Railroad News

People with expertise in transportation related roles have been shifting agencies and positions this week with major job changes occurring among the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee and a nomination to the National Transportation Safety Board.

HNTB Corporation has announced the addition of John Orrison as a senior technical advisor in the railway engineering practice.

Union Pacific will invest $22.3 million into its Idaho network as part of the state's capital program for the year.

Infrastructure Ontario (IO) and Metrolinx have issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) and a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for two projects that will help expand GO Transit rail service to improve the movement of people around the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area.

Five prequalified teams received the RFP to build and finance the Lakeshore East – Central Corridor Expansion project. The project includes two grade separations, track grading and drainage work and all supporting infrastructure.

Mosaic Transit Group has been selected by Metrolinx and Infrastructure Ontario as the preferred proponent for the Finch West Light Rail Transit (LRT) project in Toronto, Ontario.

The New Jersey Transit (NJ Transit) Board of Directors has approved the reconstruction of the Elizabeth rail station.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) named fatigue as the probable cause of a 2015 accident between two Southwestern Railroad trains in Roswell, N.M., that left one engineer dead and a conductor seriously injured.

The accident, which also derailed 11 locomotives and three empty hopper cars, occurred when a westbound Southwestern Railroad train traveled through a switch left in the reverse position at the east end of the Chisum siding and collided with Southwestern Railroad's Roswell Local, which was standing in the siding.

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report saying the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) can strengthen its safety oversight by improving the guidance provided to states.

Specifically, GAO recommends that FTA (1) create a plan, with a timeline, for developing risk-based inspection guidance for state safety agencies, and (2) develop and communicate a method for how FTA will monitor whether state safety agencies' enforcement practices are effective.

Two rail data and information security bills passed the U.S. House of Representatives on April 10, 2018. The two pieces of legislation, STB Information and Security Act (H.R. 4921) and The FRA Safety Data Improvement Act (H.R. 4925), now move to the Senate.

The American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA) annual meeting April 9-10 gave the Louisville & Indiana Railroad reason to celebrate, as the railroad was honored with three awards.

Amtrak will continue its Infrastructure Renewal program at New York Penn Station this summer, performing reconstruction work on The Empire Tunnel and the Spuyten Duyvil Bridge, as well as carrying out renewal work on Track 19.

Canadian prime minister, Mr Justin Trudeau, and the premier of Quebec, Mr Phillippe Couillard, announced on April 9 that federal and provincial funding will be made available for the extension of the Montreal metro Blue Line from Saint-Michel to Anjou.

The United States Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has awarded California's Sonoma Marin Area Rail Transit (Smart) a $US 22.5M grant to help fund the extension of its Santa Rosa - San Rafael commuter rail line to Larkspur ferry terminal.

Union Pacific (UP) announced plans to invest $31 million in its Washington network and $26.5 million in Arizona's network during 2018.

Genesee & Wyoming Inc. (GWI) announced last week the appointment of Cynthia L. Hostetler and Bruce J. Carter to its board of directors.

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.

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.