Railroad News

Phillip Eng has been appointed president of MTA Long Island Rail Road (LIRR).

He succeeds Patrick Nowakowski, whose resignation takes effect today. Eng joined the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) in March 2017, when he was appointed chief operating officer.

An Alstom-led consortium with SNC-Lavalin has obtained a CA$2.8 billion contract to deliver a complete automatic and driverless light-rail system for the Reseau Express Metropolitan (REM) project in Montreal.

The consortium's contract with CDPQ Infra includes rolling stock and signaling, as well as operation and maintenance services. Alstom's share of the contract is CA$2.2 billion and SNC-Lavalin's share is CA$600 million, according to an Alstom press release.

The Los Angeles City Council on Wednesday approved a 30-year, $4.9 billion contract with LAX Integrated Express Solutions (LINXS) to design, build, finance, operate and maintain a new automated people mover (APM) train system at Los Angeles International Airport.

The agreement marks the largest contract ever awarded in the city's history, according to a press release issued by Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA).

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

Brightline yesterday announced plans to continue its rail safety efforts as it prepares to launch service to downtown Miami.

The passenger railroad has begun crew testing on the Florida East Coast Railway corridor between Fort Lauderdale and downtown Miami. Simulated service is expected to begin shortly, Brightline officials said in a press release.

Earlier this week, the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA)  recognized short lines for success in marketing and military veteran recruitment.

The Veterans Recruitment Award was presented to Louisville & Indiana Railroad Co. (LIRC), a subsidiary of Anacostia Rail Holdings. The short line has a 30 percent ratio of veterans in its workforce, and 30 percent of its 2017 new hires are veterans, according to an ASLRRA press release. LIRC now has won the award for two straight years.

MTA Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) President Patrick Nowakowski will resign tomorrow.

In a statement, he said now is a good time to "step aside and allow new leadership to continue the progress we've begun to make on improving customer service."

Amtrak this week announced its plans for infrastructure renewal work at New York Penn Station during the summer.

The projects will feature what Amtrak describes as critical reconstruction of three major rail assets in New York City: the Empire Tunnel and Spuyten Duyvil Bridge, which provides access between Upstate New York and Penn Station, as well as renewal work on the station's Track 19.

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

Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) applications in the rail industry can help improve efficiency and safety, said ARC Advisory Group Research Analyst Pranav Misal during a webcast yesterday.

U.S. rail traffic climbed 3.8 percent to 524,905 carloads and intermodal units in the week ending April 7 compared with traffic the same week a year ago, according to the Association of American Railroads (AAR).

U.S. carload traffic during the week rose 4.6 percent to 261,898 units, while intermodal volume increased 3.1 percent to 263,007 containers and trailers compared with the same week in 2017.

The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) is applying for $1.4 billion from California's Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program (TIRCP) to build six major transit projects.

The project list includes building the West Santa Ana Branch light-rail line between Artesia and downtown Los Angeles, as well as extending the Green Line light-rail route to Torrance. The funds also would go toward building a light-rail line or bus rapid transit route in the East San Fernando Valley.

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

From Berlin to San Francisco, hackers continue to launch cyber attacks on rail industry targets. Earlier this year, the Ontario government confirmed that Metrolinx was the victim of a cyberattack originating in North Korea. In May 2017, Germany’s Deutsche Bahn rail network was swept up in the worldwide “WannaCry” ransomware attack, while the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) endured a different ransomware attack only six months earlier.

The Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) has unveiled a pilot program to offer discounts on Lyft rides at two light-rail stations.

CATS will provide $4 toward Lyft fares for passengers that need a ride to or from the JW/Clay UNC Charlotte Station or the Parkwood Station in Charlotte, North Carolina.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao on Monday joined President Donald Trump and other cabinet members in signing a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that calls for federal departments to follow Trump's One Federal Decision framework for processing environmental reviews and other permits for major infrastructure projects.

Under the memorandum, the agencies commit to working together to make the necessary environmental and permitting decisions for major infrastructure projects with a goal to complete the entire process within two years, according to a U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) press release.

Patriot Rail Co. has promoted Alin Campian to chief commercial officer.

Campian, previously senior vice president of business development and commercial strategy, will now oversee all commercial efforts related to the transportation, services and ports business units across the company's growing business platform, Patriot Rail officials said in a press release.

New Jersey Transit's board yesterday approved a $71 million plan to reconstruct a commuter-rail station in Elizabeth, New Jersey.

Crews will construct new inbound and outbound station buildings and longer platforms for more boarding capacity. In addition, the project calls for improving security and communication systems, as well as accessibility for riders with disabilities.

Union Pacific Railroad this year will invest nearly $60 million in its infrastructure in Arizona and Washington.

In Arizona, the Class I has budgeted $26.5 million to improve rail infrastructure. That sum includes $14.5 million to maintain track and $3.2 million to maintain bridges in the state.

At its 2018 Connections Convention in Nashville, the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA) yesterday presented Mortimer Fuller III with the Thomas L. Schlosser Distinguished Service Award for demonstrating long-term, significant service to the ASLRRA.

In the late 1980s, Fuller was a founding member of the Regional Railroads of America (RRA), a group of a dozen short-line railroaders that sought to change New Deal-era laws that treated railroads differently than all industries. RRA gradually grew in size and prominence as a short-line lobbying organization, according to an ASLRRA press release.