Report: Mass Transit Leader Downey Dies at 87
Mortimer L. Downey III, a nationally recognized leader in urban mass transit died on Nov. 2 at the age of 87, according to a report by The Washington Post. Downey spent six
news
USDOT: $653MM for Port Improvement Projects
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s (USDOT) Maritime Administration (MARAD) on Nov. 3 announced $653 million to fund 41 port improvement projects across the country under the Port Infrastructure Development Program (PIDP).
FRA Awards $16.4B for NEC Projects (UPDATED)
The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) on Nov. 6 reported awarding $16.4 billion for 25 passenger rail projects along the Northeast Corridor (NEC) through the Federal-State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail Program (Fed-State
Transport Canada Launches Database for Transportation of Dangerous Goods
Transport Canada on Nov. 3 announced the launch of new registration requirements and a new Client Identification Database to reduce risks associated with dangerous goods.
NTSB Urges FRA to Incorporate New PTC Technology
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is calling on the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) to formulate a plan to “incorporate promising new [Positive Train Control (PTC)] technology into the existing system that
ARCI: 3Q23 Freight Car Numbers on the Decline
Newly released data by the Railway Supply Institute (RSI) American Railway Car Institute Committee (ARCI) shows decreases in railcar orders, deliveries and backlog in 2023’s third-quarter. The data includes information on covered
CN, G&W Forge CBNS Partnership
Genesee & Wyoming Inc. on Nov. 1 entered into a partnership with CN involving G&W’s Cape Breton & Central Nova Scotia Railway (CBNS). CN will acquire a stake in CBNS and manage
Trinity 3Q23: ‘Significantly Stronger Performance’
Trinity Industries, Inc. earnings results for the third quarter ended Sept. 30, 2023 showed improvements in revenue, though railcar deliveries fell due mostly to factors the company could not control. Quarterly total
Railway Age November 2023 Digital Edition Spotlights Women in Rail Awards
Railway Age’s seventh annual Women in Rail program recognizes women who excel at leadership, serving the community and contributing to the industry. These strong women—plus several earning Honorable Mention—were selected from more
BNSF, BMWED Ratify Paid Sick Leave Deal
The Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Division-International Brotherhood of Teamsters (BMWED) on Oct. 31 reported ratifying an agreement with BNSF that includes paid sick days.
AAR: Rail Volumes Up for Second Consecutive Month in October
Total year-over-year carload and intermodal volumes for U.S. railroads rose for the second consecutive month in October. And they were “the most for any month since June 2021, a span of 28 months,” Association of American Railroads (AAR) Senior Vice President John T. Gray reported Nov. 1. “Part of that relates to intermodal seasonality and concerns over Panama Canal capacity, but part of it also reflects an economy that remains resilient as reflected by recent strong GDP data.”
Commentary
Advanced Telematics Make RailPulse Possible
Brad Myers, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at Amsted Digital Solutions, explains to Kevin Smith how advances in telematics technology are making RailPulse possible. Central to the success of the
For UP, an Organizational ‘Reset’
Union Pacific on Nov. 1 announced a major initiative whose intent is changing the railroad’s culture. UP is enacting “organizational changes to reduce layers, expand spans of control and focus on empowering
Wabtec, Roy Hill Unveil Second-Gen FLXdrive (Updated)
Wabtec on Oct. 31 revealed its second-generation FLXdrive battery locomotive, which will be delivered in 2024 to Australian iron ore mining company Roy Hill. The unit’s pink livery symbolizes Roy Hill’s commitment to supporting breast cancer research and patients.
Commentary
Finding the North American Railcar Fleet’s Pulse
RailPulse is a cross-industry coalition of companies seeking to optimize the collection and use of data on freight car performance metrics to improve service on the North American rail freight network. Kevin
US Steel Goes Battery-Electric
United States Steel Corporation has converted two of its diesel-electric switcher locomotives at the Mon Valley Works Edgar Thomson and Clairton Plants to battery-electric. Innovative Rail Technologies (IRT), a provider of customized
Implementing SLSI Recommendations Boosts Safety Culture, Study Finds
Implementing recommendations by the Short Line Safety Institute (SLSI) results in measurable growth in short line safety culture, according to a study by Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (Volpe).
![“At Alstom, we work every day to tackle climate change through sustainable mobility,” said Michael Keroullé, President of Alstom Americas, which employs more than 2,200 people in the GTA and has rolling stock production facilities in Ontario. “We want to share not only our passion with the [Earth District] students, but also provide them with the opportunity to join us and to drive urgent shift toward sustainability through research, development and technology.”](https://www.old.railwayage.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Alstom-Photo_Michael-Keroulle-315x168.jpeg)
Alstom, Earth District Team on Mobility Career Development
Alstom has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Environmental and Related Technologies Hub (Earth District), a consortium of five universities and colleges in Ontario, Canada, to create new learning, research and work opportunities in the mobility sector.
Safety : Number 1 Concern of the Railroad Industry!
Railcars contain hundreds of parts and critical components that are inspected frequently to ensure safe and reliable operations for more than 1.6 million railcars traversing 200,000 miles of track in North America.
Transit Briefs: WMATA, Brightline, NYMTA, CTA, NCTD, NFTA, PANYNJ
The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) “flips the switch” on Solar Carport Project at Anacostia, marking completion at the first two stations. Also, Brightline partners with Distribusion Technologies; the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) announces that the first OMNY card vending machines are available for customers; Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) ridership breaks post-pandemic record; the North County Transit District (NCTD) is awarded a Clean California Local Grant to beautify the Oceanside Transit Center Pedestrian Tunnel; the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority (NFTA) announces the activation of Metro rail gates; and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) sets a new September passenger record.