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Aug
07

BNSF posts revenue, income growth in Q2

BNSF Railway Co. reported second-quarter net income rose 37 percent to $1.3 billion and total revenue climbed 12 percent to nearly $5.9 billion compared with the same quarter a year ago.

The Class I attributed the revenue growth to a 5 percent increase in unit volume, according to a performance summary posted on BNSF's website.

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Aug
07

Rising Stars: Becca Nagorsky, Metrolinx

Becca Nagorsky, 37

Job description: Leads the team that does early stage planning and preliminary design for new subway, light-rail and bus-rapid transit projects.

Education: Bachelor of Arts, McGill University; Master of Urban Planning, New York University

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Aug
06

San Diego transit agency mulls commuter-rail rebranding

Rail News Home Passenger Rail 8/6/2018 Rail News: Passenger Rail
The new design will be rolled out on NCTD's new fleet of Siemens locomotives.Photo – NCTD

The North County Transit District (NCTD) in San Diego, California, is soliciting public opinion on new branding and logos, including a new paint scheme for the Coaster commuter-rail trains.

The new design will be rolled out on NCTD's new fleet of Siemens locomotives, which are slated to begin arriving in 2021. The agency also may update its existing fleet of coach and cab cars to match the chosen design, NCTD officials said in a press release.

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Aug
06

APTA officials study Canada's investment in transit infrastructure

Rail News Home Passenger Rail 8/6/2018 Rail News: Passenger Rail
"There are relevant lessons for us in the Canadian partnership models for governance, financing and procurement," said APTA CEO Paul Skoutelas.Photo – APTA.com

A delegation of American Public Transportation Association (APTA) representatives visited four Canadian cities last month to learn how major investments in public transit infrastructure in those cities are structured, developed and financed.

APTA members participated in presentations, panel discussions and site visits with Canadian public transportation authorities, government officials and business leaders during the six-day mission, according to a report in APTA's Passenger Transport newsletter.

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Aug
06

SEPTA begins commuter-rail infrastructure upgrades

The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) this month continued a project to rebuild the mainline infrastructure on its Media/Elwyn commuter-rail line between Philadelphia's 30th Street Station and the Arsenal Interlocking beneath the University City Station.

That section of track also supports the Wilmington/Newark and Airport lines.

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Aug
06

SFRTA's Stephens to retire at year's end

Rail News Home Railroading People 8/6/2018 Rail News: Railroading People
Jack StephensPhoto – SFRTA

South Florida Regional Transportation Authority (SFRTA) Executive Director Jack Stephens last week announced that he'll retire when his contract ends Dec. 31.

During Stephens' tenure, the agency opened its first Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified Tri-Rail station. Last month, the agency achieved the highest on-time performance in its 29-year history.

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Aug
06

Legislation would ban some rail cars, buses from China

Rail News Home Federal Legislation & Regulation 8/6/2018 Rail News: Federal Legislation & Regulation
The U.S. Senate last week agreed to a one-year ban on new procurements of mass transit rail cars or buses from China if the procurements use federal funding.The ban was included in amendments to H.R. 6147, the second "minibus" package of appropriations bills for fiscal-year 2019, according to a report in Eno Transportation Weekly (ETW).The measure would prohibit new rail-car and bus procurements from companies owned or subsidized by China if the procurements use any Federal Transit Administration formula or bus funding, ETW reported.The Senate language in the amendment is more "precise" than language included in the House's version of the legislation. Among the differences: The Senate prohibition prevents the expansion of existing contracts executed prior to the date of the legislation's enactment to include any more rolling stock vehicles or rail cars than were already in the contract."Since some version of a ban on new Chinese rolling stock is now in both the House and Senate versions of the bill, it seems certain that some version of the ban will be enacted into law in the final 2019 [U.S. Department of Transportation] appropriations act," according to ETW.

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Aug
06

Kuehl succeeds Garcetti as LA Metro chair

Rail News Home Railroading People 8/6/2018 Rail News: Railroading People
Sheila Kuehl serves as a Los Angeles County Supervisor.Photo – Kuehl's website

Sheila Kuehl has been appointed chair of the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro).

As chair, she succeeds LA Mayor Eric Garcetti. An LA County supervisor, Kuehl previously served as Metro's first vice chair.

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Aug
06

NS begins derailment cleanup in Pittsburgh

A Norfolk Southern Railway freight train derailed yesterday near Station Square in Pittsburgh, sending rail cars down a hill and onto light-rail tracks operated by the Port Authority of Allegheny County.

No one was injured in the incident, according to an NS statement. Light-rail riders experienced delays today heading to and from downtown Pittsburgh, as crews continued to clean up damage and debris from the derailment, authority officials said in a website post.

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Aug
06

NS begins derailment cleanup in Pittsburgh

A Norfolk Southern Railway freight train derailed yesterday near Station Square in Pittsburgh, sending rail cars down a hill and onto light-rail tracks operated by the Port Authority of Allegheny County.

No one was injured in the incident, according to an NS statement. Light-rail riders experienced delays today heading to and from downtown Pittsburgh, as crews continued to clean up damage and debris from the derailment, authority officials said in a website post.

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Aug
06

AAR, GoRail honor Denham with Railroad Achievement Award

Rail News Home Railroading People 8/6/2018 Rail News: Railroading People
Denham (right, with Nate Kaplan) was recognized for continued leadership on issues affecting freight and passenger railroads.Photo – AAR

U.S. Rep. Jeff Denham (R-Calif.), a senior member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, last week received the Railroad Achievement Award from the Association of American Railroads (AAR) and GoRail.

Denham — who chairs the Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines and Hazardous Materials — was recognized for his "continued leadership on issues affecting both freight and passenger railroads," according to an AAR press release.

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Aug
06

AAR, GoRail honors Denham with Railroad Achievement Award

Rail News Home Railroading People 8/6/2018 Rail News: Railroading People
Denham (right, with Nate Kaplan) was recognized for continued leadership on issues affecting freight and passenger railroads.Photo – AAR

U.S. Rep. Jeff Denham (R-Calif.), a senior member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, last week received the Railroad Achievement Award from the Association of American Railroads (AAR) and GoRail.

Denham — who chairs the Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines and Hazardous Materials — was recognized for his "continued leadership on issues affecting both freight and passenger railroads," according to an AAR press release.

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Aug
06

Rising Stars: Chad Mowery, Central Maine & Quebec Railway

Chad Mowery, 38

Job description: Responsible for the Central Maine & Quebec's engineering, mechanical and transportation departments in the United States and Quebec. Also responsible for the railroad's newest operation, Katahdin Railcar Services, which has a 24,000-square-foot tank car cleaning and repair facility in Derby, Maine.

Education: Associate degree in business administration, University of Phoenix; bachelor's degree in business management (in progress), Kansas State University

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Aug
03

Metro Transit kicks off Mall of America station renovations

Metro Transit leaders yesterday joined local officials to break ground on a $25 million renovation project at the Mall of America Transit Center, which is Minnesota's busiest transit hub.

The 25-year-old transit center was last upgraded in 2004, when Metro Transit's Blue Line light-rail route opened, agency officials said in a press release.

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Aug
03

AARS presents 'Ones to Watch' awards to Flores, Bailey

Rail News Home Railroading People 8/3/2018 Rail News: Railroading People
Eric Flores (left) received the award at AARS' 122nd annual meeting in Chicago.Photo – Pacific Harbor Line Inc.

The American Association of Railroad Superintendents (AARS) last week presented its 2018 "Ones to Watch" awards to Pacific Harbor Line Inc.'s (PHL) Eric Flores and CN's Nathan Bailey.

The association bestows the awards to rail managers who have contributed to the success of their railroad and are expected to provide "valuable industry leadership," according to AARS.

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Aug
03

BASF honors UP for sustainability practices

Rail News Home Union Pacific Railroad 8/3/2018 Rail News: Union Pacific Railroad
BASF Corp. recognized Union Pacific Railroad as a "Supplier of the Year" for performance in sustainability in North America.UP was the only railroad that the chemical company honored with the award, which is given to suppliers that exhibit a "strong commitment supporting BASF's dedication toward environmental, social and economic success," UP officials said in a press release.Nine companies received honors in logistics, raw materials and technical goods and services categories.UP and BASF teamed up to move super-absorbent polymers (SAPs) for the first time via rail, eliminating more than 100 trucks from the road and reducing greenhouse gas emissions, according to the Class I. SAPs absorb and retain large amounts of liquid commonly found in products such as diapers.The project delivered a sustainable, consistent alternative supply chain for BASF's customer by expanding transportation modes and supporting on-site inventory, UP officials said.

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Aug
03

BASF honors UP for sustainability practices

Rail News Home Union Pacific Railroad 8/3/2018 Rail News: Union Pacific Railroad
BASF Corp. recognized Union Pacific Railroad as a "Supplier of the Year" for performance in sustainability in North America.UP was the only railroad that the chemical company honored with the award, which is given to suppliers that exhibit a "strong commitment supporting BASF's dedication toward environmental, social and economic success," UP officials said in a press release.Nine companies received honors in logistics, raw materials and technical goods and services categories.UP and BASF teamed up to move super-absorbent polymers (SAPs) for the first time via rail, eliminating more than 100 trucks from the road and reducing greenhouse gas emissions, according to the Class I. SAPs absorb and retain large amounts of liquid commonly found in products such as diapers.The project delivered a sustainable, consistent alternative supply chain for BASF's customer by expanding transportation modes and supporting on-site inventory, UP officials said.

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Aug
03

Illinois DOT grant to benefit Peru Industrial Railroad project

Rail News Home Short Lines & Regionals 8/3/2018 Rail News: Short Lines & Regionals
OmniTRAX Inc. and the city of Peru, Illinois, have received an Illinois Competitive Freight Program grant to help fund a $4.4 million rail safety and security improvement project aimed at boosting safety and security at the Peru Industrial Railroad.Administered by the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT), the grant program is designed to improve safety, boost efficiency and grow the economy.The grant will cover about 60 percent of the project's costs, while OmniTRAX — which manages the railroad — and the city will cover the remaining costs. The road and intermodal rail service project is designed to improve freight flow in the area.Peru Industrial Railroad operates 3 miles of track in Peru. It provides switching services for the Peru Industrial Park, part of the city's enterprise zone. The rail line interchanges with OmniTRAX-managed Illinois Railway and BNSF Railway Co."We have been working closely with the city of Peru for several months to ensure the project meets everyone's goals of a safer rail line that is positioned to grow in support of the local economy," said OmniTRAX Chief Executive Officer Kevin Shuba.

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Aug
03

Delaware-Lackawanna logged record traffic in June

Rail News Home Short Lines & Regionals 8/3/2018 Rail News: Short Lines & Regionals
The short line handled a record 1,068 carloads during the month.Photo – pnrra.org

In June, the Delaware-Lackawanna Railroad Co. Inc. (DLRR) reported 1,068 carloads, marking an all-time monthly record for the northeastern Pennsylvania short line.

Through the first six months of 2018, the railroad handled 4,829 cars, marking a 13 percent increase over the same period last year, said Larry Malski, president of the Pennsylvania Northeast Regional Railroad Authority, which owns the DLRR.

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Aug
03

Transport Canada announces rail safety funding

Rail News Home Safety 8/3/2018 Rail News: Safety
Some of the funds will go toward closing grade crossings.Photo – tc.gc.ca

Transport Canada this week announced CA$20 million in federal dollars will go toward 105 rail safety projects.

Nearly all the projects focus on infrastructure, technology and research, including safety improvements on rail properties and grade crossing closures.

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