officials said in a press release.

The Sonoma Marin Area Rail Transit (SMART) in California earlier this week hired Heather McKillop as chief financial officer.

McKillop will oversee SMART’s financial management, including day-to-day accounting, budget, payroll and financial management.

The Port of Virginia yesterday accepted delivery of two massive container cranes at Norfolk International Terminals (NIT), the final pieces of equipment needed to complete the $450 million renovation of the terminal's South Berth.

"It's a landmark moment for the Port of Virginia because it signals the completion of the overall expansion of this port that started back in 2016," said John Reinhart, chief executive officer and executive director of the Virginia Port Authority, in a press release.

The Regional Transportation District of Denver (RTD) last week launched a website application to enable rail riders to monitor and manage upcoming trips on the agency’s Access-a-Rider paratransit service.

The online portal enables riders to track their ride in real time, book new trips and cancel scheduled trips. 

Caltrain officials are considering adjusting winter service to better serve riders in California who depend on the passenger-rail system during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

By mid-December, Caltrain plans to offer more frequent off-peak and weekend train service. The change would provide more service at times when essential workers and transit-dependent riders are likely to travel, Caltrain officials said in a press release. 

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) last month released a draft study of the potential benefits and costs of a passenger-rail service that would connect western, central and eastern Massachusetts. 

Community leaders, stakeholders and residents expressed a desire for a passenger-rail link to improve multimodal transportation options in Massachusetts towns west of Worcester, MassDOT officials said in the study’s executive summary.