Michigan Technological University's Zach Stanchina (left) and Lake State Railway's Roger Fuehring work to collect data on locomotive emissions for a study conducted through a partnership with ASLRRA, Michigan Tech, Lake State Railway and Chicago South Shore & South Bend Railroad. The study is funded by a Federal Railroad Administration grant.

ASLRRA Advances Work on Grant-Funded Emissions Study

The American Short Line and Railroad Association (ASLRRA) is working with Michigan Technological University and members Lake State Railway and Chicago South Shore and South Bend Railroad to advance the “Evaluation of Non-traditional Methods of Reducing Locomotive Emissions for Short Line Railroads” project, which was funded through a Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) grant received last year, to study short line locomotive emissions and the use of fuel additives and fuel injectors.

CABT photo

CABT Study: ‘Our Bridges Can’t Handle Bigger Trucks’

A new study released by the Coalition Against Bigger Trucks (CABT) shows that more than 72,000 bridges nationwide cannot safely handle the heavier truck weights that special interests are lobbying federal legislation to put onto the roads, and that replacing these bridges would cost taxpayers more than $600 billion.

BAI and Netskrt offer railway operators and passengers affordable onboard video streaming, that reduces the load on the internet bandwidth, and improves overall Wi-Fi performance. (Photo: Business Wire)

Supply Side: Netskrt Systems/BAI, TransmetriQ, Cummins/Leclanché

Netskrt Systems and BAI Communications (BAI) team up to offer streaming to railway operators in the UK, Europe and North America. Also, TransmetriQ enables detailed railcar lease, health and location insights; and Cummins Inc. and Leclanché S.A (Leclanché) collaborate on lower-emissions solutions for use in rail and marine applications.

NYCT Station Agents to Begin Assisting Riders Outside of Station Booths

The New York Metropolitan Transportation Agency (MTA) on March 28 announced that New York City Transit (NYCT) subway station agents will begin to support customers outside of station booths this week for the first time since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Screen Grab Courtesy of CSX (via Twitter)

CSX Introduces GPS Shipment Tracking

CSX is taking the “rail customer experience to the next level” by installing GPS tags on its railcars and containers to provide up-to-the-minute location information anywhere on its 20,000-mile network, the Class I announced March 28 via a Twitter post.

MBTA photo

Transit Briefs: MBTA, LA Metro, NYMTA

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) announces Safety First program for South Coast Rail (SCR). Also, LA Metro approves hiring of Transit Security Officers, law enforcement contract negotiations and policies to improve safety for rail and bus riders; and the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) will receive $2 million in federal funds to expand a program that helps visually impaired riders, as well as commuters with limited English proficiency, navigate public transit.

Wash. State House: $14.5MM for Connell Rail Interchange Project

The Washington State House has recently included $14.5 million in its proposed 2023-25 Transportation Budget for the Connell Rail Interchange Project, the Connell Rail Interchange Coalition reported on March 28.

TCU & Shop-Craft Coalition Reaches Tentative Agreement With Amtrak

The TCU & Shop-Craft Coalition, which is comprised of the SMART-Mechanical Department (MD), the Brotherhood of Railway Carmen (BRC), National Conference of Firemen & Oilers SEIU 32BJ (NCFO), International Association of Machinist and Aerospace Workers (IAMAW), Transport Workers Union (TWU), American Railway Airline Supervisor Association (ARASA), International Brotherhood of Boilermakers (IBB) and the Transportation Communications Union (TCU), announced March 23 that it has reached a tentative agreement with Amtrak to “settle each organization’s respective Section 6 notices for this round of bargaining.”

CN Announces Plans for New Calgary Intermodal Transload Facility

CN, Trealmont Transport Inc. (Montship Inc.) and Kaptan US LLC announced March 27 that they have reached an agreement to develop a multimodal transload facility located in the Class I’s Calgary Logistics Park. The new facility is expected to be operational in the third quarter of 2024.

Map Courtesy of MnDOT

MnDOT: $151.4MM Needed to Renew, Expand Minnesota’s Freight Rail System

The Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) has released its 2023-2028 Forecast, focusing on the $151.4 million in funding required to go toward planned local projects needing state support for rail and bridge upgrades, new industrial parks and job creation.

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