T&I STB Reauthorization Hearing Deja Vu All Over Again

The House Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure hearing, “Board Member Views on Surface Transportation Board Reauthorization,” was for the most part a rehash of the topics that the STB has been covering in its own hearings on freight rail service problems, reciprocal switching and other areas the industry has had to address in recent weeks. T&I Chairman Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.), who is not seeking re-election in this year’s mid-terms, and Railroad, Pipelines and Hazardous Materials Subcommittee Chair Donald Payne Jr. (D-N.J.) chaired the hearing, which in a press release was couched as “The Surface Transportation Board’s Role in Resolving Freight Rail Conflicts.”

Comet Acquires Seneca, RR Mergers Advises

Comet Industries has acquired Seneca Railroad and Mining, with RR Mergers & Acquisitions as advisor.

Rail Freight Lurches Lazily, With Dips and Dives

Freight rail traffic dipped yet again in Week 18, compared to the prior-year period, as U.S. carloads fell just below 2% and intermodal dropped close to 5%, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported for the week ending May 7, 2022. Mexican and Canadian volumes fared far better.

Vanterpool Named FTA Deputy Administrator

The Federal Transit Administration has named Veronica Vanterpool, who has served as Senior Advisor in the FTA Office of the Administrator since August 2021, as Deputy Administrator.

Balfour Beatty Lands VTA Catenary Project

The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) has awarded Balfour Beatty a $16 million contract for its Overhead Contact System (OCS) Rehabilitation Phase 3 project. Balfour Beatty recently completed Phase 2 of this project.

LACMTA: FTA LOI for East San Fernando Valley Transit Corridor LRT

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) on May 10 issued a Letter of Intent (LOI) to the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA) announcing DOT’s intention to obligate funds for the first phase of the East San Fernando Valley Transit Corridor light rail line.

STB to Class I’s: ‘Industry-Wide Transparency, Accountability, and Service Improvements’

On May 5—a little more than a week after its April 26-27 “Urgent Issues in Freight Rail Service” hearing—the Surface Transportation Board, voting unanimously, has issued updated, more-comprehensive rules for reporting performance and employment metrics. The eight-part regulations, which mostly affect the “Big 4”—BNSF, CSX, Norfolk Southern and Union Pacific—include filing of service recovery plans by May 20, followed by frequent progress reports and biweekly conference calls with STB staff.

‘This Month’s Inflation Scapegoat? Railroads’: Wall Street Journal

The Wall Street Journal Editorial Board on May 5 weighed in on the plight of the railroads as they undergo scrutiny from the Surface Transportation Board and face potentially disruptive rulemakings (among which is reciprocal switching) driven in large part by aggressive criticism from shipper groups and labor. Railway Age reproduces the WSJ’s opinion in full:

Leadership Defined

RAILWAY AGE, MAY 2022 ISSUE: Our third annual Readers’ Influential Leaders online poll garnered nominations for a large number of active (non-retired) people from all areas of the North American railway industry. A commitment to service, safety and sustainability is how our 2022 honorees—selected by our subscribers—approach their roles. We are pleased to present the top 10 nominees, plus five leaders receiving Honorable Mentions.

Rail Insights VIII Set for June 23

Railway Age’s Eighth Annual Rail Insights Conference, presented virtually, features a dialogue with the industry’s leadership on key strategic challenges, issues and trends. The conference explores what is affecting business growth, capital investment, technology, regulation, service quality and safety in the North American rail market — freight and passenger.

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