Railroad News

Chicago Region Environmental and Transportation Efficiency (CREATE) Program began construction on Project B1, its 34th project aimed at improving safety and keeping Metra and freight trains moving through the region more efficiently.

Metra and Canadian Pacific Railway will upgrade signals and add several crossover tracks near CP's Bensenville Yard in Franklin Park, Ill. Currently freight trains pass through the Bensenville Yard to access Indiana Harbor Belt (IHB) mainline tracks. With this improvement, 12 daily freight trains will bypass the yard on existing Metra tracks. CREATE officials say this reduces the potential for freight train delay to 58 daily Metra trains and improves Metra flexibility at the Franklin Park Station. In addition, the project will reduce delays and congestion and increase safety for pedestrians and motorists at nearby grade crossings as trains move through the region.

A new transportation proposal introduced by Nashville Mayor Megan Barry calls for long-term investment to improve the city's transportation system and includes 26 miles of light rail.

The mayor says the proposal, Let's Move Nashville: Metro's Transportation Solution, is a plan that aligns with the IMPROVE Act, which authorizes local government to collect surcharges on various taxes and fees currently being assessed by the local government, if approved by voters by referendum, passed earlier this year. In early 2018, Metro Council members will be asked to put the plan on the ballot for the May 2018 countywide vote.

A new transportation proposal introduced by Nashville Mayor Megan Barry calls for long-term investment to improve the city's transportation system and includes 26 miles of light rail.

The mayor says the proposal, Let's Move Nashville: Metro's Transportation Solution, is a plan that aligns with the IMPROVE Act, which authorizes local government to collect surcharges on various taxes and fees currently being assessed by the local government, if approved by voters by referendum, passed earlier this year. In early 2018, Metro Council members will be asked to put the plan on the ballot for the May 2018 countywide vote.

A new transportation proposal introduced by Nashville Mayor Megan Barry calls for long-term investment to improve the city's transportation system and includes 26 miles of light rail.

The mayor says the proposal, Let's Move Nashville: Metro's Transportation Solution, is a plan that aligns with the IMPROVE Act, which authorizes local government to collect surcharges on various taxes and fees currently being assessed by the local government, if approved by voters by referendum, passed earlier this year. In early 2018, Metro Council members will be asked to put the plan on the ballot for the May 2018 countywide vote.

During the weekend of October 21-22, workers using cranes and a movable industrial-grade hydraulic lift will remove the Long Island Rail Road's (LIRR) 103-year-old Post Avenue Bridge and roll a new pre-assembled one into place.

Workers began assembling the new bridge in April of this year in the parking lot at the Westbury station to minimize traffic and rail disruptions. LIRR will suspend train service between Mineola and Hicksville for 48 hours to perform the bridge swap.

During the weekend of October 21-22, workers using cranes and a movable industrial-grade hydraulic lift will remove the Long Island Rail Road's (LIRR) 103-year-old Post Avenue Bridge and roll a new pre-assembled one into place.

Workers began assembling the new bridge in April of this year in the parking lot at the Westbury station to minimize traffic and rail disruptions. LIRR will suspend train service between Mineola and Hicksville for 48 hours to perform the bridge swap.

During the weekend of October 21-22, workers using cranes and a movable industrial-grade hydraulic lift will remove the Long Island Rail Road's (LIRR) 103-year-old Post Avenue Bridge and roll a new pre-assembled one into place.

Workers began assembling the new bridge in April of this year in the parking lot at the Westbury station to minimize traffic and rail disruptions. LIRR will suspend train service between Mineola and Hicksville for 48 hours to perform the bridge swap.

Ontario Trap Rock (OTR) revamped its brand with a new logo and updated tagline in order to reposition itself in key markets.

Based on the shores of Lake Huron, OTR is a 1,000-acre specialty quarry unique in offering a durable diabase (trap rock) used primarily for Hot-Mix Asphalt Production and Rail Line Ballast. The company says the new logo is bold and modern, with a tagline that captures OTR's essence: a rock-solid reputation, which emphasizes premium and specialized products.

Ontario Trap Rock (OTR) revamped its brand with a new logo and updated tagline in order to reposition itself in key markets.

Based on the shores of Lake Huron, OTR is a 1,000-acre specialty quarry unique in offering a durable diabase (trap rock) used primarily for Hot-Mix Asphalt Production and Rail Line Ballast. The company says the new logo is bold and modern, with a tagline that captures OTR's essence: a rock-solid reputation, which emphasizes premium and specialized products.

Ontario Trap Rock (OTR) revamped its brand with a new logo and updated tagline in order to reposition itself in key markets.

Based on the shores of Lake Huron, OTR is a 1,000-acre specialty quarry unique in offering a durable diabase (trap rock) used primarily for Hot-Mix Asphalt Production and Rail Line Ballast. The company says the new logo is bold and modern, with a tagline that captures OTR's essence: a rock-solid reputation, which emphasizes premium and specialized products.

Kansas City Southern has formed a new Health, Safety and Environmental group within the Operations department "to consolidate occupational health, workplace and public safety, and environmental functions under a single management to better align and coordinate with the company's Operations groups," KCS reported on Oct. 17.

Leading the new group is Kayden Howard, who was promoted from Associate General Counsel to the newly created position of Vice President Health, Safety and Environmental. She joined KCS in 2005. Prior to that, she was an attorney practicing labor and employment law with Shook, Hardy & Bacon, and also worked for the U.S. Department of Labor. Howard holds a juris doctorate from the University of Kansas and a bachelor of arts in psychology from the University of Missouri-Columbia. She currently serves on the board of directors of the Women's Employment Network.

Kansas City Southern has formed a new Health, Safety and Environmental group within the Operations department "to consolidate occupational health, workplace and public safety, and environmental functions under a single management to better align and coordinate with the company's Operations groups," KCS reported on Oct. 17.

Leading the new group is Kayden Howard, who was promoted from Associate General Counsel to the newly created position of Vice President Health, Safety and Environmental. She joined KCS in 2005. Prior to that, she was an attorney practicing labor and employment law with Shook, Hardy & Bacon, and also worked for the U.S. Department of Labor. Howard holds a juris doctorate from the University of Kansas and a bachelor of arts in psychology from the University of Missouri-Columbia. She currently serves on the board of directors of the Women's Employment Network.

Kansas City Southern has formed a new Health, Safety and Environmental group within the Operations department "to consolidate occupational health, workplace and public safety, and environmental functions under a single management to better align and coordinate with the company's Operations groups," KCS reported on Oct. 17.

Leading the new group is Kayden Howard, who was promoted from Associate General Counsel to the newly created position of Vice President Health, Safety and Environmental. She joined KCS in 2005. Prior to that, she was an attorney practicing labor and employment law with Shook, Hardy & Bacon, and also worked for the U.S. Department of Labor. Howard holds a juris doctorate from the University of Kansas and a bachelor of arts in psychology from the University of Missouri-Columbia. She currently serves on the board of directors of the Women's Employment Network.

MTA New York City Transit (NYCT) yesterday began an accelerated maintenance, cleaning and repair project along its Seventh Avenue Line, which is used by 1, 2, and 3 line trains.

The work is being carried out between 34th Street-Penn Station in Midtown Manhattan and the Atlantic Avenue-Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Crews are working on weeknights between Oct. 16-19 and Oct. 23-26.

The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) will host a public meeting on Nov. 8 to discuss transit-oriented development plans near the Red Line.

The agency is working on redevelopment concepts for properties near the line after the first phase of the Red and Purple Line modernization program wraps up.

USD Partners LP on Oct. 1 began operations of its heavier-grade crude-oil destination terminal in Stroud, Oklahoma, the company announced yesterday.

Retrofit work necessary to handle heavier grades of crude oil at the terminal was completed on time and under budget, company officials said in a press release. The terminal now provides a destination point for rail-to-pipeline shipments of heavy crude oil from the company's Hardisty terminal in western Canada.

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) began an extensive list of maintenance, cleaning and repair work that will be performed during the next two weeks, on the 1, 2 and 3 lines between 34 St-Penn Station and South Ferry/Atlantic Av-Barclays Ctr.

This maintenance is part MTA New York City Transit's FASTRACK program, which returns to stations along the 7 Av line between Midtown Manhattan and Downtown Brooklyn. FASTRACK work will be performed for four consecutive weeknights, from 10:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m., on October 16-19 and again on October 23-26.