Though pledging to improve current plans for the Golden State’s 700-mile high speed rail network, California High-Speed Rail Authority Chairman Dan Richard says the system should cost less than the $100 billion touted by others, including project critics.
Stripped of Republican provisions attacking Obama Administration energy and environmental policies, a two-year, $109 billion transportation bill passed the Senate Wednesday. An agreement between Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) gave the bill 14 more votes than the 60 needed for passage.
Virginia Beach, Va. Mayor Will Sessoms on Wednesday called for a referendum this November to gauge public support for extension of The Tide LRT from neighboring Norfolk. Sessoms made his preference know n during his State of the City address.
Pittsburgh’s Port Authority of Allegheny County (pAT) says the city’s North Shore Connector Project is ready for its debut March 25, as light rail transit will run from downtown under the Allegheny River.
Genesee & Wyoming has reported a decline of 0.6% to 72,245 carloads, traffic volume for February. GWI’s traffic in the first quarter of 2012 through February was 145,132 carloads, a decrease or 6.6% compared to the first quarter of 2011 through February.
Amtrak and Union Pacific reportedly have reached agreement to adjust schedules for Amtrak’s tri-weekly Sunset Limited, connecting New Orleans and Los Angeles, changing the train’s westbound departure from New Orleans from Friday to Saturday.
Union Pacific told JPMorgan’s Aviation, Transportation and Defense conference Tuesday that while most shipping volumes are up this year, it expects a 7% drop in first-quarter coal volume due to the mild winter.
BNSF said Tuesday its customers significantly reduced carbon dioxide emissions in 2011 by shipping their freight by rail instead of their products moving entirely over the road.
Louisville, Ky.-based Invensys Rail Corp. said Tuesday it and Lilee Systems have joined forces to bring a new Wayside Messaging Server (WMS) to Positive Train Control (PTC) applications across North America.
Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said Monday he remains hopeful that the House of Representatives will succeed in passing a new federal surface transportation bill, while acknowledging their efforts so far had been in “disarray.”
