Railroad News

Strong flows of international (ISO) containers both in the fourth quarter and throughout 2017 helped drive up intermodal traffic last year, according to the Intermodal Association of North America (IANA).

In 4Q, ISO container volume grew 7.7 percent year over year to 2,288,756 units, contributing to a 5.8 percent gain in total intermodal volume, which reached 4,607,656 units in the period, according to IANA's Intermodal Market Trends & Statistics report. Also in the quarter, total domestic equipment volume rose 4 percent to 2,318,900 units, the domestic container count increased 2.5 percent to 1,946,313 units and trailer traffic jumped 12.2 percent to 372,587 units compared with fourth-quarter 2016 figures.

Two Amtrak employees were killed early yesterday when an Amtrak train collided with a CSX train parked on a siding near Cayce, South Carolina.

The Amtrak train, which was carrying more than 130 passengers, was traveling on track owned and controlled by CSX, National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Chairman Robert Sumwalt said at a press conference yesterday.

GE Transportation has begun building locomotives with a mixed-model moving assembly line at its plant in Contagem, Brazil. Unlike traditional stationary product lines, the moving line is designed for workers to assemble different locomotive configurations on the same line as the units slowly move down the track. The new system is aimed at boosting productivity and optimizing the workforce. In particular, the assembly line will cut lead time by about 20 percent,  reduce inventory by $1.75 million and create more space savings in the factory, GE officials said in a press release.

Fluor Corp. and its joint venture team have been selected as the preferred proponent to design, build, finance, operate and maintain the Los Angeles International Airport automated people mover project. The project includes six stations that will connect a new consolidated rental car facility, intermodal transportation facilities, expanded airport parking and Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority's transit services to the airline terminals. Design and construction are scheduled to begin later this year, with passenger service beginning in 2023. The LAX Integrated Express Solutions (LINXS) development team is composed of Fluor, Balfour Beatty, Hochtief, ACS and Bombardier. Fluor also will lead the design-build team, which includes LINXS Constructors, Balfour Beatty, Flatiron and Dragados.

Denver's Regional Transportation District (RTD) has named Michael Ford chief operating officer.

The agency created the position last year to oversee rail and bus operations while meeting the needs of the growing metro region, RTD officials said in a press release.

Union Pacific Corp. has redesigned its charitable giving program to support three primary social impact goals: safety, workforce development and community spaces.

Yesterday, UP unveiled its Community Ties Giving Program, which will increase the company's overall community giving to more than $20 million, company officials said in a press release.

Fifteen transportation and technology companies yesterday signed a list of "shared mobility principles for livable cities."

The principles include lowering emissions, boosting data sharing and prioritizing "people over vehicles," according to a press release issued by Keolis, one of the companies to sign the list. Keolis operates the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority's commuter-rail network.

The U.S. House Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines and Hazardous Materials will host a Feb. 15 hearing on positive train control (PTC) implementation.

The committee anticipates it will receive testimony from Amtrak, the National Transportation Safety Board, the Federal Railroad Administration, private rail operators, public transit agencies and labor organizations.

The Feb. 16 deadline to nominate candidates for Progressive Railroading's sixth annual Rising Stars Awards is only two weeks away.

The program recognizes up-and-coming leaders in North America's railroad industry. The magazine 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.

U.S. Sen. Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.) has introduced a bill to require a minimum of two-person crews on freight trains carrying crude oil or certain other types of cargo.

The bill aims to improve rail safety, and builds on an initiative Heitkamp introduced after a crude-oil train derailed, caught fire and exploded near Casselton, North Dakota, in 2013.

Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) has begun testing new digital monitors featuring service information above the fare gates at San Francisco's Civic Center Station.

The screens provide real-time departure information, as well as updates on current service advisories or disruptions.

Carload Express Inc. yesterday announced the next steps in its corporate succession plan, which includes the appointment of Mark Rosner as president.

Jim Streett has been promoted to the role of chief executive officer, while Russell Peterson has been named chairman. Peterson most recently served as the company's CEO.

U.S. railroads moved 543,515 carloads and intermodal units in the week ending Jan. 27, marking a 4 percent increase compared with volume in the same week last year.

Intermodal volume grew 6.9 percent to 282,522 containers and trailers, while carload volume inched up 1.1 percent to 260,993 carloads, according to Association of American Railroads (AAR) data.

The California State Transportation Agency (CalSTA) has awarded $51.9 million to seven passenger-rail agencies for various improvement projects.

The funds come from the new State Rail Assistance program established by Senate Bill 1. In April 2017, California Gov. Jerry Brown signed the bill, which will provide $7.6 billion in new transit funding over the next 10 years.

Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd. today opened a new office in Shanghai, China.

The office was opened to strengthen existing customer partnerships in Asia and continue to pursue new business, CP officials said in a press release.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has launched an investigation into what caused an Amtrak train to hit a garbage truck yesterday afternoon at a grade crossing in Crozet, Virginia.

The train was carrying Republican members of Congress on their way to a legislative retreat in West Virginia. One man — one of three in the truck — was killed and six other people were injured, according to local media reports.

BNSF Railway Co. will spend $3.3 billion on capital expenses this year, the Class I announced yesterday.

The investment is the same amount as last year's capital budget, according to a BNSF press release.

Georgetown Rail Equipment Co. (GREX) hosted an event held this week to honor the Snead family, which founded the company. The family became known in the rail and quarry industries in the 1940s, when Edwin Brazelton Snead founded Texas Crushed Stone. He also founded Georgetown Railroad in 1958 to haul limestone from Georgetown to Austin, Texas. His eldest son Ned went on to establish GREX. This week's celebration was hosted in the GREX Business Car 400, which also bears Brazelton Snead's name. The 1920s-era car recently was moved to a permanent location at the company's Georgetown headquarters, where the car will be used to host special events, customer meetings and charitable events.

Harsco Rail Europe has begun delivering 31 rail vehicles to Switzerland's national railroad Schweizerische Bundesbahnen SBB for the maintenance of the Gotthard Base Tunnel. Harsco obtained the contract for the order in 2013. Last month, Harsco held a ceremony to mark the delivery of the first six of 13 base vehicles, which weigh 80 metric tons. The units can be powered by electricity alone or a combination of diesel and electric power. The base vehicles can be operated from the driver's cab, via remote control or from other wagons.

A nonpartisan business coalition was formed yesterday to advocate for extending passenger rail from Boston to Manchester, New Hampshire.

The New Hampshire Business for Rail Expansion has released a list of more than 50 businesses, organizations and individuals in support of the extension. The list includes Northwestern Mutual and University of New Hampshire.