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Aug
14

Rising Stars: Sarah Touey, Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon

Sarah Touey, 37

Job description: Touey oversees a construction management/general contracting agreement for state-of-good-repair projects. The work includes replacing special trackwork, switches and crossings for TriMet's MAX light-rail system. She serves as the project manager/resident engineer for the scoping, design, construction and closeout of each project.

Education: Bachelor's degree in civil engineering, Oregon Institute of Technology

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Aug
11

U.S. Rep. Carter visits Temple & Texas Central

Rail News Home Short Lines & Regionals 8/11/2017 Rail News: Short Lines & Regionals
From left to right: David Blackburn, president of the Temple Economic Development Corp. (TEDC); Rep. Carter; David Lutz, operations manager, TC; and Charley Ayres, vice president, TEDC.Photo – ASLRRA

U.S. Rep. John Carter (R-Texas) on Wednesday toured the Temple & Texas Central (TC) Railway, one of 12 short lines managed by Patriot Rail Co. LLC.

TC Operations Manager David Lutz led the tour, which also included a discussion of current rail issues, according to a press release issued by the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA).

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Aug
11

Rail supplier news from ECN, Wi-Tronix, Hub Group, and Kontron (Aug. 11)

Rail News Home Railroading Supplier Spotlight 8/11/2017 Rail News: Railroading Supplier Spotlight
ECN Capital is selling $1.487 million worth of its rail-car assets.Photo – ECN Capital Corp.

ECN Capital Corp. has agreed to sell $1.487 million worth of rail-car assets to affiliates of ITE Management LP and Napier Park Global Capital. The ITE transaction closed Aug. 4, and ECN expects the Napier Park deal to close in third-quarter 2017. The assets sold represent 65 percent of ECN's rail portfolio. The sale will further position ECN to capitalize on strategic growth opportunities and free up $400 million of capital, said ECN Chief Executive Officer Jim Nikopoulos in a press release.

Wi-Tronix LLC yesterday announced that it will provide its advanced video analytics solution Violet™ to Ferrocarril Mexicano S.A. de C.V. (Ferromex). The technology provides streaming video and associated data to railroads through a cloud-based Software-as-a-Service solution. Violet is aimed at helping railroads improve their operational efficiency and safety. For Ferromex, the technology's camera system will help further ensure the safety of the railroad's crew and security of its assets and cargo, Wi-Tronix officials said in a press release.

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Aug
11

BLET, LIRR reach tentative pact for locomotive engineers

Rail News Home Labor 8/11/2017 Rail News: Labor
The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) has reached a tentative agreement with the MTA Long Island Rail Road (LIRR), the union announced today.The agreement governs rates of pay, benefits and work rules for nearly 500 locomotive engineers, BLET officials said in a press release.Ratification packets have been mailed to active members at the LIRR. Voting will conclude on Sept. 12."I encourage all LIRR members to become educated on the issues and to participate in this most important process of union democracy," said BLET National President Dennis Pierce.

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Aug
11

Port of Manatee on track to set volume record

The Port of Manatee has already set an annual record in container volume, with two months remaining in the current fiscal year, the Florida port announced earlier this week.

During the 10-month period between Oct. 1, 2016, and July 31, 2017, the port logged 32,901 20-foot-equivalent units (TEUs), significantly more than the Florida Gulf port's full-year high mark of 30,432 TEUs set in fiscal-year 2010, port officials said in a press release.

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Aug
11

RailTrends 2017 unveils conference agenda

RailTrends® 2017 has unveiled the agenda for its two-day conference, which will be held Nov. 30-Dec. 1 at the New York Marriott Marquis in New York City.

Presented by Progressive Railroading, the conference presenters will include John "Jack" Hellmann, president and chief executive officer of Genesee & Wyoming Inc. Hellmann will receive the 2017 Railroad Innovator Award from Progressive Railroading and RailTrends.

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Aug
11

OIG: Inadequate planning leaves USDOT exposed to cybersecurity risks

Rail News Home Security 8/11/2017 Rail News: Security
The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO) has not adequately planned for protecting the department against cybersecurity risks, the Office of Inspector General (OIG) found in an audit report published Monday.The audit reported that the OCIO was granted an appropriation of nearly $29 million to support USDOT's cybersecurity initiatives. Congress appropriated the funds over fiscal years 2012 through 2015. The department requested the funding to address some of its "most serious cybersecurity gaps," according to the report. Although the audit found that the OCIO did not spend any funds on non-cybersecurity purposes, it did commit some billing errors and failed to adequately document or plan for its cybersecurity funding needs."Without sound planning procedures and internal controls, OCIO is at risk of not being able to efficiently address USDOT's most serious cybersecurity gaps," the audit report stated. As a result of the audit's findings, the OIG recommended five actions that OCIO take to address the cybersecurity planning shortcomings. While two recommendations have been addressed, three others are "open and unresolved," OIG stated.The OIG asked the OCIO to reconsider its response to the recommendations and provide additional information in the next 30 days.

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Aug
11

ACLU sues WMATA over ad policy

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has filed a lawsuit against the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) for the agency's restrictions on advertising in train stations, subway cars and buses.

WMATA's guidelines ban ads that are "intended to influence public policy," according to an ACLU press release. WMATA also prohibits ads that are "intended to influence members of the public regarding an issue on which there are varying opinions."

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Aug
11

Connecticut DOT awards $237 million contract for Metro-North project

The Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) has awarded a $237 million contract for two MTA Metro-North Railroad track projects to a Cianbro-Middlesex joint venture.

The joint venture will serve as the construction manager/general contractor for the projects. The team was given a notice to proceed yesterday, with construction expected to begin in late September and continue for three years.

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Aug
11

Amtrak selects AECOM/Network Rail partnership to conduct Penn Station review

Amtrak selected AECOM, in partnership with Network Rail, to conduct an independent review of the interaction, coordination and collaboration between the railroads' various passenger concourses within Penn Station.

The partnership will also provide recommendations to improve the design, functionality, communications, and coordination at this critical station.

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Aug
11

Amtrak selects AECOM/Network Rail partnership to conduct Penn Station review

Amtrak selected AECOM, in partnership with Network Rail, to conduct an independent review of the interaction, coordination and collaboration between the railroads' various passenger concourses within Penn Station.

The partnership will also provide recommendations to improve the design, functionality, communications, and coordination at this critical station.

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Aug
11

Amtrak selects AECOM/Network Rail partnership to conduct Penn Station review

Amtrak selected AECOM, in partnership with Network Rail, to conduct an independent review of the interaction, coordination and collaboration between the railroads' various passenger concourses within Penn Station.

The partnership will also provide recommendations to improve the design, functionality, communications, and coordination at this critical station.

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Aug
11

Eglinton Crosstown LRT installs first piece of track

The Eglinton Crosstown Light Rail Transit (LRT) project installed the first piece of track at the Maintenance and Storage Facility marking another milestone toward bringing the project online by 2021.

The 19-km (11.8-mile) Eglinton Crosstown LRT will connect Mount Dennis Station in the west with Kennedy Station in the east and includes a 10-km (6.21-mile) underground portion between Keele Street and Laird Drive. The line will bring an additional 25 stations and stops to the Greater Toronto Area that will link to bus routes, three subway stations, three GO Transit lines and the Union Pearson Express.

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Aug
11

Eglinton Crosstown LRT installs first piece of track

The Eglinton Crosstown Light Rail Transit (LRT) project installed the first piece of track at the Maintenance and Storage Facility marking another milestone toward bringing the project online by 2021.

The 19-km (11.8-mile) Eglinton Crosstown LRT will connect Mount Dennis Station in the west with Kennedy Station in the east and includes a 10-km (6.21-mile) underground portion between Keele Street and Laird Drive. The line will bring an additional 25 stations and stops to the Greater Toronto Area that will link to bus routes, three subway stations, three GO Transit lines and the Union Pearson Express.

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Aug
11

Eglinton Crosstown LRT installs first piece of track

The Eglinton Crosstown Light Rail Transit (LRT) project installed the first piece of track at the Maintenance and Storage Facility marking another milestone toward bringing the project online by 2021.

The 19-km (11.8-mile) Eglinton Crosstown LRT will connect Mount Dennis Station in the west with Kennedy Station in the east and includes a 10-km (6.21-mile) underground portion between Keele Street and Laird Drive. The line will bring an additional 25 stations and stops to the Greater Toronto Area that will link to bus routes, three subway stations, three GO Transit lines and the Union Pearson Express.

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Aug
11

Rethinking coal in current context — analysis by Tony Hatch

Tony Hatch is an independent transportation analyst and consultant, and a program consultant for Progressive Railroading’s RailTrends® conference. Email him at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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

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Aug
11

Rising Stars: Mike Stickel, Lake State Railway Co.

Mike Stickel, 37

Job description: Stickel is responsible for commercial, transportation and mechanical functions at Lake State Railway Co. (LSRC) in Michigan.

Education: B.S. in finance, Indiana University Kelley School of Business

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Aug
10

DCTA releases results of passenger satisfaction survey

Rail News Home Passenger Rail 8/10/2017 Rail News: Passenger Rail
The agency's services include the A-train commuter-rail line.Photo – DCTA

Eighty-two percent of Denton County Transportation Authority (DCTA) riders who participated in a recent survey said they'd recommend the agency's services to a family member or friend.

The Texas agency sent out the surveys in April. A total of 2,617 riders responded, or about 22 percent of DCTA's average daily ridership for that month, agency officials said in a press release.

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Aug
10

BART preps for El Cerrito del Norte Station upgrades

Rail News Home Passenger Rail 8/10/2017 Rail News: Passenger Rail
Rendering of the expanded station and improved Ohlone Greenway.Photo – BART

Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) last week began preparations for its long-term modernization project at the El Cerrito del Norte Station in Contra Costa County, California.

The agency's contractor removed 42 parking spaces at the corner of the station's parking lot to provide storage and trailer space for the construction crew. The area was fenced off Aug. 2.

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Aug
10

BTS: Rail intermodal logged fastest growth since Great Recession

All but one of the major freight modes grew since the recession ended in June 2009, with rail intermodal growing the fastest, the U.S. Department of Transportation's Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) reported last week.

From June 2009 to December 2016, the rail-intermodal mode grew 50.6 percent based on seasonally adjusted data that comprises the freight Transportation Services Index (TSI), BTS officials said in a press release.

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