Amtrak’s new Acela fleet, scheduled to enter service on the Northeast Corridor (NEC) in 2021, continues to progress with its high-speed testing at Transportation Technology Center near Pueblo, Colo., as the first Acela prototype completed another milestone by traveling at speeds up to 165 mph, although the train’s initial top operating speed will be 160 mph.
Focused Technology Solutions (FTS), a Marmon/Berkshire Hathaway Company, has entered a new market sector by partnering with LaTech Rail Technologies, a distributor with clients in Mexico.
The presidents of MTA Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) and MTA Metro-North Railroad have announced that Positive Train Control (PTC) has been activated on the majority of their tracks, and both railroads remain on pace to complete system-wide activation of PTC by the end of 2020 as required under a Federal legislation.
Brian Everett has been named regional civil transportation Technical Excellence Center lead for Texas at WSP USA.
The Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ended May 16, 2020, and, for this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 416,115 carloads and intermodal units, down 22% compared with the same week last year.
Siemens Mobility has appointed Yves Desjardins-Siciliano as Canadian CEO for Siemens Mobility Limited. Desjardins-Siciliano “aims to build Siemens Mobility’s presence in Canada and lead its team in the provision of transportation solutions to Canadian service providers,” the company said.
The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announced a total of $1.68 billion in grants for transit agencies around the country.
Based on data collected from over five years of short line Safety Culture Assessments conducted, the Short Line Safety Institute (SLSI) has developed and released a new resource for short line railroads, entitled Strong Safety Culture Best Practices. This first-of-its-kind guide is available to all short line railroads.
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) announced an ultraviolet (UV) light pilot program proven to kill COVID-19, with the first phase set to launch on subways, buses and other New York City Transit facilities throughout the system early next week.
Norfolk Southern Corporation (NS) announced organizational changes within its Finance Division, effective June 1, 2020. Jason Zampi will become Vice President of Financial Planning and Analysis, a new department. Clyde “Jake” Allison, Jr. will become Vice President and Controller, with responsibility for all accounting functions. Chris Neikirk will become Vice President of Treasury and Investor Relations. The three will report to NS Chief Financial Officer Mark George.