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.

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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.

After reviewing a year's worth of safety culture assessments at short lines and regionals, the Short Line Safety Institute (SLSI) has identified areas in need of improvement through training and education, the institute announced yesterday.

The SLSI recently reviewed the results of a study of its safety culture assessments completed during the pilot program and first year of the institute's operations. The study pointed to three measurement categories that influence a positive safety culture, as well as areas in need of improvement, SLSI officials said in a press release.

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Given all the strident NAFTA renegotiation talk earlier this year, there was concern in some rail circles about the consequences of trade-pact tinkering on U.S.-Mexico cross-border carload and intermodal business. The anxiety eased a bit after the Trump administration released its renegotiation priorities on July 17. Meanwhile, international container volume has been the key driver of North American intermodal traffic growth so far this year.

Amanda Stahlnecker, 36

Job description: Stahlnecker works on a variety of freight- and transit-rail projects. Her duties include feasibility studies, design, plan preparation, cost estimation, project management and construction support. She provides guidance for less experienced staff in her section and helps with HDR's freight railroad training program.

Education: Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering with a minor in communication studies, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

AngelTrax has relocated all operations into a renovated 40,000-square-foot facility, which will serve as the new headquarters for the company's expanded corporate offices, as well as its manufacturing, inventory and distribution centers. The expansion follows the debut of the new Vulcan™ Series high-definition cameras, IP cameras and DVRs, which were launched in the first quarter. With increasing demand for Vulcan Series systems, AngelTrax needed room to accommodate current and future growth, said President and Chief Executive Officer Richie Howard.

Road & Rail Services Inc. has received the Association of American Railroads' automotive quality excellence award for its efforts at a site in Talladega, Alabama. The company was recognized for the highest quality review score for origin facilities for the period covering June 2016 to May 2017. The AAR gives out only one such award each year, Road & Rail officials said in a press release. This marks the third time that Road & Rail has received the honor.

Valley Metro has been recognized for its use of geographic information system (GIS) technology in its ridership data portal.

GIS supplier Esri presented the agency with a 2017 special achievement in GIS award for the portal, which provides access to customized transit ridership reports. The data portal serves as a "model for the industry," Valley Metro officials said in a press release.

The Port Authority of Allegheny County next year plans to open a larger customer service center in downtown Pittsburgh.

The agency's board late last month approved amending an existing lease at the Heinz 57 Center to include a new 8,500-square-foot location. The lease will now run through 2030.