The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) on Nov. 21 issued a final rule establishing what it’s calling” modern, performance-based safety standards for railroad passenger equipment.” The rule, characterized as a “deregulatory action” under Executive Order (EO) 13771, “Reducing Regulation and Controlling Regulatory Costs,” is expected to save more than $475 million in net regulatory costs.
Federal Railroad Administration third-quarter 2018 Positive Train Control (PTC) data shows railroads’ “continued progress toward meeting the year-end deadline for fully implementing PTC systems or qualifying for an alternative schedule,” FRA said on Nov. 21.
The 56th annual recipient of the prestigious Railway Age Railroader of the Year Award is CN President and Chief Executive Officer Jean-Jacques “JJ” Ruest, leader of one of North America’s best-performing Class I railroads.
Florida’s Brightline private higher-speed passenger rail service has a new investor, Virgin Group, headed by British billionaire Sir Richard Branson. Virgin Group will make a minority investment in Brightline, which will be managed and operated by Brightline’s executive team and affiliates of Brightline parent Fortress Investment Group. Brightline will rename itself Virgin Trains USA in November and transition to Virgin Trains USA branding in 2019, “leveraging the Virgin brand and marketing expertise for existing and future developments.”
In the midst of controversy surrounding scale-backs in meal services; widely held beliefs that current management is targeting long-distance trains for elimination, or at the very least, truncation; and accusations of questionable accounting methods, Amtrak on Nov. 16 announced preliminary “record revenue and earnings” for its fiscal year ended Sept. 30, 2018. “Strong management and improved product delivery and customer service led the company to its best operating performance in company history, despite challenges during the year,” Amtrak said.
The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has issued a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the Federal-State Partnership for State of Good Repair Program, which makes more than $272 million in capital grant funding available.
Moldovan Railways (CFM) has ordered 12 GE Transportation Evolution Series TE33AC locomotives, along with parts, training and services. This is the first locomotive order in Moldova for GE Transportation, as the country seeks to upgrade its existing fleet to haul freight trains that primarily carry grain and ore, as well as passenger trains.
The Kitchener-Waterloo ION light rail system in western Ontario Province, Canada, will miss its most recent revenue service startup date in December. The opening, which was originally scheduled for December 2017 and then postponed until April 2018, has once again been pushed back until at least spring 2019, due to LRV-related delays. No specific date has been scheduled.
U.S. weekly rail traffic was 547,236 carloads and intermodal units, up a modest 1.4% compared with the same week last year, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported for the week ending Nov. 10, 2018.
In 1626, Peter Minuit and Peter Schaghen of the Dutch West India Company purchased Manhattan Island from the Lenape Native Americans for 60 guilders’ (roughly $1,120 in 2018 U.S. dollars) worth of goods. Minuit conducted the transaction with Seyseys, Chief of the Canarsees, who accepted the merchandise in exchange for an island that was mostly controlled by the Weckquaesgeeks. Nearly 400 years later, the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority—for a mere $35 million—is purchasing Grand Central Terminal and Metro-North Railroad’s Harlem Line and Hudson Line from Midtown Trackage Ventures LLC, a private holding company.
