Railroad News

The Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) last week tested the overhead catenary system for the Blue Line light-rail extension.

The agency powered the overhead system and ran trains on their own power at 5 mph to 10 mph from the North Yard facility to the Old Concord Road bridge, CATS officials said in a construction update.

Metra has received a $20 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) to implement positive train control (PTC) on the Milwaukee North and West lines.

"This much needed funding will help guarantee that one of the busiest commuter rail systems in the nation continues to provide for residents," said U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley (D-Ill) in a press release.

Genesee & Wyoming Inc. (G&W) has appointed President and Chief Executive Officer John Hellmann chairman of the board. He succeeds Mortimer Fuller III, who previously announced his retirement.

Hellmann will continue to serve as president and CEO, according to a G&W press release issued after the company's May 24 annual meeting.

Brightline, the privately funded passenger-rail venture in southeast Florida, yesterday offered a glimpse of its new station in downtown West Palm Beach.

The station, which is nearing completion, will serve as the northern terminus of the route, which will begin in Miami. The second phase of service will extend the line to Orlando, Fla.

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority's (MBTA) Fiscal and Management Control Board (FMCB) will extend its governance of the agency by two years, Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker announced yesterday.

Established in 2015, the board is continuing its leadership under an authorizing statute, according to a press release issued by Baker's office. The board's initial three-year term would have expired June 2018.

U.S. Sens. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) announced $33.7 million in federal funding for engineering assistance to implement positive train control (PTC) on a rail line between Poughkeepsie and Schenectady.

Owned by CSX and leased by the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT), the line is used primarily by Amtrak. The route is a federally designated high-speed rail corridor where trains can travel at speeds up to 110 mph, according to a press release issued by Schumer's office.

Twin Eagle Sand Logistics LLC this week announced plans to expand the Permian Rail Park near Big Spring, Texas.

The 530-acre rail park, located on the Union Pacific Railroad, is being further developed to meet demand from the Midland Basin, according to a press release issued by Houston-based Twin Eagle Resource Management LLC.

Sound Transit and Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) executives yesterday voiced opposition to President Donald Trump's budget proposal, which would slash funds for the agencies' expansion plans.

In a joint statement, Sound Transit Chief Executive Officer Peter Rogoff and Metro CEO Philip Washington said that the Trump administration's "assertion that our regions can deliver transit solutions for our citizens without federal partnership is uninformed, misguided and unfair."

Amtrak and Chicago city officials yesterday announced a team led by Riverside Investment & Development Co. will be the master developer for the $1 billion project to redevelop Union Station and the surrounding area.

The proposed commercial development will total 3.1 million square feet at full buildout and include new office towers, a hotel and office and residential space.