SEPTA Board Approves FY24 Operating, Capital Budgets

Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) on June 22 reported that the Board had signed off on its operating and capital budgets for FY 2024—the last budget year before the transit authority said it will hit a “fiscal cliff,” resulting in service cuts and fare increases without additional state funding for everyday operating expenses.

CPKC (William C. Vantuono Photograph)

CPKC Issues 2022 Sustainability Data Report

Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) on June 23 published its first Sustainability Data Report highlighting developments from 2022 for Canadian Pacific (CP) and Kansas City Southern (KCS), which on April 14 merged

(Screen Grab Courtesy of CPKC)

CPKC, Americold Partner on Cold Storage Facility Co-Location Initiative

Americold Realty Trust, Inc. (Americold) will co-locate its warehouse facilities on Canadian Pacific Kansas City’s (CPKC) transnational, single-line service network, the two companies reported June 21. The intent, they said, is to

Officials from the CSX TDSI terminal (New Boston, Mich.) were recently presented an award for the Highest Quality Review Score at the Association of American Railroads’ Damage Prevention and Freight Claims Conference. (CSX Photograph)

Class I Briefs: CSX, UP, CSX/NS, CPKC/CN

A CSX Total Distribution Services Inc. (TDSI) terminal in Michigan earned an Association of American Railroads (AAR) quality award. Also, Union Pacific (UP) is named a 2023 VETS Indexes 4-Star Employer, and will be the exclusive rail service provider for a new industrial rail park in Buckeye, Ariz.; Vertical Cold Storage closed on its acquisition of MWCold, an operator of two temperature-controlled warehouse facilities in central Indiana, one of which is served by CSX and Norfolk Southern (NS); and Avalon Advanced Materials purchased an industrial site in Thunder Bay, Ontario, with existing Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) and CN rail services, for its planned midstream lithium-hydroxide processing facility.

Railroads File Suit Over CARB’s New In-Use Locomotive Regulation (Updated with TD Cowen Commentary)

The Association of American Railroads (AAR) and the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA) on June 16 filed a lawsuit, on behalf of their members, against the California Air Resources

Paula Gartner, Stantec (left), and Terry Snow, STV.

People News: Stantec, STV

Paula Gartner joins Stantec to lead the global design and engineering firm’s transportation business in the Gulf Coast states. Also, Terry Snow takes on the role of Vice President and Business Unit Leader, South Carolina at STV, a professional services firm that plans, designs and manages infrastructure projects across North America.

Norfolk Southern GoRail and Veterans Locomotives Pulling Covered Hoppers – Inman Yard; Atlanta, Ga. (Caption and Photograph Courtesy of Norfolk Southern)

AAR: Carloads Up, Intermodal Down for Week Ending June 17

It’s the fourth consecutive week that U.S. carloads rose while intermodal volumes fell, and total rail traffic continued to lag 2022 levels, according to Association of American Railroads’ (AAR) reports.

Union Pacific Executive Vice President, Marketing and Sales Kenny Rocker

UP’s Rocker Issues State of the Railroad Report

“As we round out June and officially head into summer, I’m encouraged by the progress the team has made to provide a better customer experience for you,” Union Pacific (UP) Executive Vice President, Marketing and Sales Kenny Rocker told customers in a June 20 railroad status report. “The network continues to remain fluid as we build upon the service improvements that we’ve made over the past couple of months. Car velocity across the network has exceeded 200 miles per day for the ninth consecutive week, driving better on-time performance for you.”

VisioStack and FEC officials (pictured) after a drone test using “automated machine vision technology to detect the track and navigate the drone’s flight path over the track within tight tolerances, without using GPS information or pilot input.” (VisioStack Photograph)

FEC, CSX, VisioStack Team on Drone Test

Florida East Coast (FEC) Railway and CSX earlier this month participated in a demonstration of autonomous drone flight technology with VisioStack, Inc., a Greenville, S.C.-based developer of condition monitoring, data analytics and

The initial operating segment of Skyline—the Honolulu (Hawaii) Rail Project—comprises 10.75 miles of guideway and nine stations from East Kapolei to Hālawa Aloha Stadium. It opens June 30. (Pictured: Hālawa Aloha Stadium Skyline Station, Courtesy of City and County of Honolulu DTS.)

Transit Briefs: Honolulu DTS, NJ Transit, SCVTA, TransLink

The City and County of Honolulu Department of Transportation Services (DTS) reveals the official name of its soon-to-open rail system. Also, New Jersey Transit selects a commissioning agent for its Distributed Generation Program; Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (SCVTA) develops a resource program to support small businesses during BART Silicon Valley Phase II Extension Project construction; and metro Vancouver’s TransLink adds another trainset, including a newly refurbished locomotive, to West Coast Express commuter rail service.

LOAD MORE