Railroad News

Four federal agencies have issued an advisory document to help non-federal public and private entities understand federal laws and regulations that may apply to the capabilities to detect and mitigate threats posed by unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) operations.

The advisory was developed by the Department of Justice (DOJ), Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). It provides a brief overview of provisions in the U.S. criminal code enforced by DOJ, as well as federal laws and regulations related to aviation safety and efficiency, transportation and airport security, and the radio frequency spectrum administered by the FAA, DHS and FCC.

The South Coast Rail Constructors joint venture has submitted the lowest competitive bid for the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority’s (MBTA) South Coast Rail expansion project, Tutor Perini Corp. announced yesterday. 

The anticipated contract value is about $403 million. The project scope includes construction of about 25 miles of trackway and signal systems, and four new MBTA commuter-rail stations.

Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) today began offering its fifth green bond issuance to further rebuild projects across its rail system. 

The estimated $700 million of proceeds from the bond sale will go toward track replacement, tunnel repair, station improvements and train-control system upgrades of the San Francisco-based system, BART officials said in a press release.

The Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon (TriMet) this week reached the halfway point on major repairs of the MAX light-rail system on the Steel Bridge over the Willamette River in Portland.

Work on the upper deck of the 108-year-old bridge has included demolition, rail replacement, and the installation of new switch sections and new signal system.

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) on Aug. 23 will reopen the East Falls Church and Arlington Cemetery stations after months of closure.

East Fall Church Station is reopening ahead of schedule after being closed as part of a project to reconstruct outdoor platforms at four Orange Line stations. Meanwhile, Arlington Cemetery Station is reopening after being shuttered since March due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In July, the Port of Long Beach, California, marked the busiest month in the port's 109-year history, as terminal operators and dockworkers moved 753,081 container units, topping a record set two years ago.

The previous single-month record of 752,188 20-foot-equivalent units (TEUs) set in June 2018 was surpassed by nearly 900 TEUs, port officials said in a press release.

BNSF Railway Co. recently recognized 106 customers with its annual Product Stewardship Award for the safe transportation of hazardous materials by rail during 2019. 

Companies receiving the award transported an established minimum of loaded tank cars of hazardous materials with zero non-accident releases during last year's full transportation cycle, BNSF officials said in a press release.

Melissa Smith, 36
Director of indirect spend
Kansas City Southern 

Nominator’s quote: “Her work ethic, integrity and willingness to take on more and more sets her apart from many her age. Her contributions to Kansas City Southern (KCS) — and ultimately to the rail industry — are often ‘thankless tasks’ or ones that aren’t necessarily high profile. But, her contributions to KCS allow us to continue on our vision.” — Bill Blaise, KCS

Colorado state officials last week formed an accountability committee in partnership with members of the Regional Transportation District of Denver's (RTD) board to set recommendations for RTD’s improvement. 

The independent committee of 11 people from diverse backgrounds and expertise will review the agency’s use of federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act funds, the structure of RTD governance and executive leadership, and the agency’s resource prioritization, RTD officials said in a press release.

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) late last week began testing a new signal room south of the Kings Highway subway station and new solid-state interlocking equipment as part of a broader modernization of the F Line in Brooklyn, New York.

The new infrastructure will allow MTA New York City Transit crews to respond faster and provide alternative service options when there are disruptions, MTA officials said in a press release. 

Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) last week received its second delivery of rail from Steel Dynamics Inc. for the planned Silver Line.

The delivery allows crews to advance work on the 26-mile commuter-rail line into the heavier construction phase. 

Snow and ice buildup underneath a rail led to the derailment in February of a CN crude-oil train in Emo, Ontario, according to a Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) report.

The train derailed Feb. 18 on a curve as it traveled from Winnipeg to Fort Frances, Ontario, on CN's Sprague and Fort Frances subdivisions,TSB officials said in their report. The train was hauling 144 freight cars, 33 of which left the track. Some of the cars spilled crude oil.

Karen Monroy Lopez, 34
Community relations, corporate social responsibility coordinator
Kansas City Southern de Mexico

Nominator’s quote: “[Karen’s] relentless effort to bridge Kansas City Southern de Mexico (KCSM) to the communities we serve has created a positive goodwill among the Mexican people toward the rail industry. … It is Karen’s grassroots efforts that are at the heart and soul of our rail industry and promoting growth and development throughout all levels within Mexico.” — Jose Zozaya Delano, KCSM

Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) selected Systra Consulting Inc. to provide design services during deployment of the agency’s communications-based train control (CBTC) system. Systra will support BART as the agency modernizes aging and obsolete train control equipment. “This is one of the most complex CBTC modernization programs in North America,” Systra officials said in a press release. 

Masabi launched a mobile ticketing application for EMT Valencia in Spain. The EMTicket app allows rail and bus passengers to purchase and display tickets directly on their smartphones, and validate fares with no contract. With the introduction of EMTicket, Valencia becomes the first city in Spain to phase out cash payments in favor of contactless payment options, Masabi officials said in a press release.

The Freight Transportation Services Index (TSI) rose 0.9 percent in June from May, rising for the second consecutive month, the U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) reported earlier this week.

The index is based on the amount of freight carried by the for-hire transportation industry. It measures the month-to-month changes in for-hire freight shipments by mode of transportation in tons and ton-miles, which are combined into one index. The TSI consists of data from the trucking, rail, inland waterways, pipelines and air freight.

Metrolinx’s Toronto Tunnel Partners last week completed excavation on one of two rail tunnels under Highways 401 and 409 as part of a project to expand the Kitchener GO Transit line in the Toronto and Hamilton area.

The project includes construction of two rail tunnels under 21 lanes of Highways 401 and 409 to accommodate two additional rail tracks, future signaling and communications infrastructure to help increase capacity on the Kitchener corridor and support more frequent rail service on the line. 

This month, Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) officials are testing two new pilot projects to improve train air filtration to help stop the spread of the coronavirus.

BART is testing a higher-grade, denser air filter panel that will trap smaller particles on trains, and an ultraviolet (UV-C) light source inside the train's HVAC unit.