Railroad News

U.S. railroads moved 548,103 carloads and intermodal units during the week ending May 27, a 6.7 percent increase compared with the same week in 2016, according to the Association of American Railroads (AAR).

The railroads logged 266,564 carloads, up 8 percent, and 281,539 intermodal containers and trailers, up 5.4 percent, compared with the same week a year ago.

Utah Transit Authority's (UTA) S-Line streetcar ridership grew 8 percent in 2017's first quarter compared with the same period last year.

Additionally, ridership in 2016 was up 15 percent year over year, UTA officials said in a press release.

Genesee & Wyoming Inc. (G&W) announced yesterday it has completed its acquisition of Atlantic Western Transportation Inc., the parent of Heart of Georgia Railroad Inc. (HOG).

Founded in 1999, HOG operates across Georgia on 219 miles of track leased from the Georgia Department of Transportation. The railroad connects with G&W's Georgia Southwestern Railroad at Americus, Ga., and with G&W's Georgia Central Railway at Vidalia, Ga., according to a G&W press release.

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) and Federal Transit Administration (FTA) yesterday announced the recipients of $197 million in grants to help commuter and intercity passenger railroads meet the Dec. 31, 2018, deadline to implement positive train control (PTC).

The federal dollars will be awarded to 17 projects in 13 states. The FRA and FTA received 27 eligible applications requesting $455 million, more than double the funds authorized by Congress, according to a press release issued by the U.S. Department of Transportation.

Progressive Railroading and RailTrends® have named Genesee & Wyoming Inc. (G&W) President, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer John "Jack" Hellmann the 2017 recipient of the Railroad Innovator Award, which recognizes an individual's outstanding achievement in the rail industry.


Hellmann joined G&W in 2000 as the short-line holding company's chief financial officer. In 2005, he was promoted to president; in 2007, G&W added "CEO" to his title. On May 24, Hellmann was named chairman of the board, succeeding Mortimer Fuller III, who retired. Fuller had been G&W's CEO for 30 years and chairman for 40.

GO Transit last week marked its 50th anniversary.

The agency, which provides public transportation in Toronto and Hamilton, Ontario, began operating on May 23, 1967, as a 14-stop commuter-rail line from Hamilton to Pickering, Ontario.

The U.S. Department of Transportation will announce some of its 2017 round of FASTLANE grants "soon," while other project applications will be re-solicited before more grants are issued, according to a report by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials.

The AASHTO Journal cited comments by James Ray, the USDOT special adviser on infrastructure, who spoke last week at the association's spring meeting in Portland, Maine.

TransLink and the Vancouver-area Mayors' Council on Regional Transportation earlier this week unveiled a 90-day action plan to solicit funding for major transportation expansions in the region.

The plan calls on the British Columbia government to "be ready to make quick decisions over the summer and fall" to fund the next phase of the 10-year vision for metro Vancouver transit and transportation, TransLink officials said in a press release.

HNTB Corp. by year's end is expected to complete an analysis of operating plans and preliminary costs for a proposed passenger-rail line connecting Chicago and Columbus, Ohio.

The alternatives analysis is required by the National Environmental Policy Act to begin the project. Once completed, the analysis could position the project to receive federal funds for design and construction, according to a press release issued by the city of Fort Wayne, Ind.

U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) has introduced the Rail Shippers Fairness Act that would, among other measures, require railroads to participate in competitive switching.

The bill aims to "reduce costs and improve service problems" faced by Wisconsin rail shippers, including farmers, manufacturers and utilities, according to a press release issued by Baldwin's office.

Amtrak announced yesterday preliminary schedule changes related to its track and switch renewal projects at New York City's Penn Station this summer.

The railroad's service adjustments to its weekday schedule will be in effect July 10 through Sept. 1.

The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority's (Metro) board yesterday approved a $6.1 billion budget for fiscal-year 2018, which begins July 1.

The budget includes the addition of more rail cars to meet growing demand on the Expo and Gold lines, Metro officials said in a press release. In FY2018, the agency expects to provide 129,000 rail revenue service hours, an 11.6 percent year-over-year increase.