Railroad News

Genesee & Wyoming Inc. (G&W) has appointed President and Chief Executive Officer John Hellmann chairman of the board. He succeeds Mortimer Fuller III, who previously announced his retirement.

Hellmann will continue to serve as president and CEO, according to a G&W press release issued after the company's May 24 annual meeting.

Brightline, the privately funded passenger-rail venture in southeast Florida, yesterday offered a glimpse of its new station in downtown West Palm Beach.

The station, which is nearing completion, will serve as the northern terminus of the route, which will begin in Miami. The second phase of service will extend the line to Orlando, Fla.

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority's (MBTA) Fiscal and Management Control Board (FMCB) will extend its governance of the agency by two years, Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker announced yesterday.

Established in 2015, the board is continuing its leadership under an authorizing statute, according to a press release issued by Baker's office. The board's initial three-year term would have expired June 2018.

U.S. Sens. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) announced $33.7 million in federal funding for engineering assistance to implement positive train control (PTC) on a rail line between Poughkeepsie and Schenectady.

Owned by CSX and leased by the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT), the line is used primarily by Amtrak. The route is a federally designated high-speed rail corridor where trains can travel at speeds up to 110 mph, according to a press release issued by Schumer's office.

Twin Eagle Sand Logistics LLC this week announced plans to expand the Permian Rail Park near Big Spring, Texas.

The 530-acre rail park, located on the Union Pacific Railroad, is being further developed to meet demand from the Midland Basin, according to a press release issued by Houston-based Twin Eagle Resource Management LLC.

Sound Transit and Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) executives yesterday voiced opposition to President Donald Trump's budget proposal, which would slash funds for the agencies' expansion plans.

In a joint statement, Sound Transit Chief Executive Officer Peter Rogoff and Metro CEO Philip Washington said that the Trump administration's "assertion that our regions can deliver transit solutions for our citizens without federal partnership is uninformed, misguided and unfair."

Amtrak and Chicago city officials yesterday announced a team led by Riverside Investment & Development Co. will be the master developer for the $1 billion project to redevelop Union Station and the surrounding area.

The proposed commercial development will total 3.1 million square feet at full buildout and include new office towers, a hotel and office and residential space.

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie has ordered New Jersey Transit to reduce fares for its Midtown Direct service on the Morris and Essex lines during this summer's repairs at Penn Station in Manhattan.

Fares will be cut 56 percent to 63 percent for July and August, Christie announced earlier this week.

Metra's board yesterday approved an $11 million contract with Railhead Corp. to install a new inward-facing camera system on locomotives, cab cars and Highliner cars.

The Chicago commuter railroad will use the system to verify that train crews are following safety laws and operating rules. The system also will be used to gather information in accident investigations and document any criminal acts, Metra officials said in a press release.

The League of Railway Industry Women (LRIW) is now accepting nominations for the 2017 Outstanding Woman of the Year Award, which is co-sponsored by Progressive Railroading.

For two decades, the LRIW has been recognizing women who have made significant contributions to the rail industry through leadership, dedication and vision. Women working in the North American rail industry are eligible to receive the award.

The American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) on Tuesday expressed concern about port-related funding cuts in President Donald Trump's proposed fiscal-year 2018 budget.

Trump's budget would reduce funding to many programs that are "critically important to ports," including Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grants and port security grants, AAPA officials said in a press release. The president's proposed budget would eliminate the TIGER program, which last year awarded $61.9 million in multimodal infrastructure grants, such as money for dock, rail and road improvements.

The Port of Seattle Commission yesterday approved $595,000 for the South 228th Street grade separation project in Kent, Wash.

The project, which is slated to cost $25 million, will eliminate a chokepoint at the Union Pacific Railroad crossing, port officials said in a press release.