Railroad News

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A draft agreement for a new rail service operator along the Santa Cruz Branch Rail Line in California is now available for public view, the Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission (SCCRTC) announced late last week.

The commission will consider the draft agreement at a June 14 meeting in Watsonville, California.

President Donald Trump has proposed rescinding $279 million of prior-year surface transportation funding, including $100 million of public transit and intercity passenger-rail grants, the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) announced yesterday.

In a "legislative alert," APTA said that the president's administration has proposed rescinding:
• $47 million in Federal Transit Administration (FTA) formula grants that had been provided in federal fiscal-year 2005 and prior years; and
• $53 million in the Federal Railroad Administration-issued capital assistance for high-speed rail corridors and intercity passenger-rail service, including $47 million for the Chicago-to-Iowa City intercity passenger-rail project.

Sound Transit has named Don Billen executive director of planning, environment and project development department.

Billen previously served as the department's deputy director. Since September 2017, has has been the department's acting executive director.

Amtrak has issued a request for qualifications (RFQ) from master developers interested in making improvements to the railroad's 30th Street Station in Philadelphia.

With the release of the RFQ, Amtrak begins a two-phase process that will result in the selection of a preferred developer that will assist in introducing new customer amenities, reinvigorating the retail and commercial potential of the station, enhancing transit and pedestrian circulation, and expanding the station's concourses to accommodate anticipated increases in ridership, Amtrak officials said in a press release.

A group of Manitoba First Nations — through a newly formed partnership with private Canadian company iChurchill Inc. — has entered into an acquisition agreement with OmniTRAX Inc. and the Port of Churchill to acquire the Hudson Bay Railway Co. in Manitoba.

The rail line, which operates between Gillam and Churchill, has been inoperable since portions of it were washed out by floods in May 2017.

The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) on Tuesday issued a final request for proposals (RFP) to three shortlisted contracting teams to design and build the first phase of the Red and Purple modernization program.

The three teams are Chicago Rail Constructors, Kiewit Infrastructure Co. and the Walsh Fluor design-build team. CTA selected the three bidders in late 2017.

Texas Central, developer of the proposed bullet train between North Texas and Houston, has signed engineering firm Bechtel to provide project management services.

Bechtel will support the company in managing the project as it moves from development to implementation, Texas Central officials said in a press release.

U.S. Rep. Scott Perry (R-Pa.) late last week toured Aaron Enterprises Inc.'s facility in York, Pennsylvania.

He was joined by representatives from Genesee & Wyoming Inc. and other York-based businesses, according to a press release issued by the Railway Engineering-Maintenance Suppliers Association (REMSA), which coordinated the event.

The San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission has awarded Siemens a contract to build four diesel-electric Charger locomotives, with an option to purchase four additional units. The contract, which includes additional services and equipment, is valued at about $30 million, Siemens spokeswoman Elizabeth Cho said in an email. The locomotives will operate on the Altamont Corridor Express, a commuter-rail service that runs between Stockton and San Jose, California. Delivery of the units is slated to begin in December 2019. The 4,400-horsepower Charger locomotives will meet the Environmental Protection Agency's Tier 4 emissions standard, Siemens officials said in a press release. The locomotives are currently in use in other parts of California, as well as in Illinois, Maryland and Washington.

TRAC Intermodal has announced that it's doubling the size of its mobile service unit (MSU) truck fleet to help accelerate chassis repairs and increase intermodal shipment velocity at key rail ramps across the United States. The company established its MSU program in 2016 to ensure that chassis are readily available for customers. The program provides needed repair capacity in select markets and has been expanded each year since it was launched, TRAC Intermodal officials said in a press release. The MSUs are staffed by TRAC mechanics trained in repairing chassis brakes, lights, tires and other equipment at rail ramp locations.

The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) on Friday announced a new infrastructure project funding program that will supplant the popular Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant program.

The USDOT published a notice of funding opportunity for interested parties to apply for $1.5 billion in discretionary grants through the new Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) transportation grant program. The BUILD grant program will replace the TIGER program, which was introduced in 2009.

Canadian Pacific late Friday negotiated its way out of a strike two unions were set to launch shortly after midnight. The Class I reached an agreement with the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference-Train & Engine (TCRC) and International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), which planned to begin a work stoppage at CP at 12:01 a.m. on April 21.

Per a recommendation from federal mediators, Canadian Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labor Patty Hajdu directed the Canadian Industrial Relations Board to administer a ratification vote on each of the railroad’s final offers to the TCRC and IBEW, CP officials said in a press release. The parties didn’t release any details on the pacts. The TCRC and IBEW represent 3,000 conductors and 360 signal maintainers at CP, respectively.

BNSF Railway Co. recently recognized its 2017 Employees of the Year at an awards ceremony in Fort Worth, Texas.

This year, the Class I recognized 73 of its 41,000 workers for individual and team achievements, BNSF officials said in a press release.

The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) has proposed a $1.45 billion operating budget for fiscal-year 2019.

The proposal would maintain current service levels with no fare increases, SEPTA officials said in a press release.

Metro Transit-St. Louis last week unveiled a personal safety app that enables train and bus riders to discreetly contact law enforcement in emergencies.

Passengers who believe they are in an unsafe situation can open the "SafeTrek" app and hold their thumb on a "safe" button. Once safe, the rider releases the button and enters a customized four-digit number.

An $8.2 million project is underway to replace the U.S. Route 11 bridge over CSX track in the town of Dekalb in St. Lawrence County, the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) announced late last week.

The project begins east of State Route 812 and ends near County Route 19. The new bridge will be founded on driven piles and have reinforced concrete substructures, which will provide greater lateral clearance for the CSX rail line that passes beneath, NYSDOT officials said in a press release.

As part of its effort to attract millennial riders, Metrolink has begun conducting a new online survey of Southern California college and university students.

The survey asks questions that gauge how students get to school, work and other destinations. It also asks what features would make public transit a better commuting option.