news

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AAR, TTCI establish Research Advisory Board

The Association of American Railroads (AAR) and the Transportation Technology Center, Inc. (TTCI) on Monday announced the establishment of a TTCI Research Advisory Board. Developed to provide feedback on AAR’s Strategic Research

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Fuel standards proposed for big trucks

The federal government on Monday proposed for the first time fuel efficiency and emissions standards for commercial trucks, which official estimates say will be hauling 14 billion tons of freight a year

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Prototype rail cars ply CTA Orange Line

Beginning today, Chicago Transit Authority began testing its 5000-series prototype railcars on the Orange Line in regularly scheduled service. The rail cars are currently running on the Blue Line and had previously

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Freight car orders, backlog up sharply

The backlog of new freight railcars on order and undelivered climbed to 19,267 on Oct. 1, vs. 14,930 on July 1; 12,990 on April 1; and 10,442 on Dec. 31, 2009, according

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STB to review rate, service exemptions

The Surface Transportation Board will hold a public hearing on Dec. 9 to review “existing exemptions from railroad-transportation regulations for certain commodities, boxcar and intermodal freight.” “Beginning in 1979,” the agency noted,

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Amtrak abolishes COO position

Amtrak President Joseph Boardman said in an employee advisory Thursday that Chief Operating Officer Bill Crosbie (pictured) is leaving Amtrak immediately and the position is being abolished. The vice presidents of the

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Israel Railways picks Bombardier

Bombardier Transportation said Friday it has signed a “framework agreement” with Israel Railways (ISR) for 78 double-deck coaches, with optional orders foreseen. The order value of the initial 78 coaches is US$185

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Bombardier/Alstom tapped by Montreal

A consortium of Bombardier Transportation and Alstom Transport said Friday it has signed a contract with Société de transport de Montréal (STM) for the supply of 468 metro cars (52 nine-car trainsets)

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TIGER II grants: “Rail does very well”

The U.S. Department of Transportation on Oct. 20 announced the recipients of $600 million in TIGER II Discretionary Grants, of which rail-related projects received $289 million. “This is excellent news for the

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UP posts record 68.22% operating ratio

Jim Young, Union Pacific chairman and chief executive officer, said Thursday that “strong volume growth, pricing gains, and operating efficiency” combined to produce 2010 third-quarter net income of $778 million, or $1.56 per diluted share,

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AAR: Carload, intermodal gains continue

Both U.S. carload freight volume and U.S. intermodal traffic continued to gain over 2009 levels in the week ending October 16 over the comparable week in 2009, the Association of American Railroads

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St. James Rail Terminal ready for business

Houston-based U.S. Development Group will celebrate the opening of its St. James Rail Terminal, in the St. James, La., crude/condensate logistics hub, on Oct. 21. The terminal, which gives the St. James

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APTA’s “Principles for a Legislative Framework”

The American Public Transportation Association has adopted a comprehensive set of “Principles for a Legislative Framework” for what it and many other rail industry advocates believe should be a stable, regular source of federal funds for high speed and intercity passenger rail (“HSIPR”). APTA is pushing for “a separate HSIPR title in Surface Transportation Authorization Legislation” that “shall be included in the next authorization of federal surface transportation laws, funded by other than Highway Trust Fund revenues.”

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Rail employment continues steady climb

Siemens rüstet das zukünftig größte Express- und Logistikzentrum Asienes mit Sortiertechnik aus

Class I railroad employment reached 154,094 in mid-September, up3.12% from September 2009 and  0.91% from August 2010. Train crew employment (transportation, train and engine) continued to set the pace, rising to 61,444, an  increase of 8.57% from last year and 1.79% from the prior month.

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New licensee for LVT in North America

Construction Polymers Technologies, Inc. has been named as the new North American licensee of the LVT (Low Vibration Track slab track system from Sonneville AG (formerly Sonneville International Corp.). Sonneville entered into

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Signaling switchover is boon to 300,000 LIRR riders

Siemens rüstet das zukünftig größte Express- und Logistikzentrum Asienes mit Sortiertechnik aus

MTA Long Island Rail Road will cut over to a new centralized signal and switching control system at Jamaica, N.Y., during the  October 23-24 and November 6-7 weekends in the final, $56-million stage of a modernization project. The switchover brings a new meaning to the familiar cry, "Change at Jamaica," a station that is the hub of all operations on  North America’s longest (700 miles) and busiest (300,000 weekday rides) commuter railroad.