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Jul
12

SEPTA's first new Siemens locomotive hits the rails

The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) yesterday marked the arrival and inaugural run of its first new Siemens ACS-64 electric locomotive.

The agency is buying 15 locomotives from Siemens. The new units will enable SEPTA to expand its fleet and replace eight aging locomotives, including the only remaining AEM-7 locomotives operating in the United States, agency officials said in a press release.

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Jul
12

NYSDOT awards $19 million to expand CSX's DeWitt terminal

The New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) has awarded $19 million in state funding toward a CSX rail-yard expansion in the town of DeWitt in central New York.

The project will create central New York's first inland port, which will allow for containerized freight to be moved between the Port of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) and CSX's DeWitt terminal, NYSDOT officials said yesterday in a press release.

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Jul
12

NYSDOT awards $19 million to expand CSX's DeWitt terminal

The New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) has awarded $19 million in state funding toward a CSX rail-yard expansion in the town of DeWitt in central New York.

The project will create central New York's first inland port, which will allow for containerized freight to be moved between the Port of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) and CSX's DeWitt terminal, NYSDOT officials said yesterday in a press release.

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Jul
12

Bargain hunters: Canadian Pacific, two unions bag mutually beneficial pacts

The Teamsters Canada Rail Conference-Train & Engine division bargains for 3,000 CP locomotive engineers and conductors.Photo – Shutterstock/Erez Shany

By This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., Managing Editor

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Jul
12

Bargain hunters: Canadian Pacific, two unions bag mutually beneficial pacts

The Teamsters Canada Rail Conference-Train & Engine division bargains for 3,000 CP locomotive engineers and conductors.Photo – Shutterstock/Erez Shany

By This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., Managing Editor

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Jul
11

Rail supplier news from HollyFrontier, Bergmann, NRC, Siemens and Lewis (July 11)

HollyFrontier Corp. has agreed to acquire locomotive engine oil supplier Red Giant Oil Co. Based in Council Bluffs, Iowa, Red Giant has storage facilities in Idaho, Utah and Wyoming, along with a blending and packaging facility in Texas. The transaction is slated to close in the third quarter, HollyFrontier officials said in a press release. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

The American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA) has chosen architecture, engineering and planning firm Bergmann as a preferred provider of grant application services. The company will assist ASLRRA members in applying for grants from federal and other sources. Bergmann's grant-writing capabilities cover the application process, including environmental support services, permitting, preliminary engineering, cost estimating, and cost-benefit analysis, company officials said in a press release.

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Jul
11

Windmiller joins St. Louis Bi-State Development board

Rail News Home Railroading People 7/11/2018 Rail News: Railroading People
Windmiller is the former chairwoman of Citizens for Modern Transit.Photo – Bi-State Development

Missouri Gov. Mike Parson has appointed Rose Windmiller to the Bi-State Development's board.

Bi-State Development is the operator of Metro Transit-St. Louis, which operates light-rail, bus and paratransit services in the St. Louis area.

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Jul
11

Jury favors Sandbox Logistics in case against Arrows Up

U.S. Silica Holdings Inc. announced a unanimous jury verdict in subsidiary Sandbox Logistics' breach-of-contract lawsuit against Arrows Up LLC, an affiliate of OmniTRAX Inc.

The jury returned a verdict in favor of Sandbox on all 12 issues presented in the lawsuit, U.S. Silica officials said July 9 in a press release.

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Jul
11

South Carolina ports post record year in FY18

Rail News Home Intermodal 7/11/2018 Rail News: Intermodal
In June, the authority handled 201,163 TEUs, representing the single highest month for container volume in the port's history.Photo – scspa.com

The South Carolina Ports Authority (SCPA) logged a record 2.2 million 20-foot equivalent units (TEU), marking a 3 percent increase in fiscal-year 2017 over the previous fiscal year.

In June, the authority handled 201,163 TEUs, representing the single highest month for container volume in the port's history, SCPA officials said in a press release.

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Jul
11

BLET seeks Trump's help in crew dispute with KCSR

Rail News Home Labor 7/11/2018 Rail News: Labor
President Donald TrumpPhoto – whitehouse.gov

The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) has asked President Donald Trump to intervene in a dispute between the union and Texas Mexican Railway (Tex Mex) and its parent, Kansas City Southern Railway (KSCR).

On July 9, Tex Mex replaced U.S. crew members with Mexican train crews between Laredo Yard in Laredo, Texas, and the International Bridge located about 10 miles away.

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Jul
11

MassDOT announces $1.8 million in grants for freight-rail projects

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) announced $1.8 million in grant awards to expand freight-rail opportunities as part of the Industrial Rail Access Program.

The program is a competitive state-funded public-private partnership that provides financial assistance to eligible applicants to invest in projects that improve access to industry-based rail infrastructure.

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Jul
11

FTA certifies rail-safety programs for N.C., Puerto Rico and Washington

Rail News Home Safety 7/11/2018 Rail News: Safety
In North Carolina, the state's Department of Transportation will provide safety oversight of the Charlotte Area Transit System's light-rail and streetcar systems.Photo – Charlotte Area Transit System

North Carolina, Puerto Rico and Washington have obtained federal certification for their rail safety oversight programs, the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announced yesterday.

Federal law requires states with transit-rail systems to obtain FTA certification of their state safety oversight (SSO) programs by April 15, 2019.

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Jul
11

AAR, shippers: Trade war threatens U.S. economy

In an op-ed published today in the Washington Examiner, Association of American Railroads (AAR) President and Chief Executive Officer Edward Hamberger and shipper industry executives issued a strong rebuke of President Donald Trump's trade policies.

Trump's recently announced tariffs on certain foreign goods will hinder global commerce and could reverse economic progress spurred by the president's regulation reforms and tax cuts, wrote Hamberger, American Chemistry Council CEO Cal Dooley and American Petroleum Institute CEO Jack Gerard.

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Jul
11

Rail car and locomotive statistics: Fleet Stats 2018

Rail News Home Mechanical July 2018 Rail News: Mechanical

By This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., EditorDemand for rail equipment "remained steady" throughout the first quarter of 2018, as Economic Planning Associates (EPA) noted in the executive summary of its quarterly rail-car report, issued May 1.  "Fourth-quarter 2017 deliveries of 13,408 were matched by assemblies of 13,099 cars in this year’s opening quarter," EPA officials said. "And, close to 5,000 cars were added to backlogs in the first quarter. As a result, current backlogs of 55,216 units represent 4.2 quarters of assemblies at current production rates."Moreover, the "expanding economy" should continue to boost rail-car demand in the near term, EPA said.  Keywords Browse articles on rail car locomotive locomotive statistics Fleet Stats 2018 Economic Planning Associates Contact Progressive Railroading editorial staff.

Jul
10

The ongoing search for first-and-last-mile solutions

In 2013, DART launched D-Link, a free bus service that can be used for short trips in and around downtown DallasPhoto – shutterstock.com

By This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., Senior Associate Editor

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Jul
10

Metra to test fare zone changes

Rail News Home Passenger Rail 7/10/2018 Rail News: Passenger Rail
The railroad will consolidate outer zones and cap fares for trips over 45 miles.Photo – Metra

On July 15, Metra will roll out two fare zone pilot programs aimed at attracting new riders and simplifying the agency's fare structure.

The first program calls for consolidating outer zones and capping fares for trips over 45 miles.

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Jul
10

NJ Transit wraps up Cranford rail station rehab

Rail News Home Passenger Rail 7/10/2018 Rail News: Passenger Rail
The project was completed $2 million under budget, agency officials said.Photo – NJ Transit's Twitter account

New Jersey Transit has completed a $4 million platform rehabilitation and transit arts project at its Cranford commuter-rail station.

Funded by the New Jersey Transportation Trust Fund, the work included structural repairs, new windscreens and canopy replacements, along with new benches, marketing display cases and trash cans.

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Jul
10

APTA seeks feedback on three-year strategic plan

Rail News Home Passenger Rail 7/10/2018 Rail News: Passenger Rail
The plan will guide the association's programs and member services for fiscal years 2020-2022.Photo – APTA

The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) is seeking input on the development of a new strategic plan to guide its programs and member services for fiscal years 2020-2022.

To gather feedback, the association has launched an online survey through July 31.

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Jul
10

UP recognizes 54 shippers for chemical safety

Rail News Home Union Pacific Railroad 7/10/2018 Rail News: Union Pacific Railroad
Union Pacific Railroad has recognized 54 companies with its Pinnacle Award for safely transporting chemical products.The annual award honors UP customers that implement release prevention protocols, corrective action plans and have zero non-accident releases (NARs) of regulated hazardous materials shipments.Award criteria include safe-loading techniques, shipment securement and zero NARs. NAR is an unintentional hazardous material release during rail transportation not caused by an accident."We appreciate the business collaboration, preventative measures and continued focus on eliminating chemical releases during transit," said Kenny Rocker, UP's vice president and general manager-industrial, in a press release.Pinnacle Award honorees based on 2017 shipments can be read here.

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More News from 7/10/2018


Jul
10

UP recognizes 54 shippers for chemical safety

Rail News Home Union Pacific Railroad 7/10/2018 Rail News: Union Pacific Railroad
Union Pacific Railroad has recognized 54 companies with its Pinnacle Award for safely transporting chemical products.The annual award honors UP customers that implement release prevention protocols, corrective action plans and have zero non-accident releases (NARs) of regulated hazardous materials shipments.Award criteria include safe-loading techniques, shipment securement and zero NARs. NAR is an unintentional hazardous material release during rail transportation not caused by an accident."We appreciate the business collaboration, preventative measures and continued focus on eliminating chemical releases during transit," said Kenny Rocker, UP's vice president and general manager-industrial, in a press release.Pinnacle Award honorees based on 2017 shipments can be read here.

Contact Progressive Railroading editorial staff.

More News from 7/10/2018