(Union Pacific Photograph)

AAR: Rail Volumes Up for Second Consecutive Month in October

Total year-over-year carload and intermodal volumes for U.S. railroads rose for the second consecutive month in October. And they were “the most for any month since June 2021, a span of 28 months,” Association of American Railroads (AAR) Senior Vice President John T. Gray reported Nov. 1. “Part of that relates to intermodal seasonality and concerns over Panama Canal capacity, but part of it also reflects an economy that remains resilient as reflected by recent strong GDP data.”

Wabtec, Roy Hill Unveil Second-Gen FLXdrive (Updated)

Wabtec on Oct. 31 revealed its second-generation FLXdrive battery locomotive, which will be delivered in 2024 to Australian iron ore mining company Roy Hill. The unit’s pink livery symbolizes Roy Hill’s commitment to supporting breast cancer research and patients.

(SLSI Photograph)

Implementing SLSI Recommendations Boosts Safety Culture, Study Finds

Implementing recommendations by the Short Line Safety Institute (SLSI) results in measurable growth in short line safety culture, according to a study by Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (Volpe).

“At Alstom, we work every day to tackle climate change through sustainable mobility,” said Michael Keroullé, President of Alstom Americas, which employs more than 2,200 people in the GTA and has rolling stock production facilities in Ontario. “We want to share not only our passion with the [Earth District] students, but also provide them with the opportunity to join us and to drive urgent shift toward sustainability through research, development and technology.”

Alstom, Earth District Team on Mobility Career Development

Alstom has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Environmental and Related Technologies Hub (Earth District), a consortium of five universities and colleges in Ontario, Canada, to create new learning, research and work opportunities in the mobility sector.

BTS Issues Report on Fleet Composition of Tank Cars Carrying Flammable Liquids

The Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BRS) has released its 2023 progress report on upgrading to the DOT-117 standard the portion of the North American rail tank car fleet that transports Class 3 flammable liquids.

MARTA has received $1.75 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation to stand up a transit and TOD “accelerator” that it says will “close capital funding gaps for projects across the region.”

Transit Briefs: MARTA, SunRail, TTC, WMATA

Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) secures $1.75 million to form a regional transit and transit-oriented development (TOD) accelerator. Also, Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) provides new details on SunRail’s proposed extension; Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) restores streetcar service to Humber Loop; and Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) opens a new Integrated Command and Communications Center.

“We are thrilled to announce a groundbreaking $650Mn investment to establish a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in North Carolina, solidifying our commitment to the electric vehicle (EV) battery industry in the United States,” Epsilon Advanced Materials, Inc. (EAM) reported via LinkedIn on Oct. 26. (EAM Photograph)

Rail-Served EV Battery Plant Coming to North Carolina

Epsilon Advanced Materials, Inc. (EAM), an electronic vehicle (EV) battery-material manufacturer, will break ground in 2024 on its first U.S. plant, with CSX-served, North Carolina operations to commence in 2026, the company reported Oct. 26.

Thirteen state Attorneys General, led by Pennsylvania AG Michelle Henry (pictured), are recommending five additions to the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration’s proposed rule on communications between railroads and emergency first responders.

AG Coalition Seeks Expansion of PHMSA First Responder Rule Proposal

Pennsylvania Attorney General Michelle Henry on Oct. 27 reported leading a coalition of 13 state Attorneys General in supporting the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration’s (PHMSA) proposed rule on communications between railroads and emergency first responders and charging the agency with expanding that proposal.

Preliminary 3D modeling sketches for CHSRA's high-speed trainsets were released Oct. 27. (Screen Grab Courtesy of CHSRA Video)

Watch: CHSRA Unveils Proposed Trainset, Station Designs

The California High-Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA) on Oct. 27 released preliminary 3D modeling sketches and virtual simulation of its trainsets as well as updated Central Valley station designs.

Brightline, Florida’s private-sector passenger railroad, is planning a new station in the Treasure Coast region. On Oct. 26, it released an RFP to determine the location. (Brightline Photograph)

Transit Briefs: Brightline, City of Edmonton, Houston Metro, MassDOT, NYMTA

Brightline launches a Request for Proposals (RFP) for a new intercity passenger rail station in Florida’s Treasure Coast region. Also, the long-awaited Valley Line Southeast LRT will open next month in Edmonton, Alberta; Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County (Houston Metro) selects Jacobs as a transit-oriented development advisor; Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) applies for U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) SMART grants for rail safety projects; and Fitch upgrades New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s (MTA) credit rating and rating outlook.

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