Washington State legislative Democrats still hope to advance a transportation tax package that would fund up to $8.4 billion of projects statewide, including the contentious Columbia River Crossing (CRC) that would carry road and passenger rail traffic across the namesake river, linking Vancouver, Wash., with Portland, Ore.
Lilee Systems and Alstom Tuesday jointly announced the launch of what they called a “new, first-of-its-kind suite of interoperable Positive Train Control (PTC) products for rail lines.”
Bombardier Transportation said Monday it has signed a contract with the Florida Department of Transportation to provide operations and maintenance services for the Central Florida Commuter Rail Transit project, commonly called SunRail, worth about $195 million.
U.S. freight carload traffic for the week ending April 6, 2013 gained ground, up 3.7%, measured against the comparable week in 2012, the Association of American Railroads said Thursday. U.S. intermodal volume also advanced, though more modestly, up 0.2%, from the comparable week last year. Total U.S. traffic for the week was up 2.1%.
Continuing to back up his political position established in his first term, President Obama Wednesday included considerable funding for rail and rail transit projects in his proposed fiscal year 2014 budget. Longer-term, the President also is advocating investment of $40 billion in passenger rail projects in the next five years. But the proposal, while a good placeholder and a rallying marker for pro-rail forces, is unlikely to survive intact.
Genesee & Wyoming Inc. Thursday reported results for March and first-quarter traffic, in part based on comparing its current numbers to 2012 results as if its acquisition of RailAmerica were in place during the first quarter of 2012.
Association of American Railroads (AAR) President and CEO Edward R. Hamberger on Wednesday told the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation that freight railroads are positioning themselves to meet future transportation demands in this country, including those related directly and indirectly to the expansion of the Panama Canal.
Countering a blanket dismissal one year ago from the then-chair of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, a 61-page study prepared for the City of New York asserts a No. 7 subway line extension under the Hudson River, linking Manhattan with New Jersey points, is worth pursuing.
Michigan Technological University and the University of Wisconsin-Superior have announced the 4th annual Rail and Intermodal Transportation Summer Youth Program, set for July 7-13, 2013. The full scholarship, weeklong exploration is designed for high school students (grades 9 through 11) to create an awareness and interest in rail and intermodal transportation.
A 21-page study published on the website dcstreetcar, released Monday, urges Washington, D.C. to reconsider the eastern terminus for the H Street/Benning Road streetcar line, now slowly advancing into construction phases after numerous delays.
