Railroad News

U.S. railroads logged a 2.6 percent increase in combined carload and intermodal traffic in August compared with the same month last year, according to the Association of American Railroads (AAR).

A 5.6 percent increase in intermodal containers and trailers helped push the railroads' total combined traffic to 2,744,486 million units for the month compared with August 2016. But total carloads last month slipped 0.3 percent to 1,343,405 units, AAR officials said in a press release.

Hawaii Gov. David Ige on Tuesday signed a bill that extends through 2030 a tax surcharge to pay for the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transit's (HART) planned passenger-rail system.

The law extends Oahu's general excise tax surcharge three additional years and increases the state's hotel room tax by 1 percent for the next 13 years, according to a press release issued by Ige's office.

The National Hurricane Center's latest projected track of Hurricane Irma has prompted the Surface Transportation Board (STB) to postpone its Sept. 12 listening session concerning CSX's rail service issues, the board announced yesterday.

The center has projected landfall in southern Florida early on Sept. 11. CSX's headquarters are based in Jacksonville, Fla.

The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) yesterday announced the availability of $500 million in discretionary grant funding through the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) program.

The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2017 set aside $500 million for National Infrastructure Investments, also known as TIGER grants, according to a USDOT press release. As with previous TIGER rounds, funds will be awarded on a competitive basis for projects that have a significant impact on the United States, a metropolitan area or a region.

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority's (WMATA) rail system and the Virginia Railway Express (VRE) provide more than $600 million each year to Virginia's general fund, the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission (NVTC) announced yesterday.

The figure comes from a new report that evaluated the economic value of the two rail systems.

Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) today will begin testing trains along the Berryessa Extension running from Fremont to San Jose, California.

The first trains — which won't carry riders yet — will be used to test communication systems, tracks and software. This is known as the "static testing phase" and is a key step before opening the extension for passenger service, according to a press release issued by the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA).

Amtrak is preparing to equip 310 locomotives with positive train control (PTC) technology and comply with the federal deadline by Dec. 31, 2018.

The equipment will be installed on Amtrak's diesel locomotives that operate primarily on the national Amtrak network and state-sponsored routes in the East and Midwest, the railroad announced in a press release.

Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) General Manager and Chief Executive Officer Keith Parker yesterday announced that he will step down from his agency post to accept a new job as president and CEO of Goodwill of North Georgia.

Parker will move on after serving as MARTA's leader for nearly five years.

Officials representing the Cape Breton and Central Nova Scotia Railway Ltd. and Nova Scotia, Canada, have signed a one-year agreement to maintain the existing rail line between St. Peter's Junction, near Port Hawkesbury, and Sydney.

Under the agreement, the railway will not apply to abandon a portion of the line and the province will reimburse valid expenses up to CA$60,000 per month, according to a press release issued last week by Nova Scotia officials.

CSX has made "very good progress" in its transition to a precision scheduled railroading model, with the railroad returning to a "normal operating rhythm," President and Chief Executive Officer E. Hunter Harrison announced today.

Harrison is now confident many of the service problems recently reported by CSX customers "are behind us," according to a CSX press release.

The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) last week recognized eight of its member organizations for sustainability achievements.

Amtrak and engineering firm TRC Cos. Inc. earned Gold Level recognition for their accomplishments. The national intercity passenger railroad has reduced electrical consumption at facilities through energy-efficient lighting products, automated building controls and facility-based energy plans.

Union Pacific Railroad and Kansas City Southern yesterday announced progress in repairing rail infrastructure and restoring service in some areas following Hurricane Harvey's devastation in the Gulf region.

UP has gained access to its rail line near Crosby, Texas, and crews have begun repairs and restoration to the two lines that link Houston and Beaumont, Texas.

The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) late last week opened the Washington/Wabash Station, which marks the first new downtown "L" station in 20 years.

Built between Madison and Washington streets, the $75 million station replaces two existing ones built more than 120 years ago. The new station is fully accessible for riders with disabilities, CTA officials said in a press release.

Southwest Gulf Railroad Co. (SGRR) has begun construction on the Medina Line, a common carrier rail line in Medina County, Texas.

Surveying and marking the right of way began late last month. The next phases will involve fencing, earthwork, site work and rail installation of the Medina Line, SGRR officials said in a press release.

VIA Rail Canada Inc.'s second-quarter ridership grew 9.5 percent compared with ridership during the same period in 2016, railroad officials announced last week.

VIA served 1 million passengers during Q2 2017 versus 939,000 riders during Q2 2016. The railroad's passenger revenue rose 15 percent to CA$80.9 million in the quarter from CA$70.1 million a year ago.

Patriot Rail Co. LLC and sister company Diversified Port Holdings LLC (DPH) have combined to create an expanded business portfolio, the companies announced late last week.

Through its principal subsidiaries Seaonus and Portus, DPH operates a maritime port logistics business in the U.S. Gulf and Atlantic coasts. Both Patriot Rail and DPH are based in Jacksonville, Florida.

Genesee & Wyoming Inc. (G&W) and SEACOR Holdings Inc. have formed a joint venture to own and operate CG Railway LLC (CGR), a freight railroad that operates rail ferry service between the ports of Mobile, Alabama, and Coatzacoalcos, Veracruz.

CG Railway is a subsidiary that SEACOR recently acquired through its acquisition of International Shipholding Corp. Terms of the 50-50 joint venture were not disclosed.