Railroad News

BNSF Railway Co. yesterday announced it will invest $105 million this year on capital expenditures in Montana.

Consisting mostly of planned maintenance, the plan calls for more than 840 miles of track surfacing and/or undercutting work, as well as the replacement of 55 miles of rail and close to 110,000 ties. 

The Association of American Railroads (AAR) and American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA) joined other organizations earlier this week in asking Congress to oppose legislative language that would increase maximum truck size or weight limits on federal highways.

In a Feb. 25 letter, the organizations also called on lawmakers to oppose legislative language that would allow bigger trucks in individual states through pilot programs.

Watco Cos. LLC announced yesterday that Allan Roach, senior vice president of global strategy, will retire from full-time duties on Thursday.

Since joining Watco in 2005, Roach's main focus has been on improving and developing the company's marketing and business development teams. He has led or influenced many of the company's growth initiatives, Watco officials said in a press release.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio yesterday unveiled a 10-point plan to reorganize the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) and create "dedicated and sustained" funding streams for the agency.

The proposal includes the governor and mayor's endorsement of congestion pricing.

The Regional Transportation District (RTD) of Denver has rebranded its Call-n-Ride microtransit service to FlexRide. 

FlexRide allows commuters first- and last-mile connections to rail stations. The connections can be booked using a new mobile app, reducing the call-ahead booking time from an hour to 10 minutes before departure, RTD officials said in a press release.

United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America (UE) announced this morning they've gone on strike at the former GE Transportation locomotive plant in Erie, Pennsylvania, less than a day after the plant became part of Wabtec Corp.

The strike involves UE Locals 506 and 618, which represent 1,700 workers at the Wabtec facility, according to a UE press release.

The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) partnered with the Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT) to expand its Metro Bike Share network by 40 stations and expand into central Los Angeles. 

The expansion is an effort to improve first and last mile journeys for Metro riders. Station locations, which can be viewed on the Metro website, were based on community feedback and input from neighborhood organizations.

The Transportation Technology Center Inc. (TTCI) has named Karalyn Moreira as executive director of business development.

Moreira joins TTCI after spending the past seven years as commercial director for Scomi Engineering Bhd in Brazil. Prior to that work, she served stints as director of business development operations at HKM Solucoes Tecnologicas in Brazil and director of finance and administration at EC Technologies Inc. in San Antonia, Texas.

Tutor Perini Corp. has been contracted to construct two large transit projects this year on the West and East coasts. 

Tutor Perini's joint venture, Tutur Perini/O&G, has received a notice of intent to take on the $1.4 billion design and construction of two new subway stations as part of the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority's (Metro) Purple Line Extension Section 3 Stations project. 

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) will resume construction of its Green Line light-rail extension project, temporarily closing threes bridges in Somerville, Massachusetts starting March 22.

The Green Line Extension (GLX) project includes infrastructure improvements and widening efforts to accommodate light rail tracks and rights of way, which will lead to three bridge closures, MBTA officials said in a press release.

New York City subway performance has improved since the launch of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s (MTA) Subway Action Plan in 2017, agency officials announced today. 

The subway logged its best on-time performance and the fewest number of delays in four years, they said in a press release.

United Rail Inc. has acquired the New England Southern Railroad (NES) in Concord, New Hampshire.

United Rail, a short line consolidator and owner of the SmartRail brand for electronic precision railroading and brand licensor, announced the acquisition today.

New Jersey Transit (NJ Transit), in partnership with Amtrak, completed early construction work for the Portal North Bridge replacement program on time and on budget, the transit agency announced late last week in a press release.

The early construction project was funded through a $16 million Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery grant and a $4 million contribution from New Jersey’s Transportation Trust Fund.

Wabtec Corp. announced today it has completed its merger with GE Transportation, a former business unit of GE.

The merger combines Wabtec's range of freight, transit and electronics products with GE Transportation's equipment, services and digital solutions in the locomotive, mining, marine, stationary power and drilling industries, Wabtec officials said in a press release.

Wabtec Corp. will replace Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. in the S&P 500 and Goodyear will replace Wabtec in the S&P MidCap 400 prior to the open of stock trading on Feb. 27. General Electric Co. is spinning off its Transportation Systems Holdings Inc. to shareholders, then the holdings will be acquired by Wabtec in a transaction expected to be completed Feb. 26, pending final conditions. After the transaction, Wabtec will be more representative of the large-cap market and Goodyear, more representative of the mid-cap market, according to a press release. GE will remain in the S&P 500 and 100.

BBM Railway Equipment LLC has purchased Macton Corp.'s assets via a secured party auction. The purchase includes all intellectual property, including patents, copyrights and trademarks, as well as machinery, inventory and raw stock.

Rocky Mountaineer has been named one of the best places to work in British Columbia’s "Top Employers" competition for a second consecutive time.

Rocky Mountaineer has a full-time workforce of more than 300 people located at the head office in Vancouver, the rail yard in Kamloops and globally in outside sales roles. This figure increases to more than 800 people during the train's operating season from April to October, with positions added onboard the trains and in Vancouver, Kamloops, Whistler, Quesnel and the Canadian Rockies at overnight destinations.