Railroad News

Chevron Phillips Chemical Co. LP's $6 billion petrochemical construction project on the U.S. Gulf Coast has reached a milestone with the completion of mechanical work on its two polyethylene (PE) units, the company announced this week.

Based in Old Ocean, Texas, the PE units are now undergoing commissioning activities, system checks and final certifications to ensure a safe and reliable startup. When operational, each unit will produce at least 500,000 metric tons of product annually, company officials said in a press release.

MTA Metro-North Railroad President Joseph Giulietti will retire by August's end, according to New York City-area news media.

Giulietti plans to spend time with his family before making a decision about his next steps, the Hartford Courant reported.

Bombardier Transportation has signed a $1.1 billion contract with FirstGroup and MTR Corp. to supply and maintain 750 Aventra passenger-rail cars for operation on the South Western franchise in the United Kingdom. The deal marks the largest single contract for Aventra trains, Bombardier officials said in a press release. The trainmaker also will execute a technical services and spares supply agreement with an extension option for the seven-year franchise. Rock Rail, the UK-based rolling stock investment consortium, will finance the procurement. Aventra electric multiple units will feature regenerative braking and passenger amenities that include air conditioning, Wi-Fi, USB sockets and improved passenger information systems.

GE Transportation has signed a $575 million letter of intent with Egyptian National Railways (ENR) and Egypt's Ministry of Transportation to supply 100 ES30ACi Light Evolution Series locomotives for freight and passenger services. The locomotives are equipped with 3,200-horsepower GE Evolution series engines, according to a GE press release. The company also signed a 15-year agreement covering locomotive parts and technical support for ENR's new and current fleet.

Valley Metro Rail and the Refrigeration School Inc. (RSI) have established a customized training program that provides certification for maintaining HVAC equipment on the agency's light-rail cars.

Quebec North Shore and Labrador Railway Co. Inc. (QNS&L) and Champion Iron subsidiary Quebec Iron Ore Inc. (QIO) have signed a contract for the transportation of iron ore concentrate generated from Bloom Lake Iron Mine near Fremont, Quebec.

The agreement calls for iron ore concentrate from the Bloom Lake mine to be carried on the QNS&L from the Wabush Lake Junction in Labrador City, Newfoundland and Labrador, to Sept-Iles, Quebec.

More than half of U.S. House members have signed a letter calling for a long-term funding solution to maintain the Highway Trust Fund.

Signed by 253 House members from both parties, the letter was sent June 12 to the chairman and ranking member of the House Committee on Ways and Means. The letter seeks a "long-term dedicated, user-based revenue stream" to maintain the trust fund's solvency.

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) yesterday reopened two elevated rail stations in Brooklyn after a months-long rehabilitation project.

Located on the No. 3 rail line, the Sutter Avenue-Rutland Road and Junius Street stations reopened for service in both directions yesterday morning. The rehab work included adding platform windscreens, guardrails, concrete panels and light poles.

The ZIM Shanghai's inaugural port of call on June 18 marked the fourth new container service activated at the Port of Wilmington in the past two months, the North Carolina State Ports Authority announced yesterday.

North Carolina Ports has doubled its container services so far this year and is set for unprecedented growth in its next fiscal year, port authority officials said in a press release.

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has notified 30 states where transit-rail systems operate that they must establish a State Safety Oversight (SSO) program by April 15, 2019.

Established in April 2016, the federal SSO program's final rule established a three-year timeframe for states to obtain certification for their SSO programs. If a state fails to obtain a certification, FTA will not obligate funds to transportation agencies in that state until certification is achieved, according to an FTA press release.

Ontario has begun an environmental assessment of the proposed electrification of GO Transit's rail network, Ontario Transportation Minister Steven Del Duca announced late last week.

The process involves evaluating the environmental impacts of converting core segments of the GO rail network — including the Union Pearson Express Line — from diesel to electric.

Caltrain has agreed to implement strategies to reduce stormwater pollution, the commuter railroad announced late last week.

The efforts include providing single-stream trash collection facilities on trains and in stations, along with performing trash and debris pickups along the rail corridor.

Metra later this week will begin replacing grade crossing components at the Stony Island Avenue intersection on its Electric South Chicago Branch.

The $1.2 million project includes removing and replacing rails, ties, ballast rubber panels and asphalt. The crossing hasn't been renewed for two decades and is "well beyond its useful life," Metra officials said in a press release.

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) logged an increase in total trips on its Fairmount commuter-rail line during a two-week free service program in May.

During the program's first week, the number of weekday trips rose 25 percent compared with ridership in the week before. That amounts to an additional 550 one-way trips per day, or about 14 passengers per train, MBTA officials said in a press release.

Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval recently vetoed a bill that would have required a minimum crew size of two people on freight trains operating in the state.

Senate Bill 427 called for a mandatory minimum crew of two people on Class I and Class II railroads that transport freight through Nevada. Sandoval vetoed the legislation on June 8.

The Canadian government has pledged CA$1.09 billion toward the second phase of Ottawa's light-rail transit project, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced late last week.

Expected to cost CA$3.6 billion total, the project's next phase involves building 23 miles of rail and 23 new stations. The second phase calls for extending both the Confederation and Trillium lines. 

Port Manatee and the nation of Chile are pursuing new opportunities to boost trade, port officials announced last week.

The announcement followed a Chilean trade official's visit to the Palmetto, Fla.-based port on Tampa Bay last week.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo late last week announced the closing of a financial arrangement that sets the stage for construction to begin on the $1.2 billion redevelopment of the Farley Post Office into a train hall connected to Penn Station in New York City.

The project will be a collaboration between the Empire State Development Corp. and Related Cos., Vornado Realty LP and Skanska USA.

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