Railroad News

The National Surface Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has determined that a fatigued train conductor's failure to properly line a switch is the probable cause for a 2015 collision of two Southwestern Railroad freight trains near Roswell, New Mexico.

The engineer of the striking train died, and the conductor was seriously injured in the April 28, 2015, collision that derailed 11 locomotives and three empty hopper cars. The crash caused about $2 million in property damage, according to an NTSB press release.

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

It happens every just-before-spring: Railroaders, suppliers and other industry supporters climb Capitol Hill to talk legislative and regulatory issues with Congressfolk. And by all accounts, this year’s Railroad Day on Capitol Hill — held March 7 in Washington, D.C. — was a big success. It attracted a record attendance of nearly 700 industry representatives, according to the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA).

Bane NOR SF, Norway's rail company, has chosen Siemens to equip its 2,600-track-mile rail network with the European Train Control System Level 2-type Trainguard. Siemens also will provide Sinet, an interlocking-type Simis W and IP-based wayside network communication solution. The contract is valued at $989 million. The agreement also includes maintenance services for 25 years, Siemens officials said in a press release Bane NOR plans to invest more than $2.4 billion to digitize and automate its rail network over the next decade.

Thales has obtained a contract to provide computer-based interlocking systems across Societe de transport de Montreal's underground rail lines. The agreement includes replacement of eight interlocking systems, with the option to replace eight more at 15 existing stations and one new depot. The new systems are designed to ensure service quality and support future network developments, Thales officials said in a press release. The contract's value was not disclosed.

The Teamsters' rail conferences in the United States and Canada yesterday joined with unionized Mexican freight-rail workers in calling for fair and equitable treatment of all industry workers under a revamped North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).

In a letter sent to top U.S., Canadian and Mexican trade officials, the Teamsters Rail Conference USA, Teamsters Canada Rail Conference and Mexican Railwaymen's Union said the unions are standing in solidarity in support of a new NAFTA that looks out for workers' interests across sectors, as well as for much-needed infrastructure investment, according to a press release issued by the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET).

The South Florida Regional Transportation Authority (SFRTA) has appointed Lois Pittman director of operations and maintenance.

She will lead the team charged with oversight of the Tri-Rail commuter-rail system, which will include operations and maintenance providers and contracts, agency officials said in a press release.

The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) has named Ward McCarragher vice president of government affairs.

McCarragher has served as the majority/minority chief counsel for the U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure for the past 20 years. Prior to that, he served as as minority counsel for the subcommittees on Surface Transportation and Economic Development and Public Buildings.

The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) yesterday released a report that evaluated the Federal Transit Administration's (FTA) and the Federal Railroad Administration's (FRA) rail safety oversight programs.

While the report found strengths and limitations for each agency's programs, GAO noted that the FTA has not provided states with the guidance needed to ensure they develop appropriate and effective transit-rail safety inspection programs of their own.

The Federal Transit Administration has awarded a $22.5 million grant to the Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit District (SMART) for a 2.1-mile extension of the Larkspur commuter-rail line.

The new line will run from downtown San Rafael, California, to the Golden Gate Transit Larkspur Ferry terminal in Marin County, California. The extension will serve as an alternative to travel on U.S. Highway 101, FTA officials said in a press release.

The American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA) yesterday honored Jeremy Kramer of Louisville and Indiana Railroad Co. (LIRC) and Mitch Harris of Rio Grande Pacific Corp. (RGPC) for making career commitments to "safety compliance and culture."

ASLRRA recognized Kramer as the Safety Person of the Year and Harris as the Safety Professional of the Year. The awards were announced yesterday at ASLRRA's 2018 Connections Convention in Nashville.

Kansas City Southern President and Chief Executive Officer Patrick Ottensmeyer has responded to the Surface Transportation Board's (STB) request for information about Class Is' service outlooks for 2018.

In his April 5 letter to the STB, Ottensmeyer said KCS Railway Co. (KCSR) is "adequately staffed and adequately equipped to meet expected service demand in 2018, and service demand is generally in line with our internal forecasts."

By Michael Popke

In February, BNSF Railway Co. became the first Class I to join the Blockchain in Transport Alliance (BiTA). A handful of other rail companies, including GE Transportation and Bourque Logistics — and rumblings of more to come — also are among BiTA’s more than 230 members. In addition to rail realmers, BiTA comprises truckload carriers, third-party logistics companies, tech firms, major retailers, OEMs, parcel carriers, financial services providers and data analytics specialists collaborating to define new blockchain standards for the logistics industry. 

The Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board (JPB) has authorized an agreement with Stanford University to further develop Caltrain's business plan.

Under the pact, Stanford's Land, Buildings and Real Estate group will contribute in-kind technical assistance to support the business plan and help secure independent technical resources.

Bi-State Development has promoted Mark Vago to senior vice president and chief financial officer.

He'll succeed Kathy Klevorn, who's scheduled to retire July 1. Vago and Klevorn will work together to ensure a smooth transition, Bi-State Development officials said in a press release.

The Short Line Safety Institute (SLSI) has developed a hazardous materials instructor training program, which will be provided at no cost to short lines and regionals.

The new program will complement training railroads currently offer to their hazmat employees, said SLSI Executive Director Tom Murta in a press release.

The province of Ontario will invest more than CA$11 billion to build the first phase of a Toronto-to-London high-speed rail line, Premier Kathleen Wynne announced late last week.

The funding comes from the province's 2018 budget. The initial phase of the high-speed rail route will run between Toronto and London, Ontario.

Virginia and Colorado have obtained federal certification of their transit-rail state safety oversight (SSO) programs, the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announced late last week.

Federal law requires states with transit-rail systems in operation to obtain FTA certification of their SSO programs by April 15, 2019. States with transit-rail systems in the engineering or construction phase also must get their SSO programs certified by the deadline.

Bombardier Transportation has signed a $452 million contract to supply 40 high-speed electric multiple unit trains to Swedish public transit agency Vasttrafik. The agreement includes an option for 60 additional trains, Bombardier officials said in a press release. Delivery is slated to begin in 2021. The units, which can operate at speeds up to 124 mph, will help address growing ridership in Sweden's Vastra Gotaland region, according to Bombardier.

Rio Grande Pacific Dispatch (RGPD) and PS Technology have announced the first implementation of the CrewPro Short Line™ crew management system. The cloud-hosted system provides a subscription-based, dynamic platform for crew scheduling, RGPD officials said in a press release. CrewPro Short Line handles hours-of-service requirements, and handles tie-up, work list/pool management, seniority move bumps and Federal Railroad Administration certification requirements. RGPD will use the system to manage crew calling for multiple railroads. The technology is expected to improve cost savings and accuracy by preventing errors that occur with legacy crew management methods, according to RGPD.