Railroad News

Transport Canada yesterday announced CA$5.6 million in government funding for a rail infrastructure project at the Central Manitoba Railway's Pine Falls subdivision.

The project consists of upgrades to track and supporting infrastructure along nearly 9 miles of the subdivision from CN's Symington Yard to the Imperial Oil terminal at Birds Hill, Transport Canada officials said in a press release.

Valley Metro in Phoenix has launched an experiment with Waymo, Google's self-driving car project, to help connect riders with their local light-rail stations.

Announced yesterday, the two-year pilot project aims to address the transit agency's first-and-last-mile challenge by helping passengers get to and from the rail station. The effort also could be used to expand Valley Metro's services for people with disabilities and seniors, according to a Valley Metro press release.

Norfolk Southern Corp. is deploying 3D simulation-based training apps built in partnership with application developer Heartwood 3D.

The apps are part of the Class I's efforts to "reimagine an even safer, more effective employee-training program," NS officials said in a press release.

[Editor's note: This story was updated at 1:10 p.m. CDT.]

The Regional Transportation District of Denver (RTD) tomorrow will begin running more test trains at more frequent intervals along the long-awaited G Line to Arvada, Colorado.

Norfolk Southern Corp. is deploying 3D simulation-based training apps built in partnership with application developer Heartwood 3D.

The apps are part of the Class I's efforts to "reimagine an even safer, more effective employee-training program," NS officials said in a press release.

Port of Vancouver USA, Washington state and rail industry officials yesterday dedicated the West Vancouver Freight Access project, a $251 million investment in rail infrastructure at the port.

The decade-long project is designed to improve freight-rail movement through the port and along BNSF Railway Co. and Union Pacific Railroad mainlines connecting the Pacific Northwest to rail hubs in Chicago and Houston, and from Canada to Mexico.

Xiang Liu, 32

Job description: Serves as assistant professor at the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Rutgers University. Also serves as director of the Rutgers Rail Program. Leads or coordinates rail-related research studies, teaches rail transportation and engineering, works with industry collaborators to solve critical problems, develops new technologies and nurtures the future workforce for the rail industry.

Education: M.S., Ph.D. in civil engineering with a focus on rail engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC)

The U.S. Senate last week confirmed Bruce Landsberg and Jennifer Homendy as members of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).

A general aviation safety advocate, Landsberg was confirmed as the board's vice chairman, while Homendy will fill an empty board seat.

[Editor's note: This story was updated at 3:45 p.m. CDT.]

During its 2018 fiscal year, North Carolina's Port of Wilmington moved a record number of containers while logging a 38 percent year-over-year increase in container traffic.

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) and the AFL-CIO's Office of Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU) Local 2 have reached an agreement that provides wage increases in exchange for increases in employee contributions to health care.

Union members ratified the new five-year contract last week. WMATA's board will take up the new agreement in September, agency officials said in a press release.

The Intermodal Association of North America (IANA) will honor American Trucking Associations Chairman David Manning with this year's Silver Kingpin Award.

The award recognizes an individual's long-term contributions to the intermodal industry. Manning, who is head of Nashville, Tennessee-based TCW Inc., will receive the award Sept. 17 during the Intermodal Expo in Long Beach, California, IANA officials said in a press release.

SunRail yesterday began passenger service along its 17-mile southern expansion into Orange and Osceola counties, Florida.

The extension, which includes four new stations, runs from the existing Sand Lake Road station in Pine Castle, Florida, to a new terminus in Poinciana, Florida. As part of the project, SunRail double-tracked most of its corridor and upgraded grade crossings.

Amtrak's improvement projects at Washington Union Station face risks of delays and cost overruns due to weaknesses in scheduling, cost estimates and project management, according to a new report by the Amtrak Office of Inspector General (OIG).

Amtrak agrees with all the OIG's recommendations for the station projects, an Amtrak spokeswoman said in an email.

The New Jersey Transit Police Department late last week began using social networking app Nextdoor to boost community policing efforts.

Using the app's public agency platform, NJ Transit police will be able to geo-target Nextdoor users who live within a mile of commuter- and light-rail lines, as well as bus terminals.

All three of Amtrak's Michigan routes now accept bicycles on board.

Last week, the Wolverine Service became the last Michigan Department of Transportation-sponsored line to allow riders to bring their bikes on board. Wolverine trains provide three daily-round trips between Pontiac, Michigan and Chicago, via Detroit, Dearborn, Jackson and other stops in Michigan.