Railroad News

The Ohio Rail Development Commission (ORDC) earlier this week awarded United Freezer and Storage Co. a $21,000 grant to support rail upgrades at its plant in Austintown, Ohio.

The grant will help fund a $42,000 project to improve a rail spur on site that will enable the company to receive 72-foot rail cars.

U.S. Rep. Kevin Brady (R-Texas) is calling on the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) to extend the public comment period on establishing safety standards for the Texas Central Railroad’s Dallas-to-Houston high-speed rail system. 

As the nation abides by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines to limit the spread of COVID-19, the FRA canceled in-person public hearings for the project and replaced them with virtual meetings, Brady said in a statement.

The Maryland General Assembly on Wednesday passed a bill to extend the Maryland Transit Administration’s (MTA) MARC commuter-rail service into parts of Arlington and Alexandria, Virginia, The Washington Post reported yesterday.

Under the proposal, MTA would be required to enter negotiations with Washington, D.C., Virginia and the railroads that use and own the tracks south of Washington Union Station. 

The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) is requesting $16 billion in emergency funding from Congress for public transit agencies and passenger railroads to offset the costs and revenue losses related to the COVID-19 pandemic, association officials announced yesterday. 

APTA on Wednesday originally requested $12.9 million in funding. The increased request is based on an internal survey of 163 public transit agencies and revised estimates of costs and losses.

Terminal Railroad Association of St. Louis has selected CloudMoyo’s Crew Management solution to automate crew scheduling across all of its locations. The platform includes functions for crew eligibility, qualifications and certifications, hours of service, duty hour compliances, crew penalties, bidding rules, and records and vacation requests, CloudMoyo officials said in a press release. 

The National Railroad Construction and Maintenance Association (NRC) issued a statement on the global outbreak of COVID-19, urging NRC members to adhere to the safety recommendations issued by the Center for Disease Control to protect their employees, families and the public community.  “The NRC is aware that our members have a continuing and crucial responsibility to help construct and maintain our nation’s railroads and rail-transit lines,” NRC officials said. “We also know the importance of a seamless rail network to the public health of this nation. We are in habitual contact with the (Federal Railroad Administration) on this matter and will relay any pertinent information that we receive.”

Caltrain will increase the cost for single-ride fare and monthly passes on its Clipper fare card in April, officials with the California commuter railroad announced yesterday. 

The cost of Caltrain’s single-ride adult fare and adult monthly pass will increase by 30 cents and $9, respectively.

(Editor's note: This story was updated at 11:56 a.m. on March 20 due to new developments.)

Caltrain has suspended plans to increase the cost for single-ride fare and monthly passes on its Clipper fare card in April due to economic challenges facing the San Francisco Bay Area as a result of the coronavirus, the commuter-rail officials announced March 19.

(Editor's note: This story was updated at 11:56 a.m. on March 20 due to new developments.)

Caltrain has suspended plans to increase the cost for single-ride fare and monthly passes on its Clipper fare card in April due to economic challenges facing the San Francisco Bay Area as a result of the coronavirus, the commuter-rail officials announced March 19.

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) in New York City tomorrow will draw down $1 billion of emergency funds on its existing line of credit to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, MTA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Patrick Foye announced yesterday.

“These emergency funds are critical as the agency encounters a fiscal cliff due to significant, sustained revenue losses and increased expenses resulting from the coronavirus pandemic,” Foye said.

OmniTRAX Inc. has hired Robert Walker to serve as chief financial officer.

For the past 10 years, Walker has been the chief operating and financial officer at The Madison Cos. and affiliates, where his responsibilities included oversight of accounting, finance, tax, financial planning, treasury, human resources and IT functions. 

Falling intermodal volumes — likely impacted by the coronavirus outbreak — contributed to the 7.6 percent decline in U.S. freight railroad traffic during the week ending March 14 compared with the same period a year ago, according to Association of American Railroads (AAR) data.

Railroads logged a combined 463,017 carloads and intermodal units during the week. Total carloads fell 5.9 percent to 226,039 units, while intermodal volume tumbled 9.1 percent to 236,978 containers and trailers.

Falling intermodal volumes — likely impacted by the coronavirus outbreak — contributed to the 7.6 percent decline in U.S. freight railroad traffic during the week ending March 14 compared with the same period a year ago, according to Association of American Railroads (AAR) data.

Railroads logged a combined 463,017 carloads and intermodal units during the week. Total carloads fell 5.9 percent to 226,039 units, while intermodal volume tumbled 9.1 percent to 236,978 containers and trailers.

American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) earlier this month launched a campaign to increase public awareness about the benefits of transportation, including rail. 

The campaign includes an interactive online map to highlight transportation projects in 40 states that are reducing travel times, improving safety, protecting the environment or boosting the economy, association officials said in a press release.

The Port of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) is open and operating under normal conditions amid the health crisis associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, port officials announced Monday.

Port officials are coordinating with federal, state and local agencies — including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Customs and Border Protection — to address public health and safety concerns, according to a PANYNJ newsletter.

The Alaska Railroad Corp. (ARRC) tomorrow will suspend its Aurora Winter Train passenger-rail service between Anchorage and Fairbanks through April 30.

The suspension, led by efforts to limit the spread of the coronavirus, will affect nine round-trips of the passenger-rail train but does not affect freight service, ARRC officials said in a press release.