Railroad News

By This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., Senior Associate Editor

The latest trends in detecting and preventing security threats to rail were discussed at the fifth annual Secure Rail Conference held May 1-2 in Orlando, Florida.

Birmingham Rail & Locomotive Co. (BR&L), a division of A. Stucki Co., has acquired Austintown Rail Supply, a supplier of switching materials and other railroad track products. Austintown Rail Supply will now operate as BR&L’s Austintown, Ohio, location. BR&L retained the company’s 10 employees, and expects to add three or four more employees to support a new crane rail operation, which will supply rail and accessories for overhead cranes, according to a BR&L press release.

Wabtec Corp. has invested in GE Additive’s H2 binder jet printer capabilities to design and produce reliable, low-cost components for current and developmental engines, locomotive, transit and mining programs, according to a Wabtec press release. Additive technologies could be used in the production of up to 250 components for Wabtec product lines by 2025, company officials said.

Central Florida commuter railroad SunRail yesterday unveiled a mobile application that provides riders with trip planning features, service information and account management. 

The app's key features include train arrival status, a detailed trip planner with times, distance and fare information, and a login for ordering and maintaining SunCards, SunRail’s reloadable fare cards for frequent users. 

The Southern California Chapter of the Construction Management Association has recognized two recently completed Alameda Corridor-East (ACE) grade separation projects for achievement, the San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments announced yesterday.

The awards acknowledged the projects for "outstanding achievement in the practice of construction management," council officials said in a press release.

A ceremony was held last month to mark the start of construction on the RCR Hempstead Logistics Park in Hempstead, Texas, RCR Rail Co. announced this week.

Union Pacific Railroad will serve the park, a 137-acre site under development on the northwest corner of State Highway 290 and 6 in Waller County.

A bipartisan group of lawmakers this week introduced a bill in the U.S. House of Representatives that would prevent federal transit funds from being issued by transit agencies to procure Chinese rail cars and other rail assets.

Introduced by U.S. Rep. Harley Rouda (D-Calif.), the Transportation Infrastructure Vehicle Security Act also would ensure transit agencies develop and implement a cybersecurity plan, Rouda said this week in a press release.

The Trump administration yesterday formally canceled nearly $929 million in previously awarded federal funds to California's high-speed rail program.

In a May 16 letter to California High-Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA) Chief Executive Officer Brian Kelly, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) said it was terminating its agreement to obligate $928,620,000 in funding to California because the state had not made "reasonable progress on the project."

By This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., Editor

Happiest of birthdays to CN, which will turn 100 next month, as managing editor Jeff Stagl reports in this month’s cover story. While the Class I’s leaders are reflecting on a century’s worth of progress, they’re also focused on the road ahead, as my colleague reports. They say they’re committed to delivering on the better-service promise and driving top-line growth.

The Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority's (CCJPA) Fairfield-Vacaville Station in Fairfield, California, will be renamed the Fairfield-Vacaville Hannigan Station in honor of the late Tom Hannigan, a former state assemblyman who helped establish the intercity rail service. 

In the mid-1980s, Hannigan recognized that with all of the growth along the Interstate 80 corridor, an intercity rail system could transport riders throughout the region, CCJPA officials said in a press release. 

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority of Harris County, Texas (METRO), yesterday restored full service on its light-rail system following emergency repairs on three lines earlier this week. 

Following the break of two overhead electrical wires, METRO crews last week initiated a partial shutdown along the Red Line extension and Green and Purple lines to reinforce wires at 79 locations.

Due to Gloucester Drawbridge construction, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) will replace train service from Rockport to West Gloucester Station with bus service during the first two weeks in June.

The century-old Gloucester Drawbridge, which carries Rockport Line trains over the Annisquam River in Gloucester, is being replaced. During the June construction, the south side of the existing timber trestle will be demolished, and the remaining north side of the bridge will be monitored and tested, according to an MBTA press release. 

Starting June 1, Chicago commuter railroad Metra will increase weekend service on the Rock Island and Union Pacific Northwest lines as part of a three-month summer pilot program. 

In a recent Metra-conducted survey, a majority of riders indicated they wanted more frequent and faster train service. Metra’s pilot program will track if increased service will boost ridership and revenue on weekends, Metra officials said in a press release.

The downward trend in U.S. rail traffic continued in Week 19, with railroads reporting 529,263 carloads and intermodal units, down 3.7 percent compared with the same week last year, according to the Association of American Railroads (AAR).

For the week ending May 11, railroads registered 258,641 total carloads, down 3.1 percent, and 270,622 containers and trailers, down 4.3 percent.

Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak yesterday signed legislation requiring a minimum crew of two people on Class I and II freight trains operating in the state.

Railroads that violate the law will face fines of $5,000 for a first offense, $10,000 for a second offense within three years and $25,000 for a third offense, according to a press release issued by the SMART-TD labor organization.

By This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., Managing Editor

Marmon Holdings Inc. announced the acquisition of Transco Railway Products Inc. from Transco Inc. Financial terms were not disclosed. Transco provides rail tank- and freight-car repair and maintenance, auto-rack certification and hopper car cleaning. The company will operate within Marmon’s rail and leasing sector in the rail-car repair service group, according to a Marmon press release. Bob Nelson, Transco's current president, will continue to lead the business.

Alstom will supply 16 six-car, electric Coradia Polyvalent trains to the Bourgogne-Franche-Comte region in France for about $191 million.The region previously ordered 24 four-car electric trains, 18 of which have been delivered, according to an Alstom press release. In a separate announcement, Alstom will deliver five additional Coradia Polyvalent dual-mode regional trains to Region Sud in France for about $36 million.