In Part 2 of this two-part series on railroad safety and technology, Steven R. Ditmeyer takes a deep dive into ITS (Intelligent Transportation Systems), specifically, highway/rail grade crossing warning devices that interface
BNSF on Jan. 11 announced that it has completed a record year for workplace safety in 2023, with the lowest injury frequency rate in the company’s 175-year history.
A new on-property agreement has been ratified between 55 Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) members and Genesee & Wyoming’s Portland & Western Railroad (PNWR), a 516-mile Class II that operates throughout Washington and Oregon and interchanges with BNSF (at Vancouver, Wash., and Portland, Ore.) and Union Pacific (at Eugene, Ore., and Portland, Ore.).
The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) is urging the House and Senate Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD) Appropriations Committee leaders “to resolve their differences and provide the critical investments needed to improve our nation’s public transit, passenger rail, and multimodal infrastructure.”
The California High-Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA) has awarded Network Rail Consulting Inc. (the U.S. subsidiary of Britain’s Network Rail Consulting) a $73.2 million systems engineering services contract. With construction under way, the
Service satisfaction for Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) customers was up in 2023. Also, TEXRail has celebrated five years of commuter service between Fort Worth and DFW Airport in Texas.
Downtown Miami Link (DTML), Tri-Rail’s connection into Brightline’s new Miami Central station, has been a long time in coming, and there have been some difficulties along the way, but service will start
I have spent more than 50 years in the rail industry, all of it in the Communications & Signals segment. I will be retiring after the joint REMSA/RSSI Exhibition in Louisville, Ky.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Jan. 10 introduced his $291 billion 2024-25 state budget proposal, which includes an investment of $19.6 billion in transportation funding and closes a projected $37.86 billion shortfall.
Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA) may be trimming its plans to update the historic Los Angeles Union Station as construction costs have doubled from $950 million to an estimated $1.93 billion, Urbanize LA reported Jan. 10.
Bruce W. Gartner will serve as the Maryland Transportation Authority’s (MDTA) Executive Director. Also, Sound Transit approves the appointment of Goran Sparrman as interim CEO.
A new expansion of railroad asset management and control technology developer TekTracking LLC’s Commander Terminal Automation (CTA) system has been deployed on two Class I railroads.
ZTR and GATX have signed a strategic agreement to install PIVOT™, ZTR’s new railcar remote monitoring telematics solution, on GATX’s North American railcar fleet. It will interface, the companies say, with the
The city of Savannah, Ga., advances a railroad quiet zone project in partnership with CSX, Watco, Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), and Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT). Also, the government of Canada invests in expanding the Archer Daniels Midland Company Grain Terminal at Ontario’s Port Windsor, which is served by Essex Terminal Railway (ETR) with connections to CN, Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC), and Norfolk Southern (NS).
OptiFuel Systems (OptiFuel) announced Jan. 11 that it will begin testing a 5600 hp Total-Zero™ Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) Line Haul Locomotive and 2500 hp Total-Zero™ Powered Tender with 7,500 DGE (diesel gallon equivalent) capacity, in January 2025.
Transportation industry attorney William “Bill” Mullins launches Mullins Law Group PLLC, based in Washington, D.C. Also, Ray Verrelle joins HNTB as Senior Project Director and Vice President, supporting the firm’s transit and rail practice; STV appoints Scot Sibert as Vice President, South/Central Transit Director; and TransCore, a subsidiary of ST Engineering, elevates Whitt Hall to President and CEO and Clint Holley to Chief Operating Officer.
Railway Age’s 2024 Railroader of the Year Award, the 61st annual, goes to an experienced and highly respected North American rail industry leader: CN President and Chief Executive Officer Tracy Robinson. “Tracy
Zurich, Switzerland-based Hitachi Energy acquires COET, a designer and manufacturer of power equipment for electric mobility, rail and industry, headquartered San Donato Milanese, Italy. Also, Beloit, Wis.-based Comply365, LLC merges with Bristol, England-based Vistair Limited, forming a compliance, safety, and data-intelligence technology company to serve the rail, aviation, and defense industries.
Hatch is tapped to design the East Harbour Transit Hub for Metrolinx. Also, Bay Area Rapid Transit’s (BART) Fleet of the Future trains are projected to come in hundreds of millions of dollars under budget.
Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka outlines plans for 2024 in his “State of the Port” address. Also, Trigon Pacific Terminals Ltd. (Trigon) initiates the regulatory review process for its planned Canadian LPG export project.
