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Transit Briefs: CTA, MTA, Metra, SacRT

The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) partners with E-Squared to inspire future engineers in Chicago Public Schools (CPS). Also, the Maryland Transit Administration’s (MTA) multi-billion-dollar economic impact is unveiled in a Greater Washington Partnership report; Metra approves an $8.7 million contract for the rehabilitation of 115th Street/Morgan Park Station; and the Sacramento Regional Transit District (SacRT) breaks ground on the future Dos Rios Station on the Blue Line.

“We are introducing our full-year 2025 EPS guidance of $1.50 to $1.80,” Trinity Industries President and CEO Jean Savage said Feb. 20. “This guidance range reflects continued leasing revenue improvement, consistent operating margins, lower deliveries, and a higher proportion of deliveries to our lease fleet with slightly lower gains on lease portfolio sales in support of our net fleet investment targets. (Trinity Industries Photograph)

For Trinity, ‘2025 Performance Will Demonstrate the Strength of Our Platform,’ Savage Says

Trinity Industries’ closed out 2024 with a 10% year-over-year increase for the Railcar Leasing and Services Group and a 68% improvement in profit for the Rail Products Group “despite relatively flat revenue performance,” President and CEO Jean Savage said during a fourth-quarter and full-year 2024 financial and operational report. “In 2025, we expect industry deliveries of 35,000, approximately a 20% decrease from 2024 as uncertainty around tariffs is delaying investment decisions,” she noted.

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Kirschbaum Tapped as SFMTA Director of Transportation

Mayor Daniel Lurie and the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) Board of Directors on Feb. 18 announced that Julie Kirschbaum will lead the SFMTA as its permanent Director of Transportation. Kirschbaum has been the Acting Director of Transportation since Jan. 1, 2025.

Commentary
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Rail Priorities for a New Administration: Q&A With Jack Isselmann, RSI GPAC Chair

As the new presidential administration and Congress begin their terms, RSI is hard at work advocating for key legislative priorities that will shape the future of the rail industry. High on the agenda is the reauthorization of surface transportation funding, crucial for maintaining and improving the nation’s transportation infrastructure, and restoring critical provisions in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, among other priority items.

Class I Briefs: NS, BNSF

Norfolk Southern (NS) is named to FORTUNE Magazine’s list of World’s Most Admired Companies. Also, BNSF receives The Home Depot Rail Carrier of the Year award and the Class I’s Stockton, Calif.-based team completes a full year without a single injury.

(R.J. Corman Railroad Company Photograph)
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People News: RJ Corman, Sound Transit

R.J. Corman Railroad Company hires Donnie Stilwell as Vice President of Operations South. Also, Victoria Baecher Wassmer and Hughey Newsome join Seattle’s Sound Transit as Deputy CEO and Chief Financial Officer, respectively.

Chicago’s Metra has selected STV to support its procurement of eight two-car, battery-electric trainsets from Stadler. (Stadler Rendering, Courtesy of STV)

Transit Briefs: Metra, LACMTA, VIA Rail

Chicago’s Metra selects STV to support its procurement of new battery-electric, single-level trainsets. Also, Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA) expands its TAP-to-Exit program; and VIA Rail Canada (VIA Rail) boosts ticket sales with a new partnership program.

(Union Pacific Photograph)

AAR: U.S. Rail Volume Up Through Feb. 15

For the seven-week period ending Feb. 15, 2025, total U.S. rail traffic of 3,338,568 carloads and intermodal units was up 4.7% from same point last year, according to the Association of American Railroads (AAR). This is based on intermodal gains (up 9.3% to 1,885,295 units) compensating for carload losses (down 0.7% to 1,453,273 units).

ITS Logistics Releases February US Port/Rail Ramp Freight Index

The February forecast for ITS Logistics’ US Port/Rail Ramp Freight Index shows that operations “have returned to normal in all regions following the Lunar New Year peak and light inventory front loading to avoid anticipated bottlenecks,” the Nevada-based third-party logistics (3PL) firm reported Feb. 18. The firm also noted that “the most significant current unknowns for the industry are the potential effects of tariffs and their impact on trade lanes.”

Jim Breuer of Fluor Corporation and Christiane Ribeiro Guimarães Höfer of Siemens AG. (Photographs Courtesy of Business Wire and Siemens AG, respectively).
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People News: Fluor, Siemens AG

Jim Breuer and David E. Constable will transition to CEO and Executive Chairman, respectively, at Fluor Corporation. Also, Siemens AG appoints Christiane Ribeiro Guimarães Höfer as Global Head of Communications.