news

Harriman Awards: NS streak at 22

According to the Association of American Railroads, 2010 “was the safest year ever for railroads, with significant reductions achieved in train accidents and employee casualties.” And for the 22nd year in a

Class I rails add 5,689 jobs in 12 months

In mid-April, U.S. Class I railroads employed 5,689 more people than they did in April 2010, and 935 more than in March 2011. The 3.77% improvement in employment compared with a year

Victoria moves closer to LRT commitment

The Victoria Regional Transit Commission in British Columbia on Tuesday endorsed a C$950 million light rail transit line to link Victoria and nearby Langford, B.C. But the commission cautiously noted it still

Wabtec to supply brakes for NJT cars

Wabtec Corp. announced that it has signed a contract valued at about $12 million to provide braking equipment to Bombardier Transportation Canada, Inc., for 100 new passenger rail cars on order from

CSX updates financial guidance

CSX Corp. told its annual Investor and Financial Analyst Conference in Detroit Wednesday that it’s “targeting a compound annual growth rate in earnings per share of 18% to 20% through 2015, supported

Amtrak Adirondack may get Customs revamp

The commissioner of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection on Tuesday outlined planned improvements to joint U.S.-Canada operations, including streamlined radar operations to detect low-flying aircraft and establishing customs clearance for Amtrak’s

CN adds intermodal capacity as business grows

Canadian National is making a series of capacity improvements to accommodate growing container volumes at its Brampton Intermodal Terminal (BIT), Canada’s largest such facility. CN says almost 60% of its system-wide intermodal

U.S. to host 8th World Congress on HSR

The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) and the International Union of Railways (UIC) on Tuesday formally announced that the 8th World Congress on High Speed Rail will take place in Philadelphia July

FOX Business Special: American Icon

FOX Business Network reporter Dagen McDowell on Tuesday, May 17, got a behind-the-scenes look at Union Pacific and the business of freight railroading—something most people rarely see or understand—as a part of

Fall startup eyed for North Carolina short line

Officials in Gaston County, N.C., and Patriot Rail Corp. subsidiary Piedmont & Northern Railway seek to re-establish freight service linking Gastonia and Mount Holly, N.C., by this autumn on a local short

Bombardier gets Saudi Arabia DBOM contract

Bombardier Transportation said Monday it has signed a contract with Saudi Arabian construction company Saudi Binladin Group,to design, build, operate, and maintain an INNOVIA APM 300 automated people mover system for the

PB/STV venture gets LA Green Line contract

ConnectLAX, a joint venture of Parsons Brinckerhoff (PB) and STV, Inc., said Friday it has been awarded a contract by the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority to provide environmental and preliminary

Amsted Rail acquires Holland

Amsted Rail said Thursday it has acquired Holland, L.P.’s Hollube® Wear Eliminator product line. Final agreement is scheduled to occur Friday, May 27. After that date, all orders and shipments will be

GE to open Texas locomotive plant

GE Transportation said Friday that it intends to open a new 900,000 square foot locomotive manufacturing facility in Fort Worth, Tex., “to meet accelerating global demand.” GE said it will invest up

U.S. freight traffic picture stays mixed, AAR says

U.S. freight carload traffic slipped 2.6% in the week ending May 7, 2011, measured against the comparable week in 2010, the Association of American Railroads reported Thursday, while U.S. intermodal volume surged

Greenbrier Cos. adjusts Gunderson management

The Greenbrier Cos. Wednesday said it appointed Mark Eitzen vice president and general manager of the company’s Gunderson LLC manufacturing plant in Portland, Ore., effective April 15. Eitzen, who joined Greenbrier in

Network Rail extends Harsco service contract

Harsco Corp. said Wednesday its Harsco Rail unit has received a significant four-year extension of its contract services program in the U.K. under an award from Network Rail estimated at more than

M&ET gets R.J. Corman Railpower GenSet

R.J. Corman Railpower has begun delivery of five RP20BD GenSet locomotives to short line Modesto & Empire Traction Company. Funded through California’s Carl Moyer Program dollars distributed by the San Joaquin Valley

Booz Allen sells S&L Transportation business

Englewood, Colo.-based CH2M HILL, a global full-service consulting, design, construction, and operations firm, announced Wednesday that it has signed a definitive purchase agreement to acquire Booz Allen Hamilton’s State & Local Government

Amtrak to start Massachusetts ROW work

Amtrak in June will begin a summer-long project to replace rail ties on the Northeast Corridor in Massachusetts, impacting Amtrak service and Massachusetts Bay Transporation Authority (MBTA) consists. Tie replacement will occur between Boston’s Back Bay Station and Forest Hills Station.