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May
12

PHMSA preempts Washington state's crude-by-rail law

Rail News Home Federal Legislation & Regulation 5/12/2020 Rail News: Federal Legislation & Regulation
The U.S. Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) yesterday issued a ruling that preempts Washington State's crude-by-rail law, allowing for the transport of crude by rail nationwide.PHMSA announced federal hazardous material transportation law preempts Washington state's vapor pressure requirement for transportation of crude by rail, agency officials said in a press release.A study conducted by Sandia National Laboratories concluded that imposing vapor press limits would not reduce the risks of transporting crude oil and other flammable liquids by rail, PHMSA officials said.On April 28, the U.S. Department of Energy submitted its report on the Sandia lab's "Crude Oil Characterization Research Study" to Congress. U.S. Sens. John Hoeven and Kevin Cramer and U.S. Rep. Kelly Armstrong, all Republicans representing North Dakota, previously made the case to PHMSA and U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao for preempting Washington's law. They said the law would effectively block Pacific Northwest refineries as a destination for North Dakota Bakken crude. They also wrote to Washington Gov. Jay Inslee asking him to veto the law, claiming it lacked a scientific basis or solid legal foundation.In a statement issued yesterday, the North Dakota lawmakers thanked PHMSA for its ruling."Today's decision is much needed good news for North Dakota's oil producers as they battle the COVID-19 pandemic and the global oil price war," they said. "Washington's legislation was an obvious example of overreach, not scientifically founded, and could have ultimately driven their state refineries to foreign sources of crude oil, further harming America's energy dominance."Also yesterday, PHMSA announced it has withdrawn its January 2017 advanced notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPRM) regarding vapor pressure for unrefined petroleum products and other flammable liquids. The agency's decision also stemmed from the Sandia study, as well as the review of public comments about the role of vapor pressure limits in the transportation of crude oil and other flammable liquids by rail."In its decision to withdraw the ANPRM, PHMSA is no longer considering vapor pressure limits for the transport of crude oil by rail," agency officials said in a press release.

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May
11

Infinity launches Salt Lake City-Chicago refrigerated intermodal service

Rail News Home Intermodal 5/11/2020 Rail News: Intermodal
The three day, door-to-door service will allow Infinity to provide refrigerated intermodal transport throughout the greater Salt Lake City market.Photo – Infinity Intermodal

Infinity Intermodal has launched a new expedited temperature-controlled intermodal service from Salt Lake City to Chicago. 

The three day, door-to-door service will allow Infinity to provide refrigerated intermodal transport throughout the greater Salt Lake City market, including areas of southern Idaho, company officials announced today in a press release.

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May
11

Oil Storage: Rail to the rescue? Not likely

Tony Hatch is an independent transportation analyst and consultant, and program consultant for Progressive Railroading’s RailTrends® conference. Email him at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Oil, is it? Black gold? Texas tea? I don’t think Jed’s a millionaire anymore … unless he took his money from Mr. Drysdale’s bank and invested in Cushing cash or super-tanker treasure — but not rail car reward.

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May
11

SunRail, SEPTA, STM to resume regular rail service

Rail News Home Passenger Rail 5/11/2020 Rail News: Passenger Rail
To help stop the spread of the virus, SunRail installed hand sanitizer dispensers onboard trains.Photo – SunRail Flickr

Some U.S. and Canadian passenger railroads and transit agencies are gearing up to resume regular service as stay-at-home orders are lifted or modified during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

SunRail today resumed regular commuter-rail service in Orlando, Florida, and stepped up train and station cleanings. 

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May
11

MBTA accelerates Blue Line track, infrastructure work

Rail News Home Maintenance Of Way 5/11/2020 Rail News: Maintenance Of Way
The Blue Line work will be finished over two months sooner than previously planned.Photo – MBTA Facebook

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) on May 18 will close the Blue Line subway route to begin accelerated track and infrastructure work between the Bowdoin and Airport stations in Boston.

The 14-day project will include track replacement to address a speed restriction between the Airport and Maverick stations.

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May
11

FTA addresses rolling-stock funding questions

Rail News Home Federal Legislation & Regulation 5/11/2020 Rail News: Federal Legislation & Regulation
The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) last week issued guidance to help transit agencies and transit vehicle manufacturers understand and comply with the prohibitions on FTA-funded rolling stock procurements contained in the fiscal-year 2020 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).Under the new restrictions, the federal funding could not be used to procure rolling stock from any manufacturer that is "owned, controlled by, is a subsidiary of or is otherwise related legally or financially to a corporation based in" certain foreign countries, FTA officials said in a press release.FTA's guidance provides answers to frequently asked questions about the new provisions. The agency is working with the U.S. Department of Commerce and U.S. Trade Representative to provide the public with a list of countries that meet the criteria, FTA officials said. 

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May
11

Ohio panel OKs NS, Wheeling & Lake Erie grade crossing projects

Rail News Home Communication and Signal 5/11/2020 Rail News: Communication and Signal
The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) last week approved the Ohio Rail Development Commission's construction authorization directing Norfolk Southern Railway and Wheeling & Lake Erie Railway Co. to improve grade crossings in Fulton and Lorain counties.NS will modify and upgrade active warning devices at the South Main Street/State Road 64 grade crossings in Swanton, Fulton County. The Wheeling & Lake Erie will install active warning devices at the Gore-Orphanage Road/County Road 34 crossing in Lorain County. Both projects are to be completed by May 6, 2021.Federal funding will be used to pay for both projects, PUCO officials said in a press release.Local Ohio governments may seek funding from the PUCO for the cost of making safety improvements at grade crossings. The funding comes from the State Grade Crossing Safety Fund. The commission is responsible for evaluating Ohio's public crossings to determine the need for installing active warning devices. 

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May
11

Vermont Rail System to acquire NES assets

Rail News Home Short Lines & Regionals 5/11/2020 Rail News: Short Lines & Regionals
The acquisition will allow VRS to expand freight operations in New Hampshire, railroad officials said.Photo – VRS Facebook

Vermont Rail System (VRS) last week announced it has entered into an agreement with New England Southern Railroad (NES) to purchase certain assets and operating rights from the New Hampshire railroad.

The acquisition will allow VRS to expand freight operations in New Hampshire and build on the development of new rail traffic, VRS officials said in a Facebook post.

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May
11

APTA to Congress: Transit needs another $24 billion

The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) is urging Congress and the Trump administration to provide $23.8 billion in additional emergency funding to help U.S. public transit agencies continue to provide essential services as they and the local communities they serve seek to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Although the $25 billion that agencies received under the federal stimulus legislation known as the CARES Act helped address immediate needs under the crisis, the public transportation industry continues to experience increased costs and dramatic revenue losses as the pandemic and related stay-at-home orders continue, APTA officials said in a press release.

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May
11

San Diego MTS CEO Jablonski dies

Rail News Home Railroading People 5/11/2020 Rail News: Railroading People
San Diego Metropolitan Transit System Chief Executive Officer Paul JablonskiPhoto – SDMTS

San Diego Metropolitan Transit System (SDMTS) Chief Executive Officer Paul Jablonski died yesterday. He was 67. 

The agency announced that Jablonski died suddenly, but did not release further details.

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May
08

STM logs ridership increase in 2019

Rail News Home Passenger Rail 5/8/2020 Rail News: Passenger Rail
In 2019, STM logged 283.5 million boardings.Photo – STM

The Societe de transport de Montreal (STM) reported steady rail ridership growth in the last several years, according to the agency’s 2019 Annual Report published yesterday.

In 2019, STM logged 283.5 million boardings, an increase of 4.5 percent compared to 2018. 

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May
08

Port Freeport receives first rail shipment from Vulcan Materials

Rail News Home Intermodal 5/8/2020 Rail News: Intermodal
An excavator unloads Vulcan Materials' first rail shipment of bulk aggregate to the port's Parcel 14.Photo – Port Freeport

Port Freeport in Texas yesterday announced it has received its first rail shipment from Vulcan Materials Co. to the port's Parcel 14 multimodal industrial park.

Union Pacific Railroad, which has long served the port, delivered 95 gondola rail cars loaded with aggregate limestone rock from Medina County, Texas, port officials said in a press release.

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May
08

USDOT anti-human trafficking initiative exceeds goal

Rail News Home Security 5/8/2020 Rail News: Security
U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine ChaoPhoto – USDOT

The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) yesterday announced more than 200 transportation industry leaders — more than double the agency's goal — have answered Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao’s call to help fight human trafficking.

USDOT’s initial commitment in January was to obtain “100 Pledges in 100 Days” from transportation, labor and nongovernment organizations that would commit to raising public awareness about human trafficking and to training more than 1 million employees to help fight the crime.

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May
08

OCTA advances siding track project

Rail News Home Passenger Rail 5/8/2020 Rail News: Passenger Rail
Work crews construct part of the Laguna Niguel to San Juan Capistrano passing siding project.Photo – Reyes Construction

The Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) yesterday announced the agency has accelerated construction on a new passing siding track in Laguna Niguel and San Juan Capistrano, California.

A recent work window with no train traffic through the area allowed construction crews to relocate and move new rail into place adjacent to existing track. 

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May
08

OmniTRAX joins Georgia Pacific supply chain center

Rail News Home Short Lines & Regionals 5/8/2020 Rail News: Short Lines & Regionals
OmniTRAX Inc. announced yesterday it's the first railroad to join Georgia-Pacific's Point A Center for Supply Chain Innovation.As a member, OmniTRAX will work with leading companies, startups and academic institutions to develop solutions for more productive and efficient global supply chains, OmniTRAX officials said in a press release."Many of the supply chain optimization techniques that comprise the foundation of Point A are currently standards at OmniTRAX," said Pierre-Luc Mathieu, chief strategy officer at OmniTRAX. "Our OmniTRAX Freight Consulting Services Group, as an example, focuses on developing collaborative beneficial supply chain solutions with quantifiable results."OmniTRAX will bring a rail perspective to the consortium, said Duriya Farooqui, president of Point A."Companies like OmniTRAX play a critical role in ensuring freight moves safely and efficiently around the world," Farooqui said.

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May
08

Texas Central praises court ruling declaring it a railroad

Rail News Home High-Speed Rail 5/8/2020 Rail News: High-Speed Rail
The company is developing a high-speed rail line between Houston and Dallas.Photo – Texas Central

Texas Central officials yesterday hailed a Texas Appeals Court ruling yesterday that determined the bullet-train company is a both a railroad and an interurban electric railway.

The company is developing a high-speed rail line between Houston and Dallas. Yesterday's court decision stems from a legal challenge from landowners along the route in Leon County who argued that Texas Central was not a railroad and therefore did not have the rights associated with a railroad, including eminent domain and access to property for surveyors.

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May
08

KCS names Loureiro VP, chief engineer

Rail News Home Railroading People 5/8/2020 Rail News: Railroading People
Kansas City Southern has hired Manny Loureiro to serve as vice president and chief engineer with responsibility for the engineering department in the United States and Mexico.Loureiro succeeds VP and Chief Engineer Vernon Jones, who will retire this summer after a 42-year career with the company, KCS officials announced today in a press release.Loureiro joins KCS after a 37-year career with CN, where he had responsibilities in the United States and Canada. He was chief engineer of track from 2009 to 2017 before retiring and starting a consulting business, LC Rail. He also serves on the board of Universal Rail Systems.At KCS, Loureiro will report to Executive VP and Chief Operating Officer Jeffrey Songer."Manny brings extensive international engineering experience to the company with his work in the United States and Canada," said Songer. "He has a strong track record of leading safety, operating efficiency and employee development programs, and we look forward to brining his ideas to KCS."Meanwhile, Jones joined the company in 1978 and has served in his current role since 2016. He served as assistant VP engineering from 2010 to 2016 and maintenance-of-way engineering management from 2008 to 2010. Prior to that, he served in the signal department, joining management in 1985.Songer expressed the company's gratitude for Jones' service."Our company has seen significant changes over his tenure, and his leadership, expertise and commitment to safety has been a constant," said Songer. "We wish him and his wife, Donna, a long, healthy and prosperous retirement." 

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May
08

Amtrak to restore modified Acela service in June

Rail News Home Amtrak 5/8/2020 Rail News: Amtrak
The Acela service will run on a modified schedule in response to an anticipated increase in demand.Photo – Amtrak

Amtrak will restore Acela service on the Northeast Corridor on June 1. The service will run on a modified schedule in response to anticipated increased demand, the railroad announced today.

Modified service will include the restoration of three weekday Acela roundtrips. 

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May
07

Rail supplier news from BYD, Savage, Ridgewood, Bombardier and OPW (May 7)

Rail News Home Railroading Supplier Spotlight 5/7/2020 Rail News: Railroading Supplier Spotlight
BYD will provide 14 five-vehicle trains for the Sao Paolo SkyRail Line 17 project.Photo – BYD

BYD Co. Ltd. entered into a contract with Sao Paulo Metro to provide integrated solutions for the Sao Paulo SkyRail 17 Line project. BYD will provide Line 17 with 14 five-vehicle trains, switches, conductive rails, a signal system, a central control system, engineering vehicles, vehicle washing machines and technical services. Line 17 is a 10-mile rail extension under construction to connect Sao Paulo-Congonhas Airport to central parts of the city and four other SkyRail lines, BYD officials said in a press release.

Ridgewood Infrastructure LLC and Savage Enterprises LLC have formed the Transportation Infrastructure Partners LLC joint venture to focus on acquiring and operating transportation and logistics infrastructure throughout the United States. Savage will operate investments made by the venture.

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May
07

PATH ridership fell 55 percent in March

Rail News Home Passenger Rail 5/7/2020 Rail News: Passenger Rail
Ridership declines are attributed to New York state mandates that restrict nonessential travel during the pandemic.Photo – PANYNJ

The Port Authority Trans-Hudson Corp. (PATH) logged 126,409 weekday riders in March, down 55 percent. PATH provides rail service between New York City and northeastern New Jersey.

From March 30 to April 3, PATH ridership fell by 94 percent compared with the same period last year, PATH officials said in a press release.

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