Railroad News

Canadian Pacific earlier this week released its 2018 corporate sustainability report, which highlights the Class I's achievements in safety, operational excellence and social impact.

Titled "Sustainably Driven," the report was developed using a new framework for reporting the company's efforts to align business practices with sustainability goals and objectives, CP officials said in a press release.

Canadian Pacific earlier this week released its 2018 corporate sustainability report, which highlights the Class I's achievements in safety, operational excellence and social impact.

Titled "Sustainably Driven," the report was developed using a new framework for reporting the company's efforts to align business practices with sustainability goals and objectives, CP officials said in a press release.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo yesterday proposed a new plan for developing high-speed rail service on Amtrak's Empire Corridor in New York.

Cuomo will task a panel of engineers to reexamine past high-speed rail plans and recommend a new plan for how to build high-speed rail for the corridor, which connects the state through New York City, Albany and Buffalo.

As of mid-November, Class Is employed 133,225 people, down 1 percent from mid-October's level and down 10.58 percent from November 2018's count, according to Surface Transportation Board (STB) data.

All six workforce categories posted month-to-month employment decreases.
They were: executives, officials and staff assistants, down 0.31 percent to 7,629 employees; professional and administrative, down 0.83 percent to 10,910; maintenance of way and structures, down 0.28 percent to 31,242; maintenance of equipment and stores, down 1.72 percent to 23,370; transportation (other than train and engine), down 0.35 percent to 5,438; and transportation (train and engine), down 1.31 percent to 54,636.

The Bay Area Rapid Transit’s (BART) board last week elected Lateefah Simon president and Mark Foley vice president for 2020.

Simon has represented the San Francisco, Alameda and Contra Costa counties as BART District 7 director since 2017; Foley has represented Contra Costa county as District 2 director since 2018.

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) will make 20 additional New York City Transit (NYCT) subway stations fully accessible under Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards in its proposed $51.5 billion 2020-2024 capital plan.

With the addition of the new stations, a total of 70 subway stations will receive $5.2 billion in capital funds toward projects to make the stations ADA accessible, MTA officials said in a press release.

The Sound Transit board last week appointed Kent Keel chair and Dow Constantine, vice chair. 

The appointments take effect Jan. 1, following the retirement of outgoing Chair John Marchione from his position as mayor of Redmond, Washington. Marchione also served on Sound Transit’s board for 12 years, agency officials said in a press release.

Canadian Pacific announced Tuesday that more than CA$2.49 million was raised and 238,393 pounds of food were collected for local food banks and shelves during the 21st Annual CP Holiday Train's North American tour, which wrapped up earlier this month.

Although the 2019 numbers are preliminary, CP estimates the Holiday Train has raised more than CA$16.7 million and collected 4.7 million pounds of food since its inaugural journey in 1999.

Canadian Pacific announced Tuesday that more than CA$2.49 million was raised and 238,393 pounds of food were collected for local food banks and shelves during the 21st Annual CP Holiday Train's North American tour, which wrapped up earlier this month.

Although the 2019 numbers are preliminary, CP estimates the Holiday Train has raised more than CA$16.7 million and collected 4.7 million pounds of food since its inaugural journey in 1999.

The Virginia Railway Express (VRE) Operations Board last week announced it agreed to consider making a financial contribution to a second rail crossing over the Potomac River. 

Preliminary discussions between VRE and Virginia’s Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT) have identified the possibility of debt issuance and pay-as-you-go contributions to help fund the $1.9 billion bridge, VRE officials said in a press release.

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has extended its deadline for applications to the Restoration and Enhancement Grant Program for intercity passenger-rail service.

The deadline for applications has been extended by about a month to Feb. 5, 2020. Additionally, the program has received $1.9 million in additional funds as a result of the fiscal-year 2020 Appropriations Act, which was signed into law late last week.

MTA New York City Transit (NYCT) last week reopened the 168 Street subway station in New York City, after a nearly year-long effort to replace and upgrade elevators at the 100-year-old station. 

The project, completed on budget and ahead of schedule, also included improvements to lighting, communications equipment and an emergency staircase, NYCT officials said in a press release.

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority's (WMATA) board last week approved a four-year contract with its largest labor union, Amalgamated Transit Union Local 689, which represents about 8,000 WMATA employees. 

The agreement includes a 2.4 percent annual average wage increase and, for the first time in WMATA history, incentivizes ridership growth with an additional 1 percent wage increase in years when the agency’s ridership improves 2 percent or more over the previous year, WMATA officials said in a press release.

The Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) last week announced it selected Jacobs Project Management Co. and H.J. Russell & Company to manage construction spending in the first five years of the authority’s $3 billion More MARTA expansion project. 

The Jacobs/Russell joint venture team will oversee the project management process, quality assurance and project resources including planning, monitoring and performance measurements, MARTA officials said in a press release. 

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) last week launched a new web page on which the public and law enforcement agencies can report incidents of blocked grade crossings.

Communities have long dealt with the issue of blocked crossings, and the FRA is now seeking broad public input to better understand the problem's scope and engage with affected parties to identify solutions, FRA officials said in a press release.

West Virginia and Maryland state officials have agreed to continue the Maryland Area Regional Commuter (MARC) commuter-rail service to West Virginia's Eastern Panhandle in 2020, West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice announced last week. 

The Maryland Department of Transportation's Maryland Transit Administration (MDOT MTA), which operates MARC, requested $3.4 million to continue the service in West Virginia. Municipal leaders from the Eastern Panhandle communities of Shepherdstown, Ranson, Charles Town, Harpers Ferry, Bolivar and Martinsburg, along with the Jefferson County Commission and the Berkeley County Council, contributed the funds, according to a press release issued by Justice’s office.