Railroad News

The Virginia Avenue Tunnel in Washington, D.C., hosted its first train on Dec. 23., marking the on-time completion of the first phase of the project.

The two-phase tunnel project is the final of 61 clearance projects included in the $850-million National Gateway Initiative, which will clear the way for double-stacked intermodal freight to be transported between Mid-Atlantic seaports and the Midwest on CSX's network.

A $1.99 billion Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) agreement between Sound Transit and the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) will support the construction of three light-rail extensions and a maintenance facility.

"This announcement demonstrates that the Build America Bureau is already playing a major role in how projects are planned and paid for by streamlining the financing process and bringing together valuable tools for accessing federal dollars. This means projects contemplated under the Master Credit Agreement can move forward more quickly and effectively," said USDOT Secretary Anthony Foxx. "We are proud of the work done through the Bureau to speed investments needed in growing regions like the Pacific Northwest. This development is a big win for the entire region."

A $1.99 billion Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) agreement between Sound Transit and the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) will support the construction of three light-rail extensions and a maintenance facility.

"This announcement demonstrates that the Build America Bureau is already playing a major role in how projects are planned and paid for by streamlining the financing process and bringing together valuable tools for accessing federal dollars. This means projects contemplated under the Master Credit Agreement can move forward more quickly and effectively," said USDOT Secretary Anthony Foxx. "We are proud of the work done through the Bureau to speed investments needed in growing regions like the Pacific Northwest. This development is a big win for the entire region."

Watco Companies (Watco) has acquired the majority shareholding in Intermodal Group Pty Ltd (IMG), effective Dec. 22.

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has collected a record-breaking rate of civil penalties, surpassing the bar set last year, which was also a record.

For Fiscal Year (FY) 2016, the agency expects to collect 79 percent of the civil penalties it issued to railroads, hazardous materials shippers and others for violating federal safety regulations, a four-percent increase over FY2015, and the largest percentage rate ever closed by the agency. The total amount of civil penalties in FY2016 hit $15.75 million, more than a half-million more than the $15.08 million in FY2015.

Shortline railroad executive David L. Parkinson died Dec. 17 in Palm Desert, Calif., following a brief illness. He was 78 years old.

A new grade separation, part of the Chicago Region Environmental and Transportation Efficiency (CREATE) Program, opened at 25th Avenue over Union Pacific's line in Bellwood, Ill., on Dec. 22.

The Kansas City Streetcar Authority (KCSA), the Port KC and the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority (KCATA) have selected the team that will conduct a study to assess the possible extension of the Kansas City Streetcar.

G3 Terminal Vancouver, an affiliate of G3 Global Holdings (G3), has announced plans to build a modernized grain export terminal in North Vancouver, British Columbia.

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) will begin an analysis in January 2017 of a proposal to bring passenger rail service between Chicago, Fort Wayne, Ind., and Columbus, Ohio.

Project stakeholders say engaging FRA in the Alternatives Analysis and Public Input process is the first step to establishing a new rail line.

A plan to replace two road bridges and build a rail tunnel in Middlebury, Vt., is being delayed in order for the project's environmental impact to be studied.

The Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTrans) has been working with the Town of Middlebury and stakeholder groups in recent months to advance the project that replaces two aging highway bridges that cross the rail line known as the Western Corridor. VTrans says that due to objections raised recently, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and VTrans work will likely not begin in 2017, which will allow time for a more detailed examination of project risks under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) completed signal and safety upgrades on the PATH 33rd Street line, which will return to normal service on Dec. 24.

The work done on the 33rd Street Line is part of PATH's Signal System Replacement program that the agency says is a key component to the modernization of its system and will ensure the long-term viability of PATH. The project included installation of Positive Train Control (PTC) to provide additional safety upgrades for riders.

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has approved the Metropolitan Council’s Southwest LRT Project’s (SWLRT) entry into the engineering phase.

The National Railroad Construction and Maintenance Association (NRC) has named honorees for its 2016 special awards.

The 2016 NRC Field Employee of the Year is Greg Dunn, project manager for Herzog Contracting Corp. Dunn began as a heavy equipment operator more than 30 years ago and has worked his way through the ranks to his current position successfully managing more than 15 rail and heavy civil projects for clients that include Amtrak, North County Transit District, the Southern California Regional Rail Authority and the San Diego Association of Governments. Alan L. Landes, Herzog Contracting's president and CEO described Dunn as one of the company's more trustworthy professionals.

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) Fiscal and Management Control Board (FMCB) has voted in favor of amending the Ruggles Station Transportation Project contract with Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc., (VHB) to expand the project’s design and accessibility work.

A new intermodal facility that will connect the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) GCT Bayonne terminal to CSX and Norfolk Southern broke ground on Dec. 19.

GCT USA and PANYNJ said the ExpressRail Port Jersey facility ("Greenville Yard") will be a major ship-to-rail port project located directly adjacent to the recently expanded, state-of-the-art GCT Bayonne container terminal. This project will complete the agency's more than $600 million initiative that establishes direct access to on-dock or near-dock rail service for all of its major marine terminals.

The Port of Long Beach (POLB) released a draft environmental study on its proposal to reconfigure and expand the Pier B on-dock rail facility.

Railtech Matweld announced Dec. 13 that it has finalized its merger and integration with Railtech Boutet over the past few months.

New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) Second Avenue Subway will make its inaugural ride in time for New Year’s Eve this year, with revenue service launching at noon on Jan. 1.

The Southern Rail Commission (SRC) has allocated more than $2.47 million in Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) funding to 11 communities in three states to be used for improvements supporting potential restoration of passenger rail service.

The SRC says the communities in Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi intend to use the funds for station-area planning and construction projects that will ensure safe access and better connectivity to and from the station, improved convenience for riders, updated facilities and leveraged economic opportunity that comes with station redevelopment.