Railroad News

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) President Dorval Carter and other officials yesterday helped mark the start of construction on the first phase of the Red and Purple Line modernization project.

The $2.1 billion project — the largest in CTA's history — is scheduled to be completed in 2025.

CSX yesterday announced the appointments of Kevin Boone as executive vice president and chief financial officer, and Jamie Boychuk as EVP of operations.

Boone was named interim CFO in May. He joined CSX in 2017 as VP of corporate affairs and chief investor relations officer, then was appointed VP of marketing and strategy to lead research and data analysis to advance growth strategies. He has more than 18 years of experience in finance, mergers and acquisitions, and accounting, primarily focused on the transportation and industrial sectors.

U.S. freight-rail traffic fell 6.4 percent to 2,054,025 carloads and intermodal units compared with levels during the same month a year ago, according to Association of American Railroad (AAR) data.

U.S. railroads last month originated 992,542 carloads, down 7 percent, and 1,061,483 intermodal containers and trailers, down 5.9 percent, versus September 2018's levels, AAR officials said in a press release.

Stadler demonstrated a model of a new diesel-electric FLIRT train in Milan at the EXPO Ferroviaria. The model is a mockup of trains Stadler is manufacturing for FNM to be operated on a regional rail line in Lombardy, Italy. First vehicles are scheduled for delivery in late 2021. The FLIRT three-car trains will be powered by a pack containing four low-emission diesel engines and two sets of batteries, and will reach a maximum speed of 87 mph. Meanwhile, Stadtwerke Augsburg awarded Stadler a $62 billion contract to supply and maintain 11 trams, which will operate in Bavaria, Germany, beginning in 2022. The contract includes an option for another 16 trams, Stadler officials said in a press release.

Keolis launched a virtual mobility assistant on the Divia Mobilites multimodal network in Dijon, France. The system provides passengers itinerary, service and traffic information through a conversational, voice-assisted experience via a mobile application. Meanwhile, Keolis’ joint venture Shanghai Keolis last month began operating a new automated metro network at the Shanghai Pudong International Airport. The metro connects two terminals and two satellite halls. Keolis is under contract to operate and maintain the network for 20 years, company officials said in a press release.

Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam yesterday announced passenger-rail service in the state will be honored this month.

On Oct. 1, 2009, Virginia launched the inaugural daily round-trip from Lynchburg to Washington, D.C., on Amtrak’s Northeast Regional route. 

Next month, Central Florida commuter railroad SunRail will begin tracking fare evasion through its SunCard fare cards, railroad officials announced this week.

SunRail riders are expected to tap their fare cards on a card reader every time they board or get off a train. Some riders are skipping a tap or riding beyond their purchased zone fare, agency officials said in a press release. 

The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LA Metro) last week implemented several short-term solutions to add train capacity on the Expo Line.

To address overcrowding, the agency has added two westbound trains and two eastbound trains to the line during the morning and evening times, and added a third train to the line’s fleet.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) yesterday released a preliminary report of its investigation into a fatal rail accident involving the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transit Authority (SEPTA) in July.

The incident occurred July 8, while two SEPTA workers were inspecting track and making light repairs in Philadelphia. A southbound train was operating on one track, just north of the workers, who were working on an interlocking between two tracks.

CN yesterday rolled out its 2019-20 winter plan, which explains how the Class I expects to serve its customers during extreme operating conditions.

CN's investments in infrastructure and equipment have increased the resiliency of its network, as well as the railroad's ability to recover during extreme operating conditions, CN officials said in a press release.

New Jersey Transit yesterday closed sections of the Elizabeth Station on the Northeast corridor in Elizabeth, New Jersey, and announced it will begin platform extension construction at the station later this fall. 

In addition to building a longer platform to accommodate 12-car trains, the $71 million station modernization project calls for constructing new station buildings, improving access per the Americans with Disabilities Act and upgrading security and communications systems, NJ Transit officials said in a press release.

The Bi-State Development (BSD) board last week completed a bond refinancing to generate $49.1 million in debt savings and announced it will use nearly $20 million of those savings to fund Metro Transit-St. Louis infrastructure and security improvements. 

Although specific projects to be funded are still being determined, projects under consideration include security camera upgrades and reconfiguration of MetroLink stations to limit points of customer access in order to improve passenger monitoring and fare violation enforcement, BSD officials said in a press release. 

Metra officials yesterday joined federal, state and local officials to mark the upcoming construction of a new station that will serve Chicago's Auburn Gresham neighborhood. 

Metra originally planned to fund the Auburn Park Station with its share of proceeds from two Illinois state bond programs from 2009. However, that funding was held up in the state’s budget woes and then cut in 2017. Now, funding for the station has been restored in recent state budgets, and the state has released $20 million for Auburn Park, Metra officials said in a press release.

The Georgia Central Railway has upgraded its entire 211-mile line between Macon and Savannah to handle 286,000-pound rail cars, the short line announced today.

The upgrade was necessary to match the capacity of connecting national railroads and increase the short line’s competitiveness, Georgia Central officials said in a press release.

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) board last week approved $5 billion in additional capital spending, including funding for rail projects.

In its biennial reassessment of its 2017-2026 capital plan, the board approved funding for a new AirTrain shuttle to Newark Liberty International Airport, additional spending for AirTrain LaGuardia and the addition of three new projects, including a Port Authority-Trans Hudson (PATH) improvement plan.

The Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon (TriMet) on Oct. 1 will mark 50 years of service. 

Since TriMet's creation in 1969, the system has expanded from a bus system to include the Westside Express Service commuter rail, five MAX light-rail lines and 86 bus lines, agency officials said in a press release.

The South Florida Regional Transportation Authority (SFRTA) last week announced it was honored with the Achievement of Excellence in Procurement (AEP) award from the National Procurement Institute Inc. (NPI) for the 13th year. 

The AEP award is given annually to public and nonprofit organizations that demonstrate innovation, professionalism, productivity and leadership in procurement functions. Recipients are scored based on standardized criteria, SFRTA officials said in a press release.