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.
  • News

SFRTA’s Abrams: “Time to shuffle the deck”

South Florida Regional Transportation Authority (SFRTA), operator of the Tri-Rail regional/commuter rail system, has restructured its senior management team and promoted several staff members, Executive Director Steven L. Abrams announced on Feb. 12.

Rambaud-Measson quits Wabtec

Wabtec Corp. Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Stéphane Rambaud-Measson has resigned from his position and as a Director of the company “to pursue other interests,” Wabtec announced on Feb. 12.

MSU rail management program promotes sustainability

The Center for Railway Research and Education in the Eli Broad College of Business at Michigan State University has completed the inaugural session of a new continuing education program focused on sustainability: “Railway Motive Power and Alternative Propulsion.”

NS targets 60% OR by 2021

Norfolk Southern, at its Feb. 11 Investor and Financial Analyst Conference in Atlanta, said it plans to hold capital expenditures to between 16% and 18% of revenues through 2021, as the railroad targets a 60% operating ratio by that year.

Wi-Tronix appoints Semple “Down Under” Director

Veteran railway engineering professional Dave Semple will join Wi-Tronix LLC as Director – Wi-Tronix Australia/New Zealand on March 4. Based in Sydney, Australia, Semple will lead the region’s market strategy and execution as Wi-Tronix continues to build a global client base.

Amtrak OIG: Private varnish practices “inadequate”

Amtrak’s Office of Inspector General on Feb. 8 said it has “found longstanding management weaknesses in the company’s transport program for privately owned railcars, including inadequate controls for cost and revenue management, a lack of standard operating procedures, and limited safety and parking guidelines.”

  • PTC

Metro-North awarded federal PTC grant

The Federal Railroad Administration has awarded MTA Metro-North Railroad a grant of up to $2.3 million to support Positive Train Control (PTC) communications testing. The grant, part of the FRA’s Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) program, will help Metro-North improve the performance of PTC radio spectrum utilization required to make PTC operational on the Northeast Corridor.

  • News

Posner Foundation benefits OLI safety programs

A substantial donation to Operation Lifesaver, Inc. (OLI) from the Posner Foundation of Pittsburgh, Pa., will go a long way toward assisting the non-for-profit organization with its railroad public safety initiatives.

Duos launches truevue360™

Jacksonville, Fla.-based Duos Technologies Group Inc. has launched a new operating subsidiary, truevue360™ (tv360) through subsidiary Duos Technologies, Inc., a provider of intelligent security and analytical technology. Tv360 will focus on developing, implementing and marketing artificial intelligence (AI) and “deep learning solutions” for a broad range of industries, among them rail.