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Feb
02

Vancouver Energy: Gov. Inslee's crude-oil permit rejection is 'anti-development'

Rail News Home Shippers 2/2/2018 Rail News: Shippers
Vancouver Energy is "evaluating its options" following Washington Gov. Jay Inslee's decision to reject a permit that would allow the company to build a proposed crude-oil terminal at the Port of Vancouver.Inslee announced Jan. 29 that he had accepted the state Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council's recommendation to reject a permit for Tesoro Savage Petroleum Terminal LLC — also known as Vancouver Energy — to construct and operate a crude-oil terminal in the state. The terminal would have been located on the Columbia River.In a written statement issued Jan. 30, Vancouver Energy officials said Inslee's endorsement of the council's "faulty recommendation" sets an "impossible standard for permitting new energy facilities in the state.""After four years of study and tens of millions of dollars, the Vancouver Energy facility and associated state‐of‐the-art facilities would have been far superior and more robust with regard to the potential for an earthquake or oil spill, than the crude oil trains that are already moving through the state every day and virtually all existing infrastructure in Washington," according to the statement."The Final Environmental Impact Statement confirmed that construction and normal operation of the Vancouver Energy terminal would have no significant unavoidable impacts that cannot be mitigated. Rejecting essential infrastructure on the basis of risks the evaluation council found to be extremely unlikely, and which are inherent to transportation occurring across the country today, is no way to govern," it continued.Inslee's decision also sends an "anti-development" message that will have far-reaching consequences for industries across the state, Vancouver Energy officials added.

Contact Progressive Railroading editorial staff.

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Feb
02

Heitkamp introduces two-person crew legislation

Rail News Home Federal Legislation & Regulation 2/2/2018 Rail News: Federal Legislation & Regulation
U.S. Sen. Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.)Photo – Wikipedia

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.

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Feb
01

BART tests service monitors at fare gates

Rail News Home Passenger Rail 2/1/2018 Rail News: Passenger Rail
The monitors are designed to give riders the most updated information before they purchase fares.Photo – Bay Area Rapid Transit

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.

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Feb
01

Carload Express names new executives

Rail News Home Railroading People 2/1/2018 Rail News: Railroading People
The company's corporate succession plan includes the appointment of Russell Peterson as chairman.Photo – carloadexpress.com

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.

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Feb
01

U.S. intermodal traffic outpaces carload volume in Week 4

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.

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Feb
01

Secure Rail Conference to be held April 24-25

Rail News Home Security 2/1/2018 Rail News: Security
The dates for the 2018 Secure Rail Conference have been changed to April 24-25, Progressive Railroading announced today.The change means the two-day conference will begin one day earlier than the previously announced schedule.Presented by Progressive Railroading, the conference will be held at the Rosen Centre Hotel in Orlando, Florida. Secure Rail was created to bridge the gap between emerging technologies and rail security. Previous conference topics have addressed critical infrastructure, cyber security, emergency preparedness, hazmat transportation, intermodal security, new technology, positive train control and vulnerability assessments.To register, click here.

Contact Progressive Railroading editorial staff.

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Feb
01

California agency slots $51.9 million for passenger-rail upgrades

Rail News Home Passenger Rail 2/1/2018 Rail News: Passenger Rail
Some of the funds will enable the Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit to boost service.Photo – Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit's Twitter account

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.

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Feb
01

CP opens Shanghai office

Rail News Home Canadian Pacific 2/1/2018 Rail News: Canadian Pacific
CP President and CEO Keith Creel (center) today announced the official opening of CP's new office in China.Photo – Canadian Pacific

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.

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Feb
01

CP opens Shanghai office

Rail News Home Canadian Pacific 2/1/2018 Rail News: Canadian Pacific
CP President and CEO Keith Creel (center) today announced the official opening of CP's new office in China.Photo – Canadian Pacific

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.

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Feb
01

CP pursues growth with new Shanghai office

Canadian Pacific Railway (CP) has opened a new Asia office in Shanghai, China, as the railroad aims to build its business.

 

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Feb
01

Amtrak train carrying GOP lawmakers hits truck at grade crossing

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.

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Feb
01

BNSF details $3.3B capital program for 2018

BNSF Railway has released details about its 2018 capital plan of $3.3 billion, noting that it reflects continued focus on maintaining its network as well as expansion projects aimed at meeting customer demands.

 

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Feb
01

House T&I subcommittee schedules hearing on PTC

A February hearing of the Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials for the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee will focus on the progress made toward implementing Positive Train Control (PTC).

According to the chairman and ranking member of the subcommittee, U.S. Reps. Jeff Denham (R-CA-10) and Michael Capuano (D-MA-7), several groups and organizations will address the subcommittee including Amtrak, the National Transportation Safety Board, the Federal Railroad Administration, private rail operators, public transit officials and labor.

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Feb
01

BNSF budgets $3.3 billion for 2018 capex plan

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.

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Feb
01

BNSF budgets $3.3 billion for 2018 capex plan

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.

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Jan
31

Rail supplier news from GREX, Harsco, FreightCar America, HNTB and NAI Global (Jan. 31)

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.

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Jan
31

New Hampshire business group calls for Boston-Manchester passenger rail

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.

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Jan
31

California rail providers receive $52M in state funding

The California State Transportation Agency awarded $51.9 million in State Rail Assistance program funding to seven recipients. The funds are made possible by the passage of state Senate Bill 1 (SB 1) last year.

SB 1 created the State Rail Assistance Program by directing a portion of new revenue specifically to intercity rail and commuter rail. The majority of program funding is directed by statutory formula to rail operators. The legislation is expected to provide $7.6 billion in new transit funding over the next decade.

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Jan
31

Kevin Corbett nominated as NJ Transit executive director

The New Jersey Transit (NJ Transit) board is set to consider New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy's nomination of Kevin Corbett to serve as the public transportation system's executive director at its next meeting.

 

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Jan
31

Caltrain awarded $2.5 million in state funding under new law

Caltrain announced yesterday that it will be awarded $2.5 million from California's new State Rail Assistance Grant program.

The program was created by Senate Bill 1, the landmark statewide transportation legislation signed last year. Caltrain expects to receive close to another $4 million from the program next year, railroad officials said in a press release.

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