Railroad News

The Vancouver Fraser Port Authority will receive CA$250,000 in federal funds toward a project that will assess real-time information on the supply-chain performance of rail cargo moving to and from the Port of Vancouver, the Canadian government announced earlier this week.

The port authority launched the Supply Chain Visibility Project in 2015. The federal contribution will fund a part of the project that will measure performance of the grain and fertilizer sectors, as well as address data quality.

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has granted the Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit (SMART) District permission to begin commuter-rail service on Aug. 25.

SMART's initial 43-mile route includes 10 stations between the Sonoma County Airport and downtown San Rafael, California. Service will be free on opening day.

CSX President and Chief Executive Officer E. Hunter Harrison has fired back at a coalition of rail-shipper trade associations that complained to Congress about rail-service disruptions as the Class I implements a restructuring aimed at improving efficiency.

In a letter sent Wednesday to the Rail Customer Coalition (RCC), Harrison said CSX was disappointed at the "many unfounded and grossly exaggerated statements" the group has made about CSX's service performance as the Class I implements precision scheduled railroading.

Four Florida counties have established the Gulf to Gadsden Freight Logistics Zone (FLZ) to enable freight transportation and infrastructure services to become a platform for broader economic development.

The establishment of the FLZ can provide the counties of Gulf, Gadsden, Liberty and Franklin with priority for state funding and incentives when pursuing certain projects within the zone.

The Denton County Transportation Authority (DCTA) later this month will provide free rides on a portion of its A-train commuter-rail line in North Texas.

Beginning Aug. 28, rides between the Downtown Denton Transit Center and the MedPark Station will not require fares. Trips between the Hebron Station and Trinity Mills Station also will be free.

CN has hired Andrea Waldock Niethold to serve as the Class I's director of government affairs in Washington, D.C.

Waldock Niethold brings a wide range of transportation policy experience to her new role, CN officials said in a press release.

The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) and ELERTS Corp. yesterday rolled out the SEPTA Transit Watch app, which enables riders to report security or safety issues to agency police.

Passengers can use the app to anonymously send photos or videos with GPS locations to alert police of potential criminal behavior, SEPTA officials said in a press release.

U.S. railroads logged 268,364 carloads for the week ending Aug. 12, a 0.3 percent increase compared with carload activity in the same week a year ago, according to the Association of American Railroads (AAR).

Combined with intermodal volume, U.S. railroads posted 548,790 carloads, containers and trailers during the week, a 2.7 percent increase compared with a year ago. Intermodal volume rose 5.1 percent to 280,426 units for the week.

Metra's board has chosen James Derwinski as the Chicago commuter railroad's next executive director and chief executive officer.

He will succeed Don Orseno, who earlier this year announced plans to retire the end of 2017, Metra announced yesterday in a press release.

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

Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) crews will rebuild track in downtown Oakland, California, over the Labor Day weekend.

Workers will replace rail and upgrade electrical systems, and perform other maintenance and repair work, BART officials said in a press release.

Pin Oak Terminals officials on Monday held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the company's new petroleum and liquid storage terminal at the Port of South Louisiana.

Announced in October 2015, the project involved a $600 million capital investment in storage terminals, docks and related infrastructure along the Mississippi River's east bank at Mount Airy, Louisiana.

Mattagami First Nation has filed a lawsuit against CN for damage caused by two train derailments near Gogoma, Ontario, in February and March 2015

The derailments spilled millions of liters of crude oil that damaged the local environment and watershed. The spills have had a "catastrophic" impact on the Mattagami First Nation's territory, First Nation officials said in a press release.

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) late last week reminded transit agencies and railroads about ways to protect their systems from terrorist attacks.

The TSA's message followed the release of a recent video from terrorist group Al-Qaeda that focused on threats to U.S. rail systems by homegrown violent extremists, TSA officials said in an emailed statement.

President Donald Trump yesterday signed an executive order aimed at speeding up the federal permitting process for construction of transportation, water and other infrastructure projects while still protecting the environment.

The order also requires agencies to work together "more efficiently" by requiring one lead agency for each major infrastructure project, Trump said, according to a transcript of his comments. Agencies will be held accountable if they fail to streamline the permitting process.

The Metropolitan Council on Monday reached agreements with BNSF Railway Co. and the Twin Cities & Western Railroad to permit light-rail operations along the same corridor as freight operations.

The pacts will enable the council to begin seeking federal funding for its planned $1.9 billion Southwest light-rail project, the Star Tribune reported earlier this week.

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) has appointed Luis Manuel Ramirez general manager and chief executive officer, Massachusetts Transportation Secretary Stephanie Pollack announced yesterday.

Ramirez will succeed interim General Manager Steve Poftak on Sept. 12. Ramirez most recently ran his own strategic and turnaround business consulting firm, Massachusetts Department of Transportation officials said in a press release.

The Surface Transportation Board (STB) on Monday wrote its second letter to CSX President and Chief Executive Officer E. Hunter Harrison to express the agency's continued concern over the "widespread degradation of rail service" across the Class I's network.

Late last month, the STB wrote to Harrison about reported disruptions in rail service that resulted from changes to CSX's operating plan. Harrison began implementing the plan after taking over as CSX's leader earlier this year.