STB Establishes Procedural Schedule in Amtrak Sunset Limited OTP Proceeding

The Surface Transportation Board (STB) on Aug. 19 issued a decision to “establish a procedural schedule, address several motions and filings, and provide other directives” regarding its investigation into the on-time performance (OTP) of Amtrak’s Sunset Limited service between New Orleans, La., and Los Angeles, Calif. STB is establishing the procedural schedule in anticipation of the end of the discovery period on Aug. 23, 2024, in the interest of advancing the proceeding.

Beth Whited to open Women in Rail event

UP’s Whited Headlining 2024 Women in Rail Event

What is Beth Whited’s backstory? How can her journey to becoming the first female president in Union Pacific’s history and the lessons she’s learned along the way help you in your career? Learn more during the kick-off session with Whited at the Railway Age / RT&S Women in Rail Conference, taking place Nov. 5-6 in Chicago.

People News: STV, Lochner

Tara Soesbee joins STV as Vice President of Rolling Stock Client Engagement. Also, Dan Manojlovski joins H.W. Lochner, Inc. (Lochner) as Chief Operating Officer.

“We’re proud to be recognized by the Texas Veterans Commission [TVC] with its ‘Large Employer of the Year’ award!” BNSF reported Aug. 16 via social media. Pictured, from left to right: TVC District Manager Jo Ikard, TVC Veteran Employee Liaison Jay Zimmerman, BNSF Director of Talent Acquisition Kelly Jimenez and TVC Division Director Charlie Catoe at the TVC awards ceremony Aug. 9 in Humble, Tex. (BNSF Photograph)

Class I Briefs: BNSF, UP

BNSF provides an operational update and earns the title of “Large Employer of the Year” for Texas veterans. Also, Union Pacific’s (UP) Engineering team in Nampa, Idaho, marks a safety milestone.

Transit Briefs: DART, SBCTA

Dallas Area Rapid Transit’s (DART) Orange Line celebrates a decade of providing service to DFW Airport. Also, state and federal leaders join the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority (SBCTA), Stadler and Metrolink to celebrate the technology behind the Zero Emission Multiple Unit (ZEMU).

(William C. Vantuono Photograph)

Transit Briefs: NJT, LACMTA

New Jersey Transit (NJT) will offer a “transit fare holiday.” Also, the free-fare student GoPass program marks a milestone, according to Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA).

The Surrey Langley project will extend SkyTrain’s Expo Line nearly 10 miles and include eight stations. (Rendering Courtesy of the Province of British Columbia)

All Three Contracts Awarded for C$6B Surrey Langley SkyTrain Project

The province of British Columbia, Canada, has formally awarded three teams contracts for the Surrey Langley SkyTrain project, which it reported will cost nearly C$2 billion more and be completed one year

NS earlier this month hosted a RailCAST meeting that brought together a range of stakeholders, including representatives from U.S. and Canadian Class I railroads and federal regulatory agencies, as well as labor leaders. (Photograph Courtesy of NS)

Class I Briefs: NS, BNSF

Norfolk Southern (NS) hosts the Rail Coalition of Advanced Safety Technology (RailCAST) meeting in Georgia. Also, BNSF’s Hobart and Fresno facility teams in California celebrate safety achievements, and its dimensional clearance team is recognized by the Railroad Industrial Clearance Association.

According to Natron Energy, the new facility in Edgecombe County, N.C., “will enable a 40x scale-up of Natron’s current production capacity” of sodium-ion batteries. (Photo: Business Wire)

Rail-Served Sodium-Ion Battery Plant Coming to North Carolina

Santa Clara, Calif.-based Natron Energy will spend an estimated $1.4 billion to bring a sodium-ion battery plant to Rocky Mount, N.C. CSX will serve the new facility that is slated to produce 24 GW of batteries annually at full capacity.

NYMTA photo

Report: FTA Says NYMTA ‘Must Improve Worker Safety’

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) says New York City’s transit system “must improve its safety procedures and increase state oversight needs to avoid subway trains striking workers,” according to a Bloomberg report.

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