WSP Expands its Portfolio
Professional services firm WSP Global Inc. (WSP) on Oct. 9 completed its acquisition of Ricardo plc (Ricardo), a strategic and engineering consultancy firm headquartered in the United Kingdom.
news
G&W, King Milling Celebrate Partnership
Genesee & Wyoming (G&W) on Oct. 8 joined customer King Milling to celebrate the impact of infrastructure grants the partners received from the Michigan Department of Transportation’s Office of Rail.
Transit Briefs: DART, HART, Caltrain, San Diego MTS, VRE, Amtrak
Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) readies for Silver Line service. Also, Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation (HART) preps riders for Skyline’s second-segment launch; California’s Caltrain will be compensated for the power it returns to the grid through its trains’ regenerative braking; San Diego Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) reports a drop in crime across its network; Virginia Railway Express (VRE) reaches a ridership milestone; and a third daily trip will be added to Amtrak’s Missouri River Runner during the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
John M. Samuels Jr., 82
Former Norfolk Southern Senior Vice President of Operations Planning and Support John M. Samuels Jr. died August 22, 2025, in Jupiter, Fla., He was 82 Samuels grew up in Yardley, Pa. After
Commentary
Preserving the Past, Powering the Future: NS Helps Reunite Georgia’s Railroad History
Norfolk Southern is once again making history more accessible. Thanks to a $500,000 contribution from NS, the Atlanta History Center and the Georgia Historical Society have completed a landmark archival exchange—preserving Georgia’s
Sion Tapped as New Alstom CEO
Alstom on Oct. 8 announced that Martin Sion has been chosen by the company’s Board of Directors, following the recommendation of the Nominations and Remuneration Committee, as the new Chief Executive Officer
PHL, Cliatt II Earn 2025 Maritime Industry Salute Award
The International Seafarers Center of the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles on Oct. 2 recognized the Pacific Harbor Line (PHL) and its President Otis L. Cliatt II “for their outstanding professional performance in ensuring safe, secure, and efficient cargo handling, and for their steadfast advocacy for both seafaring and shoreside workers.”
RailWorks Corporation Taps Jim Sabin as CEO
RailWorks Corporation announced Jim Sabin has been appointed President and CEO.
Commentary
Norfolk Southern Powers Past 1,000th Locomotive Modernization
At Norfolk Southern’s Juniata Locomotive Shop in Altoona, PA., history and innovation came together to mark a major achievement: our 1,000th DC-to-AC locomotive conversion.
Class I Briefs: CN, CPKC, UP
CN sets a grain movement record in September. Also, Canadian Pacific Kansas City’s (CPKC) KC locomotive shop reaches a safety milestone; and Union Pacific (UP) and Nestlé Purina’s Denver plant mark a 95-year partnership.
Transit Briefs: PANYNJ, Detroit People Mover
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) breaks ground on a new AirTrain Newark system at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR). Also, the Detroit People Mover (DPM) gets the green light for $800,000 to study the modernization of Detroit’s downtown transit line.
AAR: U.S. Rail Traffic Uptick Continues in Week 40
The Association of American Railroads in reporting freight rail traffic for the week ending Oct. 4, 2025 (Week 40) noted that total U.S. rail traffic was 503,538 carloads and intermodal units, up 3.6% from the prior-year period. Total carloads for the week came in at 224,972, up 0.002% from the same week in 2024, and intermodal volume was 278,566 containers and trailers, up 6.7% from last year.
R&LHS Awards $32K in 2025 Scholarships
The Railway & Locomotive Historical Society has awarded a record eight scholarships in 2025. Each award is worth $4,000, up from $3,000 in all five previous years, for a total of $32,000.
Improving Rail Operations Using AI and Machine Learning: Detecting Trespasser Hotspots
TTC OPERATED BY ENSCO, RAILWAY AGE OCTOBER 2025 ISSUE: Trespassing along a rail corridor remains one of the most important and challenging issues that railroad operators face every day. Trespassing on railroads
Confirmed: David Armstrong Fink as Federal Railroad Administrator
By a 50-47 party line vote in the Senate, David Armstrong Fink was confirmed Oct. 7 as the nation’s 16th Federal Railroad Administrator. Although the Senate Commerce Committee made a favorable recommendation for confirmation in May, party politics delayed the floor vote on Fink’s and 107 others Presidential nominations.
A Tight Hold
RAILWAY AGE, OCTOBER 2025 ISSUE: Railroads rely on suppliers for cost-effective fasteners that perform reliably and safely.
Port NOLA Advances Planning, Development of St. Bernard Transportation Corridor
The Port of New Orleans (Port NOLA) and the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (LaDOTD) have signed a Cooperative Endeavor Agreement (CEA) to advance the planning and development of the St. Bernard Transportation Corridor, “a vital roadway project that will directly connect the future Louisiana International Terminal (LIT) in St. Bernard Parish to the interstate system.”
Commentary
‘There Are No Shortcuts’
RAILWAY AGE OCTOBER 2025 ISSUE: A Conversation with American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association President Chuck Baker. Patriot Rail Chief Policy Officer and Railway Age Contributing Editor Don Itzkoff caught up
Commentary
Ocean of Liquidity Needs a Home
2026 RAILROAD FINANCIAL DESK BOOK, RAILWAY AGE OCTOBER 2025 ISSUE: Welcome to the 2026 Railroad Financial Desk Book. If you have made it through a tumultuous summer, you have finally reached the
Commentary
LRT Conference Focuses on Change, Innovation, Technology
On Oct. 1 and 2, Railway Age and Railway Track & Structures held the annual Light Rail Conference. This year’s event took place in Pittsburgh, and it focused on responding to change