Railroad News

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.

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."

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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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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

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.

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.

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.

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) will finish installing positive train control (PTC) on the Newburyport/Rockport Line by Aug. 27, a month ahead of schedule.

As a result, weekend PTC installation on the Needham Line will begin several weeks earlier than planned, MBTA officials said in a press release.

U.S. railroads moved 554,822 carloads and intermodal units in the week that ended Aug. 5, a 4.3 percent increase compared with the same period a year ago, according to Association of American Railroads (AAR) data.

The railroads logged total carloads of 273,199 units, up 1.9 percent compared with the same week in 2016. U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 281,623 containers and trailers, up 6.8 percent compared to 2016.

The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) has chosen Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) of Northeastern Illinois Chairman Kirk Dillard to receive the 2017 Local Distinguished Service Award.

The award is given to an individual who has made significant contributions at the local level to public transportation through policy, legislative initiative and leadership.

Former Norfolk Southern Corp. Vice Chairman and Chief Operating Officer Stephen Tobias died Monday, the company reported yesterday. He was 72.

A 40-year veteran of NS, Tobias retired from the company in 2009. During his tenure, he "achieved an unparalleled legacy for employee safety and operational efficiency," NS officials said in a prepared statement.

A recently recommended federal transportation grant isn't simply helping to perform work on a shortline in Texas, it's helping repair a key cross border link between the U.S. and Mexico.

Last week, the U.S. Department of Transportation included the Texas Department of Transportation on a list of 10 Fostering Advancements in Shipping and Transportation for the Long-term Achievement of National Efficiencies (FASTLANE) grant recipients. The $7 million grant will help rebuild the Presidio-Ojinaga International Rail Bridge and 72 miles of track on the state-owned South Orient Rail Line that runs from the border to near Coleman, Texas.