SEPTA Taps Hitachi Rail for M5 Fleet Contract
Deal for 200 rapid transit cars for the Market-Frankford Line is worth $724.3 million.
news
ITS Logistics Releases July Port/Rail Ramp Index
ITS Logistics on July 26 reported that “pre-retail-peak season shipping activity has brought moderate volume increases to most markets, but a lack of equipment has stressed import volumes at origin.” Additionally, “due to the overseas import origin equipment shortages, shippers are having to book into new North American entry points outside of their current supply chain network.”
How BNSF Minimized Sandpoint Bridge Project Environmental Impacts
Less than one year after completion of BNSF Railway’s Sandpoint Junction Connector project in northern Idaho, one can hardly tell that there was an army of workers and machinery stationed there for
CSS Acquires 100 Steel Coil Cars
The Greenbrier Companies and National Steel Car have delivered 100 new purpose-built steel coil railcars (50 units each) to Anacostia Rail Holdings (ARH) subsidiary Chicago South Shore & South Bend Railroad (CSS).
Mark Your Calendar: 2024 Women in Rail Event Set for Nov. 5-6
Railway Age and Railway Track & Structures are returning to Chicago for our second-annual in-person Women in Rail Conference featuring trailblazing women and their allies who are significantly influencing today’s freight, passenger
NS ‘Reaffirms’ Full-Year Adjusted OR Guidance (UPDATED, TD Cowen Insight)
“During the quarter, we demonstrated that we are leveraging our service product to secure volume growth, enhancing our safety culture, and accelerating operational improvements, while eliminating service recovery costs,” said Norfolk Southern (NS) President and CEO Alan H. Shaw during a second-quarter 2024 financial report on July 25.
UP 2Q24: Improved Results Across the Board
Union Pacific’s second-quarter 2024 results showed increases in volume, earning and income and improvements in safety, productivity and operating ratio. “Our performance demonstrates the team’s ability to deliver strong results,” said CEO
People News: CN, TriMet
CN elevates Matthew McClaren to Vice President, Safety. Also, the Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon (TriMet) Board elects Dr. LaVerne Lewis as its President; she is the first person of African American descent to permanently serve in the role.
Class I Briefs: CN, CSX, NS
CN partners with Hockey Helps the Homeless (HHTH) to support Canada’s homeless. Also, CSX’s Corporate Communications team wins gold at the 2024 Viddy Awards; and Toyota recognizes Norfolk Southern (NS) with two leadership awards.
FRA Posts Summary Report on HHFT Routes, Legacy Tank Cars Evaluation
In response to directives from U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has produced and recently released online a summary report of its High-Hazard Flammable Train Route
Project Milestone Reached at JAXPORT Auto Processing Facility
Contractors for Southeast Toyota Distributors continue to make significant progress on a new 340,000-square-foot state-of-the-art auto processing facility currently under construction at the Jacksonville Port Authority’s (JAXPORT) Blount Island Marine Terminal.
RailState: ‘Impact of Jasper Wildfire Felt Across CN Network’
CN officially shut down service through the Jasper National Park region and a significant backlog has been growing over the past 48 hours following a major wildfire at the park, according to real-time network visibility provider RailState, which independently tracks all freight movements across Canada.
NJ Transit Purchases 36 Additional Multilevels
The NJ Transit Board of Directors on July 24 approved the purchase of 36 additional Multilevel III railcars that offer “an increase in seating capacity, mechanical reliability and improved customer amenities.”
![“It’s remarkable how much the new [Fleet of the Future] cars have changed the look and feel of BART for the better,” BART President Bevan Dufty said July 23. “These cars are delivering on the promise of being more reliable, more modern and easier to enter and exit.” (BART Photograph)](https://www.old.railwayage.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/bart-1-315x168.png)
Transit Briefs: BART, LACMTA, SacRT, Sound Transit, Valley Metro
San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) reaches a Fleet of the Future project milestone. Also, Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA) releases a Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the K Line Northern Extension Project; Sacramento (Calif.) Regional Transit District (SacRT) receives nearly $1 million in Sustainable Transportation Planning Grant Awards from the state; Seattle’s Sound Transit is simplifying its fare structure, renaming a station and debuting three-digit station codes on its Link light rail system; and U.S. Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff rides Valley Metro Regional Public Transportation Authority’s (Valley Metro) streetcar system in Arizona.
AAR: North American Rail Volume Up Through Week 29
The Association of American Railroads (AAR) on July 24 reported that total North American carload and intermodal traffic rose 2.3% through the first 29 weeks of this year compared with the prior-year period. The United States, Canada and Mexico all saw gains through the week ending July 20.
MassDOT Receives $360,000 for Mobility Management Program
The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) on July 22 announced that it has received a $360,000 grant from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Innovative Coordinated Access & Mobility (ICAM) Program to undertake
CHSRA, CalSTA Renew Environmental Review Agreement With FRA
The California High-Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA) and the California State Transportation Agency (CalSTA) on July 23 reported renewing an agreement with the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) to continue assuming the federal agency’s environmental review responsibilities under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).
Commentary
Fifth of a Series: SEPTA Hopes for Good News
I noted in my previous report that New Jersey Transit (NJT) will get a reprieve, on account of a new tax on the largest businesses in the State. That tax will not
Watch: CSX Adds C&EI to Heritage Fleet (UPDATED, 7/29)
CSX recently revealed its latest heritage locomotive—a tribute to the Chicago & Eastern Railroad (C&EI) fresh out of the Class I railroad’s paint shop in Waycross, Ga.
Wabtec’s Santana: Another ‘Strong’ Quarter, Evidenced by ‘Robust’ Sales and EPS Growth
“The Wabtec team delivered another strong quarter, evidenced by robust sales and earnings per share growth,” President and CEO Rafael Santana said in a July 24 earnings announcement. Sales were up 9.8% year-over-year, driven by sales growth in both the Freight and Transit segments.