Author: William C. Vantuono

With Railway Age since 1992, William C. Vantuono has broadened and deepened the magazine's coverage of the technological revolution that is so swiftly changing the industry. He has also strengthened Railway Age’s leadership position in industry affairs with the conferences he conducts, among them Next-Generation Train Control, Light Rail, and Rail Insights. He is the author or co-author or editor of several books, among them All About Railroading; John Armstrong’s The Railroad: What It Is, What It Does; Railway Age’s Comprehensive Railroad Dictionary; and Planning, Engineering, and Operating Light Rail, With Applications in New Jersey.

STB: 2020 Railroad Cost of Capital Set at 7.89%

The Surface Transportation Board decided on Aug. 4, 2021 that the annual cost of capital for the railroad industry was 7.89% for 2020. This figure represents the Board’s Office of Economics estimate of the average rate of return needed to persuade investors to provide capital to the freight rail industry.

Illinois HSR Commission Formed

Illinois Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Aug. 6 signed HB0399, a bill authorizing the formation of the Illinois High-Speed Railway Commission, which will be responsible for creating a statewide plan for a high-speed line and feeder network connecting Chicago to St. Louis.

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Ondas Acquires American Robotics

Ondas Holdings Inc. (Ondas), a developer of proprietary, software-based wireless broadband technology, has acquired American Robotics, Inc., a developer of highly automated commercial drone systems and the first company approved by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to operate its drones beyond-visual-line-of-sight (BVLOS) without an on-site human operator.