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Sep
26

Streetcar coalition names executive leaders, board members

The Community Streetcar Coalition (CSC) recently announced its executive committee and new board members.

Serving as incoming chair is Adelee Le Grand, vice president at Transdev and chief strategic officer at the New Orleans Regional Transit Authority. Le Grand is responsible for finding solutions to address access and mobility challenges facing the New Orleans region, coalition officials said in a press release.

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Sep
26

APTA honors transit leaders, agencies for excellence

The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) yesterday recognized individuals and transit agencies for excellence and leadership in public transportation in North America.

The honorees were winners of this year's APTA Awards, which were presented at the association's annual meeting being held this week in Nashville, Tennessee.

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Sep
26

Railway suppliers chronicle their industry's economic impact

Rail News Home Railroading Supplier Spotlight 9/26/2018 Rail News: Railroading Supplier Spotlight
"This study is the first of its kind to reveal the power and contribution of the railway supply industry that is driven by investment in our nation’s railroads,” said RSI President Mike O'Malley.Photo – rsiweb.org

The rail supply industry represented by several associations released a report today that highlights the economic and workforce impact of their products and services.

Titled "The Power of Rail Supply: The Economic Impact of Rail Suppliers in the U.S.," the report examines the "importance of the industry to the U.S. economy in terms of jobs, tax revenue and gross domestic product on the state and national level," according to a press release issued by the Railway Supply Institute (RSI).

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Sep
26

AASHTO names Tymon executive director

Rail News Home Railroading People 9/26/2018 Rail News: Railroading People
Tymon currently serves as the association's chief operating officer and director of policy and management.Photo – AASHTO

The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) announced James Tymon executive director at its annual board meeting held Sept. 20-24 in Atlanta.

Tymon is currently association's chief operating officer and director of policy and management. He joined AASHTO in 2013.

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Sep
26

Amtrak, Operation Lifesaver team up for largest U.S. rail safety operation

Amtrak police and Operation Lifesaver Inc. (OLI) yesterday partnered for their second annual "Operation Clear Track" event, the largest rail-safety law enforcement operation in the United States.

During the event, police reported to hundreds of grade crossings around the country deemed "high-incident" locations by the Federal Railroad Administration. Once onsite, law enforcement officials enforced grade crossing and trespassing laws during a three-hour safety detail, writing citations and warnings to violators, OLI officials said in a press release.

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Sep
26

Canadian Pacific names Monser to board

Rail News Home Canadian Pacific 9/26/2018 Rail News: Canadian Pacific
Edward Monser will join CP's board on Dec. 17.Photo – emerson.com

Canadian Pacific announced yesterday that Edward Monser has been appointed to its board of directors effective Dec. 17.

Monser will retire Oct. 1 as president of global technology and engineering company Emerson, where he began his engineering career in 1981. He also has served as the company's executive vice president and chief operating officer.

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Sep
26

Canadian Pacific names Monser to board

Rail News Home Canadian Pacific 9/26/2018 Rail News: Canadian Pacific
Edward Monser will join CP's board on Dec. 17.Photo – emerson.com

Canadian Pacific announced yesterday that Edward Monser has been appointed to its board of directors effective Dec. 17.

Monser will retire Oct. 1 as president of global technology and engineering company Emerson, where he began his engineering career in 1981. He also has served as the company's executive vice president and chief operating officer.

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Sep
26

FTA to reimburse LA Metro for some Purple Line work

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) last week approved the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority's (MTA) request to be reimbursed for early work activities for the Purple Line extension's third section between Century City and the Westwood/VA Hospital.

The FTA's "letter of no prejudice" permits Metro to incur costs on the project using non-federal resources, with the understanding that the costs incurred after the letter's approval may be reimbursable if the project is chosen for federal funding later.

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Sep
25

InnoTrans 2018 attracts record participation

This year's InnoTrans Convention held in Berlin last week attracted more than 153,000 trade visitors from 149 countries, marking a record participation rate, conference planners announced yesterday.

The event featured record exhibitor numbers, a total attendance of 161,157 visitors and an increase in business volume, InnoTrans officials said in a press release.

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Sep
25

AASHTO, APTA unveil new leadership

The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) has elected Carlos Braceras as president and Patrick McKenna as vice president.

Braceras is executive director of the Utah Department of Transportation; McKenna is director of the Missouri Department of Transportation (MODOT).

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Sep
25

FTA signs off on Missouri's transit-rail safety program

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) yesterday announced that Missouri has obtained federal certification of its transit-rail state safety oversight (SSO) program.

By law, states with transit-rail systems are required to achieve federal certification of their SSO programs by April 15, 2019. To obtain certification, states must meet certain statutory requirements, including establishing an SSO agency that's financially and legally independent from the transit agencies it oversees.

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Sep
25

Watco to open rail facility in Queensland

Rail News Home Short Lines & Regionals 9/25/2018 Rail News: Short Lines & Regionals
Deputy Mayor Jo McNally (left) and Watco Executive Chairman Rick WebbPhoto – Southern Downs Regional Council

Watco Transportation Services last week agreed to establish a rail transport facility in Warwick, Queensland, in Australia.

Watco will haul grain from the facility. The company anticipates starting operations in first-quarter 2019, according to a press release issued by the Southern Downs Regional Council.

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Sep
25

Long Beach port's board OKs $870 million to build on-dock rail facility

The Long Beach Board of Harbor Commissioners has approved an $870 million budget to build a new on-dock rail support facility.

The facility will be designed to shift more shipping containers from trucks to rail for a "more efficient and sustainable transfer of cargo," port officials said in a press release.

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Sep
25

Orange County transit agency picks Walsh to build streetcar

The Orange County Transportation Authority's (OCTA) board yesterday awarded a $220.5 million contract to Walsh Construction Co. to build the 4.1-mile OC Streetcar system.

The streetcar will operate between Metrolink's commuter-rail service at the Santa Ana Regional Transportation Center and Harbor Boulevard in Garden Grove, California. The streetcar also will connect with several of the county's busiest bus routes along the way, OCTA officials said in a news release.

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Sep
25

PHMSA pulls ECP brake requirement

Rail News Home Federal Legislation & Regulation 9/25/2018 Rail News: Federal Legislation & Regulation
The Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act required further analysis of the ECP brake requirements, including physical testing, to see how much more effective ECP brakes are in comparison to other brake systems.Photo – Railway Supply Institute

The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) yesterday rescinded a mandate that would have required crude-oil trains to use electronically controlled pneumatic (ECP) braking systems.

The PHMSA took the action after it conducted a congressionally mandated review of the regulation's impact, and determined that the expected costs of requiring ECP brakes would be "significantly higher" than the expected benefits, according to a PHMSA press release.

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Sep
25

MBTA applies for PTC deadline extension

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) late last week applied to the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) for a two-year extension of the federally mandated deadline to implement positive train control (PTC).

MBTA submitted the request after completing all federal requirements necessary to qualify for an extension to implement PTC. Railroads are required to implement PTC by Dec. 31, or apply for an extension.

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Sep
24

LA Metro to share update on Union Station modernization plans

Rail News Home Passenger Rail 9/24/2018 Rail News: Passenger Rail
Rendering of the renovated Union StationPhoto – LA Metro/MBI Media

The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) on Wednesday will hold an open house for its project to modernize Union Station.

Known as Link Union Station, the project calls for transforming the station from a "dead-end" stop into  "run-through" one by extending tracks south over the US-101 highway.

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Sep
24

OmniTRAX: Savannah Gateway Hub's road construction begins

Rail News Home Intermodal 9/24/2018 Rail News: Intermodal
The improved access will help open up the 2,700-acre park for development.Photo – savannahgatewayindustrialhub.com

Construction is underway to improve access to the Savannah Gateway Industrial Hub near the Port of Savannah, Georgia.

McCall Road, which provides access to the eastern portion of the industrial park, will be widened from Highway 21 toward the park. Completion is expected by March 2019, said Mike Martin, vice president of development at OmniTRAX Inc., the park's developer.

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Sep
24

TriMet names Blagg head of safety and security

The Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon (TriMet) has appointed Marla Blagg executive director of safety and security effective Oct. 22.

Blagg will succeed Harry Saporta, who plans to retire in early 2018 after eight years leading the agency's safety and security efforts.

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Sep
24

New Orleans port, railroad advance Avondale Shipyard project

Rail News Home Intermodal 9/24/2018 Rail News: Intermodal
The agreements outline collaborative opportunities geared toward Avondale's development as a "vibrant maritime and logistics hub," port officials said.Photo – portnola.com

The boards of the Port of New Orleans and New Orleans Public Belt Railroad Corp. last week approved separate resolutions that authorize nonbinding cooperative endeavor agreements between the port, the short line, Jefferson Parish and Avondale Marine LLC to facilitate the proposed redevelopment of the former Avondale Shipyard.

The port will issue a jurisdictional permit to Avondale Marine for use and development of a port and intermodal facility. When the rail extension is completed — at Avondale Marine's expense — New Orleans Public Belt Railroad will connect and provide service that will ensure the site has neutral access to Class Is operating in the New Orleans gateway, port and railroad officials said in a press release.

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