Railroad News

CSX execs accomplished the most important thing they set out to do March 1 at the railroad's long-anticipated Investor & Analyst Conference in New York City. Having already scooped themselves by unveiling their big buyback program and unveiling their 60 percent — down over 600 basis points (bps) — operating ratio (OR) target for 2020,  the CSX team revealed its management depth and competence, as well as its commitment to Precision Scheduled Railroading (PSR). 

Beginning March 23, the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) will phase out token sales at certain Regional Rail stations as it continues to transition to the reloadable "Key" card fare payment system.

The phaseout will start at stations with a low volume of token sales and proceed to busier stations on April 6, including the 30th Street, Temple University and University City stations.

MTA Metro-North Railroad later this month will kick off a $94 million project to rehab its station in White Plains, New York.

Slated to begin March 18, the work includes improving station entrances, adding signage, installing LED lighting, and providing Wi-Fi and cellular connectivity.

In February, 95 percent of Tri-Rail's trains operated on schedule — marking the South Florida commuter railroad's highest monthly on-time performance rating since December 2002.

The achievement came after the South Florida Regional Transportation Authority (SFRTA) eased some speed restrictions that affected Tri-Rail's on-time performance. The agency was able to relieve the speed restrictions after making repairs on the corridor, said SFRTA Executive Director Jack Stephens in a press release.

The Washington Department of Ecology last week approved BNSF Railway Co.'s response plan in the event of a crude-oil spill.

The action marks the first railroad oil-spill plan approved in the state, according to a department press release.

GE Transportation announced late last week that it has joined the Blockchain in Transport Alliance (BiTA), a trade association for blockchain education and standards development.

Blockchain is a digital ledger technology that records transactions and stores data in blocks across a distributed network. The technology enables a "digital supply chain" and creates a peer-to-peer system of commerce, GE officials said in a press release.

President Donald Trump last week nominated Patrick Fuchs and Michelle Schultz to serve five-year terms on the Surface Transportation Board (STB).

Fuchs, of Wisconsin, is a senior professional staff member working on surface transportation and maritime issues for the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation under the leadership of Chairman John Thune (R-S.D.), according to a White House press release.

CN is searching for a new chief executive officer today after announcing the abrupt departure of Luc Jobin.

The Class I announced this morning that Jobin has left the company and is being replaced on an interim basis by Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer Jean-Jacques Ruest until a permanent leader is named.

Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) has chosen civil engineering firm Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam Inc. (LAN) to oversee platform extensions at 28 light-rail stations. The $124 million project calls for modifying platforms along the Red and Blue lines to accommodate three-car trains. Currently, the Red and Blue lines are limited to two-car trains due to the stations' platform lengths. By expanding the platforms, DART will be able to roll out three-car trains systemwide, LAN officials said in a press release.

Mitsui Rail Capital LLC has hired Yiannis Loizides as director of sales and marketing. He previously held sales and marketing roles at Norfolk Southern Railway. In the new job, Loizides will focus on leasing activities for Mitsui's Western and Southeastern territory, company officials said in a press release.

The Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon's (TriMet) board on Wednesday officially chose Doug Kelsey the agency's next general manager.

The board's resolution directed the start of contract negotiations with Kelsey. The negotiations are expected to continue through March 6 at the earliest, TriMet officials said in a press release.

Vancouver Energy and the Port of Vancouver USA in Washington announced this week they've agreed to end their lease agreement a month early.

Vancouver Energy said it agreed to end its lease for space at the port and would donate its $100,000 payment for March to local charities, according to a company press release.

The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) earlier this week unveiled a $33 million program aimed at improving safety across its system.

As part of the "Safe and Secure" program, CTA later this year will upgrade more than 3,800 older-model rail station cameras. The agency also will install 1,000 new security cameras "throughout the system," CTA officials said in a press release.

BNSF Railway Co. will spend $80 million this year on maintenance and expansion projects in New Mexico.

About half of BNSF's New Mexico capital expenditures plan will focus on upgrading rail, ties and ballast. The remainder of the plan will go toward track expansion, including in the Gallup Subdivision.

The Maryland Department of Transportation's Maryland Transit Administration (MDOT MTA) has awarded Amtrak a five-year contract to continue providing train operations services for the Maryland Area Regional Commuter (MARC) Penn Line, which operates between Washington, D.C., and Perryville, Maryland.

Amtrak was chosen based on the "strength of [its] technical proficiency, which was rated highest among all the bidders," Amtrak officials said in a press release. MDOT MTA initiated the contract bidding process a year ago.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao told a U.S. Senate committee yesterday that federal loans should not count toward states' financial contributions to replace the Hudson River rail tunnels between New Jersey and New York.

Chao's statement appears to be the latest indication that the Trump administration is backing away from a 50-50 funding commitment that New Jersey and New York officials believed they had with the U.S. Department of Transportation for the proposed $12.7 billion project.