Ignoring or perhaps outright challenging Congress’ decision to eliminate U.S. high speed rail funding, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood on Tuesday vigorously defended the concept in testimony before the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.
A bipartisan group of 111 House members announced Tuesday it is urging President Obama to support a six-year transportation authorization. A letter to the President states that “short-term extensions fail to recognize that meaningful, large-scale transportation projects take years to plan, approve and implement.” States and contractors need a long-term bill in order to execute large projects and repair the nation’s crumbling infrastructure, the group says.
Montreal-based CANARAIL on Wednesday announced it had appointed Miguel Valero president, effective Aug. 8. Valero is based in the company’s headquarters. The company, specializing in feasibility studies, consulting, and the design and
Canadian Pacific on Tuesday announced that 61 new high horsepower GE Evolution (EVO) Series AC locomotives have been brought into service and that CP has initiated a program to modernize its low
A poll published Tuesday by the Sacramento Bee indicates declining support for California’s high speed rail proposal among the state’s citizenry, which voted to approve the attempt three years ago.
It has long been a proud boast of passenger rail operators that their trains run when noting else does. That can be costly, as New York subways, which move five million riders a day, found in the snowy winter of 2010-1011. So MTA New York City Transit has come up with a new plan, which is essence says: Suspend service before service suspends itself on snowy, icy outdoor track and third rail.
Americans who ride public transportation will face increased commuting costs if Congress does not act to extend the transit commuter benefit by the end of the year, according to a statement issued
Patriot Rail Corp., which owns and operates 12 short line railroads, announced the appointment of David J. Rohal to its management team as vice president, reporting to Chairman, President, and CEO Gary O. Marino.
Los Angeles-based AECOM Technology Corp. announced Monday that Keith Hampson has joined the company as global transit and rail director for its transportation business. Before joining AECOM, Hampson was executive director of
Portland, Ore.-based TriMet says it has selected CH2M Hill provide on-call construction management services for the Portland to Milwaukie light rail transit extension project. The 7.3-mile, $1.4 billion project will connect Portland
Bloomfield, N.J.-based Atlantic Track and Turnout Co. said Monday it is acquiring Memphis-based Conley Frog and Switch movable bridge patterns and patent rights, which involve “rail arrangements for vertical, swing, and draw-type
The Association of American Railroads (AAR) Thursday said that Alaska Railroad Corp. (ARRC) has become its newest member.
Represented by the National Carriers’ Conference Committee, the major U.S. railroads late Thursday reached tentative agreements with the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen and the American Train Dispatchers Association, which together represent about 26,500 employees in collective bargaining. The last remaining union without a settlement, the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes (BMWE), agreed with the railroads to extend the “cooling off” period until Feb. 8, 2012, eliminating the immediate threat of a national rail strike, which could have occurred as soon as Dec. 6.
Hedge fund Pershing Square Capital Management, led by activist investor William Ackman, said Thursday it has held “productive” discussions with Canadian Pacific Railway.
Bombardier Transportation revenue amounted to US$2.3 billion in the third quarter ended Oct. 31, compared with US$2.2 billion for the same period in the 2010 fiscal year. EBIT totaled US$172 million, compared with US$152 million a year ago, while EBIT margin increased to 74% from 7% last fiscal year. The order backlog totaled US$33 billion on Oct. 31, a level similar to Jan. 31, 2011.
Canadian Pacific has executed a trackage rights agreement with the Iowa Northern Railway that it says “expands CP’s market reach in Iowa and increases rail business options for customers’ agricultural commodities via CP anad IANR track.” The agreement provides Iowa Northern rights to operate over CP’s line between Garner, Iowa, and Nora Springs, Iowa.
U.S. freight carload traffic rose 4.0% in the week ending Nov. 26, 2011, measured against the comparable week in 2010, the Association of American Railroads said Thursday. U.S. intermodal volume for the
Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority has begun pondering its next contract for operations of its regional (“commuter”) services in the Bay State and neighboring Rhode Island, estimated to be worth $300 million per
Spending could top pre-recession levels, though operating deficits linger. Rail transit operators in the United States—regional/commuter, heavy rail (metro), and light rail—are expected this year to invest in capital improvements at a level approaching the $12.67 billion they spent in 2008, before the full impact of a calamitous recession was felt.
Subway or surface rail? Core city growth or regional approach? Political posturing aside, Canada’s largest city is counting on passenger rail for its future health and growth.
