Railroad News

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo this week announced legislation that would make the state's current fracking ban permanent.

The measure would restrict the state's Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) from approving permits that would authorize the ability to drill, deepen, plug back or convert wells that use high-volume hydraulic fracturing as a way to complete well projects.

The Los Angeles–San Diego–San Luis Obispo (LOSSAN) rail corridor agency named Donna DeMartino managing director to succeed Jennifer Bergener, who was appointed deputy chief executive officer of the Orange County Transportation Authority.

Effective Jan. 27, DeMartino will lead efforts to improve passenger-rail ridership, reliability and safety along the corridor, as well as oversee management and operations of the Amtrak-operated Pacific Surfliner service.

The Alabama State Port Authority and AutoMOBILE International Terminal (AIT) earlier this week signed a concession agreement for a $60 million automobile roll on/roll off terminal now under construction at the Port of Mobile.

AIT will operate the facility when it's completed in early 2021.

MTA New York City Transit (NYCT) President Andy Byford yesterday announced he will resign his post after two years on the job.

Byford was recruited to the NYCT two years ago to help revive the city's ailing subway system. During his tenure, his efforts have earned praise from subway riders and public transportation advocates for improvements made to update the antiquated system.

TransLink in Vancouver, British Columbia, earlier this week added four new trains to the SkyTrain Canada Line service to increase rider capacity by 15 percent during peak hours. 

The four trains are the first of 12 that Hyundai Rotem in South Korea will deliver to TransLink this year. The trains will run on the Canada Line, a 12-mile route that links Vancouver, Richmond and the Vancouver International Airport. The line serves 16 stations.

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) yesterday announced it has awarded AECOM a $1.3 million contract to study the feasibility of initiating passenger service on a freight-only rail line that runs from Bay Ridge/Sunset Park in Brooklyn to Astoria in Queens, New York.

The study will evaluate cost and feasibility for subway, commuter-rail, light-rail or bus service that would operate in conjunction with existing freight-rail service to connect riders within Brooklyn and Queens, and create a potential for reverse commutes to the suburbs, MTA officials said in a press release.

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has signed off on Amtrak's permit application for a one-time movement of its next-generation high-speed train from the Alstom production plant in Hornell, New York, to the FRA's test track in Colorado, U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) announced yesterday.

Earlier this month, Schumer called on the FRA to fast-track Amtrak's permit application so that the train can be moved to the Pueblo, Colorado, facility, where the train will be inspected and tested for safety.

The Association of American Railroads (AAR) and GoRail on Tuesday presented U.S. Rep. James Clyburn (D-S.C.) with the Railroad Achievement Award in his district.

The award honors Clyburn for his longstanding leadership on surface transportation issues, including matters that affect freight and passenger railroads in South Carolina and across the nation, AAR officials said in a press release.

The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LA Metro) yesterday announced the appointments of seven new executives to the agency's leadership team. The new appointees will oversee system security and law enforcement, ethics, auditing, risk management, sustainability, and equity and race. 

The new executives are: Robert Green, chief system, security and law enforcement officer; Cindy Morgan Kim, chief ethics officer; KeAndra Cylear Dodds, executive officer of equity and race; Kenneth Hernandez, chief risk, safety, and asset management officer; Shalonda Baldwin, interim chief auditor; Cris Liban, chief sustainability officer; and Heather Marie Repenning, executive officer of sustainability policy.

U.S. freight railroads logged 499,732 carloads and intermodal units for the week ending Jan. 18, an 8 percent decline compared with the same week a year ago, according to Association of American Railroads (AAR) data.

Total carloads during the week fell 8.4 percent to 237,394, while intermodal volume dropped 7.7 percent to 262,338 containers and trailers.

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) yesterday announced it has awarded Sound Transit a $790 million grant to extend the transit agency’s light-rail system 7.8 miles within King County, Washington, and approved Sound Transit for a $629.5 million loan.

The $790 million full funding grant agreement will help fund the agency’s Federal Way Link extension project, which will extend light rail from the existing Angle Lake Station in SeaTac through Des Moines, Kent and Federal Way in southern King County. 

Union Pacific Railroad reported today that fourth-quarter 2019 net income fell to $1.4 billion, or $2.02 per diluted share, from $1.6 billion, or $2.12 per diluted share, in fourth-quarter 2018.

Operating revenue dipped 9 percent to $5.2 billion during the quarter compared to the same period a year ago. Fourth-quarter business volume — measured by total revenue carloads — decreased 11 percent.

Union Pacific Railroad reported today that fourth-quarter 2019 net income fell to $1.4 billion, or $2.02 per diluted share, from $1.6 billion, or $2.12 per diluted share, in fourth-quarter 2018.

Operating revenue dipped 9 percent to $5.2 billion during the quarter compared to the same period a year ago. Fourth-quarter business volume — measured by total revenue carloads — decreased 11 percent.

The Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) last week was recognized as one of Canada's top 100 employers for young people by Mediacorp Canada Inc. 

The annual competition recognizes organizations that offer the nation's best workplaces and programs to attract and retain young people starting their careers. The TTC was honored in part because of its robust student co-op, internship and apprenticeship program, TTC officials said in a press release.

The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) earlier this month was recognized with the Chestnut Hill Conservancy 2019 Preservation Recognition Award.

The award was presented Jan. 5 to recognize the transit agency's "commitment to preserving the character of community landmarks across the system," SEPTA officials said in a press release.

The Denton County Transportation Authority (DCTA) last month completed construction of a 19-mile mixed-used trail along its A-train commuter-rail line to connect pedestrians and cyclists between the Downtown Denton Transit Center and Hebron Station in Lewisville, Texas.

The $14 million project was completed in three phases. The trail's original 9 miles were completed in 2011 in conjunction with A-train line construction, followed by two other portions in 2016 and 2018. 

Progressive Railroading has opened its nomination process for the eighth annual "Rising Stars" Awards, a recognition program for up-and-coming leaders in North America's railroad industry.

Progressive Railroading defines a Rising Star as someone under the age of 40 who is making a positive difference in his or her company, department or team, and is viewed by others — peers, colleagues, supervisors, clients or associates — as a rising star in the rail industry.

The Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina departments of transportation have held public hearings on a Tier 1 draft environmental impact statement (DEIS) for a proposed Atlanta-to-Charlotte, North Carolina, passenger-rail corridor investment plan.

The draft compared three alternatives, two of which are "true" high-speed rail lines, according to a High Speed Rail Alliance newsletter. The Federal Railroad Administration defines "high-speed rail" as traveling between 90 mph and 150 mph or higher.

The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) will host an industry event next month to encourage small business contractors to get involved in a VTA project that will extend the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) rail service into Santa Clara County, California.

On Feb. 11, VTA will present an overview of the project’s scope and timeline, as well as construction contract and procurement information. After the presentation, small business and disadvantaged business enterprise representatives can meet with the project's prime contractors to learn more about opportunities to participate in the project, VTA officials said in a press release.

MTA New York City Transit (NYCT) yesterday unveiled the design of its newest subway cars now in production at the Kawasaki Rail Car Inc. facility in Lincoln, Nebraska. Thirty pilot rail cars will be delivered for testing by the end of the year.

The new rail car will feature wider doors to reduce delays when riders enter and exit trains; full color digital customer information and advertising displays; door opening alerts; security cameras; large windows; LED headlights; and a new paint scheme.