news

MTA NYCT to boost L Line subway service

Aided by New York’s first successful application of Communications Based Train Control (CBTC), New York City Transit’s L Line will add service frequency June 9 in response to rapidly growing ridership demand.

STV marks 100th anniversary

In 1912, Elwyn E. Seelye founded a structural engineering firm in New York City bearing his name. Elwyn E. Seelye & Co. would eventually evolve into a multi-disciplinary practice, and be acquired

U.S. freight traffic back to “mixed” results

Resuming a pattern repeated through much of 2012, U.S. freight carload volume for the week ending June 2, 2012, fell short of the comparable week in 2011, down 3.1%, after gaining ground in the previous week, the Association of American Railroads reported Thursday. Continuing its winning streak, U.S. intermodal volume for the week was up 4.1% compared with the same week last year.

Alstom lands Wuppertal signaling contract

Alstom Thursday said it has signed a signaling system contract worth 17 million euros ($21.4 million) with WSW mobil GmbH to install an ERTMS1-based train command and control system on the 13.3-kilometer (8.2-mile) Wuppertaler Schwebebahn line. The Schwebebahn, or monorail, began service in 1901.

Milwaukie, Ore., sets LRT payment plan

Portland, Ore., suburb Milwaukie has approved a plan to pay off $4.1 million it owes to TriMet over the next 19 years, though the particulars for payment are not yet all resolved.

MBTA taps Alstom for LRT overhaul

Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority’s Board of Directors Wednesday awarded a $104 million contract to Alstom for the overhaul of 86 light rail transit vehicles. The LRT cars were originally built by Kawasaki Heavy Industries.

Moorman: Putting coal in perspective

There’s no question about the importance of coal to the railroads. It has recently accounted for 44% of U.S. Class I railroad tonnage, 24.1% of carloads, and 24.2% of revenue. A mild winter coupled with abundant and cheap natural gas has led to a sharp decline in coal traffic—it was down 16% in the week ended May 10 and coke was down 9%.

Oil and gas drive hot leasing market

Halfway into the year, North America’s railcar lessors have a hot marketplace on their hands for cars destined for oil and gas industry service. This has translated into significant new car building, particularly 30,000-gallon general purpose tank cars and new small cube covered hoppers for sand service.

NS marks 30 years on the NYSE

On June 2, 1982, newly formed Norfolk Southern Corp., a merger of the Norfolk & Western Railway and the Southern Railway, was listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Present were NS Chairman and CEO Robert B. Claytor (previously president of the N&W) and NS President and Chief Operating Officer Harold H. Hall (previously president of the Southern).

Ottawa ponders western LRT route

Ottawa city officials continue to weigh four options for routing light rail transit through the western portion of the city, including consideration of citizen input along each route option.

Dover: Teamwork, tenacity get Smith back on track

Railroaders and racers have many characteristics in common. Two of them are teamwork and tenacity. When trouble strikes, they rise to the occasion and band together, working safely and efficiently to recover and keep going.

ProTran lands Brazilian contract

ProTran Technology says it was awarded its first major contract from Brazil’s Belo Horizonte Metro for the “Protracker / PTC” track worker protection overlay system for advance warning of approaching trains.