Author: Carolina Worrell

Rendering of new access from GO tunnel level to new stairs and elevator down to new concourse level. (Metrolinx image)

Transit Briefs: BART, VIA Rail, Metrolinx, Front Range Passenger Rail, LOSSAN Rail Corridor Agency

Transit oriented development (TOD) plans at Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) stations get state boost. Also, VIA Rail Canada (VIA Rail) continues to see sustained growth in travel demand in Q2 2023; Metrolinx awards a contract for the construction of the Bloor-TTC connection; Gov. Jared Polis pushes for Front Range Passenger Rail vote in 2024; and the Los Angeles-San Diego-San Luis (LOSSAN) Rail Corridor Agency unveils a new rail safety initiative.

Washington UTC Now Accepting Applications for Rail Safety Projects

The Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission (UTC), a state agency responsible for investigating train accidents, inspecting public railroad crossings, and approving rail-safety improvement projects, announced Aug. 30 that it is now accepting applications for Grade Crossing Protective Fund (GCPF) grants to “help stop or reduce public safety hazards at railroad crossings and along railroad rights-of-way in Washington state.” Applications will be accepted until March 2025 or until the funding is depleted.

NS photo

Class I Briefs: NS, CN, UP/BNSF, CPKC (UPDATED)

Norfolk Southern (NS) hosts students at its Decatur Terminal for a behind-the-scenes tour. Also, CN completes the first of two derailment training sites; the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Agency suspends BNSF and Union Pacific (UP) from its Customs Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (CTPAT) program; and Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) plans a tour to mirror the monarch biological corridor.

OLI Unveils Three Online Transit Safety Pledges

Operation Lifesaver, Inc. (OLI) on Aug. 30 unveiled three online transit safety pledges, “tailored to appeal to pre-readers, inspire young minds aged 5-12 and empower adults.” Building on the success of its

Transit Briefs: WMATA, SFRTA/Tri-Rail

Four Green Line stations on the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority’s (WMATA) system will reopen on Saturday, Sept. 2. Also, the South Florida Regional Transportation Authority (SFRTA) is seeking a Miami-Dade vendor with ADA-accessible vehicles for first-/last-mile Tri-Rail accommodations.

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Supply Side: Kontrol Technologies, Accenture

Kontrol Technologies Corp. (Kontrol) has been selected to provide a multi-year emission monitoring solution for a new rail infrastructure project in Ontario, Canada. Also, Accenture acquires Australia-based ATI Solutions Group (ATI).

​​Figure 1. Aerial view of the accident scene. (Source: CSX.)

NTSB Issues Preliminary Report on CSX Conductor Trainee Fatality

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has released its preliminary report for the investigation of the Aug. 6 accident involving a CSX conductor trainee fatally injured during a shoving movement at the CSX railroad yard in Cumberland, Md. The agency said future activity will focus on CSX employee training and close clearance identification practices of the standing locomotives.