Railroad News

Metrolink yesterday released the results of a rider survey that will help inform the agency’s service recovery plan from the COVID-19 pandemic as California's stay-at-home orders are lifted.

The online survey sought to understand the motivations of current riders and those who stopped riding the train, as well as future service expectations.

U.S. freight-rail traffic plunged 21.2 percent in April to 2,075,958 carloads and intermodal units compared with April 2019, a reflection of the COVID-19 pandemic's impact on the economy, according to the Association of American Railroads (AAR).

U.S. railroads hauled 980,535 carloads last month, down 25.2 percent, and 1,095,423 intermodal containers and trailers, down 17.2 percent, from the same month last year.

Wabtec Corp. reported total sales of $1.9 billion in first-quarter 2020 compared with $1.6 billion in the same quarter last year. The increase was primarily due to sales from acquisitions, Wabtec officials said in a press release. The company also reported earnings per diluted share of 58 cents and adjusted earnings per diluted share of 97 cents versus a loss per diluted share of 4 cents and adjusted earnings per diluted share of $1.21 a year ago. Wabtec withdrew its 2020 financial guidance due to uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Siemens Mobility recently announced it sold its 1,000th Vectron locomotive. The locomotive was ordered by Danish State Railways. To date, 1,003 Vectrons have been sold to 49 customers in 16 countries. The Vectron is used for both freight and passenger service.

New Jersey Transit on May 3 began closing Newark Penn Station overnight from 11 p.m. to 4:30 a.m. to allow for a daily deep cleaning and disinfection.

The Port Authority Trans-Hudson Corp. (PATH) today also began daily closures at the 9th Street and 23rd Street stations from midnight to 5 a.m. 

Northeast Maglev yesterday announced it has hired Zachary Radford as vice president of government relations to advocate for the Superconducting Maglev train in the Northeast Corridor between New York City and Washington D.C.

Radford is a policy and government relations professional with more than 15 years of experience, Northeast Maglev officials said in a press release. 

Former U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and former Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell earlier this week called on Congress to include transportation infrastructure investment in the next federal COVID-19 stimulus legislation.

On May 4, LaHood and Rendell — as co-chairs of Building America’s Future — wrote to congressional leaders to urge the creation of a federal capital budget as a way to fund infrastructure investments in the next COVID-19 response package.  

Norfolk Southern Corp. has named Barbara Paul vice president of human resources.

Her appointment went into effect May 1. Most recently, Paul served as assistant VP of human resources and diversity.

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) announced more than $22 million in grant funding to three passenger-rail projects that collectively span eight states.

The grants will help fund an expansion of Amtrak's Empire service between Minnesota, Wisconsin and Chicago; the CTrail Service in Connecticut; and restoration of service along the Gulf Coast.

Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) this weekend will begin a track replacement project near its station in Orinda, California.

Preliminary work is already underway on the effort to replace critical track components that in many cases date back to when BART first started service on its Contra Costa line in 1973, BART officials said in a press release.

The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority on May 10 will begin work to complete reconstruction of mainline infrastructure on the Media/Elwyn Line.

The work — which is part of the larger Southwest Connection Improvement Program — includes overhead wire replacement, tree trimming, bridge inspection, interlocking work and rail tunnel repair in the University City, Philadelphia area.

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) yesterday announced it completed accessibility upgrades to Murray Hill Station in Queens, New York City.

The station now has two elevators, renewed retaining walls, upgraded lighting, security cameras, new signage and an updated plaza area.

On May 18, Metra will add service to its Electric Line in Chicago in order to complete positive train control (PTC) implementation. 

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Electric Line has been running on a reduced schedule. Now, Metra will operate the line at about 74 percent of normal weekday service. 

Canadian Pacific posted a record-setting movement of Canadian and grain products in April, the Class I reported yesterday.

CP moved a best-ever monthly total of 2.8 million metric tons to market, bettering the previous record set in November 2019 by more than 100,000 metric tons, CP officials said in a press release.

The American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA) yesterday recognized four railroads with its Business Development Award.

The awards annually recognize member railroads for outstanding business development efforts aimed at growing short-line business, ASLRRA officials said in a press release.

The Denton County Transportation Authority (DCTA) today announced it has been awarded $23.4 million in stimulus funding through the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.

The federal funds will help fill anticipated gaps created by decreased sales tax revenue in the Denton, Texas, transit agency's annual budget due to the COVID-19 pandemic, agency officials said in a press release.

The Terminal Railroad Association of St. Louis (TRRA) logged a “noticeable” drop in recent intermodal traffic due to falling imports from China because of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

TRRA also recorded a decrease in traffic volumes from auto plant shut downs in the area, TRRA officials said in a press release.

The Southern Rail Commission (SRC) has received a $5.45 million grant toward its efforts to restore a passenger-rail line along the Gulf Coast, which has been without service since it was destroyed during Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

Awarded through the federal Restoration and Enhancement (R&E) Program, the grant will fund operating expenses for the first and second years of service along the restored line between New Orleans and Mobile, Alabama. The grant also leverages commitments from the states of Louisiana and Mississippi, as well as from the city of Mobile, according to a May 3 press release issued by U.S. Sens. Roger Wicker and Cindy Hyde-Smith, and U.S. Rep. Steven Palazzo. All are Republicans from Mississippi.