Railroad News

The Draft Environmental Impact Statement review (DEIS) for the Hudson Tunnel Project was released July 6 and identifies a nearly $13-billion preferred alternative that would build a new rail tunnel between New Jersey and New York and rehabilitate the existing North River Tunnel.

The California Transportation Commission (CTC) has allocated $20 million for Caltrain's electrification project.

The project involves electrifying the commuter railroad's corridor between San Francisco and San Jose, California. It also includes the purchase of electric multiple units for operating the new service.

Building a new Hudson River rail tunnel between New York City and New Jersey could cost up to $12.9 billion, according to a draft environmental impact statement (DEIS) released yesterday by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA). That amount includes $1.8 billion to rehabilitate the existing North River Tunnel.

The figure marks a jump from January, when Amtrak estimated the project would cost $7.7 billion. Nonetheless, the publication of the DEIS is a milestone in the clearance process before design or construction can begin, FRA officials said in a press release.

The Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) is offering free in-state commuter-rail trips through the remainder of 2017.

The move is aimed at raising awareness of the state's rail services and encouraging Rhode Islanders to choose trains over their cars, RIDOT officials said in a press release.

There's still time to nominate someone for the League of Railway Industry Women's (LRIW) 2017 Outstanding Woman of the Year Award.

Co-sponsored by Progressive Railroading, the award is presented annually to a woman who has made significant contributions to the rail industry through leadership, dedication and vision. Women working in the North American rail industry are eligible to receive the award.

Operation Lifesaver Canada has named Metrolinx safety officer Peter Mohyla the recipient of its 2016 Roger Cyr Award. Named after Operation Lifesaver Canada founder Roger Cyr, the award recognizes an individual's efforts to improve rail safety.

Mohyla has served Metrolinx as a transit safety officer for 30 years. During his career, he has helped promote safety along Metrolinx's corridors in the greater Toronto and Hamilton area (GTHA), coordinated school presentations and community events, worked with police and other public safety agencies, and helped find innovative ways to educate the public, including through social media, Operation Lifesaver Canada officials said in a press release.

The Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) has installed Shelton Goode as executive director of diversity and inclusion.

He started the job in June. Goode most recently served as director of diversity and inclusion at Oshkosh Corp. He has more than two decades of human resources and business development experience.

The Short Line Safety Institute (SLSI) yesterday announced that Thomas Murta has been named executive director. Murta will join the organization July 10.

Most recently CSX's assistant vice president of safety and operations compliance, Murta served in a variety of roles during his 24 years at the Class I, including positions responsible for safety and compliance, hazardous materials systems, environmental compliance and infrastructure.

Officials from Maywood, Illinois, late last week held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new Metra station.

The nearly 900-square-foot station replaces an existing outdoor shelter. In addition to providing shelter from the elements, the new station is heated.

​North American rail volumes continued to inch upward in week 26, with railroads reporting a 5.2 percent increase in carloads and intermodal units compared with traffic hauled during the same week in 2016, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) announced yesterday.

North American carloads for the week ending July 1 totaled 366,143 units, up 4.5 percent compared with the same week last year. Intermodal volume for the week rose 5.9 percent to 353,457 containers and trailers.

Caltrans has allocated $34.5 million in funding from the Low Carbon Transit Operations Program that will benefit 125 California projects.

Caltrans says the projects, which are a part of the California Climate Investments Program continue the state's effort to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and improve the sustainability of public transportation systems.

Caltrans has allocated $34.5 million in funding from the Low Carbon Transit Operations Program that will benefit 125 California projects.

Caltrans says the projects, which are a part of the California Climate Investments Program continue the state's effort to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and improve the sustainability of public transportation systems.

Caltrans has allocated $34.5 million in funding from the Low Carbon Transit Operations Program that will benefit 125 California projects.

Caltrans says the projects, which are a part of the California Climate Investments Program continue the state's effort to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and improve the sustainability of public transportation systems.

The U.S. Department of Transportation's (USDOT) Build America Bureau will provide a $537.1 million loan to the New York State Urban Development Corp. for the Moynihan Train Hall redevelopment project.

The loan was issued through the department's Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) program.

Steel Dynamics, Inc., is expanding its Structural and Rail Division located in Columbia City, Ind., by $75 million to "utilize excess melting and casting capability and further diversify its product portfolio and market sector exposure."

Steel Dynamics, Inc., is expanding its Structural and Rail Division located in Columbia City, Ind., by $75 million to "utilize excess melting and casting capability and further diversify its product portfolio and market sector exposure."

Steel Dynamics, Inc., is expanding its Structural and Rail Division located in Columbia City, Ind., by $75 million to "utilize excess melting and casting capability and further diversify its product portfolio and market sector exposure."

The Railroad Advancement of Innovation and Leadership with Safety (RAILS) Act, S. 1451, would allow for performance-based safety standards in place of traditional command-and-control prescriptive regulation, and mandate that future Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) rulemakings be based on data-driven sound science validated through transparent peer review.

More specifically, performance-based safety standards mean rather than the FRA prescribing particular actions, such as mileage-based brake tests and specific operations and maintenance procedures, the agency would specify a safety outcome—such as a maximum accident-type rate or component failure rate—and allow each railroad to devise its own cost-effective means of achieving that target.

The Railroad Advancement of Innovation and Leadership with Safety (RAILS) Act, S. 1451, would allow for performance-based safety standards in place of traditional command-and-control prescriptive regulation, and mandate that future Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) rulemakings be based on data-driven sound science validated through transparent peer review.

More specifically, performance-based safety standards mean rather than the FRA prescribing particular actions, such as mileage-based brake tests and specific operations and maintenance procedures, the agency would specify a safety outcome—such as a maximum accident-type rate or component failure rate—and allow each railroad to devise its own cost-effective means of achieving that target.

The Railroad Advancement of Innovation and Leadership with Safety (RAILS) Act, S. 1451, would allow for performance-based safety standards in place of traditional command-and-control prescriptive regulation, and mandate that future Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) rulemakings be based on data-driven sound science validated through transparent peer review.

More specifically, performance-based safety standards mean rather than the FRA prescribing particular actions, such as mileage-based brake tests and specific operations and maintenance procedures, the agency would specify a safety outcome—such as a maximum accident-type rate or component failure rate—and allow each railroad to devise its own cost-effective means of achieving that target.