Railroad News

The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) Board of Directors has approved the agency's annual two-year operating budget for fiscal years 2019 and 2020 at $1.2 billion.

Ontario has committed an initial investment of more than CA$11 billion (US$8.6 billion) to make high-speed rail service between Toronto and Windsor a reality as early as 2025.

Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne was at Info-Tech in London on April 6 to highlight the investment that the province said would connect communities and create jobs and economic growth across Southwestern Ontario.

The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency's (SFMTA) board on Wednesday approved an annual $1.2 billion operating budget for fiscal years 2019 and 2020 that includes funds for adding rail cars and launching the Central Subway.

The Central Subway, which is slated to launch service in 2019, involves extending the T Third Line route from the 4th Street Station in downtown San Francisco to Chinatown. The project includes four new stations along a new 1.7-mile alignment.

 Union Pacific (UP) detailed plans to invest $38 million during 2018 into its New Mexico network. The railroad says the investment will enhance safety, operating efficiency and support customer service.

MTA Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) this month will test a new signal system as part of its East Side Access project to connect to Grand Central Terminal in New York City.

The tests will be performed at the Harold Interlocking in Queens, New York. Based on microprocessor technology with built-in redundancies, the new system is designed to ensure smooth and improved train service through the interlocking, LIRR officials said in a press release.

Metra and Operation Lifesaver Inc. this year will conduct 54 safety "blitzes" at stations across the Chicago commuter railroad's six-county region.

During a blitz, Metra safety employees hand out educational materials about train and grade crossing safety at a station during the morning commute. This year, the railroad will hold safety blitzes at 54 train stations.

The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) has appointed Bryan Sastokas chief information officer.

Currently, Sastokas is CIO and head of technology and innovation for the city of Long Beach, California. His previous positions include CIO for the cities of Oakland and Modesto, California, as well as Coral Springs, Florida.

Norfolk Southern Railway's safety train will visit 23 cities this year as part of its Operation Awareness and Response program, which provides first responders with free training on how to safely respond to a potential rail incident.

The train kicked off this year's schedule earlier this week with three days of training at NS' rail yard in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, according to an NS press release.

Norfolk Southern Railway's safety train will visit 23 cities this year as part of its Operation Awareness and Response program, which provides first responders with free training on how to safely respond to a potential rail incident.

The train kicked off this year's schedule earlier this week with three days of training at NS' rail yard in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, according to an NS press release.

BNSF Railway Co. has filed an application to construct a second train bridge next to and west of an existing train bridge across Lake Pend Oreille and Sand Creek in Idaho.

The Idaho Department of Lands has scheduled public hearings on the application for May 23, according to a department press release.

BNSF Railway Co. has filed an application to construct a second train bridge next to and west of an existing train bridge across Lake Pend Oreille and Sand Creek in Idaho.

The Idaho Department of Lands has scheduled public hearings on the application for May 23, according to a department press release.

Norfolk Southern (NS) has announced its safety train will visit 23 cities throughout 2018 as part of its Operation Awareness & Response program.

Metrolinx and Infrastructure Ontario (IO) have issued a request for qualifications for a team to build, design, finance, operate and maintain a major GO Transit rail expansion project.

The scope of work includes operation of train services, timetable planning, procurement of new rolling stock, construction of a new maintenance facility and reconstruction of Toronto Union Station's track and platforms.

Infrastructure Ontario (IO) and Metrolinx have invited three teams to submit proposals for two stations and an operations facility along the Milton GO Corridor.

The project will support Metrolinx's work to provide faster, more frequent and convenient transit service across the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA), as part of the GO Regional Express Rail (RER) program.

The next several weekends ahead will entail work for Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) crews on a series of projects to test East Side access signals and positive train control (PTC), in addition to tie replacement work.

Metra will conduct 54 Operation Lifesaver Safety Blitzes in 2018 at 54 train stations across its service six-county region around Chicago. Metra says the blitzes are part of its ongoing efforts to raise awareness of the importance of safe behavior around its trains and tracks.

During a safety blitz, Metra safety employees will be at one of the commuter railroad's 242 stations during the morning commute, distributing educational materials about train and grade-crossing safety, answering questions and listening to commuters' safety concerns. A short video about grade crossing safety is also available for customers to view while they wait for their train. Local police and fire officials are also invited to participate.

U.S. carload traffic rose 3.6 percent to 1,050,653 units and intermodal volume increased 6.5 percent to 1,082,239 containers and trailers last month compared with traffic in March 2017.

Combined, U.S. carload and intermodal traffic climbed 5 percent to 2,132,892 units for the month compared to a year ago, according to Association for American Railroads (AAR) data.

Seven years after it was announced, BNSF Railway is preparing to break ground on an industrial park to serve Northern Colorado and Denver.