Railroad News

Union Pacific (UP) has shared recent strides it has made toward the required implementation of positive train control (PTC) as federal deadlines loom ahead.

The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA), elected officials and community members gathered April 25 for a ceremonial naming and unveiling of the tunnel boring machines (TBMs) that will dig twin four-mile tunnels under Wilshire Boulevard for the Purple Line Extension Project.

Belt Railway Company of Chicago (BRC) President Pat O'Brien will be retiring this summer after 32 years with the railroad, the past 16 years as president. Norfolk Southern veteran Mike Grace will replace him.

Kansas City Southern (KCS) has announced a new weekly intermodal service between the Port of New Orleans (Port NOLA) and Wylie, Texas, beginning in May.

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) will send crews out along several of its system's branches this weekend to perform enhancement work and positive train control (PTC) testing.

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) plans to hold three seminars across the country to discuss regulations pertaining to drug testing and safety-related employee training.

WSP USA, formerly WSP Parsons Brinckerhoff, has named Keith Powley as a senior engineering manager and rail transportation construction program manager in Charlotte, N.C.

Three states¬ – Arizona, Georgia and Pennsylvania – have obtained Federal Transit Administration (FTA) certification of their State Safety Oversight (SSO) Programs.

The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA) wrapped up a project to increase pedestrian safety at more than two dozen Blue Line crossings following approval from the California Public Utilities Commission.

The $31.5 million project began in November 2015 and is part of a larger $1.2 billion effort to upgrade the Blue Line, which is LACMTA's oldest and most frequently used light-rail line. Work performed at the 27 crossings included new pedestrian swing gates and crossing gates, new and wider walkways, new continental crosswalk pavement striping, ADA curb ramps and roadway improvements, as well as the installation of improved signage.

CSX Corporation has announced the appointment of Brian Barr, vice president of mechanical, to serve as the company's new senior vice president of engineering and mechanical.

Union Pacific (UP) plans to invest $2.1 million to strengthen Montana's transportation infrastructure in 2018.

The U.S. Department of Transportation is retiring the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant program name and will award the $1.5 billion available in discretionary grant funding as Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) Transportation Discretionary Grants.

Stephen Kambol has been has been tapped to serve as a senior project manager for WSP USA's Seattle office.

Union Pacific (UP) has announced it will invest $6 million to enhance Minnesota's transportation infrastructure this year.

Laura McNichol has been named senior vice president of government and industry relations at Watco Companies.

McNichol joined Watco in January 2017 as vice president of government and industry relations and is based in Washington, D.C. Watco said she will lead the company's public policy efforts on the 45G shortline tax credit, seeking funding for the nation's inland waterway system in support of Watco's terminal and ports' customers and protecting the industry against damaging policies, such as efforts to increase truck size and weight limits.

Rep. Scotty Perry (R-PA-4), a member of the House Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure, joined representatives from Aaron Enterprises Inc., Genesee and Wyoming Inc., and other Pennsylvania businesses on April 20 for a tour and discussion of transportation policy at Aaron Enterprises' facility.

Nathan Henderson, executive vice president of Midwest Pacific Rail Net & Logistics and managing partner and chief operating office of North America Rail Partners, LLC, died April 18, 2018.

Henderson, 44, began his rail career with CSX in 1998 and moved up to division manager before joining R. J. Corman Railroad Group in 2011 as vice president of operations. He served as vice president of material sales, vice president of strategic sales and marketing and chief commercial officer at R. J. Corman Railroad Group before being named president of R. J. Corman Railroad Services in January 2017.

Connecticut Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, alongside Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) Commissioner James P. Redeker and numerous federal and state officials, held a ceremony to commemorate the grand opening of the new CTRail Hartford Line Meriden Station on April 19.

The station will provide service to existing Amtrak trains and future Hartford Line trains when the CTRail Hartford Line passenger rail service launches in June 2018.

U.S. Rep. Ted Budd (R-NC) sent a letter April 19 to Office of Management and Budget Director Mick Mulvaney, which urged him to advise President Trump to rescind recent funding that could be used to move the Gateway Program forward.

Rep. Budd's letter was signed by 26 GOP members of the House, which represents a bit more than 11 percent of the seats currently held by Republicans in the House and just shy of 6 percent of the total 435 seats.

The University of British Columbia (UBC) Board of Governors approved an advocacy strategy on April 19 to accelerate completion of the SkyTrain line to UBC's Point Grey campus.

The university said the need for improved regional transit connectivity emerged as a key theme during consultations on UBC's new Strategic Plan and pursuing an accelerated investment in rail rapid transit to campus directly supports the plan's three themes: collaboration, inclusion and innovation.