Railroad News

The Teamsters Canada Rail Conference (TCRC) has ratified a new five-year contract with CN, the railroad announced yesterday.

The agreement, which runs through Dec. 31, 2022, provides wage and benefit increases each year that it's in effect. The pact also modifies work rules that were "of concern to both CN and engineers," CN officials said in a press release.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will hold an investigative hearing July 10-11 on two recent Amtrak crashes.

The public hearing will explore issues involved in the Amtrak Cascades derailment in DuPont, Washington, on Dec. 18, 2017; and an Amtrak collision with a freight train on Feb. 4 near Cayce, South Carolina, NTSB officials said in a press release.

MTA New York City Transit (NYCT) President Andy Byford yesterday unveiled a sweeping plan to modernize the agency's subways and buses.

Titled "Fast Forward: The Plan to Modernize New York City Transit," the plan calls for updating the subway system's signals and track infrastructure to boost performance.

CN plans to acquire 1,000 new generation high-cube grain hopper cars over the next two years, the Class I announced today.

The investment is aimed at rejuvenating aging equipment needed to serve increasing annual crop yields, CN officials said in a press release. The new jumbo hopper cars will have 5,431 cubic feet of capacity.

The growth trend in U.S. freight-rail traffic continued during the week ending May 19, when railroads logged a 3.6 percent increase in carloads and intermodal units compared with the same week last year.

Total U.S. carloads for the week rose 1.2 percent to 261,273 units, while intermodal volume climbed 5.9 percent to 285,142 containers and trailers compared to a year ago period, according to Association of American Railroads (AAR) data.

Shortly after Huron Central Railway's (HCRY) announcement that it will cease operations by year's end, the Railway Association of Canada (RAC) on Tuesday called on the Canadian government to establish programs to help short lines invest in their infrastructure.

Earlier this week, HCRY owner Genesee & Wyoming Canada Inc. cited a "lack of necessary provincial funding" among its reasons for shuttering the 176-mile short line, which runs between Sault Ste. Marie and Sudbury, Ontario.

The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), Virgin Hyperloop One and AECOM yesterday announced they're advancing the second half of a feasibility study for a proposed hyperloop line in the state.

In late 2017, CDOT and Virgin Hyperloop One joined forces with AECOM to initiate the study, which is examining the technological and economic feasibility of a hyperloop transportation system in Colorado.

Miner Enterprises has acquired DFW Grating, a manufacturer of metal grating products. The acquisition will help expand Miner's existing product line, which includes draft gears, outlet gates, side bearings, brake beams, hatch covers and other rail-car components, Miner officials said in a press release. Financial terms were not disclosed. DFW Grating manufactures bar grating, diamond safety grating and round-hole safety grating. Those products have a range of applications, including rail-car running boards, intermodal platforms, end platforms and brake steps.

Wavetronix has agreed to acquire Island Radar Co. LLC, a developer of radar-based systems used to detect vehicles and trains in rail applications. Under the agreement, Island Radar products and systems will be marketed under the Island Radar brand through Wavetronix Rail, a newly formed division. When finalized, the acquisition will enable the new division to leverage the leadership and strengths of both companies, Wavetronix officials said in a press release. Financial terms of the agreement weren't disclosed.

MTA New York City Transit (NYCT) in fall will add several trains along the A, D, E and F subway lines to accommodate growing ridership.

The additional trains primarily will run before or after rush hours. The service increase will take effect in November.

The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) announced Monday that work has begun on the first phase of its $33 million Safe and Secure initiative.

The agency will begin the initiative by upgrading more than 600 security cameras on the Red and Blue subway lines, along the Blue Line O'Hare branch and at the Clark/Lake Station in the Chicago Loop.

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) will host a webinar next month for applicants interested in recently announced federal grant dollars to help pay for positive train control (PTC) deployment.

Last week, the FRA issued a notice of funding opportunity for $250 million in grants to help fund PTC implementation on freight, intercity passenger and commuter railroads.

Trinity Metro and other local officials yesterday held a grand-opening ceremony for a new equipment maintenance facility that will house TEXRail trains in Fort Worth, Texas.

The 53,000-square-foot building includes three maintenance pits and a train washing area. All eight TEXRail train sets will be housed and maintained at the facility, which also includes offices, a parts warehouse and dispatch operations, Trinity Metro officials said in a press release.

The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) is halfway finished constructing the $1.75 billion Regional Connector rail line in downtown Los Angeles.

The agency marked the milestone at a May 19 public event, which included construction site tours, according to a Metro press release.

iChurchill Inc. is stepping away from its plan to acquire the flood-damaged Hudson Bay Railway and Port of Churchill in northern Manitoba, Canada, the private company announced yesterday.

Earlier this month, a group of Manitoba First Nations and iChurchill announced they had reached an agreement to buy the rail line, port and associated assets, which are owned by OmniTRAX Inc.

Genesee & Wyoming Canada Inc. announced yesterday that its Huron Central Railway (HCRY) will halt service on its 176-mile line from Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, to Sudbury, Ontario, by year's end.

The announcement follows the "recent refusal of support" from Transport Canada's National Trade Corridors Fund, according to a G&W Canada press release.

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) on May 26 will begin positive train control (PTC) installation along the Worcester Line.

To give crews space to carry out the work, the agency will halt weekend train service between the Worcester and Framingham stations from May 26 through June 17.

The Denton County Transportation Authority (DCTA) announced that Ron Trees has been named to the authority's board.

Trees will represent the town of Little Elm, Texas, on the board. He is a semi-retired military operations research analyst who is on the adjunct staff for the Rand Corp., according to a DCTA press release.

The Chicago-area Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) has appointed Brian Sager to its board to represent McHenry County, Illinois.

Since 2005, Sager has served as mayor of Woodstock, Illinois. He has been on the Woodstock City Council since 1989.

The Center for LNG has become the newest sponsor of TRANSCAER®, which provides hazardous materials education and training to first responders.

The center represents the full liquefied natural gas (LNG) value chain, including producers, shippers, terminal operators and developers.

Amtrak last week announced a $4 million plan to update the interiors of the entire Acela Express fleet operating on the Northeast Corridor (NEC).

The 14-month program will rehab the interiors of 20 trainsets, which include 100 Amtrak cars.