Railroad News

Sound Transit has named Kimberly Farley deputy chief executive officer.

Working alongside current Deputy CEO Mike Harbour until his retirement late next year, Farley will play a vital role in expanding transit service across the Central Puget Sound region, agency officials said in a press release.

The South Carolina Ports Authority (SCPA) yesterday adopted a $277.6 million capex plan for fiscal-year 2019.

The largest capital plan in the authority's history, the program includes funds for projects to modernize terminals, increase capacity and accommodate intermodal growth, SCPA officials said in a press release.

The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) announced Jason Orthner has been named director of the department's rail division.

Orthner joined NCDOT in 2000 as a senior project engineer in the rail division and subsequently held the role of engineering manager. Since 2013, he has managed the division's design and construction branch.

U.S. rail traffic rose 4.1 percent to 558,098 carloads and intermodal units for the week ending June 16 compared with traffic in the same week a year ago, according to Association of American Railroads (AAR) data.

Total carloads rose 1.9 percent to 269,748 units during the week, while intermodal volume climbed 6.3 percent to 288,350 containers and trailers compared with the same week in 2017.

Port of Prince Rupert and DP World officials have agreed on expansion plans for the Fairview Container Terminal.

The plan calls for adding 6,680 feet of working track, for a total of 24,680 feet of on-dock rail by 2022, port officials said in a press release.

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority's (MBTA) proposed North South commuter-rail project could cost $12.3 billion to $21.5 billion, according to an ongoing feasibility study.

The project calls for building 2.8-mile-long tunnels to connect Boston's North and South stations. The cost estimates cover tunnel construction, new or additional locomotives or coaches, improvements to support higher service levels and risk contingencies, MBTA officials said in a press release.

Kansas City Southern will acquire 50 new locomotives from GE Transportation for the railroad's subsidiaries in the United States and Mexico, the companies announced today.

The first units are expected to be delivered in early 2019. The agreement includes digital solutions to help improve operations and fuel efficiency, according to a jointly issued press release.

GE Transportation is rolling out new capabilities and features on its EdgeLINC™ platform to extend scalability, device support and deployment options. The new features include cloud support to complement the platform's on-premise offering, software development kits to drive device integration for non-native Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) devices and Android-based devices, and device collaboration and support for Kontron and MEN Micro devices. The updates are designed to "unlock the power of real-time device processing and optimization," GE officials said in a press release. Deployed on more than 1,000 locomotives, the EdgeLINC platform provides IIoT connectivity and data flow management, device management and streaming analytics.

Princeton TMX and RSI Logistics have formed a strategic alliance to offer shippers a combined truck and rail transportation management software (TMS) platform. Princeton TMX provides a TMS platform that leverages 16 configurable modules to automate and optimize transportation transactions between shippers and truck carriers, while RSI offers its RSInet™rail management application. The alliance is aimed at leveraging the firms' combined capabilities to provide a comprehensive, "shipper-focused" solution, company officials said in a joint press release.

Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) officials and Mayor Rahm Emanuel last week broke ground on the $50 million Garfield Gateway project, which is designed to make major improvements to the Garfield Green Line station.

The Garfield Gateway project is expected to improve the transit experience and create a community focal point for the Washington Park community, CTA officials said in a press release.

The National Retail Federation (NRF) earlier this week expressed concern about the impact of tariffs on an additional $200 billion in Chinese goods if China does not yield to U.S. trade demands.

The NRF's comments followed remarks by President Trump on Monday, who said his administration was prepared to impose tariffs on another $200 billion worth of Chinese goods if China doesn't change its practices. His comments followed his announcement earlier this month that the U.S. would impose tariffs on $50 billion worth of Chinese imports.

The Regional Transportation District of Denver (RTD) has received approval from the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) and Colorado Public Utilities Commission  (CPUC) to remove crossing attendants or "flaggers" from six of 11 grade crossings on the University of Colorado A Line.

The line operates between Denver Union Station and Denver International Airport. Denver Transit Partners, which operates the line under contract to RTD, will begin removing the flaggers in a phased approach starting Friday.

Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) has promoted Nicole Fontayne-Bardowell to executive vice president and chief administrative officer.

She succeeds former Chief Financial Officer David Leininger in the agency's top administrative role. Leininger retired earlier this year.

VIA Rail Canada Inc. earlier this week unveiled a list of four companies chosen to participate in a request for proposals (RFP) to replace the railroad's rolling stock along the Quebec City-Windsor corridor.

The Ramsey County Board of Commissioners in Minnesota yesterday endorsed a plan to build a 12-mile streetcar line connecting downtown St. Paul, Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport and the Mall of America in Bloomington.

The Riverview Corridor project would use existing Metro Transit Green Line light-rail infrastructure at St. Paul's Union Depot and in the city's downtown. The streetcar line also would use Metro Transit's Blue Line infrastructure south of the Mississippi River, starting at Fort Snelling.

CN will spend CA$210 million of its 2018 capital program to improve and expand its network in Saskatchewan.

The Class I's projects will include more than 20 miles of new double track in three locations across the province. Other capital program investments will focus on the replacement, upgrade and maintenance of key track infrastructure to improve overall safety and efficiency, CN officials said in a press release.

TransLink has proposed using distance-based fares for rides on SkyTrain, SeaBus and future rapid rail projects.

Under the proposal, the agency's existing three-zone system would be replaced with one that charges customers based on the number of kilometers they travel between stations. The maximum fare would remain the same as it is under the current zone system.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have included $556,250 in its 2018 work plan for the start of a feasibility study for the Miami Harbor Safety and Navigational Channel Improvements Program at PortMiami.
 
The channel improvements are necessary to accommodate economic growth at the port and in the region. Safety and navigational enhancements will enable the port to accommodate vessels carrying 14,000 20-foot-equivalent-units calling on the East Coast, Miami-Dade officials said in a press release.

"In order to expand the economic significance of PortMiami, sustained investments in infrastructure are critical," said Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez. "The stronger we are economically, the more resilient Miami-Dade County can be as a community."
 
The study is another key step to respond to customers and the "next generation of cruise and cargo business," said Port Director Juan Kuryla.

CentrePort Canada Inc. has issued a request for proposals (RFP) for a partner to develop a 665-acre rail park in Rosser, Manitoba.

The park will be designed to combine industrial space with logistics infrastructure and services to attract "rail-intensive companies," CentrePort officials said in a press release.

The League of Railway Women (LRW) has begun accepting applications for its annual "outstanding member of the year" award.

The award honors a league member who has a passion for the rail industry, commitment to community service, and dedication to leadership and support for the personal and professional growth of women in rail.

MTA New York City Transit (NYCT) has appointed Alex Elegudin senior adviser for systemwide accessibility.

Elegudin will oversee expansion of accessibility for subway and bus riders, as well as improvements to the Access-A-Ride paratransit service. The efforts are part of NYCT President Andy Byford's plan to modernize subways and buses.