Railroad News

Milwaukee streetcar system The Hop has introduced a new real-time app aimed at improving the rider experience.

Developed by TransLoc Inc., the TransLoc Rider app provides real-time positioning of all streetcars along the route and vehicle arrival time estimates for each station. Riders also can receive alerts when a streetcar is nearing a particular station or when service is impacted or delayed.

Port Authority Transit Corp. (PATCO) will mark its 50th anniversary tomorrow by rolling back fares to 1969 prices.

On Feb. 15, 1969, PATCO completed its first trip from Lindenwold, New Jersey, to Center City in Philadelphia. From 6 a.m. to 11 a.m. tomorrow, fares will cost 30 cents to 60 cents, depending on the destination.

Compiled By This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., Managing Editor

By This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., Managing Editor

By This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., Managing Editor

The American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA) in January named Chuck Baker president. He assumed the post Feb. 4.

By This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., Senior Associate Editor

Passing a permanent extension of the 45G short-line tax credit. Maintaining existing truck size and weight restrictions. Introducing a comprehensive infrastructure package that includes funding priority for freight and passenger rail. Shoring up the federal Highway Trust Fund. Continuing existing "balanced" regulations for freight railroads.

For the U.S. rail realm, this year’s legislative priorities — passing a permanent extension of the 45G short-line tax credit, maintaining existing truck size and weight restrictions, keeping the regulatory playing field “balanced” for freight railroads — are, for the most part, of the usual-suspect variety, as Senior Associate Editor Julie Sneider reports in this month’s cover story. But rail advocates have a few other concerns they’ll be talking about with lawmakers and their staffers — including the potential monitoring of railroads that implement precision scheduled railroading (PSR).

Last month, Railway Supply Institute Vice President of Government Affairs Nicole Brewin told Sneider she’d heard rumblings that congressional hearings could be in the offing on such topics as PSR. We heard similar comments about oversight interest in PSR late last fall during our annual RailTrends summit.

By Michael Popke

By This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., editor

Will business be better this year than it was last year? Will it be about the same? Worse? What are the key issues facing the rail finance and leasing sector in 2019? 

Late last month, Amtrak awarded an $850 million contract to Siemens Mobility for 75 diesel locomotives as part of the railroad’s plan to replace its aging national network fleet.

nVent:
ERIFLEX

nVent offers an array of products, including nVent ERICO Cadweld, which is used for making exothermic welded connections on track. The company also offers the nVent ERIFLEX product line for electrical conduction and low voltage power distribution (AC/DC power conversion). Used across a range of industries, ERIFLEX products provide "unique advantages that are ideal for railways electrical systems, both onboard and trackside," the company said in an email.

By This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., Senior Associate Editor

By This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., Editor

In our January 2018 issue, I wrote a column about E. Hunter Harrison’s passing — a big news story at the time since he had died Dec. 16, 2017. But by doing so, I didn’t get to share what had been the top news stories of 2017, at least according to our Daily News readers. So, I’ll get back to what I hope will become an annual tradition by relaying what I’ll call the Top 18 from ’18. These are the 18 Daily News stories that our ProgressiveRailroading.com readers clicked on the most often last year, ranked in order of total page views. It shouldn’t be surprising that items on Amtrak, CSX, Union Pacific Railroad, precision scheduled railroading (PSR) — or even Canadian Pacific’s holiday train — proved to be popular. Without further ado, here are the Top 18 from ’18, including the dates they ran:

By This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., Managing Editor

By This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., Senior Associate Editor

Yesterday in Madrid, Texas Central Railway and Renfe officials signed an agreement that formalizes the Spanish rail operator as the Texas bullet train's strategic operating partner.

With its decades of experience, Spain-based Renfe was a "natural fit" to join Texas Central’s other partners, Texas Central officials said in a press release.

MTA Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) has opened newly renovated Farmingdale and Wantagh stations.

Although work on the Farmingdale Station is ongoing, doors to the building were opened yesterday. The facility's upgrade is part of an $84 million, eight-station renovation package awarded earlier this year.

Metra recently launched revenue service demonstrations (RSDs) of its positive train control (PTC) system on the Rock Island District Line, which runs southwest from Chicago to Joliet, Illinois.

The RSDs are the final stage before PTC is fully implemented along the route. The demonstrations involve operating some trains in regular service with PTC engaged to determine if the system is working as intended.

Metropolitan Council Chair Alene Tchourumoff yesterday announced she will be stepping down at November’s end to pursue a new professional opportunity.

Per council bylaws, Vice Chair Harry Melander will assume her duties until the Minnesota governor-elect appoints a new chair.