Railroad News

Trainyard Tech LLC obtained a purchase order from Norfolk Southern Railway to update its hump yard process control system at Lamberts Point coal dumping facility in Norfolk, Virginia. The upgrade includes new computers and process control systems software. Trainyard will add automatic equipment identifier radio frequency readers to monitor cars during the coal dumping process and a rail yard reporting tool that will help simplify troubleshooting.

FirstGroup ordered five new AT300 125 mph intercity electric trains from Hitachi Rail for an open access, high-speed train service linking London and Edinburgh, Scotland, that will begin in the fall of 2021, FirstGroup announced in a press release. The 100 million euro deal also includes ongoing maintenance. 

New Jersey Transit hosted contractors, small business owners and disadvantaged business enterprises (DBEs) earlier this week to showcase $800 million in contracting opportunities in capital construction projects available in the coming year.

It was the first such open house that NJ Transit has held in a decade. About 150 attendees heard from NJ Transit officials, who emphasized the state's commitment to rebuilding infrastructure, investing in state-of-good-repair projects and building capacity in the contracting pool, according to a NJ Transit press release.

Metra will conduct Operation Lifesaver "safety blitzes" at 59 of its 242 stations through the end of the year to raise public awareness of safe behavior around trains and tracks.

During a safety blitz, Metra employees will distribute safety educational materials at stations throughout the Chicago area. The materials will address train and grade crossing safety. The employees also will be available to answer commuters' questions and listening to their safety concerns, Metra officials said in a press release.

Amtrak has dedicated and renamed its train station in Rochester, New York, after the late U.S. Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-N.Y.), a longtime Amtrak supporter.

The station opened in October 2017, the result of a 15-year process of planning by several stakeholders including Slaughter, who secured a $15 million Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant for the work, according to an Amtrak press release.

Charah Solutions Inc. will open a facility at Watco Cos.' Greens Port Industrial Terminal on the Houston Ship Channel in Texas.

The facility will use new technologies for grinding blast furnace slag to create supplementary cementitious materials, according to a Charah press release.

Norfolk Southern Railway yesterday broke ground on its new Atlanta headquarters and named three company officers to executive positions.

NS Chairman President and Chief Executive Officer James Squires was joined by Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp and Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms at a groundbreaking ceremony held in Atlanta's Midtown area.

Norfolk Southern Railway yesterday broke ground on its new Atlanta headquarters and named three company officers to executive positions.

NS Chairman President and Chief Executive Officer James Squires was joined by Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp and Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms at a groundbreaking ceremony held in Atlanta's Midtown area.

The Western Carolina Railway Service Corp. (WCRS) has hired Dolly Durham as director of community engagement.

Durham has more than 25 years of nonprofit development experience, including in community involvement, event planning, grant writing and management of benevolent giving, according to a WCRS press release.

The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) and Apple announced that later this year CTA transit riders can add a fare card to the Apple Pay iPhone app. 

The feature will enable passengers using the Ventra fare payment system to load card information onto their iPhone, then scan the phone to enter rail stations or board a bus.

CN today announced it closed the acquisition of The TransX Group of Cos., one of Canada's largest and oldest transportation firms.

TransX provides various transportation and logistics services, including intermodal, truckload, less than truckload and specialized services. The company will continue to be based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and operate independently.

Norfolk Southern Railway has petitioned the Federal Railroad Administration for a waiver of compliance from certain provisions of federal rail safety regulations regarding refresher training for mechanical inspectors.

NS proposes to create a 3D simulation using web-based software to comply with the hands-on portion of required periodic refresher training. The railroad would use a simulator for refresher training on Class I air brake tests instead of hands-on training. The brake test simulator also would be used to enhance training for supervisors and employees in other crafts, including freight-car repair workers and conductors.

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Cahaba Truck & Equipment specializes in hi-rail maintenance-of-way trucks — specifically, material handlers, rotary dumps, tie movers and yard maintenance vehicles that can be customized to meet customer’s needs. The company offers an array of solutions for a wide customer base, from contractors to Class Is.

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Brandt Road Rail

The Brandt Rail Tool is designed for a variety of rail construction and maintenance applications, ranging from weed and brush control to undercutting to material handling to moving dirt.