Railroad News

The San Mateo County Transportation Authority's (SMCTA) board has approved an $86.8 million budget for the agency's 2018 fiscal year, which begins July 1.

The budget includes $6.8 million for Caltrain capital investments and $12.7 million for grade separation projects, SMCTA officials said in a press release.

The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) later this month will hold a public hearing on a draft supplemental environmental impact statement (SEIS) for the Purple Line extension's second phase.

The project's second phase involves extending the Purple Line subway 2.6 miles with two new stations. The SEIS expands on a previous environmental analysis conducted for the full project between 2007 and 2012, Metro officials said in a press release.

The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority's (SEPTA) board in late May authorized the installation of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems at four bus and rail shops across Philadelphia.

The project marks SEPTA's biggest solar initiative and will be one of the largest installations in the city, agency officials said in a press release.

CSX Corp. late last week released its seventh annual corporate social responsibility report documenting the Class I's performance in environmental, social and governance areas.

Titled "Moving Forward," the report highlights the company's 2016 business practices aimed at creating customer value, increasing shareholder returns, improving the environment and enhancing the communities that the railroad serves, CSX officials said in a press release.

Oklahoma City transit agency Embark late last week awarded a $17.3 million contract to Herzog Transit Services Inc. for the startup, operation and maintenance of the seven-vehicle Oklahoma City Streetcar system, which is slated to open in late 2018.

The six-year agreement will provide turnkey operations, vehicle and facility maintenance for the future streetcar system, Embark officials said in a press release.

The Virginia Railway Express (VRE) on July 1 will increase fares by 3 percent.

In addition, the cost of Amtrak "Step-Up" tickets will jump from $5 to $7. Passengers can use these tickets in conjunction with a valid multifare ticket to board certain Amtrak trains, according to VRE's website.

A tunnel boring machine yesterday broke through the underground wall of the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority's (Metro) Grand Avenue Arts/Bunker Hill Station in downtown Los Angeles.

The event marked a "construction milestone" for the agency's Regional Connector project, Metro officials said in a press release. That project is a 1.9-mile underground rail route that will allow passengers to transfer between Blue, Expo, Red and Purple lines.

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) next month will wrap up its SafeTrack maintenance projects and transition to a new preventive maintenance and capital program.

The new effort will be aimed at avoiding another emergency program of the scale of SafeTrack, WMATA officials said in a press release.

Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp. (SMBC) announced yesterday that its railcar operating lessor and fleet management business, SMBC Rail Services LLC (SMBC Rail), has completed its acquisition of American Railcar Leasing LLC.

The transaction creates a full-service lessor of long-lived rolling stock that offers "comprehensive" rail leasing solutions in North America, according to an SMBC press release.

Union Pacific Corp. yesterday published its 2016 "Building America Report," which details the Class I's safety, social, economic and environmental progress.

The publication marks the eighth consecutive year that UP has reported its sustainability business practices and goals.

The Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (GCRTA) on Wednesday broke ground on the new Campus Station, which will be served by the Red, Green and Blue rail lines.

Expected to be completed in late 2018, the rail hub is located on the site of an existing station near the Cuyahoga Community College Metro campus in downtown Cleveland.

6/2/2017    

Rail News: Mechanical

AECOM has released its first television commercial to show "infrastructure's power to connect communities," company officials said in a press release. Filmed by director John Singleton and created by Los Angeles advertising agency Battery, the ad is part of a new AECOM campaign that focuses on the human impacts of its clients' projects. The campaign is dubbed "Imagine it. Delivered." The commercial, which began airing yesterday, depicts a young surfer traveling on a Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) light-rail train from South Los Angeles to a beach in Santa Monica. AECOM has worked on rail projects with L.A. Metro, along with other major infrastructure projects throughout the world.

ZTR Control Systems announced a new partnership with Surtees Rail Group in South Africa. ZTR's products will be used to upgrade Surtees' fleet and eventually locomotive fleets throughout South Africa and beyond, said Surtees Director Tony Wood in a press release. ZTR offers the NEXSYS™III-i control system, which is designed to increase locomotive adhesion and integrate with automatic engine start-stop technology. Along with NEXSYS, ZTR and Surtees will offer a products and services aimed at extending the life of a locomotive by 15 to 20 years, according to the press release.

Metra police have charged with felony theft a suspect who was trespassing in one of the railroad's yards.

The suspect, Orlando Dampier, entered the yard Tuesday and stole $1,500 worth of copper wire, Metra officials said in a press release. He also is a suspect in multiple thefts from Metra property, and additional Metra Police charges are pending.