Railway Association of Canada (RAC) appoints Janet Drysdale of CN as Board Chair, succeeding Jeffrey J. Ellis of Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC). Also, HNTB’s Jeff Watson earns the WTS Man of the Year Award, and WTS Utah names HNTB the Employer of the Year.
A BNSF maintenance-of-way team in Iowa marks a safety milestone. Also, CSX joins Blue Star Families to ring the Nasdaq opening bell; and a Union Pacific (UP) Dispatching Director earns the “military-friendly” Patriot Award.
Alstom on May 28 reported landing an approximately C$123 million contract from British Columbia’s TransLink for an additional six five-car Mark V trainsets, which will run on the SkyTrain automated rapid transit system in metro Vancouver. The contract was booked in the 2023/24 fiscal year, according to the manufacturer.
The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) on May 28 reported that eight transit systems in eight states will share $343 million to make their rail stations “more accessible and in line with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards” by installing elevators, renovating platforms for level boarding, improving signage, and improving visual and audio systems.
Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) unveils under-the-track development plans as part of the Red and Purple Modernization (RPM) Phase One project. Also, Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA) logs its 17th consecutive month of year-over-year ridership growth in April; and Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority anticipates rolling out its contactless fare payment system this summer.
The Prince Rupert Port Authority (PRPA) advances an export logistics hub project that will expand rail-to-container transloading at the CN-served Port of Prince Rupert in British Columbia. Also, Utah Inland Port Authority’s (UIPA) industrial park in Cedar City earns Union Pacific’s (UP) Focus Site program designation for “shovel ready” sites.
VIA Rail Canada (VIA Rail) on May 23 released a new five-year strategic plan, which Canada’s national rail passenger service described as the blueprint for its “next chapter.”
The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) on May 24 reported issuing a waiver of its Buy America requirements to the Nevada Department of Transportation (NVDOT) for the planned Las Vegas-to-Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., high
Norfolk Southern (NS) on May 23 reported reaching an agreement on a consent decree with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and U.S. Department of the Interior
Amtrak debuts station accessibility upgrades in west Tennessee and an updated Cafe Acela menu. Also, New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) marks progress on the reduction of subway fare evasion; Port Authority of New York and New Jersey’s (PANY/NJ) PATH tap-and-go fare payment system is now available systemwide; and Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon (TriMet) adopts a $1.84 billion budget for Fiscal Year (FY) 2025.