Author: Marybeth Luczak

RailPulse, Nexxiot Team on Telemetry

Nexxiot has signed an agreement allowing RailPulse™—the coalition established in late 2020 to “facilitate and accelerate the adoption of GPS and other telematics technology across the North American railcar network”—to act as a

K. Jane Williams (left) and Cheryl Walker are each serving as National Practice Consultant and Vice President in the HNTB’s Advisory practice.
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Williams, Walker Join HNTB Advisory Practice

Former Acting Federal Transit Administrator K. Jane Williams and former Federal Highway Administration leader Cheryl Walker have been appointed policy advisors at HNTB, an infrastructure firm serving public and private owners and contractors.

Senate Budget Committee Advances REEF Act

The Senate Budget Committee on March 6 voted unanimously to advance the bipartisan Railroad Employee Equity and Fairness (REEF) Act, which aims to protect railroad employees from cuts to unemployment and sickness insurance and eliminate mandated cuts to the Railroad Retirement Board’s Unemployment Insurance Account.

CTA has launched its latest Innovation Studio program seeking proposals from the private sector to address business challenges through new technology. (CTA Photograph)

Transit Briefs: CTA, NYMTA, TTC, WMATA

Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) seeks innovators to test new technologies that improve rail safety, asset management and real-time information. Also, New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) boosts subway security; Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) releases a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the Bloor-Yonge Capacity Improvements project; and Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) and Hitachi Rail are offering a “sneak peek” of the new 8000 series rapid transit cars.

A finished tank car emerges from Greenbrier’s Concarril assembly plant in Sahagún, Mexico. (William C. Vantuono Photograph)

SIG Takeaways From REF 2024

Conversations at the Rail Equipment Finance Conference 2024 (REF), held March 3-6, “suggest favorable railcar leasing fundamentals should continue at least through 2024 and that new railcar orders should recover from fourth-quarter

Map of Norfolk Southern and Florida East Coast Railway’s domestic and international intermodal service offerings. (Courtesy of NS)

Class I Briefs: NS/FEC, CN, UP

Norfolk Southern (NS) and Class II Florida East Coast Railway (FEC) expand their international and domestic interline services. Also, CN’s “EcoChampions” share a creative way to extend equipment life and the railroad’s Intermodal International Sales and Marketing team earns a partnership award; and Union Pacific (UP) wins a supplier award.

The Port of Savannah set a February record of nearly 47,000 containers moved by rail, according to GPA. (GPA Photograph)

Intermodal Briefs: GPA, SC Ports

February was the second consecutive month of growth for the Georgia Ports Authority (GPA), with rail accounting for 19% of container trade. Also, South Carolina Ports (SC Ports) advances rail-capacity projects.