Railroad News

The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) proposed a balanced $1.51 billion operating budget Nov. 22, with its capital program seeing a raise from a new revenue stream.

U.S. railroads moved 554,066 carloads and intermodal units in the week ending Nov. 18, a 1.2 percent increase compared with the same week last year, according to the Association of American Railroads (AAR).

Total carloads for the week declined 1.6 percent to 266,927 units, while the number of intermodal containers and trailers rose 3.9 percent to 287,139 units compared with the same week in 2016, according to an AAR press release.

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority's (MBTA) Fiscal and Management Control Board last week awarded a $723 million contract to a Cubic-John Laing consortium for the design, integration and implementation of an automated fare collection system.

Known as AFC 2.0, the new system will enable riders to pay fares by tapping debit and credit cards at fare gates and fare boxes. In addition, a new contactless fare card will replace the existing CharlieCard. What's more, passengers will be able to buy tickets may on mobile phone apps.

Canadian National is substantially complete with a rehabilitation project on a bridge linking its Minnesota and Wisconsin network.

Work on the Oliver Bridge over the St. Louis River between Duluth, Minn., and Oliver, Wis., will wrap up prior to the end of the year. CN says the strengthening project is part of its 2016 and 2017 capital programs.

Canadian National is substantially complete with a rehabilitation project on a bridge linking its Minnesota and Wisconsin network.

Work on the Oliver Bridge over the St. Louis River between Duluth, Minn., and Oliver, Wis., will wrap up prior to the end of the year. CN says the strengthening project is part of its 2016 and 2017 capital programs.

Canadian National is substantially complete with a rehabilitation project on a bridge linking its Minnesota and Wisconsin network.

Work on the Oliver Bridge over the St. Louis River between Duluth, Minn., and Oliver, Wis., will wrap up prior to the end of the year. CN says the strengthening project is part of its 2016 and 2017 capital programs.

Nashville Mayor Megan Barry unveiled plans to expand the proposed Charlotte Avenue Light Rail project by two miles in order to better connect West Nashville.

Nashville Mayor Megan Barry unveiled plans to expand the proposed Charlotte Avenue Light Rail project by two miles in order to better connect West Nashville.

Nashville Mayor Megan Barry unveiled plans to expand the proposed Charlotte Avenue Light Rail project by two miles in order to better connect West Nashville.

Former Conrail President and Chief Operating Officer Ron Batory has been selected as a rail adviser to U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) spokesman Marc Willis confirmed late last week.

Earlier this year, Batory was nominated to serve as FRA administrator. The Senate has yet to confirm his appointment.

The number of people killed in U.S. rail accidents increased to 733 last year from 708 in 2015, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) announced last week.

Among the rail incidents, 487 of the deaths were due to trespassing on freight-, passenger- or commuter-rail property, according to the NTSB's annual report on U.S. transportation fatalities.

U.S. Rep. Ron Estes (R-Kansas) late last week joined representatives from the Kansas and Oklahoma Railroad for a tour of Budde Enterprises Inc.'s facility in Newtown, Kansas.

At the shop, Budde handles a variety of rail-related repair and fabrication work, including repairs on hi-rail vehicles and track equipment.

The Sacramento Regional Transit District (SacRT) recently experienced a cyberattack that erased key pieces of data from the agency's computers, The Sacramento Bee reported.

The hack last weekend erased certain components of computer programs that affect internal operations, such as the ability to use computers to dispatch employees, according to the newspaper.

A truck driver's failure to properly secure his unattended truck led to an Amtrak derailment that occurred in March 2016 near Cimarron, Kansas, according to the National Transportation Safety Board's (NTSB) latest briefing on the accident.

The day before the incident, the unattended truck rolled downhill and struck BNSF Railway Co. tracks, causing them to misalign. The Amtrak train then crossed the misaligned tracks and derailed.

Andy Byford, who has forged a rail transit career on three continents, will join the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority as President of New York City Transit, the agency responsible for New York City subways, buses, paratransit services and the Staten Island Railway, effective in January 2018.

"A seasoned and highly regarded transportation professional whose work has taken him across three continents over nearly three decades, Byford joins NYC Transit after a widely hailed five-year stint as the CEO of the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC), the third largest transit system in North America," NYMTA said in announcing his appointment. Byford began his transit career at London Underground where, over 14 years, he rose to the position of General Manager of the Central, Bakerloo and Victoria Lines, three of its busiest subway lines. He oversaw increases in customer satisfaction and operational performance. Byford then became Chief Operating Officer of Australia's largest transit system, in Sydney.

Andy Byford, who has forged a rail transit career on three continents, will join the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority as President of New York City Transit, the agency responsible for New York City subways, buses, paratransit services and the Staten Island Railway, effective in January 2018.

"A seasoned and highly regarded transportation professional whose work has taken him across three continents over nearly three decades, Byford joins NYC Transit after a widely hailed five-year stint as the CEO of the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC), the third largest transit system in North America," NYMTA said in announcing his appointment. Byford began his transit career at London Underground where, over 14 years, he rose to the position of General Manager of the Central, Bakerloo and Victoria Lines, three of its busiest subway lines. He oversaw increases in customer satisfaction and operational performance. Byford then became Chief Operating Officer of Australia's largest transit system, in Sydney.

Andy Byford, who has forged a rail transit career on three continents, will join the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority as President of New York City Transit, the agency responsible for New York City subways, buses, paratransit services and the Staten Island Railway, effective in January 2018.

"A seasoned and highly regarded transportation professional whose work has taken him across three continents over nearly three decades, Byford joins NYC Transit after a widely hailed five-year stint as the CEO of the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC), the third largest transit system in North America," NYMTA said in announcing his appointment. Byford began his transit career at London Underground where, over 14 years, he rose to the position of General Manager of the Central, Bakerloo and Victoria Lines, three of its busiest subway lines. He oversaw increases in customer satisfaction and operational performance. Byford then became Chief Operating Officer of Australia's largest transit system, in Sydney.

Parsons has begun providing technical advisory services for Metrolinx's Enhanced Train Control and Conventional Signaling (ETCCS) project, part of the Canadian agency's 10-year GO Transit regional/commuter rail expansion program consisting of C$13.5 billion in capital projects and $7 billion in state-of-good-repair works.

The GO Transit network spans more than 2,500 square miles in southern Ontario and carries more than 200,000 passengers each day through more than 40 municipalities.